In June of 2024, the Director of Sherzer Observatory and the EMU Planetarium, Norbert Vance took to the Andes Mountains to experience the cosmos through the lens of the University of Michigan Curtis Schmidt dome. Throughout this journey, Vance documented many elements of his experience from the incredible view at the summit of their camp to the unadulterated perspective of the Milky Way Galaxy passing directly overhead.

"In a word, [the experience was] surreal. It always seemed to be someone else that had an experience like I was having, standing under a dark canopy of more bright stars than I had seen in a half century of looking skyward, many I had never seen before, surrounded by the white observatory domes of Cerro Tololo which means "at the edge of the abyss", 7,200 feet up straddling the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. Most profound was having the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, half of which we miss seeing in the northern hemisphere, in Scorpius and Sagittarius, pass directly overhead at this magical location. You see first hand the bulk of our galaxy, downtown if you will, at 30 degrees south, something I strongly feel would have influenced the thinkers, poets, and astronomers of medieval Europe had they too seen what I was seeing. Telling are the modern names of the constellations of the south, parts of a mythical ship, scientific instruments, and fowl only found in the tropics. The indigenous peoples of the south know this sky well. The clouds of Magellan stood out easily, the Southern Cross and dark Coal Sack, Achernar, Canopus, Beta Centauri, and our Sun's nearest neighbor, Alpha Centauri a little over 4 light years away were prominent. We never see those in Michigan. Stranger yet is seeing familiar constellations like Leo and Lyra to the north upside down! And no Big Dipper. It never appears above the horizon. So, yes, surreal is apt."

Eastern Michigan University Theatre Arts majors James Bolosh, class of '91, and Michael Page, class of '02,  each had a role in the 2024 Tony Awards ceremony on June 16, and both scored big professional wins in the process.

Bolosh, a Livonia native and executive consultant for the entertainment industry, describes himself as a lifelong fan of the theatre.

“Most kids in my high school went to Daytona Beach for spring break,” Bolosh says. “I went to New York City to see shows.”

That lifelong love came full circle for Bolosh on June 16, when he won a Tony Award as co-producer of the year’s best play, “Stereophonic.” The show is the most nominated play in Tony Award history, with 13 nominations, and in addition to Best Play, it won Best Direction of a Play, Best Featured Actor in a Play, Best Scenic Design, and Best Sound Design. 

Between his boyhood treks to Broadway and winning theatre’s highest honor, Bolosh built a career as a producer and creative executive for networks including Lifetime, MTV, VH1 and HGTV, where he was responsible for the series “HGTV Design Star” and “House Hunters International,” and for growing the on-camera career of David Bromstad and others. 

Early this year, Bolosh took on something entirely new when he signed on to co-produce “Stereophonic.”

“I can tell you anything about television and digital content after being in those worlds for over 25 years, but theatre is a different beast,” Bolosh says. “What they do have in common is respecting and nurturing the creative process, which I excelled at in TV, and my fellow producers, Greg Nobile, Sue Wagner and John Johnson, do so well in the theatre. This experience,” he says, “has been life changing.”

Long before the big night, another Eastern alum was working on a Tony Awards project in a very different role. Michael Page, general manager of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, was firming up plans for the awards ceremony’s change of venue to the Center’s David H. Koch Theatre. Page leads a team focused on finance, production management and venue contracts for the 16-acre, multi-venue complex. 

“Ultimately,” he says, “my team is responsible for approximately $35 million in revenue and activity on campus every year.”

Page knew the Tony Awards were looking for a new location and reached out to them in early 2023. 

“We looked at dates and venues on Lincoln Center’s campus that would be appropriate, organized several sight visits, and ultimately, it turned into an agreement to use multiple buildings,” he says. In addition to the awards ceremony location, Lincoln Center provided venues for the red carpet, press operations and the event’s after party.

As a student at Eastern, Page was a Theatre Arts major focused on performance, and particularly interested in directing, he says.

“The theatre department at EMU is a world-class training ground for artists who want to do as much as they can in the art form,” he says, noting he was able to get experience on stage and behind the scenes, while taking classes with an inspiring faculty and staff. 

“The department is flexible in a way that allows students to get as much out of it as they need or want, and that training has served me well in my career.”

Find the EMU Today article here.

As of July 2024, Colonel Jesse W. Lamarand is serving as Commander of the 5th Bomb Wing of the Minot AFB, Nd.. After completing his Political Science degree, Colonel Lamarand was commissioned through the Eastern Michigan University ROTC program. Col Lamarand is a Master Combat Systems Officer with more than 2,300 flight hours primarily in the B-52H, including 279 combat hours. Throughout his career, he has deployed several times to the Pacific Theater, including flying combat missions from British Indian Ocean Territory, Diego Garcia in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Prior to his current position, Colonel Lamarand was the commander of the 2nd Operations Group, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

Read more about Lamarand's achievements here.

The organization Friends of Rouge Park has worked for years to maintain and preserve the park, located on the city’s west side. This year, the organization has expanded it’s community offerings at the park. Antonio Cosme, political science alumnus and land stewardship manager for Friends of Rouge Park, joined The Metro in early July to discuss the park’s many features and upcoming events.

Rouge Park has many fun activities and events this summer, and Cosme says the nature, wildlife and ecosystems at the park are “the highest quality.” Yet Michigan Trails Magazine — providing people with “the most accurate maps and information” on Michigan trails — has not included Detroit trails in their magazine for many years, despite Michiganders advocating for their inclusion.

Read the full Detroit Public Radio story here.

Film & Philosophy alumnus Ryan Place transformed his vision of celebrating books “Detroit-style” into a reality with the Detroit Bookfest. This year’s event, scheduled for July 21, 2024, at Eastern Market (Shed 5), promises to be a vibrant gathering for book enthusiasts. 

Place’s journey began at EMU in September 2003, where he immersed himself in journalism, film, and the local culture of Ypsilanti while earning a degree in Film & Telecommunications in 2009. His passion for books led him to curate a miniature library at the Corner Brewery, and his involvement with The Book Club of Detroit further solidified his commitment to the library community. 

Now in its seventh year, Bookfest is Michigan’s largest book festival. It offers an array of merchandise, including used books, vinyl records, board games, and more. Vendors from across North America and beyond contribute to the eclectic mix. The festival is open to all ages and interests, featuring food, kids' activities, and music. Entry is free, and parking is available in the area. 

“Expand your interests, meet new people, and expose yourself to a wealth of books, wisdom, and worldviews. If you treasure life-changing gatherings, events where you feel physically embedded in the matrix of history, then you need to make your way to Bookfest,” Place said.

Read the full EMU Today story here.

Criminal Justice major and member of the graduating class of 2015, Donald Scott personifies the old adage “actions speak louder than words.”

Humble, grounded and without a trace of ego, Scott has quietly become one of the best triple-jump athletes in the United States—and the world. He excelled in the field event during his collegiate career at Eastern, where he set school and Mid-American Conference (MAC) records. He also won nine MAC titles and earned two NCAA All-American honors.

“I became a student of the sport,” he says. “I just practiced what my coach preached.”

Donald Scott qualified for the United States' Olympic Team in the triple jump with a third-place finish in the event's finals, jumping 16.87m (55-04.25) at the United States' Olympic Track & Field Trials, held at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field Sunday, June 30. The Eagles have had a representative in every Olympics since 1960

Scott was elite during his time at Eastern (2010-15), as he was named to the All-America team three times as an Eagle while earning All-MAC First Team honors five times. His name remains in MAC record books to this day as he holds both the indoor and outdoor conference meet records in the triple jump.

Read more about Scott's story here.

David Jarvi, the newest member of the Manistee County Planning Department, says he is getting settled into his position as the zoning administrator and planner. Jarvi, a recent graduate from Eastern Michigan University, stepped into his first professional role in his field of study in late January after being hired in December. As the zoning administrator, Jarvi is responsible for interpreting and enforcing local zoning ordinances for the communities he serves in Manistee County.

"I was interested in working in a more rural area, rather than the more traditional suburban, urban areas that planners often find themselves," he said.

Outside of work, Jarvi is an avid golfer and a history enthusiast.

"Odds are if it's above 40 degrees, you'll find me on a golf course — particularly at the Manistee Country Club," he said.

Read the Manistee News article here.

The Amplify Fellowship launched in 2020 in Ypsilanti to support local Black artists in producing music during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it's slowly become a robust community of long-term support for past and present fellows.

Dr. Rod Wallace, educational programs coordinator at Ypsilanti's Grove Studios, CAS Alumnus, and adjunct professor, along with colleague Maia Evans, launched the fellowship in 2020. Wallace had seen firsthand the struggles independent musicians were facing due to the pandemic. Performing live was inaccessible, and many musicians were unable to focus on their creative endeavors due to financial stress. 

"We began as an equity-based nonprofit that wanted to identify resources for independent Black musicians during COVID. We wanted to assist them in creating musical projects that reflected social awareness," Wallace says. "What we found was that artists do a pretty good job of creating their own music, but what they sometimes lacked was infrastructure. What we're looking to do is shift our focus by mobilizing businesses that are around us and inside of our network to do some of that work for artists."

Baddie Brooks, also a CAS alum, is an individual who is a 2023 fellow for the amplify project. Brooks is a multi-faceted musician who specializes in singing, songwriting, and trumpet performance, and is determined to empower queer and transgender people through their music. Brooks has performed for the Detroit Tigers, and has released two singles.

Read the full Concentrate article here.

Every summer, downtown Ann Arbor is flooded with visitors to the Ann Arbor Art Fair, which comprises three distinct and independently juried fairs: the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original; the Guild of Artists and Artisans' Summer Art Fair; and the Ann Arbor State Street District Art Fair.

The fair, which will take place July 18-20 this year, typically brings in close to half a million visitors each year, and is renowned for being the largest juried art fair in the United States. With more than 1,000 different artist booths to choose from — to say nothing of the food vendors, live music, and brick-and-mortar shops — it can be difficult to focus on any one thing.

David Reyes started taking photos after his older sister gave him her camera, a Nikon D3000.

"She said I could have it if I just figured out how to use it," Reyes says.

At first, Reyes was primarily drawn to light and shadow. He says he photographed objects when he liked "how the light [was] hitting [them]," and stuck to a black-and-white palette, which gave him the most opportunity to experiment with contrast.

Recently, though, Reyes has become more interested in pairing his passion for light and shadow with a commitment to social justice.

"What I love about photography … isn't just the ability to produce a beautiful image, but the ability to have a message behind the image," he says.

He says photography became a way of "liberating marginalized communities," and amplifying voices that might not otherwise be heard.

Read the full Concentrate article here.

Eastern Michigan University has awarded more than $65,000 to undergraduate students and faculty members as part of the 2023-24 Undergraduate Research Stimulus Program. Students and faculty will explore topics ranging from collaborative animation to evaluating the repair of DNA at broken fragile sites. The University’s Board of Regents approved the awards at its regular meeting on June 20. 

The program aims to facilitate research partnerships between EMU undergraduate students and faculty.  Student awardees receive a $2,200 fellowship to support their research efforts, distributed in bi-weekly installments throughout the award period. The collaborating faculty member may receive $600 for lab/studio supplies, equipment, professional travel, or other professional expenses.

The CAS awardees and their faculty mentors include:

Fall 2023 Awards:

The provost and executive vice president of Academic and Student Affairs have awarded a total of $19,800 to nine undergraduate students and $5,040 to nine EMU faculty for Fall 2023 research and creative projects.

Rana Aabed (psychology) – “An Ethnographic Study of Pet Therapy for Special Education Students: From Paws to Purpose.” Faculty mentor: John Palladino (special education and communication sciences and disorders).

Talal Ali (neuroscience and psychology) – “How the Model Minority Myth Impacts Asian Americans’ Perceptions of African Americans.” Faculty mentor: Stephen Jefferson (psychology).

Kai Garcia (environmental science) – “How do dams affect aquatic ecosystem metabolism in the Huron River?” Faculty mentor: Kristi Judd (biology).

Hannah Goike (psychology) – “Assessing College Students' Knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis and Addressing.” Faculty mentor: Adam Briggs (psychology).

Paige Hatfield (cellular and molecular biology) – “Mutations and how they Change the Binding of UHRF2 to Histones.” Faculty mentor: Brittany Albaugh (biology).

Jesse John (psychology) – “Does Dating Violence Victimization Against Cisgender Women and Sexual and Gender Minoritized Individuals Vary Based on the Context of the Relationship?” Faculty mentor: Elizabeth Neilson (psychology).

Sasha Rollinson (biology) – “Investigating mutations in the MITF gene as a cause for color loss in a reptile.” Faculty mentor: Hannah Seidel (biology).

Lindsay Timbs (simulation, animation, and gaming) – “Collaborative Animation” Faculty mentor: Metaphor Brown (art and design).

Winter 2024 Awards:

The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs has awarded a total of $19,800 to nine undergraduate students and $5,100 to nine EMU faculty for Winter 2024 research and creative projects.

Sydney Davis (professional geology) – “Characterize Groundwater Flow and Recharge Rates in the Bog and Kettles at Fish Lake Environmental Educational Center.” Faculty mentor: Christopher Gellasch (geography and geology).

Cole DuVall (biology) – “Proposal for genetic testing supplies for Ambystomatid unisexuals.” Faculty mentor: Katherine Greenwald (biology).

Chas Higgins (chemistry) – “Why Is a Diversity Statement Important? An Exploration Of How Students Are Impacted By Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Statements.” Faculty mentor: Amy Johnson (chemistry).

Victoria Keeton (instrumental music education) – “Experiences of Band Teachers Who Identify Outside the Gender Binary.” Faculty mentor: Heather Shouldice (music and dance).

Matthew Lansdale (neuroscience) – “Investigation of UHRF2 Binding in Competitive Drug Environments.” Faculty mentor: Brittany Albaugh (chemistry).

Mars Ward (TESOL) – “University Student Mental Health Crisis with Faculty Support: Centering Students’ Perspectives.” Faculty mentor: Zuzana Tomas (world languages).

Patricia Woghiren (biochemistry) – “What amino acid residue is Responsible for the Interaction of Atg11 with its Autophagy Partners Atg9 and Atg1?” Faculty mentor: Steven Backues (chemistry).

Summer 2024 Awards:

The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs has awarded a total of $13,200 to seven undergraduate students and $3,000 to five EMU faculty for Summer 2024 research and creative projects.

Sonia Amoah (biology) – “Evaluating the Repair of DNA at Broken Fragile Sites” Faculty mentor: Anne Casper (biology).

Naomi Barbour (political science) – “Human Capital: Understanding the Policy and Fiscal Implications of Prison Gerrymandering.” Faculty mentor: Barbara Patrick (political science).

Annalyse Brogan & Spencer Poscente (biology) – “Environmental Characteristics Associated with Greater Burrow Densities and the Impact of Prey Availability on Activity Levels of Tarantulas (Aphonopelma hentzi).” Faculty mentor: Cara Shillington (biology).

Sabrina Jeylani (cellular and molecular biology) – “Creation and analysis of a UHRF2 D328A mutant.” Faculty mentor: Brittany Albaugh (chemistry).

Find the full article and list of recipients here.

The 2024 Grand National Champion of the U.S. Open College Beer Championship is Eastern Michigan University located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA. The school won three gold medals in the open competition and placed third in the head-to-head competition. The gold medal-winning beers included a Belgian Tripel, an ESB (Extra Special Bitter), and an English Barleywine. Nine of the eleven competing schools entered an American Pale Ale (APA) to be judged against each other, and Eastern Michigan's placed third in that competition.

The U.S. Open College Beer Championship is for student brewers enrolled at schools, colleges and universities that teach brewing courses. The U.S. Open College Championship is the only competition of its kind focusing on student brewers.

Read the full article here.

In fall 1892 and winter 1893, photographer J. J. Gibson created 56 remarkable photographs of the Michigan State Normal School (today EMU). These photos formed the core of the Normal School’s exhibit at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, and today they provide invaluable windows into the Normal School’s development as an institution of higher education.

The College of Arts and Sciences and the University Archives have launched a website that presents an online reconstruction of the Normal School exhibit, along with six explanatory essays that place the exhibit in its historical context. This fall CAS and the University Archives will display a physical reconstruction of the 1893 exhibit in the new exhibition space in Halle Library.

The research team, composed of Preservation Studies grad student Finn Vincent-Fix, History grad student Mackenzie Kortes, Archivist Alexis Braun Marks, and Associate Dean Jim Egge, invite the EMU community to contribute to the project by viewing and responding to the images. “We need help identifying the scientific equipment and other objects shown in the photos, and we would love to hear from anyone who had a family member at the Normal School in 1892-3,” said Associate Dean Egge. “We’d also like to get personal responses to the photos–what do you think it would have been like to be a student or professor at the Normal in 1893?” Viewers can share information and insights through this online form.