Faculty

A woman in a cream period dress stands under a vibrant blue spotlight center stage with her palms turned upward. To her right is a wooden desk with a small lamp, and to her left is a bed. The background shows a digital projection of historical ledger lines and text.
Alumni / Arts MSU / English / Faculty / Faculty / Michigan Impact / News / Performance / Production

MSU Alum Sandra Seaton Reclaims History and Voice in World Premiere of ‘Sally: A Solo Play’

February 25, 2026

When award-winning playwright and Michigan State University alum Sandra Seaton returned to Wharton Center for Performing Arts for the world premiere of "Sally: A Solo Play," it was both a creative milestone and a homecoming. The production brought Seaton’s 15-year engagement with Sally Hemings to a stage that has long shaped her artistic life — one she calls “a home away from home.”

Continue ReadingMSU Alum Sandra Seaton Reclaims History and Voice in World Premiere of ‘Sally: A Solo Play’
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Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / International Impact / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / Michigan Impact / News / Philosophy / U.S. Impact

Shaping the Future of Science: MSU Philosophy Professor Joins National and Global Science Committees

February 24, 2026

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…

Continue ReadingShaping the Future of Science: MSU Philosophy Professor Joins National and Global Science Committees
A professional headshot of Philip Effiong, Professor of Theatre Studies and Integrative Humanities. He is wearing round black-rimmed glasses, an olive green V-neck sweater over a maroon collared shirt.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / International Impact / News

MSU Theatre Professor Survived a Forgotten War and Is Refusing to Let It Disappear

February 19, 2026

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.

Continue ReadingMSU Theatre Professor Survived a Forgotten War and Is Refusing to Let It Disappear
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AAHD / Art, Art History, and Design / Digital Humanities / Event / Faculty / Faculty / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / Michigan Impact / News / Philosophy / Research / Student / Student / XA

From AI to Urban Trees: College of Arts & Letters Faculty and Students Lead Ethics Week Events Inviting MSU Community into Critical Dialogue

February 16, 2026

This week, Feb. 16-20, 2026, Michigan State University celebrates Ethics Week, a week-long series of events designed to engage students, faculty, staff, and the community in meaningful discussions about ethics and to encourage campus-wide engagement with contemporary moral challenges. Organized by the Ethics Institute, Ethics Week is dedicated to exploring the key roles ethics plays in our professional and personal…

Continue ReadingFrom AI to Urban Trees: College of Arts & Letters Faculty and Students Lead Ethics Week Events Inviting MSU Community into Critical Dialogue
A group of nine College of Arts & Letters faculty members standing in two rows, smiling and posing for a group photo. They are dressed in business professional attire, including dark blazers, a teal jacket, dress shirts with ties, and a cream blouse. They stand on a patterned rug in a well-lit indoor lounge area featuring an orange seating bench, a wood-slatted ceiling, and warm pendant lighting. In the blurred foreground, the hands of a person holding a smartphone are visible, capturing the picture of the group.
AAHD / Art, Art History, and Design / English / Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / Linguistics / News / Philosophy / Religious Studies / Spanish / Theatre

MSU Celebrates Promoted Faculty, Honoring 29 from the College of Arts & Letters

February 14, 2026

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.

Continue ReadingMSU Celebrates Promoted Faculty, Honoring 29 from the College of Arts & Letters
A professional headshot of Alexandria Davis, Assistant Professor of Dance at Michigan State University. Her hair is styled in twists, and she wears gold hoop earrings, a thin gold necklace with a dark pendant, and a tan cardigan over a ribbed grey top with a blue and yellow patterned trim. She is looking toward the camera with a neutral, poised expression.
Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / News

Faculty Voice: Teaching and Research at Beal Garden Inspires MSU Department of Theatre Production

February 10, 2026

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…

Continue ReadingFaculty Voice: Teaching and Research at Beal Garden Inspires MSU Department of Theatre Production
Two student performers stand on stage beneath a large projection reading, “AI learns through mathematical pattern recognition and optimization of large datasets, while human learning is a biological process shaped by experience, emotions and consciousness.” Blue and purple lighting and stage haze frame the scene, with one performer elevated on a platform and another kneeling nearby, holding a notebook.
Arts MSU / Faculty / Faculty / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / News / Performance / Production / Student / Student / Theatre

From Seed to Stage: MSU Department of Theatre Production Draws Inspiration from Historic Beal Experiment

February 9, 2026

Buried beneath Michigan State University’s campus are the seeds of one of the world’s longest continuously monitored scientific experiments — and now, a new production presented by MSU’s Department of Theatre is bringing that history to life. Currently in its 147th year, the William J. Beal Seed Experiment serves as the inspiration for Echoes from the Banks of the Red Cedar, an immersive dance theatre production written, choreographed, and directed by Alexandria Davis, Assistant Professor of Dance.

Continue ReadingFrom Seed to Stage: MSU Department of Theatre Production Draws Inspiration from Historic Beal Experiment
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Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / Grant / International Impact / News / Research / Scholarship

College of Arts & Letters Faculty Help Drive MSU’s Continued Success as a Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars

February 4, 2026

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.

Continue ReadingCollege of Arts & Letters Faculty Help Drive MSU’s Continued Success as a Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars
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Alumni / Faculty / Faculty / News / RCAH

Scot Yoder, Longtime RCAH Faculty Member and Department of Philosophy Alum, Appointed RCAH’s Next Leader

February 2, 2026

Scot Yoder has been named the next leader of the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) at Michigan State University. A longtime RCAH faculty member who has been with the college since it first opened, Yoder assumed his new duties as RCAH Director on Jan. 1, 2026. He was appointed to the position by Thomas Stubblefield, Dean of…

Continue ReadingScot Yoder, Longtime RCAH Faculty Member and Department of Philosophy Alum, Appointed RCAH’s Next Leader
Alejandra Márquez, Assistant Professor of Spanish at Michigan State University, wears an orange shirt and glasses. She sits in from a wall with wallpaper that shows green, blue, and yellows leaves.
Faculty / Faculty / News / Spanish / U.S. Impact

Ask the Expert: The Super Bowl Goes Spanish With Bad Bunny’s Halftime Performance

January 30, 2026

Perhaps you’ve heard him featured on Cardi B’s 2019 hit “I Like it.” Maybe you’ve seen him host Saturday Night Live. You might have even seen his name during the Grammys, in recent headlines, or come across songs from his most recent album, "Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” on your music streaming app of choice.Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny,…

Continue ReadingAsk the Expert: The Super Bowl Goes Spanish With Bad Bunny’s Halftime Performance