News – Page 63 – College of Arts & Letters

Alumnus Works for Student Betterment and Equity

March 17, 2021

The high school years can be one of the most crucial moments in a student’s education. For Robert Munro, Concord Academy’s Dean of Academic Program and Equity and an alumnus of the College of Arts & Letters’ African American and African Studies (AAAS) doctoral program, supporting students at this age has always been his vocation. And throughout the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the omnipresent inequality facing students of color and the sudden retirement of Concord's Head of School, Munro’s desire to uphold his students has never been more apparent.

woman wearing glasses holding up an award

Award / Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Event / Faculty / News

Department of Theatre Faculty Member Receives Excellence in Diversity Award

March 15, 2021

Laura Scales, Academic Specialist in MSU’s Department of Theatre, was awarded the Excellence in Diversity Award (EIDA) presented by the Michigan State University Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives in recognition of her outstanding commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion and engagement in activities that demonstrate a sustained commitment to fostering an inclusive community. Scales was nominated…

man wearing a blue t shirt staring straight at the camera

Award / Faculty / News / Performance / Research

Assistant Professor Bradley Willcuts Receives Teacher-Scholar Award

March 12, 2021

In recognition of his outstanding scholarship and teaching, Assistant Professor of Theatre Bradley Willcuts was named a 2021 recipient of Michigan State University’s Teacher-Scholar Award. Assistant Professor Bradley Willcuts Supported by the Office of University Development, Teacher-Scholar Awards recognize faculty who, early in their careers, have earned the respect of students and colleagues for their devotion to and skill in…

Award / Faculty / News / Research

Professor Glendinning Receives William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award

March 11, 2021

In recognition of his comprehensive and sustained record of scholarly excellence, instruction, and outreach, Peter Glendinning, Professor in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design, has received the William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award. Supported by MSU’s Office of University Development, the William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Awards are made each year to faculty members for their outstanding total service to the…

image of a steering wheel saying 'Behind the Wheel Spartans in the Auto Industry' in white letters and on the right side 3 images of 3 different women

Alumni / News

Liberal Arts Graduates Define Pathways to Future in Auto Industry

March 10, 2021

The road to a career in the automotive industry sometimes takes twists and turns. But looking in the rearview mirror, several alumnae of MSU’s College of Arts & Letters say their journeys were well worth the ride as they work to advance the world of mobility. While many STEM graduates chart paths to the automotive industry, students of the liberal…

A standing microphone next to the title "Audio Anthology" in scripted letters

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Faculty / News / Performance / Production / Student

Theatre Students Develop Anthology of Audio Plays to Evoke Conversations Around Social Justice Issues

March 9, 2021

A group of Michigan State University Department of Theatre students created a series of new audio plays, each connected to themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). All five “Audio Anthology” plays, along with a student-produced documentary short, are now available online at theatre.msu.edu/dei_audio.

Long View Blog

Imagining a Different Future

March 9, 2021

Engage with me in an exercise of speculative imagination. Imagine a place that welcomes you as you are, that invites you to be yourself, to be your whole self. It is a place of trust and support, a place that asks you to dream, and supports you to make your dreams reality...

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Faculty / Grant / News / Research

Responding Ethically to Disasters

March 3, 2021

While spending a lot of time looking to the past, Christina Boyles has her sights set on influencing the future as she creates archives that provide useful tools, resources, and protocols for disaster and emergency response in vulnerable, marginalized communities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / News / Performance / Production / Student

Theatre Student’s Drag Queen Web Series Uses Costume Design to Examine Current Events

March 2, 2021

When the Michigan State University Department of Theatre’s productions for the Fall 2020 semester were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a call went out to all faculty and students for ideas focused on themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion. First-year MFA Design Candidate Zech Saenz, who specializes in costume design, pitched a project addressing the pandemic through the lens of drag queens and comedy. The result is a three-episode web series, called Grads in Drag, which is now available for streaming on-demand.

Images of Dr. Brown and Dr. Lomax on a green background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Event / Faculty / News / Research

A Visionary New Build: The Department of African American and African Studies

March 1, 2021

Initially started as a PhD granting program in 2002, with an undergraduate minor created in 2014, the Department of African American and African Studies (AAAS) was officially founded in 2019. Leading the program is Inaugural Department Chair Dr. Ruth Nicole Brown and Foundational Associate Professor Dr. Tamura Lomax. Though the formation of this new department during a global pandemic has presented unique challenges, Dr. Brown and Dr. Lomax have both a vision and mission that is committed to making concrete connections between scholarship, pedagogy, and social justice.