Dear ComArtSci Community and Friends,
From busy classrooms and advising offices to innovative research and creative work across ComArtSci and the WKAR studios, our spaces have been lively as we ended the first month of our spring semester.
Take, for example, our Office of Student Affairs and Services. During its first week back from winter break, our Student Affairs and advising teams supported nearly 600 students through in-person, phone and online appointments! We're intentional about keeping students on track for degree completion by reducing enrollment barriers through proactive advising. A virtual round of applause for our exceptional advising team!
This spirit of engagement extends beyond campus. This past Saturday, WKAR hosted PBS Kids Day, which attracted 1,200 visitors from mid-Michigan and beyond. Families and children from across the region joined us for three hours of fun and learning, including interacting with beloved PBS characters like Carl the Collector and learning dance moves with All of the Above Hip Hop Academy. We are grateful to MSU Federal Credit Union for sponsoring the day and for their generous $50,000 gift presented during the event. What a powerful reminder of the role the college plays in building community, curiosity and connection.
New year, new faces
Behind the scenes, a few new and familiar faces are stepping into important roles, and I can’t wait for you to get to know them (if you haven’t already).
Juan Mundel, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies
Perry Parks, Information and Media PhD Program Director
Daune Rensing, Ignite the Future Coordinator.
Geri Zeldes, Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs
This group brings an exciting mix of experience and fresh perspective, and I’m thrilled to have them on the team.
Celebrating excellence across our community
2026 alumni honorees. Pictured top left to right: Mario McLean, David Calkins, Martin B. Brodsky. Pictured bottom left to right: Susi Elkins, Ann Thomas and Suzette Hackney.
In January, we announced the alumni and community leaders who will be honored at The Celebration 2026, taking place this April. These distinguished honorees represent the highest levels of professional accomplishment, leadership and service across the communication disciplines.
Their achievements reflect the lasting impact of a ComArtSci degree and the many ways our alumni continue to lead, innovate and serve their communities. We look forward to celebrating these individuals together on April 18, and I hope you’ll save the date and consider joining us.
I’m also proud to share that Kennedy D. Walters, a current Health and Risk Communication master’s student, recently received the university’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Endowed Scholarship. This award recognizes Kennedy’s dedication to service, her work with MSU Black Alumni, and her commitment to communication that centers the community, embodying the spirit of this award. Congratulations, Kennedy!
Engaging the public through art, media and meaning
If you’ve followed campus news lately, you might have seen many significant conversations about artificial intelligence, media, technology, and the way we make sense of the world. ComArtSci faculty, students and collaborators are engaged and contributing to these important dialogues.
At the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, our very own Advertising and Public Relations Associate Professor Maral Zakharia co-created an exhibit, Synthetic Sirens, that explores the intersections of artificial intelligence, media, sound, power and identity. If you're near the Broad Museum before July, be sure to stop in for an opportunity to reflect on how digital technologies shape communication and culture.
The Synthetic Sirens exhibition runs at the Broad Art Museum from January 31 to July 14.
Just across the way at the freshly renovated MSU Museum, the Blurred Realities series brings scholars, journalists and artists together to examine questions of truth, trust and representation in contemporary media.
Earlier this semester, our own Maria D. Molina and Esther Thorson shared their expertise in “Fake News! The Battle for Truth in a Disinformation Age” as part of a panel moderated by journalism student and WKAR intern Victoria Witke. Together, they offered insights into misinformation, disinformation, and the challenges facing today’s media environment. At the end of February, Visual Realities will continue the discussion focused on artificial intelligence, documentary storytelling, and authenticity in visual media with a conversation and Q&A, moderated by our new associate dean for faculty and academic staff affairs and professor in the School of Journalism, Geri Zeldes.
Victoria Witke, journalism intern for WKAR leads the panel discussion.
It's inspiring to see our ComArtSci community being elevated in these public spaces to shape important conversations and connect our research, creative work and teaching with the community.
Supporting one another as a caring community
As we celebrate the achievements and energy of our community this semester, we also pause to reflect on moments that remind us of the care and support we provide to one another. February marks the anniversary of the violence our campus experienced on Feb. 13, 2023. This time of remembrance can affect members of our community in different ways. I encourage all of us to take care of ourselves and one another and to seek support as needed. Classes will not be held on this day and resources and information about campuswide plans for Feb. 13, as well as available support services, can be found at the Spartans Together website.
Forward together
There’s a lot to look forward to this month and the semester ahead. Between Black History Month, Love ComArtSci, and Lunar New Year, we have many opportunities to come together in February, to celebrate, and to enjoy being part of this community. I’ll be sharing my own reflections on these celebrations in my next message later this month, and I can’t wait to see all the ways these moments bring us together.
Onward!
Heidi Hennink-Kaminski