College of Arts and Architecture at Penn State

06/02/2026

Folayemi Wilson, associate dean for access and equity, has been awarded a W. E. B. Du Bois Fellowship at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to conduct research for a book project that weaves arboreal research and the history of female lynching victims with Wilson’s own personal and professional life. Structured in the form of a memoir, the book will incorporate previously unknown familial connections to lessons that correlate with the wisdom of trees and American history.

Congratulations, Associate Dean Wilson!
Read more: https://tinyurl.com/4r486mt5

06/01/2026

Calling all College of Arts and Architecture researchers interested in collaborating with microbiome scientists.

Each spring the Huck Institutes' One Health Microbiome Center offers an Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellowship to researchers interested in the microbiome and microbiome laboratory techniques. This is a unique opportunity to expand your research practice in a non-traditional way in collaboration with scientists engaged in cutting-edge microbiome research.

The Penn State One Health Microbiome Center is a community of 550 members spanning 42 departments and 10 colleges. It is one of the largest and most active units in the field. Take advantage of this opportunity to experiment with new and exciting research practices and to collaborate with researchers doing groundbreaking work in the sciences.

To apply, submit a single-page proposal PDF + participant CVs by June 5, 2026 to Dr. Grace Deitzler ([email protected]). Please contact Cynthia White ([email protected]) in A&A with any questions.

See full eligibility details and application instructions here: https://tinyurl.com/uh9ts95m

(Photos of microbial art collaborations supported by One Health Microbiome Center: Placen-Tech, MycoKnit, Soil Samples)

05/29/2026

A karaoke party in the Eisenhower Auditorium lobby was the perfect conclusion to the college's annual Staff Days! Thank you to Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State and our Staff Advisory Council for hosting! 🎤 🎶

Photos by Jordan Futrick

05/27/2026

Congratulations to Elizabeth (Cassie) Mansfield, distinguished professor of art history, who was named both a Guggenheim Fellow and Institute for Advanced Study Scholar for the 2026-27 academic year, during which time she will work on a book project about the visual culture of 18th-century Britain.

These two honors are among the highest achievements for artists and scholars, placing Mansfield in an elite group that includes multiple Nobel Laureates.

Congratulations, Professor Mansfield! proud you are a member of the College of Arts and Architecture faculty.

Elizabeth C. Mansfield, distinguished professor of art history in the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture, has been named a Guggenheim Fellow and a scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study for the 2026-27 academic year, during which time she will work on a book project about the visual cu...

05/22/2026

Earlier this week, Penn State Centre Stage hosted its annual “One Night on Broadway” fundraiser to support the School of Theatre professional theatre training program.

The evening included design and technical displays, student performances, and a showcase that featured alumni John El-Jor, Amirah Joy Lomax, Melody Munitz, and Blake Stadnik. 🎭✨

05/17/2026

Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Arts Business Idea Competition:
-First place: Robert Botchway, graduate student in the School of Visual Arts and founder of brick manufacturing company Muze Bricks, based near Accra, Ghana.
-Second place: Sofia Colonero, undergraduate student in the Smeal College of Business and founder of Sofia Renee’s, a fashion business that designs and sells a convertible jacket that transforms into a purse.
-Third place: Lauren Greene, undergraduate student in the School of Visual Arts and founder of Karmawilleatu, a for-profit, product-centered arts business focused on creating and selling unique, upcycled clothing, accessories, art and décor.
-Fourth place: Rhyan Lehman, undergraduate student in the School of Visual Arts, who is developing an independent film studio that creates feature-length animated films.

Thank you to alumni Mike Karns and Luke Gall for serving as judges along with Jonathan Gangi, head of the Arts Entrepreneurship program. The competition was supported by the Bell family endowment and financial gifts made by the Powell family. Learn more at the link in our bio.

05/16/2026

First-year graphic design students applied classroom principles to real-world civic issues through a collaborative project with Penn State Votes, supported by the Evanisko Project and Penn State University Libraries.

The project tasked the students with researching how members of the Penn State community access voting information and then creating digital advertisements designed to better connect students with nonpartisan election resources.

The project is the latest expansion of the Evanisko Project, a long-running partnership between Penn State’s Department of Graphic Design and the University Libraries, which was created to showcase student creativity.

Read more: https://tinyurl.com/bdcrmzxw

05/14/2026

Congratulations to the School of Theatre and Graphic Design APGs (Affiliate Program Groups), who were honored by the Alumni Association for their professional development events.

The School of Theatre APG won the Tracy and Rick Riegal Pinnacle Event Excellence Award for STAGES (School of Theatre Alumni Giving Experiences to Students), an annual professional development and networking event. The Graphic Design APG was awarded the Professional Development Award for its mentoring program.

grateful for our alumni who support current students!

(Photos from STAGES 2026)

05/12/2026

Charlotte Becket, senior associate dean at Pace University’s Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, has been named director of the Penn State School of Visual Arts, effective August 1, 2026.

Read more: https://tinyurl.com/2dd5x8vf