The Stories We Loved in 2025
This year, our team shared many stories highlighting the people, research, and ideas shaping CLA. From student milestones to faculty scholarship and alumni impact, each piece reflected the depth, creativity, and real-world influence of our community.
While it was difficult to narrow down favorites, the stories below stood out for the conversations they sparked, the moments they captured, and the meaningful impact they showcased across our college.
Student Success
CLA makes sure every student feels welcome, supported, and equipped to succeed—from the moment they show interest in the college through graduation.
Josh Koser, a UMN alum uses his education in both theatre and mechanical engineering as a mechanical integrator for entertainment company TAIT.
From the Minnesota Capitol to Dublin to Wall Street, CLA students turn classroom learning into real-world experience that shapes their futures.
The medical Spanish minor equips future healthcare professionals to provide empathetic and culturally appropriate care to more members of our community.
The liberal arts are increasingly a pathway for careers in healthcare, and the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts provides the foundational skills for that journey.
Read "Preparing the next generation of healthcare providers"
Gateways to French and Francophone Studies teaches history in an engaging way through role-play, using pedagogical material from "Reacting to the Past Consortium."
English alum Zayna Amanat used skills honed in her English literature classrooms to identify and pitch stories that could be adapted into movies and TV shows.
Chad Smith, drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, debuted a new music scholarship at UMN inspired by his Minnesota roots and performed at the Homecoming halftime show.
Read "Chad Smith’s Minnesota Roots Inspire New UMN Scholarship"
Innovation & Research
CLA scholars and artists create new ideas, discoveries, and creative works that improve people’s lives. Their work contributes to understanding and solving problems in our community and around the world.
Capitol Hill insider turned political science professor Kathryn Pearson is on a mission to demystify Congress.
UMN's landmark twin research center has followed 10,000+ pairs for decades, creating a treasure trove of data that has produced nearly 900 scientific publications.
“It's not what you say, it's how you say it.” Meet a researcher working to bring the full richness of speech to cochlear implant users.
A team of creatives joins forces with an unlikely collaborator—ChatGPT—to devise an opera about Alan Turing.
Historian David Aoina Chang invites viewers to learn more about the figure at the heart of the Apple TV+ series through his website and reflection.
The English professor emerita and legendary folksinger releases her first album in 67 years.
Impact & Public Engagement
CLA shows how the liberal arts strengthen our communities by connecting faculty, staff, and students with partners across the Twin Cities and beyond. We use the strengths of our location to build meaningful relationships and expand our impact.
Natika Kantaria (MHR, ‘24) discusses the importance of meaningful global advocacy as a Barbara Frey Fellow.
Associate Professor Yuichiro Onishi has been appointed director of the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub.
The UMN is helping grow the number of job candidates for a role in high demand: school-based speech pathologists. It’s been a win for the schools and graduate students.
Read "UMN Partnership with K-12 Schools Combats Speech Therapist Shortage"
In the new three-week study abroad course, Dr. Morgan Staley brought a group of students to conduct field research in Egypt, a land of rich linguistic diversity.
