Suban Nur Cooley, Assistant Professor in the Department of African American and African Studies (AAAS) at Michigan State University, has been named Lansing’s next Poet Laureate and will serve the greater Lansing region for the 2026-2028 term. She also is an MSU alum having earned her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing from MSU’s Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures.
A research article co-authored by a Michigan State University College of Arts & Letters faculty member and an alum has received the 2025 Albert Valdman Award for Outstanding Publication in Studies in Second Language Acquisition, which recognizes the top article published in the international journal each year.The award-winning article, titled Testing the three-stage model of second language skill acquisition, was…
Marohang Yakthung Limbu, Professor in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures at Michigan State University, has been awarded Humanities and Arts Research Program (HARP) large-scale development funding for his project "Documenting Matrilineal Civilizations and Ancient Himalayan Yakthung Histories: A Study Through Mundhums and Film." HARP is one of MSU’s largest internal grants, providing funding to support faculty conducting important research projects or activities in the arts and humanities.
After 26 years as a faculty member in the Department of Romance and Classical Studies at Michigan State University, Rocío Quispe Agnoli, Professor of Latin American Literatures and Cultures, will begin a new chapter as an Emeritum Professor at the end of this academic year. Before that, she will deliver the 2026 College of Arts & Letters Legacy Lecture, an…
From national research ethics to global scientific freedom, Heather Douglas, Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Michigan State University, has been appointed to two high-profile committees: one at the National Academy of Sciences redefining ethical research practice for the next generation of scientists, and another at the International Science Council where she is the only American member monitoring threats…
Long before he became a Professor of Theatre Studies and Integrative Humanities at Michigan State University, Philip Effiong Jr. was a child struggling to survive a war the world would largely forget. During the Nigeria-Biafra War, he endured air raids, hunger, and displacement —experiences that left lasting psychological and emotional scars. Decades later, those memories have become the foundation of two memoirs.
During the 2025-2026 academic year, 24 faculty members within the College of Arts & Letters received promotions. The success of these individuals was celebrated at special ceremonies hosted by the Office of the Provost. “On behalf of the College of Arts & Letters, I want to congratulate our faculty members who have earned promotions this year,” said Thomas Stubblefield, Dean of the College of Arts & Letters.
Alexandria Davis is an Assistant Professor of Dance in MSU’s Department of Theatre as well as an interdisciplinary artist, choreographer, researcher, performance deviser, and certified dancer in healthcare. She wrote, choreographed, and is directing Echoes from the Banks of the Red Cedar, an immersive dance theatre production presented by the Department of Theatre Feb. 14–22, 2026, at the Fairchild Theatre…
For the 11th time in the last 12 years, Michigan State University has been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, ranking among the colleges and universities with the highest number of faculty and administrators selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Eleven scholars from MSU were selected for Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards for academic year 2025–2026. Three of those faulty members are in the College of Arts & Letters.
Michigan State University faculty member Pete Johnston fulfilled a lifelong dream when he first appeared on a July episode of “Jeopardy!” While Johnston came in second place in July, he took first place in the “Jeopardy!” Second Chance Tournament game Dec. 17 and also in the resulting two-game finals Dec. 18-19. He next competes in the Champions Wildcard game airing…