The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts has long been a leader in liberal arts and sciences excellence. Dean Rosario Ceballo has partnered with faculty, staff, and students across the College and across campus to develop strategic priorities that propel our public service mission, connect our rich past to a boundless and bright future, and ensure that LSA’s strong legacy of exploration and excellence endures.
A liberal arts and sciences education is facing historic scrutiny and external pressures. LSA’s deep history of social impact and extraordinary academic breadth and depth position the College as a national leader, convener, and champion for the critical role of liberal arts and sciences colleges in our society. One aspect of this work is ensuring that our students and their families see clear pathways from their education to future jobs. LSA is building upon successful career exploration fairs and events designed to help students connect their academic studies with internships, jobs, and real-world applications.
Many first-generation students experience tremendous financial stressors, often cobbling together multiple jobs to close the gap between financial aid and demonstrated need. To support this community of learners, LSA will prioritize an expansion of the resources it provides to first-generation students. The College has long been a champion for first-gen students through programs such as Kessler Scholars, Comprehensive Studies Program, LSA First-Gen Commitment, and more. LSA will expand its comprehensive support network for first-generation students by strengthening coordination among its existing programs and launching LSA First Fellows, a bold new program that will adopt a cohort-based model to scale the availability and accessibility of resources for first-generation sophomores in the College.
The global challenges of the present—and undoubtedly the future—cannot be solved through a single lens or approach, but in fields at the crossroads where traditional disciplines meet. By breaking down rigid academic silos and embracing interdisciplinary collaboration, LSA will help identify solutions that address the greatest problems of our time. Our recent adoption of the Grand Challenges curriculum means undergraduates will be introduced to new, interdisciplinary courses that address real-world challenges. With more than 75 academic departments, programs, and museums, LSA will continue to catalyze interdisciplinary research and scholarship that harnesses expertise across the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
LSA will cultivate academic environments that inspire students to engage in learning, intellectual curiosity, and the discernment of meaning and purpose, without feeding competition and exacerbating stress. With these goals in mind, LSA is exploring a grade-covered first semester to help students establish early momentum, encourage intellectual exploration, and allow intrinsic motivations to launch personal and meaningful academic journeys. As part of its commitment to creating a healthy, first-year foundation for all entering students, the College will bolster its support for several programs, including first-year seminars, living learning communities, and the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program.
A liberal arts and sciences education equips students with the ability and the responsibility to engage with different perspectives and listen respectfully—especially in disagreement. LSA is committed to preparing students to talk about topics that challenge them. LSA will continue to support and expand initiatives that embrace difficult dialogues; combat bias, intimidation, and hatred in public discourse; and foster meaningful conversations on challenging topics, such as the scholarship and public dialogues hosted by Dialogue Michigan, the Program on Intergroup Relations, and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute.
Gifts to the unrestricted Dean’s Strategic Initiatives Fund are a powerful investment in the leadership and vision of the college. Learn more about how to support these strategic priorities.
