Event

Text on a light green background reading 'Stanley + Selma Hollander lecture series' on the left, separated by a vertical line from the words 'Artist Designer + Scholar' on the right.

Hollander Lecture Series Brings Artists, Designers, and Scholars from Around the World to MSU

September 28, 2026

Michigan State University’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design will welcome 10 artists, designers, and scholars to campus during the 2026-27 academic year as part of its annual Stanley and Selma Hollander Visiting Artist, Designer, and Scholar Lecture Series. All lectures and events in the series are free and open to the public.

Students gather around a large black-and-white drawing displayed on an outdoor easel during the MSU Drawing Marathon.

Arts MSU / Event / Faculty / Faculty / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / News / Staff / Student / Student / Theatre

Drawing Marathon Brings Eight Hours of Non-Stop Creativity to Campus

September 22, 2026

The Summer Circle Theatre Courtyard will become a hub of creativity as people from across campus and the community come together to draw and create during the annual Drawing Marathon on Wednesday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hosted by MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design, this free event will include hands-on art activities, live models, music, and drawing opportunities for participants of all experience levels.

Graphic for the MSU Department of English’s “Circulations: Transnational Contact & Global Circulation in Literary and Film Studies,” featuring black-and-white portraits of four people within overlapping purple, orange, and green circles.

English / Event / News

English Department Launches New ‘Circulations’ Speaker Series

September 18, 2026

The Department of English at Michigan State University is launching a new speaker series, titled “Circulations,” which features scholars working in literary and film studies whose work centers transnational contact and global circulation. The 2026-27 series, programmed by Professor Kristin Mahoney, is funded through the generosity of the Russel B. Nye endowment.

An angled view of the “Faces and Traces: A Cross-Border Portrait Project” exhibition shows dozens of student-created portraits in a range of artistic styles and media displayed together on a wall.

AAHD / Art, Art History, and Design / Arts MSU / Event / Exhibition / Faculty / Faculty / News / Student / Student

Cross-Border Art Project by MSU and Canadian Students Reaches New Audience at ArtPrize 2026

September 10, 2026

A unique cross-border art project that brought Michigan State University students together with students from Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U) to explore identity, connection, and the boundaries that separate us is now part of ArtPrize 2026, an international art competition and cultural festival that welcomes more than 900,000 visitors to Grand Rapids, Michigan, each year to…

Bold text on a black background reads "Michigan State University Juneteenth Commemorative Celebration" in yellow, red, and green.

African American and African Studies / Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Event / Faculty / Faculty / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / News

MSU Juneteenth Celebration to Feature Events Led by African American and African Studies Faculty

June 9, 2026

Michigan State University is hosting its sixth annual MSU Juneteenth Commemorative Celebration June 15-19, 2026, bringing together students, faculty, staff, alums and community members. Two faculty members from MSU’s Department of African American and African Studies — LeConté Dill and Liv Furman — are leading events during the weeklong celebration. Juneteenth marks the day enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their…

A bustling science fair with diverse participants discussing poster presentations. The venue is filled with detailed posters and engaged attendees.

AAHD / Award / English / Event / French / Linguistics / News / Research / Student / Student / Theatre

College of Arts & Letters Students Earn First-Place Awards at Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum

May 11, 2026

Eight students whose primary majors are in the College of Art & Letters received first-place awards for their research and creative scholarship presented at Michigan State University’s 28th annual University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF). Several other MSU students who received first-place awards were mentored by faculty within the College of Arts & Letters.

People gather in a hallway for the Day of Design. A student with pink hair explains her graphic design project displayed on the wall to an alum wearing a scarf.

Art, Art History, and Design / Event / Graphic Design / Michigan Impact / News / Student / Student

MSU Graphic Design Students, Faculty, and Alumni Celebrate 10 Years of the BFA Program

May 7, 2026

This spring, faculty, students, and alumni celebrated 10 years of the Graphic Design Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) program at Michigan State University. The Graphic Design B.F.A. major and the minor launched in 2016 to meet MSU student interest and align with industry expectations. Before 2016, Graphic Design was a concentration within the Studio Art B.F.A. major. The Day of…

Man in a tuxedo smiles warmly at the camera, standing in front of a Golden Globe Awards backdrop. The scene conveys elegance and celebration.

Alumni / Donor / English / Event / Featured Alumni / Film Studies / International Impact / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / Michigan Impact / News / U.S. Impact

The Spartan Behind the Blockbusters: Acclaimed Film Producer Returns to MSU to Deliver 2026 Commencement Address

April 30, 2026

Bill Mechanic — you may not recognize his name, yet few filmmakers can match his level of success. The movies he has helped launch are among the biggest ever made, including Titanic, Independence Day, Braveheart, and X-Men. His blockbuster career can be traced back to Michigan State University — an unlikely starting point.

Young woman in green graduation gown sits on stairs, smiling and raising her cap. Sunlight illuminates the scene, evoking a joyful and celebratory mood.

English / Event / Graduating Senior / News / Student / Student

Second-Generation Spartan to Carry on Family Tradition as Student Commencement Speaker

April 28, 2026

When Sloane Barlow first saw the email inviting students to apply for commencement speaker, she nearly passed it over. Who am I to speak on behalf of so many successful graduates?” she wondered as she looked ahead to graduating in Spring 2026 with dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Journalism and a minor in Media Photography.

Bright graphic announcing 1,332 Spartan undergraduates at the University Undergraduate Research & Arts Forum, April 17, 2026. Bold colors convey excitement.

Event / Faculty / Faculty / News / Research / Scholarship / Student / Student

MSU’s 28th Annual UURAF Showcases Undergraduate Research and Creative Work

April 14, 2026

Michigan State University’s 28th annual University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) takes place in person on April 17 at MSU’s Breslin Center and asynchronously online on April 16 and 17, hosted on Symposium by ForagerOne. This hybrid event will feature research, scholarship, and creative work in multiple formats from hundreds of MSU undergraduate students, including many students from the College of Arts…