Assignment to Design Auditorium Lobby Renovation and Major Donor Costume

A class assignment by Kirk Domer, Professor of Scene Design, and Lucas Nunn, Academic Specialist of Sound Design, had their MSU Department of Theatre students thinking about renovating the MSU Auditorium Lobby for a mock grand reopening that also included the creation of a costume design for a “major donor.”  The MFA in Theatre students each worked in their field…

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Faculty Voice: Our Continuous Movement

In 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black Studies, initiated the first “Negro History Week,” which would evolve into Black History Month here in the United States in 1976. For many people, it is an important commemoration of the long-standing contributions of African Americans in this country.

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Collaborators from MSU’s Department of Theatre Help Bring Musical to Texas Stage

Four collaborators from Michigan State University’s Department of Theatre have teamed up to help bring the world premiere of MacGyver: The Musical to Stages in Houston, Texas. Kirk Domer, Professor of Scene Design at MSU, is the scene designer for the production. MSU alumna Kristina Ortiz Miller is the costume designer and is being helped by Mona Jahani, an MFA…

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Alumnus Reflects on Legacy as a Student Activist and a Black Student Alliance Founder

In the midst of student protests over racism nationwide and on campus, Barry D. Amis helped found the Black Student Alliance at Michigan State University in 1967 and served as its first president. He has notebooks filled with news clippings and photos from his years as a student activist. “What we did at the time at MSU was groundbreaking,” said…

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From Art History Degree to Emmy Award: Alumna Finds Success as Production Designer

A degree in Art History doesn’t usually lead to an Emmy Award, but for alumna Amy Williams, her MSU education helped catalyze an acclaimed career in production design. Over the past decade, Williams has worked as a production designer on an array of films, TV shows, commercials, and music videos, using her background in art history as a creative foundation…

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P2W Major Bids Farewell and Reflects on Four Years of Transformational Change

Like most incoming first-year students, when I arrived at MSU to move into my Bailey Hall dorm room, I was nervous, homesick, and overwhelmed. I’m not ashamed to admit I shed a few tears at Noodles & Company as I ate lunch with my family before they left to go back home without me. A new chapter was ahead of me, and the blank pages were daunting.

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German Studies Alumna Earns Women in German Dissertation Prize

Melissa Elliot, who earned a Ph.D. in German Studies from Michigan State University, recently was awarded the Women in German Dissertation Prize for her dissertation, Forgotten Notes: Narrative Film Music in DEFA Cinema. As the winner, Elliot received a $500 award and a certificate of recognition that was conferred at the 2021 Women in German Conference. Dissertations were evaluated based on…

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MSU Alumnus, U.S. Army Veteran Channels Artistry as Mental Health Intern

Greg Fricker wanted to go to art school but joined the U.S. Army when his father insisted. His dad was career military and said that no one ever made a living as an artist. With his aspirations redirected, Fricker enlisted straight out of high school and served for 20 years until multiple traumas thrust him back into civilian life.

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Afrofantastic: Seeing the Impact of Black Speculation and Liberation in American Culture

What is Afrofuturism and why does it matter to our contemporary moment? In this presentation, Julian Chambliss, Professor of English, Core Faculty in the Consortium For Critical Diversity in Digital Age Research (CEDAR), and Val Berryman Curator of History at the MSU Museum, explores the manifestation of Black speculative practice.

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A Love of the Spanish Language and Its Impact on Recent Alum

Enrolled as a child in a Spanish immersion program, Allie Virginski’s childhood interest in the language blossomed into an integral part of her life, education, and career.  “Spanish is such a strong part of who I am. I absolutely love it,” she said. “I used to take culture classes when I was younger, and I knew I wanted to continue…

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