Student

Portrait of Dawn Burns in a colorful shirt, taken outside in golden light.

Faculty Voice: Building Generous and Generative Community Through First-Year Writing Program

September 14, 2026

In this Faculty Voice, Dawn Burns, Assistant Professor in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures, shares how MSU’s First-Year Writing Program creates opportunities for students to develop as writers and learners while building connections with one another. Through writing, reflection, and peer review, students learn to value their own experiences and voices while gaining a deeper understanding of those around them.

An angled view of the “Faces and Traces: A Cross-Border Portrait Project” exhibition shows dozens of student-created portraits in a range of artistic styles and media displayed together on a wall.

AAHD / Art, Art History, and Design / Arts MSU / Event / Exhibition / Faculty / Faculty / News / Student / Student

Cross-Border Art Project by MSU and Canadian Students Reaches New Audience at ArtPrize 2026

September 10, 2026

A unique cross-border art project that brought Michigan State University students together with students from Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U) to explore identity, connection, and the boundaries that separate us is now part of ArtPrize 2026, an international art competition and cultural festival that welcomes more than 900,000 visitors to Grand Rapids, Michigan, each year to…

A man speaks into a microphone before a seated audience during the College of Arts & Letters Colloquium 2026, with welcome slides projected behind him.

Arts MSU / Faculty / Faculty / Faculty and Staff / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / News / Philosophy / Programs / Staff / Student / Student

College Begins 2026-27 Academic Year with New Programs, People, and Possibilities

September 3, 2026

A new academic year brings new beginnings and Fall 2026 marks an especially significant moment for Michigan State University’s College of Arts and Letters. Students are returning to a college that has grown in scope, with new academic programs, newly housed majors, and expanded opportunities. The year also brings a new slate of performances, exhibitions, and other creative and academic experiences.

People in protective jackets, gloves, and helmets work together pour molten metal into molds in an industrial setting outside.

Student / Student

MSU Sculpture Students Learn Metal Casting, Build Creative Networks in Michigan

July 30, 2026

An arts education at Michigan State University goes beyond two dimensions. Students have opportunities to participate in fabrication, metal casting, and sculpture experiences with their peers at MSU and around Michigan — all while wearing proper safety gear of course. MSU students participated in an iron pour at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit learning firsthand different metal casting…

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…

A student model walks the runway inside Michigan State University's Horticulture Gardens greenhouse wearing a fitted black-and-gold embellished dress with a dramatic sheer black tulle train flowing behind her during the Studio 450 fashion show. Audience members seated on both sides of the runway watch and applaud as the model presents the original student-designed garment.

Student / Student

Student Designers Turn Greenhouse into Runway for First-Ever Studio 450 Fashion Show

July 21, 2026

Student designers turned a greenhouse into a runway as Michigan State University’s Horticulture Gardens became the setting for Studio 450, a student-led fashion show showcasing original work by emerging fashion designers. Surrounded by glass conservatories and lush greenery, models moved through an evening of fashion that was about more than garments on display. For the Apparel and Textile Design (ATD)…

A television news crew films visitors exploring the student-curated museum exhibition on Michigan State University traditions, with artifacts, display cases, and interpretive panels throughout the gallery.

AAHD / Art, Art History, and Design / Arts MSU / Exhibition / Faculty / Faculty / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / Michigan Impact / News / Scholarship / Student / Student / Theatre

From the Shadows of Beaumont Tower: Hands-On Curatorial Experience Brings Spartan Traditions to Life

July 20, 2026

Painting the MSU Rock. A primal midnight scream during finals week. Formal social etiquette from a 1954 student handbook. And even Sparty himself. These iconic Michigan State University traditions — and many more — are featured in the What If We Kissed in the Shadows of Beaumont Tower?: Connecting Generations Through MSU Student Traditions exhibition created by students in the…

Aditi Gonuguntala smiles while adjusting her graduation cap outdoors on Michigan State University's campus. She is wearing a green graduation gown, a white Spartan stole, honor cords, and an Experience Architecture medal.

AAHD / News / Student / Student / WRAC / XA

Experience Architecture Student Finds Purpose in Inclusive Design

July 7, 2026

After exploring several majors at Michigan State University, Aditi Gonuguntala found more than a degree program in Experience Architecture (XA). She found a new way of thinking — one centered on designing experiences that are accessible, inclusive, and built around people's needs. Aditi Gonuguntala Now a senior majoring in Experience Architecture with a minor in Graphic Design, Aditi said discovering…

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…

News / Student / Student

MSU Students Receive Music Industry Experience While Building a Record Label from the Ground Up

June 30, 2026

When Austin Oting Har joined Michigan State University in Fall 2025 as an Assistant Professor in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, now School of Residential Community-Engaged Arts and Humanities (RCAH), one of his first goals was to launch a record label. But rather than building it on his own, he included students in the process from the…