Dear ComArtSci Community,
The energy on campus is undeniable. Whether you're here for your first semester, your final fall as a Spartan, or reading from afar, I hope you're feeling it too.
Fall has always been my favorite season, a time of renewed rhythm, bold ideas, and great hope. This month, we welcomed hundreds of new students, deepening our shared investment in ComArtSci’s future.
We also welcomed several new full-time faculty and staff since June 1:
- Stephanie Baron, Jennifer McDermitt, and Lolo Robison as Fixed-Term Instructors, Department of Advertising and Public Relations
- Kathryn Genoa-Obradovich as Fixed-Term Assistant Professor, Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders
- Emily Jensen as Fixed-Term Research Associate, Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders
- Victoria Diedrichs as Tenure-System Assistant Professor, Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders
- Morgan Vigil-Hayes as Tenure-System Associate Professor, Department of Media and Information
- Andrew Gillfillan as News Director, WKAR
- Elizabeth Gibbs and Yexin Li as Academic Advisors
- Cody Harlacher as Career Consultant
We’re excited for the contributions these talented individuals will bring to the college.
Speaking of excitement, this past weekend we celebrated the 25th anniversary of our Game Design program at ComArtSci. Over the two-day celebration, we welcomed more than 50 alums and 100+ Spartans from across our community. Guests experienced firsthand how this prestigious program continues to grow and evolve through panels featuring leaders from Insomniac Games, Iron Galaxy Studios, NVIDIA, Ford Motor Company and more. The festivities wrapped up with a spirited Saturday tailgate where I enjoyed seeing so many new and familiar faces joining in celebration of this milestone. Here’s to the next quarter-century of innovation, creativity, and Spartan will.
Celebrating Student Success
Even during summer’s quieter pace, our momentum continued. Ignite the Future welcomed a new cohort through the Summer Bridge Program, with now over 100 student participants since its launch.
Highlights in student achievement include:
- Faith Cabalum, Journalism graduate, won first place and $10,000 at the Hearst Awards for “Beneath the Stars and Stripes.” Other students were also recognized and MSU’s intercollegiate ranking rose to sixth.
- Journalism seniors Alex Walters, Owen McCarthy, and Theo Scheer were honored by the Education Writers Association for investigative reporting.
- Media and Information students were recognized at the inaugural Collegiate Games Challenge, with one team placing second and another earning honorable mention for Game Systems.
- Ph.D. students in Information and Media and from the Department of Communication earned top awards at AEJMC and ICA conferences for work spanning community journalism, entertainment studies, gender discourse on Chinese social media, and communication systems theory.
Recognizing Faculty Excellence
This summer, Professors Dimitar Deliyski and Scott Yaruss (Communicative Sciences and Disorders) received the highest national honor from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This rare dual recognition marks only the third and fourth time MSU faculty have received this award, and never before in the same year or department.
Geri Zeldes, Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs and Graduate Studies, and ComArtSci alumni Jason Howard, Aidan Binford, and Ethan Hunter, earned first place from the Society of Professional Journalists – Detroit Chapter for their documentary Missing Page – A Family’s Story.
Edward Timke, Assistant Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, was selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program for 2025–26. He will conduct research on “Disability Inclusion in Swedish Marketing Communications” at the Stockholm School of Economics.
Legacies that Inspire
Our community’s strength is built not only on present achievements, but also on the lasting impact of those who came before us.
This summer, we mourned the loss of Erwin P. Bettinghaus, former dean and faculty member. Over nearly four decades at MSU, including 26 years as dean, his legacy remains foundational to ComArtSci. This fall’s Erwin P. Bettinghaus Endowed Lecture in Health Communication will include a special tribute in his honor.
We also remember alumnus Edward Deeb, a steadfast champion of our college community and especially our students. A 1960 graduate of the college’s advertising program, Edward was the founding member and first president of our alumni board and understood the power of alumni voices to inspire achievement. Edward remained a dedicated partner to ComArtSci throughout his life, and his impact continues to be felt across our college, the university and the state of Michigan.
Budget Update
Finally, I want to acknowledge the MSU mandated budget reductions we announced in July. These decisions were not easy, and they’ve impacted individuals and teams across our college. We are also beginning to assess options for the additional 3% cost reduction mandate for the university for the 2026-27 academic year. But I remain confident that these changes, while painful, will position ComArtSci for a stronger, more resilient future, aligned in mission and purpose.
Looking Ahead
As we start the year, I’m energized by the journey ahead. From campus to cities nationwide, our Momentum Tour continues to connect with alumni who share our vision. Since we launched the tour last Spring, I’ve visited with our incredible alumni in East Lansing, Los Angeles, Detroit and Traverse City.
In October, I’ll also join the Spartan Bus Tour alongside President Guskiewicz and other MSU leaders and faculty to visit communities in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula to build connections and strengthen the university’s commitment to education, research, outreach and extension.
Together, we’re investing in a ComArtSci that is creative, innovative and driven by excellence.
Let’s get to it!
Heidi Hennink-Kaminski