Alma Matters February 2025 Newsletter
These eleven CLA alumni prove that a liberal arts education is a launchpad for impact. Nominated by their peers, they are reshaping industries and championing justice while pushing artistic boundaries and leading with purpose. We asked each of them about their journey—why they chose their major, how the liberal arts shaped their career, and what drives their work today. Join us in celebrating their remarkable achievements and the difference they are making in the world.
Read this month's feature story, Meet our 2024 Alumni Award Winners.
Dean's Corner
"As we celebrate these remarkable alumni, we reaffirm our mission: to cultivate curiosity, empower creative problem-solving, and foster meaningful engagement across diverse perspectives. Their achievements are a testament to the enduring impact of the liberal arts—not just in their individual successes, but in the broader influence they have on society."
Stories & More
“Too often, these two sub-areas are not in great conversation with one another,” shares postdoctoral research associate Meagan Doll. “Fortunately, the Minnesota Journalism Center is doing a lot of exciting work in this area, including studies around how news media shape civic attitudes and perceptions.”
Meagan Doll: Introducing Hubbard School’s New Postdoctoral Fellow
New research from the University of Minnesota and Boston University shows that death rates for early adults (ages 25-44) increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and remain high. Associate Professor Elizabeth Wrigley-Field (sociology) breaks down the findings.
Celebrate Black History Month with inspiring stories from the College of Liberal Arts community, showcasing the impactful work of scholars, artists, and students dedicated to advancing Black studies and equity.
At the Julia M. Davis Center, a new grant from the Parkinson’s Voice Project is training clinicians and graduate students in the SPEAK OUT! program, providing life-changing therapy that helps individuals strengthen their voices and restore confidence in communication.
As the new director of the Immigration History Research Center, Professor Llana Barber is committed to amplifying diverse voices in immigration scholarship and connecting past migration trends to today’s pressing debates.
Meet Llana Barber, New Director of the Immigration History Research Center
Jeeyon Choi, a fifth-year PhD candidate in political science, studies how international organizations and NGOs engage with local governments in post-conflict peacebuilding. In this Q&A, she shares what brought her to CLA, the questions driving her research, and how international students are supported in her department.
GeoCommons, a new collaborative hub at the University of Minnesota, is bringing students, faculty, and the public together to explore innovative mapping, data visualization, and spatial sciences.
"As a Chicana feminist scholar, I am committed to creating research and scholarship that is directly related to our community in all ways,” shares Assistant Professor Jessica Lopez Lyman (Chicano & Latino studies). “So this means we don't write or study about a community, we work with them."
Jessica Lopez Lyman Wins 2024 Outstanding Community Service Award
Stay Informed, Get Involved with UMAA
Front Page News
Check out these recent headlines highlighting how the liberal arts are not only the heart of the University, but more critical than ever for understanding the world and our place in it.
In a conversation with MPR, Assistant Professor Nick Estes (American Indian studies) discusses the historical tensions surrounding Leonard Peltier’s wrongful conviction and the significance of his recent commutation.
From The New York Times: Beavers in the Czech Republic built their own dams while a stalled government project lingered in red tape—an impressive feat of natural engineering that aligns with the research of Assistant Professor Emily Fairfax (geography, environment & society).
"I see Congress abdicating its responsibility in our system of separation of powers," says Professor Kathryn Pearson (political science) for the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Russ White’s latest exhibition, Sitters, featured eight vibrant acrylic portraits of Minnesota locals and was highlighted by MPR.
Small talk may be shallow, but as Professor Ascan Koerner (communication studies) explains in the Minnesota Daily, its real power lies in opening the door to deeper connections—without the pressure of immediate vulnerability.
From Minn Post: In the Seen exhibition at the Weisman, artist Ronald “Bino” Greer II and art professor Diane Willow create When a Garden Becomes a Canopy of Verses—a sanctuary of poetry and green space, curated by Emily Baxter (BA ‘02, English).
Empower Future Changemakers
Gifts to the CLA Alumni Match Scholarship help turn academic promise into lasting impact. By supporting students with financial need, you’re empowering the next generation of CLA graduates to achieve their full potential—and maybe even become future Outstanding Alumni Awardees.
