Faculty Stories

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Professor Receives César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Community Leadership Award

March 18, 2025

Alejandra Márquez Guajardo, Assistant Professor of Spanish in the Department of Romance and Classical Studies at Michigan State University, has been selected to receive the 2025 Plantando Semillas Award, also known as the MSU Faculty of the Year Award, recognizing her dedication and commitment to Latinx students and the Latinx community. Presented each year by MSU’s Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion,…

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Applied Linguistics Scholars Among Top 2-Percent of Scientists Worldwide

March 14, 2025

Four professors from the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures at Michigan State University are among the top 2% of scientists in the world, according to Stanford University’s latest World’s Top 2% Scientists list, which identifies scholars who are top-cited in their respective fields.

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Read more about the article Ryan Claytor’s 20-Year Legacy as a Comics Education Trailblazer
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Ryan Claytor’s 20-Year Legacy as a Comics Education Trailblazer

March 11, 2025

Ryan Claytor is a trailblazer in comics education whose passion for teaching and talent as an award-winning comics artist and creator is fueled by his love of the expressive medium. Since joining Michigan State University’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design in 2008, Claytor has built a thriving academic and creative comics community at the university, having launched the first comics studio course in MSU’s history and later establishing the interdisciplinary Comic Art and Graphic Novels minor.

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Read more about the article Faculty Invited to Teach at International Winter School for Language Testing Research
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Faculty Invited to Teach at International Winter School for Language Testing Research

February 20, 2025

Assistant Professor Koen Van Gorp and Professor Paula Winke from the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures (LiLaC) at Michigan State University were two of five international professors invited by the European Association of Language Testing and Assessment and the Language Testing Research Group Innsbruck to teach at a Winter School for language testing research that was held in the…

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Read more about the article Faculty Voice: I’m a Maker and a Storyteller
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Faculty Voice: I’m a Maker and a Storyteller

February 14, 2025

Teresa Dunn is a Mexican American artist raised in rural southern Illinois. Her identity life and art are influenced by her racial and cultural heritages and the complexities of being a brown woman in the Midwest. She's a Professor of Painting and Drawing in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design in the College of Arts & Letters. Dunn wrote the…

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Lecture Series Showcases Strong Connection Between Religious Studies and MSU Libraries’ Special Collections

January 29, 2025

Religious Studies faculty will discuss how the MSU Libraries' Special Collections informs their teaching and research as part of the Collecting Religion Lecture Series offered this semester. Hosted by MSU Libraries and organized in collaboration with the Department of Religious Studies, the series will highlight how rare and historical primary sources bring Religious Studies to life. The series kicks off…

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College of Arts & Letters Faculty Awarded for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

January 29, 2025

Three faculty members from the College of Arts & Letters are being honored by the university as recipients of 2024-25 Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards. These awards, presented by MSU's Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, recognize exceptional and innovative contributions that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at Michigan State University through their teaching, research, programming, service, community…

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Preserving Native American Culture and Traditions Through Language and Craft

November 22, 2024

Ellie Mitchell is on a mission to preserve Indigenous languages, arts, and crafts to ensure that Native American culture and traditions remain vibrant for future generations. A member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and a Michigan State University alum with a B.A. in Linguistics, Mitchell is using her MSU education to support tribal language programs across the country as…

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Read more about the article Professor Shines Spotlight on Women of Color with State and International Award-Winning Work
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Professor Shines Spotlight on Women of Color with State and International Award-Winning Work

October 3, 2024

Teresa Dunn, a Mexican American artist and Professor in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University, is using her artistic talent to shine a spotlight on women of color who are often overlooked or diminished. Dunn is now being honored with statewide and international awards for this work.

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Theatre Professor Receives National Award for Excellence in Teaching and Mentorship

September 18, 2024

As the 2024 recipient of the Betty Jean Jones Award, Ann Folino White, Associate Professor of Theatre Studies at Michigan State University, joins the ranks of a select group of scholars honored by this prestigious national award for excellence in teaching and mentorship in theatre. Presented by the American Theatre and Drama Society (ATDS), an international body of scholars dedicated…

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