College of Liberal Arts Newsletter

A Message from the Dean

I continue to be impressed with all of the goings on in the college. Our faculty and staff continue to provide great opportunities for student engagement in the classroom and out. Our students continue to look toward their future with optimism and excitement. And we continue to impact our community in many positive ways. This New Year will see major advancements in the Creative Arts Center modernization and expansion, the development of the Center for Liberal Arts Student Success, and in our college's Strategic Plan as we advance in our mission to serve our students and community. I look forward to talking more about these initiatives throughout the year as we bring them to fruition.

I am also excited to introduce you to this year's Dean's Student Advisory Board (DSAB). These impressive students represent a wide array of liberal arts disciplines and have been great ambassadors for CoLA, representing the college at important events, providing insight into the student perspective, and planning their own outreach opportunities. Learn more about the talented members of DSAB.

Left to right: Emily Simpson, Emily Bingham, Abigail Sorensen, Dennis Wilson, Khadija Kirksey, Cedric Ntwali, Dean Kristin Sobolik, Brandon DeFoe, Diamond Williams, Lukas Wenrick, President Julia Stidham, Johnathon Klugh. Missing from the photo are: Ryan Rushing and Stephen Monath.

Happy 2015!

Kristin Sobolik

Dean, College of Liberal Arts

The Creative Arts Center (CAC) Modernization and Expansion project is fully underway!

Residents of the CAC are so excited to see some concrete action taking place as the Modernization and Expansion are finally happening. Phase I involves the renovation of the old TV Center into the new Motion Pictures Center. The updated building will provide a new home for our esteemed Motion Pictures program and expands the scope of the program by adding a production studio and a digital technology lab. This new facility will open in March 2015.

Also in March we will celebrate the complete renovation of a portion of the lowest level of the CAC into acoustically-isolated music faculty teaching studios and a new office suite for our School of Music.

Phase II of the project began late last year with the closure of the main entrance and the addition of construction fencing at the front of the building. The excavation work has begun to create room for an impressive addition featuring a new art galleries complex, dance studio, movement and stage combat studio, and iconic new entrance.

We are expecting to pour concrete for the addition before spring so new construction can begin this summer. At that time, the Commons will also be closed for extensive renovation, including construction of a second level "catwalk" and a floating computer lab nicknamed the "lily pad."

The whole project should be completed before the end of 2016. For more information on this project, please visit our website.

Wright State launches its RISE. SHINE. Campaign with a Flourish

Rise. Shine. The Campaign for Wright State University was formally announced by President David R. Hopkins on October 18 before 600 students, faculty, staff, donors and other special guests in the magically transformed Nutter Center.

The $150 million fundraising campaign promises to further elevate Wright State's prominence by expanding scholarships, attracting more top-flight faculty and supporting construction of state-of-the-art facilities.

Campaign Co-Chairs Amanda Wright Lane, great grandniece of university namesakes Wilbur and Orville Wright, and Tom Hanks, via video, joined in the celebration. The Master of Ceremonies was Communication alum Eddie McClintock, and CoLA student Emily Bingham, English, was poised as she told her poignant story of how important scholarship support is to her in the completion of her degree. CoLA students were seen everywhere as they performed before, during, and after the event. Wright State's very own Rowdy, looking dapper in his tuxedo, provided the biggest surprise of the evening - that we had already raised $107,488,678 toward our goal! It was a night to remember as we thanked our donors, celebrated how far we have come, and launched the next phase of the campaign. Learn more about "Rise. Shine. The Campaign for Wright State University".

View more photos here>>

View video highlights here>>

CoLA Authors Celebration

On January 26 we celebrated CoLA faculty who published books and CDs during 2014. Those celebrated, from left to right, were: Drew Swanson, History; Yuliya Walsh, Modern Languages; Damaris Serrano, Modern Languages; Frank Cox, Music; Kathryn Meyer, History; Myron Levine, Urban Affairs; David Petreman, Modern Languages; Dean Kristin Sobolik; Vaughn Shannon, Political Science; Shelley Jagow, Music; Liam Anderson, Philosophy; and Lynette Jones, English. Not available at time of photo: Rich Bullock, English and Erik Banks, Philosophy. Attendees heard remarks from the authors, browsed their books, and enjoyed food and drink in the collegial atmosphere of the Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries. From the history of tobacco to a map of Middle-Eastern affairs to content in music to Zora Neal Hurston, this prolific group offers much contemporary insight into cogent issues past, present, and future. Congratulations to CoLA's hardworking (hard-writing) faculty!

Read more>>

Musical Theatre Initiative Launched with Broadway Star Leslie Uggams

CoLA is pleased to announce its new Musical Theatre Initiative, an entity on campus that celebrates and explores the history, culture and craft of the musical theatre through guest artist residencies, concert performances and international conferences. The first major visiting artist brought to campus by this new initiative was actress and singer Leslie Uggams, who visited Dayton on January 22-23 to work firsthand with students and perform in an outstanding concert at the Victoria Theatre. Uggams has won Tony and Emmy Awards and performed on Broadway, TV, and in films. During her visit to campus, Uggams led master classes with acting and musical theatre students. The following evening she sang classic and contemporary standards for a wonderful crowd of community art-lovers. Leslie Uggams represents so much of the history of popular entertainment in the last half of the 20th century and into the 21st, said Joe Deer, distinguished professor of musical theatre and director of the Musical Theater Initiative. "Students don't just need rigor and discipline and opportunities, they need inspiration," he said. "To have contact with a person like Leslie, it's like an infusion of energy for all of us."

Read more>>

Donor Appreciation Reception and Holidays in the Heartland Concert

CoLA hosted a record 350 people for our annual Donor Appreciation Reception at the Schuster Center on November 2. Over 70 scholarship recipients along with their families had the chance to thank the many generous donors who made their scholarships possible. It was magical to see our donors realize the tremendous impact their gifts have on our students.

The reception was followed by an amazing Holidays in the Heartland concert performed by faculty and students from our School of Music. This year's concert focused on the rich musical heritage of World War I and also featured songs from the American Revolution, Civil War and the end of the 19th century, as well as patriotic tunes honoring military veterans. It was great to see the Schuster Center filled with people who count on this concert each year to kick off the holiday season.

A special thank you to our student speaker, Gwendolyn Reynolds, whose story inspired and touched us all. Gwen is a 48-year-old single parent who works full time and attends Wright State as a full-time Social Work major. Her educational journey has been unique. Despite many obstacles that have tempted her to drop out of school along the way, she has persevered and is on track to graduate this May. Her story is truly inspirational and a great example of triumph over adversity.

Read more about Gwen's story>>

Area High School French, Spanish, and German Students Experience a Fun Day of Language Immersion

The fall was a busy and exciting time for the Department of Modern Languages and time to celebrate language, culture, and diversity during Immersion Days for French, Spanish, and German.

French Immersion Day

Spanish Immersion Day

German Immersion Day

Coming Soon!

Chinese Immersion Day, February 12, 2015

Arabic Immersion Day, March 24, 2015

Mark Your Calendar - Exciting Upcoming Events

CoLA Research Conference - February 9, 2015

The First Annual CoLA Research Conference will be held on Monday, February 9, 10:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. in Schuster Hall with a reception following in the Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries. Come learn more about the research developed by College of Liberal Arts faculty during their professional development leave in 2013-14. The conference's illustrious keynote speaker will be Paul Lockhart, History, Wright State's 2014 Brage Golding Distinguished Professor of Research awardee. Both the conference and the reception are free and open to the public and we hope you will join us!

For a complete program schedule please visit our website.

Liberal Arts Pathways to Success - February 16, 2015

The College of Liberal Arts is planning its Second Annual Liberal Arts Pathways to Success. This is the perfect event for high school students who are looking for a great career and considering Wright State. Students are invited to attend this exciting morning of activities that include meeting with WSU faculty, students, and alumni, learning about majors, extra-curricular activities and clubs, finding out about financial aid opportunities, and much more. All attendees are eligible to win great prizes. To register for Liberal Arts Pathways to Success, visit our website.

ARTSGALA - March 28, 2015

ARTSGALA 2015 will be held Saturday, March 28, 6:30-midnight. Enjoy a thrilling evening of art, music, and theatre by our very talented students and experience the transformation of the Creative Arts Center as it becomes an elegant showplace for arts education and performance. All net proceeds from this event support much-needed arts scholarships. For more information or to order your tickets online, visit our website.