In her 25 years at MSU, Jyotsna Singh, Professor Emerita in the Department of English, made certain her students recognized the importance of primary source materials in their studies of English literature.
As she celebrated her retirement, she unveiled the Jyotsna G. Singh Endowment in Early Modern Studies: Race, Empire, and Global Connections, aimed at enriching the MSU Libraries’ collection of early modern texts within MSU Special Collections, and enhancing awareness of and engagement with the materials, which can give valuable historical context, even to the most contemporary social concerns and issues.
Inspired by her formative experiences in libraries — including the British Library and the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries, among others — Singh recognizes libraries as magical spaces that connect scholars and communities.
Her endowment at the MSU Libraries will do the same by providing funding for annual public events, exhibitions, and classroom projects that spotlight the early modern period.
By facilitating research on topics like colonialism, trade, travel, and early printed works, her gift will empower and inspire future generations of scholars and students.
“To hold a book published 400-500 years ago is a magical moment,” she said. “Then to observe annotations and other marks on the paper, which tell an important history in itself.”
Leaders at the MSU Libraries are excited for Singh’s endowment, which came alongside another important moment for the facility: the opening of the brand-new Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections space. There, the vast collection of early modern materials that were so important to Singh’s career have a new home, and thanks to her support, will be added to and cared for to serve the next generation of scholars and students.
“Giving and shaping this endowment has been an enriching journey for me. I hope the events and activities will open up new and exciting journeys for students, researchers, and the larger community.”
Dr. Jyotsna Singh
“Giving and shaping this endowment has been an enriching journey for me,” Singh said. “I hope the events and activities will open up new and exciting journeys for students, researchers, and the larger community.”
Her legacy will undoubtedly shape the future of the library and its role in exploring the complexities of history.
Singh retired from MSU in December 2023. Before retiring, she was honored for her significant contributions to her field during a special symposium that brought together friends, faculty, staff, students, and family to commemorate her years of dedicated service to both the university and the community. She also was the 2023-2024 recipient of the College of Arts & Letters’ legacy Lecture Award and delivered a 60-minute legacy lecture, titled Shakespeare for Our Times, on April 17, 2024, in which she aimed to bridge the gap of almost 500 years from the Age of Shakespeare to our own times by approaching Shakespeare through multiple journeys from Elizabethan London, to the world of the plays themselves, and finally to our contemporary societies.
Article originally published on the Giving to Michigan State University website.
