MFA Candidate Uses Art to Create Positive Africa Movement, Challenging Negative Perceptions of the Continent and Black Diaspora

As an artist-activist, Vadu Rodrigues came to Michigan State University from his native Cape Verde with a desire to not only hone his skills as a graduate student in the MFA in Studio Art program but to also fuel his decade-long efforts to transform global perceptions of Africa and the Black diaspora.An installation artist and veteran photographer, Rodrigues has spent…

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Experience Architecture Major Interns for General Motors

Delilah Coe, who is a senior majoring in Experience Architecture with a minor in Graphic Design, gained experience working as a Product Design Intern for General Motors Co. during her sophomore and junior years and is looking forward to graduating this spring. She shared her internship experiences in this Q&A.

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MSU Department of Theatre Presents ‘9 to 5’ Musical Focused on Female Empowerment

Michigan State University’s Department of Theatre is pleased to present “9 to 5, The Musical,” based on the 1980 movie with Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin, about three hilarious female office workers who concoct a plan to get even with their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical, and bigoted boss. Performances are scheduled for Feb. 15-23, 2025, at the Fairchild…

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Program Offers Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning Experience with Faculty and Students in South Africa

Trixie Long Smith, Professor in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures at Michigan State University, is part of the second cohort of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Faculty Fellows Program-Africa and is partnering with a faculty member at the University of Pretoria in South Africa during the 2024-2025 academic year.

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African American and African Studies Faculty Leaders to Deliver Keynote Address at Inaugural MLK Student Symposium

The inaugural MLK Student Symposium that is set to take place on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the MSU Union will give students the chance to discuss the challenges faced within systemic barriers, to share their experiences, express their identities, and promote inspiration for change. The keynote speakers for this event are Department of African American and African Studies faculty leaders Ruth Nicole Brown and LeConté Dill.

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Exhibit Invites Public to Participate in Creation of Community Art Projects

Reclaiming Space, the current exhibit at the MSU Union Art Gallery, calls upon the community to come together to reflect, respond, and heal through artmaking. Now through Saturday, Feb. 15, the public is invited to add their personal touch and creativity to the murals and sculptures that make up this exhibition, and as the show progresses, the artwork will evolve with each new day.

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MSU Faculty, Students Support U.S. Embassy Climate Project with International Ballet Company

At Michigan State University, faculty and students are using theatre and dance to illuminate the effects of climate change through a project in partnership with Bullfrogs Ballet artists, educators, and students in North Macedonia. The Ripple Effect project was funded in part by the U.S. Embassy, MSU Office of Research and Innovation’s Climate Justice and Environmental Ethics Award, MSU College…

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New Writers’ Studio on Campus Gives MSU Students Space for Creative Work and Community

Michigan State University Associate Professor of English Divya Victor had long noticed that writing students didn’t have a space on campus where they could feel comfortable and centered to fully concentrate on their thoughts and words. “Writing is a somatic practice, which means it integrates the body, the mind, society, and the environment we live and work within,” Victor said.…

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Student-Produced Publication Wins International Award for Excellence

East Lansing's only full-color arts and culture magazine, The Current, which is developed for and by Michigan State University students, has received a 2024 MarCom Gold Award for its June/July 2024 edition. This international recognition celebrates excellence in marketing and communication and recognizes the outstanding work of The Current staff.

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