Faculty Voice: Art Is What We Need Right Now

Meghan Collins is the lead educator for K-12 and family programs at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University and an Assistant Professor of Art Education in MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design. She also is a proud alum of MSU’s Art Education program and rejoined the university community after teaching art in K-8 public schools in Lansing, Michigan, and Montgomery County, Maryland.

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Former College of Arts & Letters Dean Retires, Leaving Lasting Legacy

After nearly 40 years of service to Michigan State University, Professor of German and former Dean of the College of Arts & Letters, Karin A. Wurst, has retired. Her career reflects a legacy of scholarship, leadership, and innovation in the humanities. Wurst first came to MSU in 1988, joining the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures as a tenure-track faculty member in German Studies.

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Celebrating 20 Years: Second Language Studies Program Honors Its Past and Looks to the Future

While Michigan State University’s Second Language Studies (SLS) Ph.D. program may have started by being in the right place at the right time, the efforts made by its administrators, faculty, alumni, and students have propelled the program into an international powerhouse. During the 20th anniversary celebration held Oct. 17-19, 2025, students, faculty, and alums of the program shared their experiences,…

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Professor Researching Indigenous Environmental Stewardship with Support from Newberry Fellowship  

Elan Pochedley, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and 1855 Professor of Great Lakes Anishinaabe Knowledge, Spiritualities, and Cultural Practices, was awarded the Newberry Consortium in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (NCAIS) long-term faculty fellowship to research how Indigenous peoples’ expressions of environmental stewardship and governance have been practiced, sustained, interrupted, and/or rekindled throughout the central and western Great Lakes region.

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Moral Mayhem Meets Minimalist Theatre in ‘Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play’

The Michigan State University Department of Theatre presents “Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play,” a twisted comedy by Lauren Wilson and directed by Associate Professor Brad Willcuts. Performances run Nov. 19-23, 2025, in Studio 60 Theatre inside the MSU Auditorium building. “Chemical Imbalance” is a satirical spin on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr…

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From First-Generation Graduate to Rehabilitation Counselor and Advocate for Developmentally Disabled

Renee Hall earned dual bachelor’s degrees in English and Religious Studies from Michigan State University in 2010 and a master’s degree, also from MSU, in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2014. She has been an active member of the disability community for more than 20 years, serving in roles including advocate, direct support professional, service coordinator, counselor, and research specialist. She also is a first-generation college graduate.

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Words that Ignite and Unite: Student Research Explores How Language Builds Community and Advocates for Change

Alex Guo, a third-year undergraduate student in the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University, is researching the power of language to build community and advocate for change. With dual majors in Humanities-Prelaw and Experience Architecture and minors in Business and Leadership in Integrated Learning, Guo represented the College of Arts & Letters at this semester’s Ignite Talks…

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MSU and Georgia Tech Receive Mellon Funding for Research Project Combining Afrofuturism, Humanities, and Horticulture

Michigan State University has joined the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in The Earthseed Project, a humanities-centered research initiative that uses Afrofuturist literature to connect horticulture, climate resilience, and food sustainability knowledge and practices. The Earthseed Project at Michigan State University uses spaces like the Beal Botanical Garden to bring people together to discuss current topics and develop a…

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Cross-Border Art Project Between MSU and Canadian Students on Display at (SCENE) Metrospace

Michigan State University’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design presents “Faces and Traces: A Cross-Border Portrait Project” exhibition, showcasing the collaboration between students from MSU and Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U). The exhibition runs Nov. 7-Dec. 7 at (SCENE) Metrospace, with an opening reception planned for Nov. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.

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Beaumont Tower Comes Alive with Animated Projections Created by MSU Students

Michigan State University’s Beaumont Tower came alive with light, sound, and animation during this year’s Halloween carillon concert, “The Ringing 2: Shadows Rise.” The event showcased artwork and animations created by students in the Department of Theatre’s Compositing and Special Effects for Stage and Screen (THR 337) class, taught by Alison Dobbins, Professor of Integrated Performance Media Design.

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