Programs

A woman wearing glasses and a colorful patterned jacket smiles while speaking at a podium, with a vibrant geometric light installation projected on the wall behind her.

More than a Residency: SOLHOT 60+ Creates Space for Art and Sisterhood

September 2, 2026

When Sharon Simeon helped create a glass vessel at the Flint Institute of Arts, the other SOLHOT 60+ artists gathered around to watch and support her. They cheered as the hot glass expanded, held their breath when the piece nearly fell, and applauded when it was complete. “The women were so supportive. When it was over, they applauded. There were…

A scientist wearing glasses, a face mask, and blue gloves uses a pipette while examining green plant samples growing in test tubes.

News / Philosophy / Programs

Philosophy and the Sciences: New Major Bridges Scientific Inquiry and Philosophical Thought

August 28, 2026

Michigan State University is expanding opportunities for students to explore the connections between science and philosophy with a new undergraduate major launching in Fall 2026. The program will challenge students to consider not only what science can tell us, but also how scientific knowledge is produced and the ethical and societal questions surrounding scientific discovery.

A person holds a wooden judge’s gavel above a sound block on a desk.

News / Philosophy / Programs / Publishing, Editing, and Authorship

Philosophy and Law: New Major Connects Critical Thinking with Careers in Law and Beyond

August 26, 2026

Beginning in Fall 2026, Michigan State University students interested in law, policy, public service, and related careers will have a new way of preparing for their futures. The Department of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Letters is launching a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Law that combines the study of law, justice, and contemporary ethical issues with…

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Community Outreach / English / Faculty / Faculty / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / Michigan Impact / News / Programs / Religious Studies

MSU Fellowship Helps Michigan Teachers Rethink Genocide Education

August 19, 2026

As artificial intelligence and social media reshape how students evaluate information, teaching about genocide and mass atrocities has grown more complex. Teachers in Michigan are required to spend at least six hours on genocide curriculum during grades 8-12. They must navigate not only changing technology but also shifting geopolitical events and a generation of students who see the world differently…

A performer sits cross-legged at center stage with palms raised upward, illuminated by cool blue lighting and circular projections. Two dancers stand behind holding flowing blue fabric.

Faculty / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / Michigan Impact / News / Programs / Student

Ask the Expert: How Arts and Humanities Drive Michigan’s Economic Future

July 29, 2026

Higher education plays a key role in educating Michigan residents as well as supporting the state’s economy, workforce, and culture. Michigan’s 15 public universities generate nearly $45 billion in annual economic impact with Michigan State University supporting $9.7 billion, according to the Michigan Association of State Universities Economic Impact Report released in 2026. Additionally, MSU educates more Michigan residents than…

Michigan State University students sit across from participants in blue-and-orange uniforms, talking and working together on a writing activity at classroom tables.

Community Outreach / Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Faculty / Faculty / Michigan Impact / News / Programs / Student / WRAC

Behind Prison Walls: MSU and Incarcerated Students Learn From Each Other Through Writing

July 24, 2026

Michigan State University students chat among themselves in the cramped waiting room at Parnall Correctional Facility in Jackson, unfazed by the TSA-like security process. They place their shoes and socks in bins, walk through a metal detector enclosed in chain-link fencing, and go through a pat-down before the steel doors lock behind them. Next, they walk across a prison yard…

woman speaks to a group gathered on a covered porch, holding a sheet of paper as participants of different ages sit closely together listening and taking part in the discussion. Benches, chairs, and a small child seated on the floor are visible, creating the atmosphere of a community meeting.

International Impact / News / Philosophy / Programs / Scholarship / Student / Student

From Mali to MSU: Students Bridge Continents to Study Democracy in Action

July 6, 2026

Nearly 5,000 miles apart, students at Michigan State University and Université Yambo Ouologuem de Bamako (UYOB) in Mali came together in a shared virtual classroom to explore democracy, displacement, and peacebuilding. Through conversations grounded in both philosophy and lived experience, the students discovered how questions about citizenship, power, and civic responsibility transcend national borders. Two of the four workshop leaders…

A composite image featuring a portrait of Ellen VanderMyde, a woman with blonde hair smiling in front of a colorful abstract painting, alongside an aerial, high-angle view of a vast agricultural research site, featuring a grid of vibrant green crop plots separated by dirt paths, with a distant treeline, a blue lake, and a bright blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds.

African American and African Studies / Arts MSU / Exhibition / Faculty / Faculty / Michigan Impact / News / Programs / Religious Studies / Research / Scholarship

Humanizing the Science: W.K. Kellogg Biological Station Artist-in-Residence Program Marks Fifth Year

May 21, 2026

The Farmscapes to Forests: Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research Artists-in-Residence Program is entering its fifth year, featuring Kalamazoo-based visual artist Ellen VanderMyde as the 2026 Artist-in-Residence and the debut of the program’s first group exhibition showcasing the work of last year’s cohort of Michigan State University College of Arts & Letters artists.

Michigan Impact / News / Programs

MSU Fellowship Empowers Michigan Teachers to Reimagine Genocide Curriculum for Today’s Learners

March 23, 2026

At a time when students are encountering discussions of genocide not only in history books but as it unfolds in real time across social media and global news, a program offered through Michigan State University’s College of Arts & Letters is helping secondary education teachers across Michigan respond to the growing challenge of teaching about this fraught topic in a…

A two-by-two grid of headshots featuring four MSU faculty members. Top left is Jonathan Choti in a blue blazer; top right is Philip Effiong in a green sweater and round glasses; bottom left is is Peter Glendinning in a blue blazer holding a camera; bottom right Stephen Esquith in a dark blazer and purple tie.

AAHD / Art, Art History, and Design / Faculty / Faculty / Grant / Linguistics / News / Philosophy / Programs / Student / Student / Theatre

Faculty and Students Engage in Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning Through COIL Program

March 12, 2026

Four College of Arts & Letters faculty members are part of the third cohort of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Faculty Fellows Program-Africa, pairing them with faculty from an African country with the goal of engaging students in meaningful global learning experiences. An online cross-cultural teaching and learning method, the COIL program links university courses, faculty, and students in different countries,…