A Year of Accomplishments
Brian T. Edwards, Dean and Professor
Dear School of Liberal Arts Community,
As we come to the end of another transformative year, I would like to highlight a few major accomplishments from this past semester.
We held our inaugural Tulane Language Day as part of International Education Week, which demonstrated the cultural and linguistic diversity of this campus and saw inspired student participation.
Our third endowed Great Writers Series welcomed Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan, whose multiple storytelling events were without an empty seat. And to continue that momentum, we brought Tulanian and president of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group Sanford Panitch (SLA ’89) to campus last week for a student-geared conversation on the critical value of liberal arts skills for success in the film industry.
Superlative recognition was bestowed on several professors, from Courtney Bryan’s MacArthur ‘Genius Grant’ to this month’s Mellon Foundation Award, which will support a Sawyer Seminar series on reproductive rights. I look forward to all that our faculty will continue to accomplish for this university and its academic advancement.
In reflecting on this past year, we also look forward to 2024. Together, we will continue to value intellectual curiosity, diversity of thought, and a shared commitment to making a positive impact on the world.
Wishing you all a joyful holiday season and a restful break. 
Philanthropy & Social Change Students Award Local Artists
Assistant Professor Leslie Scott’s ‘Philanthropy and Social Change’ class spent the semester evaluating local non-profits through a social justice lens. At their annual closing event—which is student organized and hosted—three New Orleans artists and community leaders were presented with a total of $12K in grant funding.
Economics Chair Receives Multiple Grants to Study Charters at National Level
Helmed by Professor of Economics Douglas Harris, The National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice (REACH) received over $975K in grants from gifts by the Walton Family Foundation and City Fund. The funding will back three years of research on the system-level effects of charter schools at the national level, to better understand how charters improve student outcomes and the role of policy in fueling these changes.
Mellon Foundation Awards Grant for Professors to Host Sawyer Seminar
The $225K grant will support a year-long seminar series exploring reproductive rights. Co-organized by Professor of English and Gender & Sexuality Studies Kate Baldwin, Assoc. Professor of History Karissa Haugeberg, and Newcomb Institute Admin. Associate Professor Clare Daniel, the series will begin in fall 2024 and bring community leaders and global researchers across the arts and humanities to Tulane.
Alumna Awarded Tulane's First-Ever Mitchell Scholarship
Kiera Sky Torpie (SLA ‛20) is Tulane’s inaugural recipient of the George J. Mitchell Scholarship, which recognizes intellectual achievement, leadership, and a commitment to public service with the aim of connecting future American leaders to Ireland. The linguistics major is one of 12 recipients selected from over 350 applicants, and will use the opportunity to pursue a master’s in creative writing at Queen’s University Belfast.
2023 SLA Faculty Showcase Program
This year, 42 School of Liberal Arts faculty reached major academic milestones through the publication of a major work—whether novel, monograph, album, or the staging of a play or exhibition. Check out each of their accomplishments in our 2023 Faculty Showcase program to explore the creativity, research, and dedication within each piece.
Newcomb Music's Spotify Playlist
Now that they’ve wrapped your 2023, ready for a new and eclectic sampling of music? Look no further than the Department of Music’s recently launched Spotify account. Featuring playlists and podcasts by faculty ranging from Courtney Bryan to C. Leonard Raybon, the account also includes personal favorites from Newcomb’s faculty and staff.
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