Faculty Voice: Art Is What We Need Right Now

Meghan Collins is the lead educator for K-12 and family programs at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University and an Assistant Professor of Art Education in MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design. She also is a proud alum of MSU’s Art Education program and rejoined the university community after teaching art in K-8 public schools in Lansing, Michigan, and Montgomery County, Maryland.

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Celebrating 20 Years: Second Language Studies Program Honors Its Past and Looks to the Future

While Michigan State University’s Second Language Studies (SLS) Ph.D. program may have started by being in the right place at the right time, the efforts made by its administrators, faculty, alumni, and students have propelled the program into an international powerhouse. During the 20th anniversary celebration held Oct. 17-19, 2025, students, faculty, and alums of the program shared their experiences,…

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Professor Researching Indigenous Environmental Stewardship with Support from Newberry Fellowship  

Elan Pochedley, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and 1855 Professor of Great Lakes Anishinaabe Knowledge, Spiritualities, and Cultural Practices, was awarded the Newberry Consortium in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (NCAIS) long-term faculty fellowship to research how Indigenous peoples’ expressions of environmental stewardship and governance have been practiced, sustained, interrupted, and/or rekindled throughout the central and western Great Lakes region.

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MSU and Georgia Tech Receive Mellon Funding for Research Project Combining Afrofuturism, Humanities, and Horticulture

Michigan State University has joined the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in The Earthseed Project, a humanities-centered research initiative that uses Afrofuturist literature to connect horticulture, climate resilience, and food sustainability knowledge and practices. The Earthseed Project at Michigan State University uses spaces like the Beal Botanical Garden to bring people together to discuss current topics and develop a…

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Beaumont Tower Comes Alive with Animated Projections Created by MSU Students

Michigan State University’s Beaumont Tower came alive with light, sound, and animation during this year’s Halloween carillon concert, “The Ringing 2: Shadows Rise.” The event showcased artwork and animations created by students in the Department of Theatre’s Compositing and Special Effects for Stage and Screen (THR 337) class, taught by Alison Dobbins, Professor of Integrated Performance Media Design.

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Religious Studies Professor Part of $3.6 Million NSF Grant to Build First-of-Its-Kind Solar-Agriculture Lab

Michigan State University scientists plan to build a first-of-its-kind outdoor lab to study how solar panels placed alongside crops cloud save water, improve soil health, and support ecosystems, all while boosting farmers' bottom line and preserving farm production. The project, led by Earth and Environmental Sciences Assistant Professor Anthony Kendall, is made possible by a five-year $3.6 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. Gretel Van Wieren, Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at MSU, is among the senior research personnel on the project.

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MSU Alum Uses Religious Studies Education as an Advocate for the Developmentally Disabled

Michigan State University alum Renee Hall has been an active member in the disability community for more than 20 years, serving in various roles including advocate, direct support professional, service coordinator, counselor, and research specialist. She currently works as the Advisor to the Self-Advocates of Michigan through the Developmental Disabilities Council of Michigan.

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MSU’s SmART Program Expands Community Art Access While Giving Art Education Majors Teaching Experience

As most experienced teachers well know, lesson plans don’t always go according to plan. Thinking on your feet and taking advantage of unforeseen “teachable moments” can often lead to the biggest lessons of the day. However, this is not something that can be easily taught in a classroom and is much better learned through real-world experiences, like what Michigan State University’s Saturday Morning Art (SmART) program provides.

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Stanley & Selma Hollander Artist, Designer, and Scholar Lecture Series to Bring Distinguished Guests to MSU in 2025-2026

Through its annual Selma & Stanley Hollander Artist, Designer, and Scholar Lecture Series, the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University hosts several internationally recognized leaders in the fields of art and design, who each offer inspiring talks that explore how visual representation in all its complex forms exists as a mode of inquiry. The 2025-2026 Selma & Stanley Hollander Artist, Designer, and Scholar Lecture Series will bring 15 distinguished guests to campus.

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New Musical Takes Flight at MSU in Partnership with Department of Theatre and Wharton Center

Buckle up for turbulence, tunes, and 1960s hijinks as Michigan State University’s Department of Theatre, in collaboration with Wharton Center, presents “Taking Off!,” a high-flying new musical comedy and this year’s New Musical Laboratory production. Performances are scheduled for Sept. 19-21, 2025, at Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre.  

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