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A two-by-two grid of headshots featuring four MSU faculty members. Top left is Jonathan Choti in a blue blazer; top right is Philip Effiong in a green sweater and round glasses; bottom left is is Peter Glendinning in a blue blazer holding a camera; bottom right Stephen Esquith in a dark blazer and purple tie.

Faculty and Students Engage in Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning Through COIL Program

March 12, 2026

Four College of Arts & Letters faculty members are part of the third cohort of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Faculty Fellows Program-Africa, pairing them with faculty from an African country with the goal of engaging students in meaningful global learning experiences. An online cross-cultural teaching and learning method, the COIL program links university courses, faculty, and students in different countries,…

Children and adults seated in blue chairs around white tables in an outdoor pavilion. A woman in burgundy clothing points at a whiteboard. Participants include a child in a yellow-green shirt, a person in a black shirt with teal design, and a person in a tan/cream colored blanket. Sunlight and green outdoor landscape visible through the open structure.

News

MSU-Led Initiative Strengthens and Expands Access to Less Commonly Taught and Indigenous Language Education Across North America

March 11, 2026

After nearly a decade of transformative language revitalization work, Michigan State University’s Center for Language Teaching Advancement (CeLTA) in the College of Arts & Letters has completed a landmark initiative strengthening and expanding access to less commonly taught and Indigenous language education at dozens of universities and in communities across the United States and Canada. From 2016 to 2025, the…

A woman stands indoors holding an ADDY Award plaque and smiling at the camera. Next to her is a graphic design poster showing a white sea turtle silhouette over a blue plastic-textured background, with circular cutouts resembling plastic six-pack rings. Text at the bottom reads, “Our plastic. Their predator.”

Award / Graphic Design / News / Staff / Student / Student

Graphic Design Students and College Marketing Team Win Top ADDY Awards

March 10, 2026

Four students in Michigan State University’s Graphic Design program received American Advertising (ADDY) Awards at this year’s American Advertising Federation (AAF) Lansing Chapter ceremony, with two of those students earning a Gold ADDY, the highest award an entry can receive within a category, and one taking home the prestigious Judge’s Choice Award.

Installation view of the 2026 Master of Fine Arts Exhibition at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, featuring diverse artworks by five graduating MFA candidates. The display includes, from left to right: a terracotta sculptural form with abstract organic shapes; a mixed-media collage combining drawings, handwritten text, and photographic elements; colorful woven textile work; ornate beaded textile with intricate patterned designs; and natural dried botanical materials suspended in the gallery space.

Exhibition / News / Student / Student

2026 MFA Exhibition Showcases the Work on Five Artist-Scholars

March 6, 2026

The annual Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Exhibition returns to the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University March 14-May 17, 2026, and will feature the work of five MFA candidates — Yeroham Ashagre, Hailey Becker, Niloufar Fallahfar, Vadu Rodrigues, and Alex Vlasov — all of whom are graduating this spring. This thesis exhibition is the culmination…

A young woman with long dark hair smiles while leaning against a stone railing in London. She wears a brown leather jacket over a plaid top and denim skirt. In the background, the River Thames flows past the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben, under a cloudy sky.

Student / Student / Study Abroad / Study Abroad

Study Abroad Experience Made Possible Through Donor Support

March 3, 2026

For Michigan State University student and Citizen Scholar Audrey Pocopio, experiencing the history and culture of London, England, brought her coursework to life during a summer study abroad program. A double major in English and Humanities-Prelaw, Pocopio spent five weeks studying in England in Summer 2025, immersing herself in the history, literature, and culture she had previously encountered only in textbooks.

A woman in a cream period dress stands under a vibrant blue spotlight center stage with her palms turned upward. To her right is a wooden desk with a small lamp, and to her left is a bed. The background shows a digital projection of historical ledger lines and text.

Alumni / Arts MSU / English / Faculty / Faculty / Michigan Impact / News / Performance / Production

MSU Alum Sandra Seaton Reclaims History and Voice in World Premiere of ‘Sally: A Solo Play’

February 25, 2026

When award-winning playwright and Michigan State University alum Sandra Seaton returned to Wharton Center for Performing Arts for the world premiere of "Sally: A Solo Play," it was both a creative milestone and a homecoming. The production brought Seaton’s 15-year engagement with Sally Hemings to a stage that has long shaped her artistic life — one she calls “a home away from home.”

Alejandra Márquez, Assistant Professor of Spanish at Michigan State University, wears an orange shirt and glasses. She sits in from a wall with wallpaper that shows green, blue, and yellows leaves.

Faculty / Faculty / News / Spanish / U.S. Impact

Ask the Expert: The Super Bowl Goes Spanish With Bad Bunny’s Halftime Performance

January 30, 2026

Perhaps you’ve heard him featured on Cardi B’s 2019 hit “I Like it.” Maybe you’ve seen him host Saturday Night Live. You might have even seen his name during the Grammys, in recent headlines, or come across songs from his most recent album, "Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” on your music streaming app of choice.Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny,…

Tasiyah Hampton, Kamara Drane, and Charisma Holly stand on a raised stage, each at a microphone. They wear professional-casual attire in neutral tones. A dark curtain forms the stage backdrop, while audience members seated at round banquet tables fill the foreground in a large conference hall.

News / Student / Theatre

Transforming Theatre Ensemble Showcases Student Work at Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration

January 29, 2026

When first-year Michigan State University student and Detroit-based poet Charisma Holly’s words echoed through the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center banquet room during MSU’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Unity Dinner, she knew she was giving back to a celebration transcending injustice. Holly, a Communications Leadership and Strategy major, is part of a new tradition for the Transforming Theatre…

Alex Guo presents on stage at Ignite Talks MSU. Behind her, a large projected word cloud highlights terms related to gender, identity, and community.

Student / WRAC / XA

College of Arts & Letters Student Named to Statewide Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force

January 28, 2026

Alex Guo, a third-year undergraduate student in the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University, is among 23 students chosen from nearly 100 applicants from across the state to serve on the Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force, which will develop and implement recommendations to improve voter education and engagement among young people on college and university campuses in Michigan.…

A group of students stands in a wide circle on a grassy area outdoors, listening to an instructor beneath a large tree in a Beal Gardens.

Student / Student / WRAC / XA

Beyond the Classroom: Students Explore the World’s Oldest Design System During XA Day of Professionalization

January 20, 2026

Michigan State University’s Experience Architecture (XA) program took learning beyond the classroom during its 2025 XA Day of Professionalization, which brought students together with industry professionals for hands-on, experiential learning. “These days are not about telling students what a career looks like. They’re about giving students the space to explore how their values, curiosity, and creativity can shape the kind…