Three Art and Design students were accepted into Michigan's 2024 Art in the Legislature program. Last Wednesday, October 9, there was an event at the state capitol celebrating the artwork and students involved. 

Their names and chosen artworks are below:

• Nia Crutcher (BFA in Studio Art with a Concentration in 2D Media)   - Queen in my City 

• Clara Engel (BFA in K-12 Visual Arts Education)- Portraits of Power

• Benjamin Bertrand (BFA in Studio Art with a Concentration in 2D Media) (3 artworks) - Seatbelts Everyone, Peeled, and Oneiric Descent

The Art in the Legislature program is a partnership between the Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU) and the Michigan Legislature to promote art in everyday life. The program displays and celebrates the work of talented student-artists from Michigan’s 15 public universities each year, and has been doing so for the last 19 years. The student-artists' work is displayed in the Anderson House Office Building, or the Binsfeld Senate Building, for one year.

Associate Professor of Geology, Eric Portenga (Department of Geography & Geology), is happy to share the news that research led by Professional Geology major, Brianna "Anne" Shepherd, and ENVI Geosciences Alum (2020) Alexys "Lexy" Peplinski has been published in the journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. The paper is titled, "Quantifying the effects of carborundum rock surface smoothing for Schmidt hammer R-value metrics measured on glacial erratics in the North American Great Lakes region." 

Schmidt hammers are tools designed for use in the construction trade, but have been used by Earth Scientists as a means of dating the exposure age of rocks left behind on landscapes by retreating glaciers and ice sheets (aka erratics). The method has never been applied in the Great Lakes region and could result in much-needed erratic age data, which helps us understand when the Great Lakes were exposed after the Laurentide Ice Sheet melted at the end of the last ice age. 

Anne and Lexy developed research approaches to test some outstanding questions related to best practices in preparing rock surfaces for Schmidt hammer measurement and produced large datasets of Schmidt hammer measurements on erratics across Washtenaw County. Their results show that rock-surface treatments should be minimally used before making Schmidt hammer measurements for dating glacial rocks, at least in the Great Lakes region.

The paper can be found online, and Dr. Portenga can provide full-text copies upon request (eric.portenga@emich.edu). This research was funded in part through an EMU Undergraduate Research Stimulus Program award.

This year, students from the Department of Economics at EMU will be competing in the College Fed Challenge, an academic competition for undergraduate students. In this competition, participants analyze the U.S. economy through the lens of the Federal Reserve, the nation's central bank. 

This unique opportunity allows students to deepen their understanding of macroeconomics and the Federal Open Market Committee, which oversees U.S. monetary policy. The competition challenges students to think critically about the economy, construct well-reasoned arguments, and present their monetary policy recommendations to a panel of expert judges. 

EMU’s Fed Challenge team includes Michael Fosbinder (Economics), Marius Martello (Actuarial Science and Economics), Caleb Mathison (Quantitative Economics), Rowan Moxley (Quantitative Economics), Valentina Calderon Perez (Quantitative Economics), and Jonathan Wild (Business Administration). The winner of the competition will be announced in November.

Hydrogeology seniors Sydney Davis and Jasmine Ross attended the Geological Society of America (GSA) Connects 2024 meeting in Anaheim, CA in September and presented a research poster based on their work at the EMU Fish Lake Environmental Education Center near Lapeer. They won second prize in the Undergraduate Hydrogeology poster session based on scores from judges who interacted with students while presenting their posters.   

Both Sydney and Jasmine credit their research experience with helping them to obtain internships last summer with an environmental consulting firm and giving them the confidence to apply to graduate schools in hydrogeology for next Fall. Their faculty research mentor, Professor Chris Gellasch from the Department of Geography and Geology said, “Sydney and Jasmine are both great students who combined fieldwork, laboratory experience, and their course-based knowledge to determine the nature of water flow in several wetlands. This project not only benefits geologists, but also the EMU Biology faculty and students conducting research at Fish Lake.”

Eastern Michigan University professor Sadaf Ali has joined the Nov. 5 general election as a write-in candidate for Ypsilanti Township Park Commission member.

Ali, a professor of electronic media and film studies, previously ran for Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees Member in the primary election that took place back in August. There, she almost unseated incumbent, John P. Newman, but there were only four seats available.

“We need to have some of our own people representing our community in these particular spaces. Local politics is extremely important, and we don't ever have enough of our own people in these spaces,” Ali said.

Ali had always thought about running for office, but the thing that pushed her was attending the Ypsilanti City Council decision on their ceasefire resolution.

“It was the Palestinian genocide, the genocide in Gaza, and now moving into the West Bank. That was really the impetus for me to go, okay, I'm gonna go ahead and run,” Ali said.

One of Ali’s main goals is to turn empty spaces and subdivisions such as Sugar Brook and West Willow into actual parks, and to bring in programs for children and nature.

“You can make a real difference in your community, and you really should run for office. I always tell my students if you even have the slightest inclination that you're interested in it, just do it,” Ali said.

Associate Professor of Hydrogeology Chris Gellasch from the Department of Geography and Geology was recently recognized as a new Fellow at the Geological Society of America (GSA) Connects 2024 meeting in Anaheim, CA. 

GSA members are elected to Fellowship in recognition of a sustained record of distinguished contributions to the geosciences and to the Geological Society of America.  

His citation read in part, “Dr. Christopher Gellasch has performed substantial and exemplary service to GSA and to the training and mentoring of youth and young and early career geoscientists. Through his volunteer efforts and his professional accomplishments, Dr. Gellasch has shown himself to be an exemplary representative of the geoscience community.”  

Dr. Brittany Albaugh, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, is the principle investigator of a $500,176 grant from the National Science Foundation grant title "Collaborative Research: RUI: Site-specific histone binding selectivity and chemical probe interactions with the TTD and PHD domains of UHRF2." This exciting research project is in collaboration with Dr. Ray Trievel (Biological Chemistry) at the University of Michigan, and is focused on a protein called UHRF2, an epigenetic molecule that plays a critical role in gene regulation and disease but remains relatively understudied. 

This research will also provide valuable training for at least 15 undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds at EMU, integrating authentic research experiences into the existing undergraduate biochemistry curriculum.

Furthermore, this initiative will provide augmented support to a summer research program for underserved high school students, introducing them to mentored research experiences. Overall, this project aims to enrich the academic landscape at EMU and inspire the next generation of scientists.

Albaugh shares that "at the heart of this are the EMU students that perform the cutting-edge research and broaden our scientific understanding of how this protein works in the cell.”

On October 12, 2024, Dr. María Luz García, Professor of Anthropology at Eastern Michigan University, and members of Comunidad Sol, an organization led by Guatemalan Maya people based in Tuscarawas County, led a discussion on Maya cultural heritage.

The discussion was organized in celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and in coordination with the Fiesta Latina. They also announced the release of five trilingual books in the Ixil Mayan language, Spanish, and English which will be donated to libraries, schools, and organizations in northeast Ohio.

Ixil (pronounced EE-SHEEL) is the native language of many who come from Guatemala to live in Tuscarawas County. Others in the county speak K’iche’ or Awakateko, two other Mayan languages that are spoken by a total of over 1 million people in Guatemala. Although these languages have fully developed writing systems and long histories of literature, there are few printed books available in Tuscarawas County to speakers of those languages or those who want to learn more about these languages and cultures. The books include a mythical story from the region, a presentation of boxbol, a favorite food in the Ixil area, a book of riddles, a book about children’s soccer games, and an alphabet book. They were developed with teams of Ixil people and with Sherrel Rieger, a retired Dover High School Spanish teacher and current adult program specialist at Dover Public Library. Printing was funded with a grant from the Sociological Initiatives Foundation. Gerónimo Ramírez, coordinator of Comunidad Sol says, “The arrival of books in Ixil, Spanish, and English is a historic milestone in Northeast Ohio, the new home of many Maya Peoples, where we fight for the visibility of our identities, our rights to linguistic justice, and a dignified resettlement. The preservation of our culture is rooted in our stories. For many years, we have been seen as Hispanics or Latinos, violating our rights as displaced Indigenous peoples, and undermining our rights to linguistic justice, dignified access to health, education, and development.

We remember the stories of our grandparents, who recount how, during the invasion, all our books were burned in a fire that lasted two weeks, consuming our history. However, the arrival of these new books brings unity, healing, and hope to our communities.”

Dr. María Luz García is a Professor of Anthropology at Eastern Michigan University who has worked with Ixil communities in Guatemala for over 20 years and in Tuscarawas County since 2016. She has written academically about Maya strategies for maintaining a sense of community in the aftermath of genocide in Guatemala in the 1980s and in the context of immigration to the United States. Comunidad Sol is a community-based organization led by local Maya community members living in northeast Ohio that advocates for the cultural, political, and linguistic rights of the Maya immigrant community in Ohio. They have organized a community meeting with the Dover Police, workshops on Maya experiences of war, and they participate in regular meetings with other groups of displaced Indigenous populations.

Rachel Evans (Ypsilanti Lincoln H.S.), a 2024 graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a BFA in Graphic Design, has turned her senior class project into an expertly designed and self-published book just in time for EMU’s 175th anniversary. 

Originally created for a publication design course taught by Professor Ryan Molloy, the project began as an assignment to explore the University’s archives and design a booklet based on the content that intrigued her. Evans chose to focus on the rich history of EMU’s campus buildings, crafting a photo history that captivated her professor. The publication was then featured in the 2024 EMU Undergraduate Symposium in March. Encouraged to expand her work, she collaborated with EMU Archives and the Division of Communications to refine and enhance the book. 

The result, Pictorial History of Eastern Michigan University, grew from a classroom project to a 238-page book now available for purchase. “I’m excited to share this book with EMU’s alumni, staff, and community,” said Evans. “I’ve invested a lot of time and effort into it, and I hope people will enjoy learning about the history of the campus as much as I did.” 

Evans’ book highlights some of EMU’s most iconic buildings, blending historical research with captivating imagery, and is a tribute to the University’s enduring legacy. Learn more about the book here. 

Read the full EMU Today story.

Kevin Hudson (BA, Psychology,1991; MA, K12 Administration, 2009), grew up in Ann Arbor and attended Bryant Elementary and Scarlett Middle School before graduating from Huron High School in 1987. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University, his Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Arts from Eastern Michigan University.

In this article, Hudson shares his experiences from being a student and growing to be an administrator in the same district. 

"As a student, I was fine doing just enough to get by because it is what kept me eligible to participate in Athletics. However, mediocre is just not good enough when you have a young person’s future in your hands. In education, competency is the name of the game. I treat our students the way I would want someone to treat my own children. My responses are not always favorable, but my hope is to bestow life lessons that will assist our students in becoming positive healthy productive citizens" Hudson shared.

Read the full AAPS District News Story

Sixty years ago, Flossie Martin and James Wall founded what is now the History Room as an archive, accumulating documents, letters, photos, and other historical records. Over time, it has grown into “the everything history room,” as Marcia Phillips calls it. The room is lined from wall to wall with display cases, genealogy research stations, bookshelves, and filing cabinets brimming with historical documents.   

Phillips is the History Room Assistant. With a master’s degree in historic preservation from Eastern Michigan University, Phillips returned to her hometown in Davie County 12 years ago. She brought with her an education and years of experience in historical education and preservation, serving as a teacher workshop administrator at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan and later at Old Salem in Winston-Salem.  

Her passion for engaging with history led her to the History Room even before she began working there.  

The wall-to-wall, chest-high filing system might seem intimidating, but Phillips describes these cabinets as “the real treasure chests of the room.” Inside these meticulously organized drawers are decades of Davie history. Phillips opens one drawer to reveal a newspaper from the Great Depression era, complete with a pinto bean pie recipe.   

If you don’t find what you’re looking for in the files, it might be hiding in one of the reference volumes lining the bookshelves –  marriage certificates, sheriff records, and family histories dating back as far as 1676. For anyone tracing their Davie ancestry, the room is a goldmine of information.

Phillips values the preservation of history because it helps people connect with their roots. A large display case houses Native American tools and weapons found in Davie, some dating back as far as 8000 BCE. Schoolchildren visiting the room are drawn to the impressive atlas and the arrowheads on display.  

The People Not Property (PNP) Project is uncovering the names of enslaved individuals forgotten in the historical record. Volunteers at the History Room have been working the files alphabetically for over a year and are only up to last names beginning with B.  Volunteers are always welcome whenever the library is open.

Read the full Enterprise Record Article

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Office of the Dean awards more than $75,000 in scholarships annually, and CAS departments and schools award more than $625,000 in scholarships.

Students may now apply for 2025-26 scholarships through the College website. Applications are due February 3, 2025, and recommendations are due February 10, 2025.

Undergraduate students may apply for these scholarships: 

• Richard Albrecht Memorial Scholarship 

• Melvin and Hazel Cant Scholarship

• College of Arts and Sciences Endowed Scholarship

• Carl D. and Peggy G. Pursell Scholarship

• Reed Family Endowed Scholarship for STEM

• Gregory W. Stevens Scholarship

• Dr. James C. Waltz Endowed Scholarship in the Arts and Sciences

• Frances R. Warren Scholarship

• The Father Bernard J. O'Connor Scholarship in Civic Engagement 

Click Here to Apply for CAS Undergraduate Scholarships

The following scholarships are awarded to undergraduate and graduate students, and applicants may be from any college at EMU:

• The Stonewall Endowed Scholarship 

• The Adelson-NSDAR Scholarship

Graduate students may apply for these CAS scholarships through the Graduate School:

• The Bob Holkeboer Symposium/Graduate Research Conference Scholarship 

• Bruce K. Nelson Scholarship 

• Robert Neely Endowed Scholarship

Undergraduate Symposium Scholarships will be awarded through a separate process. Students are also encouraged to seek out scholarship opportunities in their school or department.

The Civil Rights movement was a catalyst for change, securing voter rights for African Americans, among others. To discuss the role youth played during the nation’s critical movements, Eastern Michigan University’s College of Arts and Sciences Civil Rights and Social Justice Center is hosting “A Discussion with Leroy Clemons on the Impact of Youth on Voting and the Civil Rights Movement” from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at Sill Hall, room 124. Clemons will share first-hand knowledge of the fight for justice and the importance of voting to the protection of civil rights. 

According to Barbara Patrick, Professor of Political Science and Director of the EMU Civil Rights and Social Justice Center, the brutal murder of three young voting rights activists during Freedom Summer was a turning point in the civil rights movements. The nation’s quest for justice went unanswered for four decades. Determined to bring the killers to justice and provide healing to a once-divided city, Clemons, community organizer and activist, will shed light on his mobilization efforts that resulted in the reopening of the investigation.

Clemons’ story is also about a mission to ensure every citizen gained access to the voting ballot – something Patrick feels strongly about. “Voting is a cornerstone of the Civil Rights Movement,” said Patrick. “Remember the contribution of young activists who gave their lives so that we might enjoy that right is important. Voting ensures their sacrifices are not forgotten.”

“The murders happened decades before today’s students were born, but the events surrounding them provide important context for social justice efforts since that time,” said Patrick. “What took place shined a bright light on the gross racial inequities in America, and provided momentum for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

Clemons is a native and former alderman-at-large of Philadelphia, Miss., where the three activists were arrested for alleged speeding the night they disappeared. Clemons serves as a youth and community engagement facilitator and racial equity trainer and is the executive director of the Neshoba Youth Coalition and the former president of the Neshoba County NAACP. Clemons led the movement that resulted in the reopening of the investigation into the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner. In 2005, a grand jury charged Edgar Ray Killen with murder; he was ultimately convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 60 years in prison.

The event is free and LBC credit eligible. For more information, contact the political science department at 734-487-3113 or plsc_dept@emich.edu.

Read the full EMU Today article

The Parsons Center for Arts & Science is a beautiful 86 acre property by Lake Ann, close to Traverse City.  

Parsons is open to all disciplines in CAS, as long as the course activities respect and honor the environment and one another.

Summer 2025 course proposals are due by January 8, 2025 to Prof. Sandra Murchison, Director of the School of Art & Design.

For any of you who might be inclined to do a scholar / artist residency at Parsons, the priority deadline is January 15th.

Please visit the Parsons Webpage to view image galleries, course proposal forms, and an application for a residency.

Thanks to a gift from the estate of Professor Emeritus William Donald “Don” Briggs, the EMU History Speakers Series has been generously endowed for the future. Briggs’s sizable gift ensures that each year the History Section will be able to bring in several internationally acclaimed historians to present their latest research to EMU’s students, faculty, and friends.

“We are extremely grateful to the Briggs estate for this gift,” said Professor of History John McCurdy. “Don Briggs was a vital part of the History program for more than thirty years, and his devotion to EMU and its students continues even after his death.”

In addition to funding History speakers, the Briggs gift will fund an annual scholarship for a student in History. The first scholarship will be awarded this winter.

The EMU History Speakers Series brings five or six historians to campus each year. Speakers also include EMU History faculty who have recently published a book as well as the thesis projects of MA in History students. 

“Before the Briggs gift, we were limited on whom we could invite,” noted McCurdy. “We were confined to speakers in the region whose travel expenses were relatively inexpensive. But now, we have the opportunity to bring historians from all over the world to EMU.”

The first History speaker funded by the Briggs gift was Dr. Louis Fishman of Brooklyn College, City University of New York. Professor Fishman spoke on “The Young Turk Revolution: Transforming Identities in Palestine Amidst New Political Camps in Istanbul” on September 19, 2024, to an audience of about fifty students and faculty members. Fishman’s talk was the beginning of a year-long theme of speakers who focus on Middle Eastern history. 

For more information on upcoming speakers, visit the History Speakers Series page or contact History Speakers Series coordinator Professor Walter Lorenz at florenz@emich.edu. 

Don Briggs was a long-time member of EMU’s Department of History and Philosophy. Born in California in 1936, Briggs completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of California Los Angeles before coming to EMU to teach European history in 1964. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1974.

Briggs regularly traveled to Europe for research and to lead numerous groups of EMU students. He was known for his innovative teaching, his service to the university, and his support of intercollegiate athletics. In 1987, he was awarded EMU’s Distinguished Faculty Award.

Upon retiring in 1995, Briggs returned to California with his wife Joan Brehm Briggs. He died in December 2021.

Eastern Michigan University celebrated the unveiling of the Windgate Arts Complex on Thursday, Sept. 12, with a dedication ceremony attended by university leaders, faculty, students, donors, and community members.

The 23,000-square-foot complex, made possible by a $3.4 million gift from the Windgate Foundation, will house EMU’s 3D Media Arts programs. The facility includes state-of-the-art studios for ceramics, sculpture, furniture design, and digital fabrication.

During the ceremony, Sandra Murchison, Director of the School of Art & Design, and other leaders highlighted the collaboration that brought the project to life.

“I am beyond grateful to the Windgate Foundation for their support and partnership,” Murchison said. “Their generosity has made this vision a reality. The Windgate Arts Complex gives students and faculty a space to collaborate, influence each other, and create contemporary works.”

A special highlight was the bench design challenge sponsored by the EMU GameAbove Board. A panel selected furniture design student Leah Popyk’s winning concept. Under Professor John DeHoog, students built 10 benches now featured throughout the complex.

After the ribbon-cutting, guests toured the building, explored its artistic spaces, and attended a reception in the Chris Kaufman Critique Atrium.

The Windgate Arts Complex represents a significant advancement in EMU’s dedication to the arts. It will provide students with state-of-the-art tools for hands-on learning and creative expression. The complex will also host summer workshops for Washtenaw County residents in partnership with the Riverside Arts Center and offer a summer institute for teachers led by EMU Art Education faculty. The facility is set to become a hub for innovation, attracting those passionate about art and design.

Read the full EMU Today story

The “From Lab to Life: Chemistry Career Exploration Event” will be held on Monday October 21st from 3:30-5:30 in Mark Jefferson Science Complex.  This is a brand new event hosted by the Chemistry Department in recognition of National Chemistry Day and is designed to help students navigate their potential career choices. In the first half, the Department will be hosting a 1 hour seminar in which a keynote speaker will describe various careers in Chemistry, followed by a discussion panel with several scientists from scientific industries. The second half of the event will be an informational fair where students can network with representatives from industry, chat with current students in graduate programs, learn about the Chemistry Club and research opportunities, do fun chemistry activities, and get help with resume and  interview skills. Pizza will be available and along with door prizes.

On Sept. 24, 2024, Eastern Michigan University celebrated the dedication of its Center for Jewish Studies’ new offices in Halle Library, honoring the generous support of Art and Mary Schuman. Several guests attended the event, which included remarks from the Director for the Eastern Michigan University Center for Jewish Studies, Robert Erlewine, EMU President James Smith, and honoree Mary Schuman.

The program highlighted the Center’s growth since its inception in 2012 and featured a plaque unveiling and mezuzah installation by Rabbi Cain. Following the ceremony, attendees enjoyed a reception with a tour of the new space.

“Art and I have had the opportunity to meet and hear incredible Jewish leaders, authors, and performers,” Schuman said. “We are honored to be a part of this wonderful center and to have a plaque in our honor in this beautiful office.”

Erlewine expressed gratitude to Art and Mary Schuman for their dedication and contributions as founding members who have significantly impacted the Center's development. Both serve on the Advisory Board and are donors. The annual Art and Mary Schuman Lecture Series, now in its sixth year, will hold its next event on Sept. 30.

For more details about the Center for Jewish Studies and its initiatives, please visit their website.

Read the full EMU Today Article

After nearly nine months in the making, the EMU Marching Band welcomed The Temptations to campus for an unforgettable halftime show in front of nearly 17,000 fans at Rynearson Stadium on Saturday, October 12.  The halftime show featured the legendary singing group performing with the EMU Marching Band on a number of their most famous hits, including “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” “Just My Imagination,” “My Girl,” and more.  As the band exited the field, the EMU fight song was sung by EMU Alum and Temptations member, Jawan M. Jackson. The band’s performance and The Temptations visit was led by School of Music & Dance faculty member and Director of the EMU Marching Band, Dr. J. Nick Smith.