“Lifting as we climb” is the motto of the Daughters of the Collective, a student organization where undergraduate and graduate students work with middle school African-American women in grades 6-8. Founded within the College of Arts & Letters, this mentoring organization is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. “We follow the mantra ‘lifting as we climb’ because it’s not about one…
A Department of Art, Art History, and Design alumnus has won the Annual Exposure Photography Award. Over the past six years, The Exposure Awards have honored top photographers from around the world, distributing more than $1 million in prizes and awards. Jarod Lew was the Grand Prize Winner from thousands of entries. Lew’s (Studio Art ’09) winning photo series, “Maybe I'll See…
A team of researchers from the College of Arts & Letters has released a new web application aimed at keeping online conversations on track. The Faciloscope app, developed by faculty and students in MSU’s Writing, Information and Digital Experience (WIDE) research center, provides rapid, real-time analysis of how online conversations are developing. This can be especially helpful to moderators, or conversation…
With the Ionian Sea and snow-capped mountains of southern Greece as a backdrop, a Department of Theatre professor used an entire university campus as his stage for a unique project he conceived involving a large cast of students. Associate Professor Rob Roznowski, on a Fulbright Teaching Fellowship at the University of Patras in Greece, planned to take Arthur Miller’s American…
FALL SEMESTER 2016 Providing students with an opportuinity to discuss current events related to muslims and U.S. politics, this course focuses on the ways Muslims and Islam have become a central topic in political debates among liberals and conservatives. It will offer a general introduction to (1) the Islam religion and core beliefs and practices that define Muslim communities; (2)…
African American Language (AAL) may be one of the most misunderstood languages and often is dismissed as slang, improper, or incorrect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr1kbwELDPU&feature=emb_title In order to bring a better understanding to this language, Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures Ph.D. Candidate Shenika Hankerson is working to dispel some of the misconceptions associated with AAL. Focusing on the sociocultural, historical, and political dimensions…
Six out of ten college students are clinically lonely, which can lead to increased anxiety and depression—but what if a smartphone app could help? In January 2015, an app quietly appeared to do just that. Through the support of Michigan State’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, professional writing senior Zoe Zappitell co-created, launched and marketed Conecter. The app links students to one another through interest-based…
In today’s fast-paced world where the Internet is the go-to research tool and information on any topic is just a click or tap away, one’s own digital presence is more important than ever. The College of Arts & Letters recognizes this, and starting this month, will offer all its graduate students and faculty a new kind of web hosting support.…
The College of Arts & Letters’ Citizen Scholars program, which kicks off this fall with more than 90 students enrolled, is at the center of a strategic initiative to enrich the undergraduate experience, diversify the student body, and ensure the retention and academic success of students within the College. Designed to prepare the next generation of diverse, high-achieving, and engaged citizen…
Transforming Student Experiences A newly energized commitment to robust collaboration is taking place between MSU’s College of Arts & Letters, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, and College of Music. It’s called the Media Arts Collaborative (MAC). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk18yxht5sE&feature=emb_title Dedicated to creative endeavors in integrated media arts, the MAC is a coordinated effort to promote collaborative projects that cut across disciplines to enrich the…