The College of Arts & Letters is saddened by the death of long-time English Professor, James Seaton, who died on March 30, 2017, at the age of 72. For more than 45 years, Dr. Seaton had been a member of the Michigan State University faculty. In 1971, he joined MSU’s Humanities Department, where he taught the classics, philosophy, architecture, and…
The College of Arts & Letters is mourning the loss of Anna Norris, Associate Professor of French, who died on Saturday, March 18. She was 58 years old. For more than 18 years, Norris had been a member of the faculty at Michigan State University, and from 2008 to 2010, she served as Acting Chair of MSU’s Department of French,…
Ten graduate students from MSU’s Spanish program are presenting their research at the Graduate Student Conference hosted by MSU’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies on Friday, March 17. Scheduled from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on the 3rd floor of MSU’s International Center, the conference will include two sessions and a final panel. The College of Arts & Letters students who are…
Michigan State University will host its 10th annual World Languages Day on Saturday, March 25, bringing more than 600 participants, presenters, and volunteers to campus for a conference on world cultures and languages, globalization, the importance of learning foreign languages, and the positive impact knowledge of other languages can have on future career paths. This free, one-day conference is for…
Professor Jason Merrill has been appointed Interim Chair of the Department of Linguistics & Germanic, Slavic, Asian and African Languages. The 12-month appointment is effective August 16, 2017, through August 15, 2018.
Eight undergraduate Theatre students recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates to participate in the first International Theatre Festival at the American University of Sharjah, located about 15 miles from Dubai in the city of Sharjah. “It was the most incredible week of my life and one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, especially Dubai, which was…
Stephanie E. Vasko was selected to the first cohort of Fellows for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Community Engagement Fellows Program. Dr. Vasko is currently a Research Associate and the Program Manager for the Toolbox Dialogue Initiative (TDI), a research effort housed in the Department of Philosophy at Michigan State University. In its pilot year, the…
When Jonathan Montalvo moved to Indiana from Lares, Puerto Rico, at the age of 15, he knew very little English. After many years practicing, he became fluent and went on to earn his undergraduate degree in Spanish Studies at Purdue University. It was then he realized his calling to become a professor and educate students on Spanish language and Caribbean…
A collaborative class among Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Bard College recently explored how art and architecture produce and reveal race, gender and class. Assistant Professor Tessa Paneth-Pollak and her students make up the Michigan State University portion of the collaborative class, "Contested Spaces: Art, Architecture, Politics.” The course, HA491 “Contested Spaces: Art, Architecture, Politics,” offered last…
At age 26, professional dancer and choreographer Billy Bell has already had an exciting career that has led him to compete in two seasons of FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance, to dancing in Back to Broadway with Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, participating in Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, acting in the New York City production of Sleep No More, and…