A Message from the Dean
 This past April CoLA saw the departure of our dean, Kristin Sobolik, to an exciting new position as provost of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. We will miss her perception, energy, good cheer, and vision. Kristin changed the face of the college for the better with such initiatives as creating the
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), establishing the
College of Liberal Arts Student Success (CLASS), and supporting our Ohio Center for Excellence in
Collaborative Education, Leadership & Innovation in the Arts (CELIA). Not only do we have more acronyms (!), we also have more imaginative programs to serve our students. St. Louis is lucky to have her, and we wish her well.
I am very pleased to have been appointed the new Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Although in truth, I'm not so very new: I have been at Wright State since 1988, first in the Department of Art and Art History and most recently as an Associate Dean of CoLA. I know the college and am fully aware of the wonderful and accomplished students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends that call CoLA home. The imagination, strength, creativity, and sheer brain power in CoLA will ensure that we continue to thrive, even in difficult times. I am looking forward to working with you as we keep our focus on the heart of our mission: our students.
And speaking of students, I had the great pleasure of participating in Wright State's first
Signing Day event. The Student Union was full of hundreds and hundreds of students who came to campus to celebrate their signing on as a Raider. I met many smiling students, excited about the opportunities afforded them at Wright State and in CoLA.They shared so many hopes and dreams, and I felt enormous pride in representing the college that will help these students succeed. I can't wait to see what they will do.
I have moved into the Dean's Office,174 Millett, and I have almost recovered from transporting all my books. Stop by and visit if you have a chance, and please, share your good ideas about how to move CoLA forward.
Linda Caron
Dean, College of Liberal Arts
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Opening of the School of Public and International Affairs
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SPIA Grand Opening guest speaker Ambassador Tony Hall participates in a panel discussion led by professors Paul Leonard and Dan Warshawsky.
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Wright State's Departments of Political Science and Urban Affairs and Geography has merged into the new
School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA). The school celebrated its opening with a presentation by
Tony Hall, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Agencies for Food and Agriculture and Dayton-area congressman. The new school is a multidisciplinary collaboration of public policy, politics, law, governance, and other public interests at local, state, national, and international levels. The opening of SPIA will allow Wright State to offer more classes, programs, and internships as well as public forums, research panels, and career workshops for students.
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ARTSGALA, One to Remember
Wright State's 18th annual
ARTS
GALA was simply spectacular! Hundreds of guests were on hand to support and enjoy our talented fine and performing arts students during six hours of non-stop arts entertainment in our incredible newly renovated Creative Arts Center. This year's event raised approximately $200,000 for critical scholarship support, and to date we have raised over $2.3 million in
ARTS
GALA Scholarships!
View our
photos
and
highlight video
of
ARTS
GALA 2017.
Join us on March 24, 2018
for another fabulous night of arts entertainment!
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Liberal Studies Major Puts His Talents to Good Use as DJ Cuest
Liberal studies major Stacy Worley II is known as DJ Cuest at Wright State's student-run radio station, WWSU 106.9FM. He has worked as a DJ since his sophomore year and is also the program director at WWSU. In 2015, he was nominated for Best New DJ by the Ohio Hip-Hop Awards and has interviewed more than 50 artists and DJs.
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Dancing With a Star
Students Jaelyn Blake and Jacob Shade will attend a dance "intensive" this summer in Los Angeles with acclaimed dancer and choreographer, Dwight Rhoden. This very prestigious opportunity comes tuition-free for Jaelyn and Jacob whose dancing so impressed Rhoden when he was on campus earlier this year that he offered them a scholarship. The two will study ballet and technique classes and will be involved in rehearsals and a performance.
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Language Lion
John Haught is an associate
professor of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and applied linguistics at Wright State. His specialty includes using creative means like drama, music, and poetry to teach English. John recently went back to Honduras, where he has previously spent ten years of his life, to help a university there develop a new curriculum and strategies that focus on communicative language teaching. John also spent time working with faculty and other aspiring Honduran English teachers and conducted professional development workshops.
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Communication Student Creates Nationally Recognized Documentary
Bailey Webber is a mass communication major at Wright State who recently made a documentary that gained national recognition, winning an Independent Spirit Award at the Sedona Film Festival. The film, which took three years to make, details the controversy surrounding school "fat letters," which are the results of BMI screenings conducted in schools. "
The Student Body is fun and upbeat despite the heavy content," Bailey said. "I want students to be able to feel inspired and to know that their voice does matter and that one person can make a change. I learned that, and as you see in the film, I progressed."
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Wright State's Model UN Team Continues Winning Streak
For the 38th consecutive year, Wright State's Model United Nations team earned a delegation award at the annual national conference in New York City. Part of this success is due to a large increase in membership and the leadership of the returning students who worked hard in recruiting and mentoring new members. During the conference, students participate as delegates to various UN committees. This year, Wright State represented Italy.
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Promised Land
Hadley Drodge, a public history graduate student at Wright State, is assembling an exhibit about the Randolph slaves that will open at the National Afro-American Museum and cultural Center in Wilberforce. After interning at the museum, the John Randolph materials, which include over 400 pictures, a 25 pound bible, and some sketches, fell into her lap and she began working on the exhibit. "My focus is trying to de-center whiteness in history," said Hadley. "I hope we can use this as a way to do history in a more honest manner."
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Adjunct Faculty Member Receives Governor's Award for the Arts
Jim McCutcheon, also known as "The Guitar Man," will receive the 2017 Governor's Award for the Arts in Arts Education this month. The awards ceremony is held in conjunction with Arts Day, a daylong arts advocacy event sponsored by the Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation. Along with opening his own music store in Centerville, Jim has also produced a weekly classical guitar program on Dayton Public Radio for the past 30 years. Jim has been an adjunct faculty member at Wright State since 1978 and is also the artist-in-residence at the University of Dayton.
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Courage for the Future
 Brianna Brown, a senior majoring in crime and justice studies, hopes to one day work with the FBI or help juveniles in the criminal justice system. Brianna comes from a long line of police officers and she became adept at reading body language at a young age. As an intern with the Montgomery County Juvenile Probation Services she has become skilled at speaking with children who have witnessed a crime to learn about those involved and to understand how the crime impacted the child. Since many of the children and young teenagers she works with have committed crimes themselves, Brianna has learned when to listen and when to speak as they are learning what is right and what is wrong.
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Geography Alumnus Locates Historical Artifacts
Wright State graduate Jared Shank puts his unique skillset to good use as group historian of The Dayton Diggers, a nonprofit organization that researches, recovers, and documents history. Jared's experience serving in the military combined with his educational background in geography and earth and environmental science make him well-suited for this work.
While many of the items metal detectorists find do not have much monetary value, they do bring a personal or historical connection to the finder and owners and provide a better understanding of history and past culture. Jared has located many interesting items over the years, including
dozens of military buttons and old children's toys that have connected family members to previous generations.
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Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Changes Lives in Community
Wright State is the only university in Ohio to partner with the National Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. The organization not only provides countless volunteer hours to the community, but helps prepare students for the nonprofit workforce in many ways. The national organization aims at teaching students how a nonprofit functions by providing resources like professional development, networking, workshops, and internships.
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English Alumnus Brings Literature and Poetry to Life
Wright State alumnus Jamaica Siroky is a lover of English literature and language. As a teacher at Thurgood Marshall High School, he thinks of creative ways to get his students to engage with the language and their community. He founded a successful poetry club in which students read and recite their original work and recently won the district poetry slam concert. Jamaica has applied to Harvard University's Ph.D. education program and plans to move to Boston. He credits much of his success to his days at Wright State.
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