Ask the Expert: How William Billings’ Music Became the Soundtrack of the American Revolution

Familiar figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin are receiving renewed attention as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, when the American Colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. According to Michigan State University Professor David W. Stowe, another figure deserves a place in the story: William…

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Nearly a Decade in the Making: RCAH Faculty Member Releases Ambitious Contemporary Opera

For nearly a decade, composer Austin Oting Har has been building the world of "The Ghost," a contemporary opera that brings together ancient Greek tragedy, Chinese and Western musical traditions, and experimental electronics. On June 19, that vision finally reached audiences with the release of "The Ghost — Act I: Part I" on Neuma Records and digital streaming platforms, making the work accessible to listeners around the world.

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Ask the Expert: How Indigenous Science Fiction Expands the Genre

Science fiction remains an enduring touchstone of pop culture, but it’s broader than spaceships and aliens like you see in the recent “Project Hail Mary” movie — no offense, Ryan Gosling. Science fiction is also an area researched by scholars exploring what it says about our current culture, collective past, and the varying viewpoints of its creators.  Michigan State University…

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MSU Ranks No. 32 Worldwide in Arts and Humanities Research

Michigan State University (MSU) ranks No. 32 worldwide and No. 15 in the United States in arts and humanities research performance, according to the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities for 2025-2026. Overall, MSU ranks No. 133 in the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities listing for 2025-2026, which encompasses the top 2,250 universities across 105…

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

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.

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

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.

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Museum Studies Students Curate Exhibition on 170 Years of MSU Traditions

An upcoming exhibition at the MSU Museum, developed by students in Michigan State University’s Arts, Cultural Management, and Museum Studies program, offers a dynamic exploration of MSU student life. Through objects, stories, and creative interpretation, the exhibition explores 170 years of student traditions and how they have connected Spartans across generations.

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

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…

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MSU Professor and Alum Earn International Outstanding Publication Award for Second Language Acquisition Research

A research article co-authored by a Michigan State University College of Arts & Letters faculty member and an alum has received the 2025 Albert Valdman Award for Outstanding Publication in Studies in Second Language Acquisition, which recognizes the top article published in the international journal each year.The award-winning article, titled Testing the three-stage model of second language skill acquisition, was…

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2026 MFA Exhibition Showcases the Work on Five Artist-Scholars

The annual Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Exhibition returns to the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University March 14-May 17, 2026, and will feature the work of five MFA candidates — Yeroham Ashagre, Hailey Becker, Niloufar Fallahfar, Vadu Rodrigues, and Alex Vlasov — all of whom are graduating this spring. This thesis exhibition is the culmination…

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