Reynolds College Blog

MSU-led exhibition wins prestigious international award

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A group of Missouri State University professors, students and international scholars curated an international museum exhibition that won the 2024 Miguel Covarrubias Award at the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) Awards in Mexico Sept. 3.

Titled “Ídolos, Persistencias y Resistencias” (Idols, Persistences and Resistences), the exhibit received recognition in the “Museums, Museography and Research in the Museum Design and Exhibition” category. It was hosted and designed in collaboration with the Regional Museum of the National Institute for Anthropology and History’s Palacio Cantón in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.

The Miguel Covarrubias Award from INAH honors achievements in museum studies and cultural research. It recognizes top research, thesis projects and cultural exhibitions in Mexico for their role in preserving historical narratives and promoting museum scholarship.

The exhibition first debuted in February 2023 at the Regional Museum of Anthropology of Yucatán, Palacio Cantón. It received international acclaim, establishing it as a standout exhibit among over 70 other museum projects.

“This award will cement MSU’s reputation as a leader in international museum curation and interdisciplinary scholarship,” said Dr. John Chuchiak, distinguished professor of history at MSU and chief curator and designer of the exhibit.

Man explaining an exhibit to a group
Dr. John Chuchiak gives a guided tour of the exhibit.

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MSU’s Michelle Harvey designs sets for “Le Nozze di Figaro”

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Woman smiling in formal picture.
Michelle Harvey.

Missouri State University’s Michelle Harvey traveled to Aspen, Colorado, in August to design the sets for “Le Nozze di Figaro” (“The Marriage of Figaro”) at the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Harvey is an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance.

“Le Nozze di Figaro,” a comic opera in four acts by Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was staged in Aspen’s 135-year-old Wheeler Opera House.

Harvey explained that she first learned about the Aspen opportunity after production manager Matt Grevan asked her to submit her portfolio. This was then shared with the festival’s artistic director and production director, and Harvey was selected for the position.

Harvey previously worked with Grevan at the Dallas Children’s Theater, and he was her former student at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Project required multiple settings

The production team began collaborating in March 2024, with Harvey working alongside Grevan, director Sara Erde and other designers. Erde is a regular choreographer and director for the Met in New York City.

The team decided to set the opera in 1930s Spain during the Second Spanish Republic.

“The goal was to portray the opulent estate of Count Almaviva in the Andalusian countryside outside of Seville,” Harvey said. “The director’s concept involved a set that could disguise itself the same way the characters do, using transformations and rotations to create multiple settings.”

However, the limited stage space at the opera house caused design challenges.

“The stage had no fly loft and limited wing space, so moving set pieces was restricted,” Harvey said. [Read more…] about MSU’s Michelle Harvey designs sets for “Le Nozze di Figaro”

Sociologist Dr. Alicia Walker elected co-chair of Council on Contemporary Families

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Missouri State University’s Dr. Alicia Walker is the new co-chair of the Council on Contemporary Families (CCF).

Walker, who is a sociologist and associate professor of sociology, will serve with Dr. Arielle Kuperberg, associate professor of sociology at University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

This three-year role offers Walker the opportunity to influence both academic and public discourses on family dynamics, gender roles and social policy.

“As co-chair, I’ll organize events and board meetings, oversee committees and help set strategic priorities for CCF,” Walker said.

Walker, an expert in the social construction of sexuality, researches how people understand themselves as sexual beings and navigate these aspects in everyday life. The appointment to CCF co-chair will enable her to expand on that research by engaging with a network of leading scholars and policymakers across the United States.

“This role is an honor and opportunity to broaden the impact of family research,” Walker said. “Our goal is to make complex research on families accessible and impactful, particularly in ways that bridge academic insights with public needs.”

[Read more…] about Sociologist Dr. Alicia Walker elected co-chair of Council on Contemporary Families

Dr. William Meadows participates in D-Day anniversary in France

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In June, Dr. William Meadows, alongside 18 members of the Comanche Indian Veterans Association, visited France to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day and join in a ceremony on Utah Beach to honor the Comanche Code Talkers.

Meadows is a professor of anthropology and Native American studies in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology at Missouri State University. He was recently appointed to the editorial board of the American Indian Quarterly.

Meadows discusses unique role of Native Americans in war

Speaker at projection screen presents to audience
Meadows presenting on Native American code talkers during the Battle For Normandy Conference at Chateau d’Audrieu near Tilly, France.

Meadows presented “Native American Code Talkers in Europe in World War II” at a conference during the celebration.

Code talkers were Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces. They used their tribal languages to send secure military messages during World Wars I and II, Meadows explained. This was faster than existing coding technology and gave the American forces a unique advantage.

The conference, an annual observance to commemorate D-Day, took place at the Chateau d’Audrieu, located in the heart of the Normandy countryside.

“D-Day describes the Allied invasion at Normandy in 1944 to liberate western Europe and bring an end to the Nazi Reich and the European Theater of WW II,” Meadows said.

In his speech, he noted that many people remain unaware of the unique role Native Americans played in both world wars.

“Despite the American government’s attempts to suppress their languages, Native Americans used these very languages to send secure military messages that saved countless lives,” Meadows said.

“The French are more aware of the war and its impacts on their home villages and families because the invasion occurred in villages throughout Normandy,” Meadows continued. “Many express gratitude to Americans, British and Canadians whose ancestors liberated them. They’re also increasingly learning about the presence and role of the code talkers.”

Large group of people pose for photo on beach
Members of the Comanche Indian Veterans Association with their French hosts and students from Tilly, France, at Utah Beach.

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Jin A. Seo featured in latest edition of Mind’s Eye

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Congratulations to Jin A. Seo, assistant professor in the Department of Art and Design, on her feature story in the 2024 issue of Mind’s Eye magazine.

In her exploration of the human body, Seo’s work delves into the interplay of what is real and what is artificial in our environments.

The full story is now available online.

Excerpt

Stunning vistas and glorious light-filled landscapes inspire artists.

No surprise that Jin A. Seo, associate professor of art and design at Missouri State University, counts herself among those inspired.

However, Seo, an art jeweler, approaches landscapes differently.

Her work breaks the confines of traditional jewelry-making. Pushing past an outfit accessory, her jewelry serves a sculptural exploration of the body. Seo’s work asks the viewer to consider their own body as a landscape.

Read the full story