New video showcases the vitality of liberal arts at RIT

In partnership with the Division of Marketing and Communications, a new video was created this fall to share with prospective undergrad students and their families. It offers an authentic and inspiring glimpse into the rich and dynamic experiences our students benefit from during their time here.

Watch video now »

A special note of thanks goes to the talented team from Marketing and Communications who produced this video — Joseph Bellavia, Executive Creative Director and Daniel Swinton, Assistant Director of University Video Productions.

New + Noteworthy

Sponsored scholarships create opportunity for RIT Kosovo Peace and Conflict Summer Program participation.

The College of Liberal Arts was instrumental in reinvigorating and expanding opportunities for participation in the Frederick C. Cuny Peace and Conflict Summer Program this year, an effort that will continue into 2023 as well. The program enrolls up to 50 students from universities across the U.S., including several from RIT’s main campus. 

Lauren Hall, chair of the Department of Political Science worked with faculty to integrate this summer program into the political science curriculum, and to help encourage more students from RIT’s main campus to participate, six new scholarships (ranging from half to the full cost of the program) were offered thanks to the College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Political Science, and others.

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$350,000 NEH and Teagle Foundation grant funds new curriculum development

Preparing RIT grads to be "mindful, confident communicators, and shrewd analysts of the world that confronts us daily" will be the focus of new curriculum development made possible by a $350,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and The Teagle Foundation.

Kudos to Kelly Norris Martin, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts, and Katie Terezakis, professor in the Department of Philosophy, co-principal investigators for the grant.

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Liberal Arts major + STEM major = dynamic, multidimensional prep for tomorrow's highly effective leaders. 

“Having a better match between the liberal arts and STEM programs is absolutely critical,” says Joyce Pratt, chair of RIT’s College of Liberal Arts National Council. That’s what motivated her to make a gift to RIT for the creation of the Liberal Arts Multidisciplinary Scholars program, a new program that provides financial support to students who double major in a STEM and a College of Liberal Arts major.  

“This program is all about developing the life skills of these students through liberal arts education. It’s about helping them develop communication and critical thinking skills, learn the value of history, and discover the impact of social norms,” said Pratt. “The employers who are lucky enough to get these students will recognize the value of this immediately.”

Pratt, who served for 38 years in senior national security positions in the Central Intelligence Agency, the Intelligence Community, the United States Congress, and the private sector, wanted to double major in math and Slavic languages and literature when she was an undergraduate student during the 1960s. At the time, her university said that her choice was not a viable option. Now, she is passionate about giving other students the opportunity that she didn’t have.

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Recognized among the top 2% scientists in the world. 

Kudos to Sandra Rothenberg (Department of Public Policy) and Christopher Schreck (Department of Criminal Justice) for being recognized among the world’s top two percent of scientists according to a recent Stanford University study published by Elsevier. The annual published study aims to identify the world’s top two percent of scientists using standardized information on citations, h-index, co-authorship adjusted hm-index, citations to papers in different authorship positions, and a composite indicator.

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Sponsored Research Services:

In FY 22, funding for CLA Sponsored Research Services totaled $6,262,868, up from $1,986,934 — a 215% increase.

Foundation Gifts:

In FY22, gifts to CLA totaled $645,970, up from $176,780 in 2021 — a 265% increase.

Shout Out to the Advisors:

Last month, our tirelessly supportive team of advisors helped RIT students navigate course selections for the upcoming semester and beyond — including 672 CLA majors and 98 second majors; 5,808 students in CLA immersions, and 773 students in CLA minors. Kudos goes to:

• Jennifer Gaylord
• John Smithgall
• Kristen Simmons
• Kristy Mooney
• Marcia Beattie
• Tammara Wickson

We are grateful for you! 

CLA Faculty Newsmakers:

Twenty-three CLA faculty members were highlighted as RIT Newsmakers for their research, presentations, awards, grants, and other contributions to innovative learning.  See the highlights at rit.edu/newsmakers and give a round of applause to:

• Amit Batabyal, the Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics and the interim head of the Department of Sustainability

• Andrew Herbert, professor, psychology; Archana Pandurangan, graduate student, psychology; and Cory Merkel, assistant professor, computer engineering

• Ann Howard, professor, science, technology and society

• Caroline DeLong, professor, psychology, and Jessica Wegman, ’22 MS, experimental psychology

• Cecilia Alm, professor, psychology, and director of RIT’s AWARE-AI NSF Research Traineeship program

• Conerly Casey, associate professor, anthropology

• Corinna Schlombs, associate professor, history

• Diane Forbes, associate professor, Spanish

• Hinda Mandell, professor, communication

• Jeffrey Wagner, professor, economics

• Jessica Hardin, assistant professor, anthropology

• Jonathan Schroeder, the William A. Kern Professor of Communications

• Kaitlin Stack Whitney, assistant professor, science, technology and society

• Lisa Hermsen, professor, English, and Rebekah Walker, digital humanities and social sciences librarian

• Nickesia Gordon, associate professor, communication

• Rebecca DeRoo, associate professor, communication

• Rebecca Scales, associate professor, history

• Richard Newman, professor, history

• Silvia Benso, professor, philosophy and director of the women’s, gender, and sexuality studies program

• Stephanie Godleski, associate professor, psychology

Can writing and literature redeem a life? 

Randall Horton, writer, poet, artist, and an associate professor of English at the University of New Haven, believes it can.

Horton, the only person in the U.S. with seven felony convictions and academic tenure, led a talk and reading as part of RIT's Theodore Albert Viehe Endowed Lectureship earlier this semester.

Additionally, the College of Liberal Arts co-sponsored a community performance at The Theater at Innovation Square by Radical Reversal, a five-piece experimental poetry band including Randall Horton. 

"Randall Horton and Radical Reversal are dynamic, critical thinking agents that help us face the hardest questions that linger around incarceration, identity, and our shared well-being. With diversity, equity, and inclusion being central to our mission, we welcome this and every opportunity to engage in extended thinking that leads to collective growth," said Dean Stenport. 

Randall Horton's lecture and visit to campus was made possible by a gift from College of Liberal Arts National Council member John Viehe, who earned his BS from RIT in 1967.

Watch the lecture video »

Follow us on Social!

Facebook, Instagram, and now LinkedIn, too.

Tell a friend (or two). 

The College of Liberal Arts has a presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Follow us yourself and encourage other students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends to do so, too, so you can stay in the know about accolades, events, and more: 

• Facebook »
• Instagram »
• LinkedIn »
• Twitter »

Do you have good news to share on social? 

Let CLA Marketing & Communications Director Kim Walters know your success stories to share, such as:

• student or faculty projects, presentations, and research in newsworthy or trending topics
• awards and accolades
• unique co-op, study abroad, or experiential learning
• double major intriguing pairings
• alumni success stories
• and more!

A post on social media can offer a view into the vitality and value of scholarship at our College of Liberal Arts. And, when a post is shared on a College of Liberal Arts social media account (as opposed to a smaller department account), it can be shared to the greater RIT account as well — which amplifies our message and potentially multiplies our reach by tens of thousands.  

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