Reynolds College Blog

Art and Design’s Chris Rodgers named to Teaching Artist Cohort

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Artist-in-Residence Chris Rodgers, ceramics instructor in the Department of Art and Design, has been named to the Center for Craft’s Teaching Artist Cohort.

The cohort is a six-month program that offers professional and financial support to artists who are both educators and practitioners. The honor includes a grant that provides unrestricted funding of $10,000.

Rodgers was one of only 30 artists selected for the cohort.

As a member of the cohort, Rodgers also participates in mentorship and peer-to-peer learning activities. These activities help sustain studio practices while strengthening community engagement.

Rodgers’ recognition by the Center for Craft highlights the department’s faculty who merge creative research with hands-on teaching, said Interim Department Head Dr. Mitzi Kirkland-Ives. His participation in the Teaching Artist Cohort grant program, she added, reflects the ongoing dialogue between making and mentoring that defines the department’s studio culture.

Various ceramic artwork items displayed on floor
One of the preliminary stages of Rodgers’ “Illuminated by the Moon” installation in Longquan, China. Rodgers created these 26 ceramic sculptures while in residency at Longquan Wangou.

Grant impact felt immediately

According to Rodgers, the grant’s impact began with space itself. “The first thing I did after receiving the grant was to design and build proper studio furniture,” he explained. “I now have three large tables and a shelving unit that are exactly what I need. This change has completely transformed how I work.”

The redesigned studio has made it possible for Rodgers to focus on a new series of ceramic paintings, a body of work that blurs the boundaries between sculpture and painting. He plans to continue expanding this process by using colored clay and hand-made grog. This process reveals color from within the material rather than applying it to the surface.

“The result is a tactile exchange between form and color that invites viewers to see ceramics and painting in a new way,” he said.

Busy upcoming exhibition schedule

Rodgers will present his evolving ceramic paintings in a solo exhibition in Fayetteville, Arkansas in the spring of 2026. Two larger solo shows will follow in 2027 at the Lux Center for the Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Missouri State’s Brick City Gallery. “These projects would not be possible without the generosity of the Center for Craft’s Teaching Artist Cohort ,” he said. “The experience has helped me build not only better tables but a stronger foundation for my future as an artist and educator.” [Read more…] about Art and Design’s Chris Rodgers named to Teaching Artist Cohort

Dr. Christopher Ford brings experience and scholarship to School of Defense and Strategic Studies

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In his nearly two years as an instructor in Missouri State University’s School of Defense and Strategic Studies (DSS), Dr. Christopher Ford has already brought a wealth of experience and expertise to the program.

Ford is an expert in foreign relations and national security. He has worked as a senior government official with the U.S. State Department, the National Security Council, the U.S. Senate and as a Navy intelligence officer.

Most of Ford’s previous research focuses on China, but recently he has included Russia and Iran in his research. Currently, he examines how issues such as strategic culture, political ideology, domestic political legitimacy narratives and ideologically shaped interpretations of history all impact national policy and strategic competition. Past research projects include nuclear weapons policy, nonproliferation, arms control, nuclear disarmament and national security export controls.

“My fascination with the interplay of the ‘conceptual’ and the ‘concrete’ in driving policy and strategy goes back a long way,” he said. He traces that interest back to his days at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, where he worked on his doctorate. His dissertation explored the role of political ideology in shaping South African regional relations.

“I think I bring a lot to the table in those practical regards,” Ford observed. “But I’m also very ‘academic’ in my approach and extremely active in my scholarship. [I’m] writing and publishing constantly.”

[Read more…] about Dr. Christopher Ford brings experience and scholarship to School of Defense and Strategic Studies

CAR’s Daniel Pierce and Christopher Bodine named Explorers Club Fellows

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Missouri State University archaeologists Dr. Daniel Pierce and Christopher Bodine have been named Fellows of The Explorers Club.

In addition, Bodine has been named a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), headquartered in London, England.

Pierce and Bodine work in the Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research Center (CAR). They are members of the St. Louis chapter of The Explorers Club.

Dr. Mabel Purkerson, Professor Emerita of Medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine, and Ted Bakewell of the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis nominated Pierce. Robbie Hart, a director of the William L. Brown Center at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, and Dr. Michael Frachetti, Professor at Archaeology Washington University-St Louis, nominated Bodine.

Fellowship honors significant contributions to exploration

According to its website, The Explorers Club is a “multidisciplinary society dedicated to the advancement of field research, scientific exploration and resource conservation.”

Bodine said Explorers Club fellowships are awarded to individuals who make “significant contributions” to the field. The club recognized him for his work in Israel, Belgium, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Nominees must submit a list of all fieldwork, publications and honors received in the name of exploration and discovery, Pierce said. The club recognized his nearly two decades of research in Mexico and Guatemala.

[Read more…] about CAR’s Daniel Pierce and Christopher Bodine named Explorers Club Fellows

Sociology students present research in Brazil over summer

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Two Missouri State University students presented their research at the 22nd Biennial Meeting for the Society of Brazilian Sociology at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, in July 2025.

Bruno Miranda Guerra and Sophia Dela Coleta presented, “Cannabis in Context: Attitudes and Consumption Patterns Among College Students in Missouri” at the conference.

Miranda Guerra is a recent graduate of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG). He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Applied Second Language Acquisition in the Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions. Dela Coleta is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Missouri State.

Sociology Associate Professors Dr. Herbert Rodrigues and Dr. Abby Templar Rodrigues accompanied Miranda Guerra and Dela Coleta to the conference and presented their own research.

[Read more…] about Sociology students present research in Brazil over summer

RCASH sets new participation record in Education Abroad programs

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The Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) continues its impressive participation in Missouri State University’s Education Abroad program.

For the 2024-25 academic year, RCASH led in both the number of participants and percentage of graduates who engage in study abroad.

According to a report issued by Education Abroad Director Elizabeth Strong, 188 RCASH students participated in education abroad programs during the 2024-25 academic year. That number is up from 177 during the previous year.

“This growth is reflected in the percentage of RCASH education abroad participants compared to RCASH graduates in the same academic year, which is 28.5%,” Strong said.

A total of 434 Missouri State students participated in education abroad programs during 2024-25.

In addition, of the 316 faculty-directed activities, 140 were led by RCASH faculty.

Panzer and Geibler named 2026 Education Abroad Faculty Fellows

Two RCASH faculty members have been named to the 2026 Education Abroad Faculty Fellow cohort. They are Associate Professor Dr. Sarah Panzer, from the Department of History, and Assistant Professor Dr. Robert Geibler, from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Other Missouri State faculty named to the cohort are Alison Alaimo (McQueary College of Health and Human Services), Mandy Benedict-Chambers (College of Education), Leslie Echols (McQueary College of Health and Human Services), Asif Ishtiaque (College of Natural and Applied Sciences), Nancy Kageyama (Darr College of Agriculture) and Kristen Thornton (College of Business).

RCASH schedules robust Education Abroad activity for 2026

RCASH Dean Shawn Wahl said he continues to be impressed by faculty engagement with Education Abroad.

“Their collaboration across academic areas to deliver impactful learning experiences for our students is inspiring,” he said. “This collaboration is the essence of Missouri State as the Public Affairs University.”

Several RCASH faculty have already scheduled Education Abroad activities for 2026, Strong noted.

  • 2025 Education Abroad Faculty Fellows Nikki Ferry and William Harwood — Greece
  • 2025 Education Abroad Faculty Fellow Jeff Loughary (coordinated with Dr. Tonia Tinsley) — Morocco
  • Leslie Seawright — United Arab Emirates
  • Jonathan Newman and Rhonda Stanton — United Kingdom
  • Cameron LaBarr — Australia and New Zealand
  • Antoinette Barffour — Ghana
  • Vadim Putzu — Italy
  • Gwen Walstrand and Marcus Howell — Italy
  • Luis Lombilla — Mexico and Spain
  • Jason Shepard — Ecuador [“Eight Missouri State students enjoy studying in Ecuador“]
  • Vanessa Rodriguez de la Vega — Peru
  • Holly Holladay and Cristina Pippa — United Kingdom
  • Amy Muchnick — United Kingdom

Learn more about Education Abroad