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| Greetings from Dean Budikova
Esteemed alumni, donors, and friends of CASL,
As we kick off the 2025-26 academic year, I am delighted to welcome you to our first newsletter of the season. We’ve had a vibrant and productive summer, filled with inspiring activities and noteworthy achievements across our college.
I invite you to explore this issue for exciting updates and stories that showcase the energy and dedication of our community. I hope you’re enjoying the beauty of early fall, and I send you my very best wishes for the year ahead.
Warm regards,
Dagmar Budikova
Dean
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| CASL faculty, students and alumni are involved in a variety of classes, research, activities and philanthropy, and are making an impact locally, regionally and nationally.
Please enjoy the following highlights.
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- Professor of Microbiolgy, Sonia Tiquia-Arashiro is leading a REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) Site titled Urban Watershed Science, thanks to a $465K National Science Foundation grant that will allow undergrads the experience of hands-on research in the Rouge River watershed. The 10-week program will provide research opportunities for 30 students.
- Professor of Middle East and Iranian Diaspora Studies and Inclusive History Project Director of Research Cam Amin, along with Instructional Learning Assistant in the CASL Media Studios Rick Morrone, and talented student interns from JuMP, just launched the first piece in the Inclusive History Project’s new series, IHP Dispatches. The debut story, 'A Dispatch from the Field', takes readers along on a trip to New Jersey where the team interviewed former UM-Dearborn Chancellor Blenda Wilson, the first African American woman to serve in that role.
- Professor of Communication Tim Kiska has been busy sharing his expertise on Detroit’s media history. He co-wrote and co-produced The History of Detroit Television, a Detroit Public Television program exploring local TV from the 1940s to the 1990s, which also features his on-air commentary. Kiska was also featured in the Detroit Free Press, where he reflected on the end of Detroit’s newspaper joint operating agreement and shared his perspective on the city’s evolving media landscape.
- Congratulations to our newly promoted faculty members!
From Associate Professor to Full Professor with tenure: John Chenoweth (professor of anthropology), Kelly Jabbusch (professor of mathematics), & Xiaohua (Shannon) Li (professor of chemistry).
From Assistant Professor to Associate Professor with tenure: Christos Constantinides (associate professor of chemistry), Tian An Wong (associate professor of mathematics), & Besa Xhabija (associate professor of biological sciences).
LEO Lecturers III promoted to LEO Lecturers IV: Raji Janakiraman, Hussein Nasralah, Alicia Schaeffer, & Junghee Yoon.
LEO Lecturers I promoted to LEO Lecturers II: Jamal Kassir & Terra Mauer. - CASL and the Environmental Interpretive Center, in partnership with local Indigenous communities, are reimagining our campus story. Led by Professors Marty Hershock and Jacob Napieralski, the project honors Native contributions, uplifts Indigenous perspectives in environmental stewardship, and creates space for cultural placemaking through initiatives like the Three Sisters and medicinal gardens, solstice programming, a Native Cultural space, and expanded pollinator habitats.
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- Thank you for your continued support as we continue with our Look to Michigan campaign. See our top campaign and fundraising priorities and how your support impacts our CASL community.
- Alumni Spotlight: Teaira Ross (’25, Sociology)
After discovering her passion for advocacy, Teaira Ross found her calling in health and wellness. A former Behavioral Sciences major, she shifted to Sociology, gaining skills that now shape her work as a Community Health Worker and Patient Resource Coordinator supporting individuals living with HIV. Teaira credits the SOAR program with helping her navigate her return to school as a nontraditional student. - Congratulations to our 2025 Alumni Difference Maker Awardees!
- Reda Taleb, ’05 BA: UM-Dearborn's Distinguished Alum of the Year, 2025
- Robert Picchi, '81 BGS: CASL Alum of the Year, 2025
- Matthew Carter, '18 BA: Graduate of the Last Decade, 2025
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- Congratulations are in order for alum and CASL Dean's Advisory Board member, Dr. William Schneider (’86 BS Chemistry). He was recently elected as a 2025 American Chemical Society Fellow! Fellows are selected for outstanding contributions to science and service to the ACS community. Hear more about his ACS Citation.
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- Our annual SURE (Summer Undergraduate Research Experience) Showcase highlights the work of faculty and students tackling big questions. This summer, junior Amany Alhashidi and Associate Professor Vadym Pyrozhenko explored how city clerks handle “uncommon situations” in elections, and how they share that knowledge with the public. From swollen ballot paper to community Q&As, their research shows clerks play a vital role in keeping elections transparent, accurate, and accessible, even with limited resources.
- Biochemistry senior Eva Schwark is contributing to promising cancer research in Professor Besa Xhabija’s Cancer Therapeutics Lab. Supported through the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, Eva is investigating how naturally occurring compounds—like Spinosyn A, a soil-derived pesticide—may help inhibit the growth of kidney cancer cells. Her findings build on earlier lab discoveries and reflect the transformative impact of hands-on research opportunities here in CASL.
- Internship Impact: The CASL Internship Office supports CASL students in preparation, research, securing, and success in internships. Meet Vaishali Prayag – a double major in Journalism & Media Production and Mathematics. Vaishali currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of TEDxUMDearborn, is also Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Zine, head news editor of the Michigan Journal, and a writing center assistant. With three internships here at UM-Dearborn, Vaishali has turned classroom learning into career-building momentum. Her internships have included:
- Cars.com: Vaishali helped publish national content and honed a true editorial voice in real-time media.
- Benzinga: Vaishali broke down financial trends and helped boost article views from 100K to 700K/month.
- Mathnasium: Vaishali brought math to life, combining analytical skills with communication and writing.
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| Let's Get SocialWe feature student, faculty, staff, alumni and program news on our CASL social media channels.
Follow along to stay in-the-know with CASL!
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| "A View from the CASL" is an e-newsletter for CASL alumni and donors.
Have a story, feature, or question?
Contact us
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Welcoming our newest Dearborn Wolverines to campus!
On August 26, 2025, UM-Dearborn welcomed nearly 1,000 new Wolverines to campus during Wolverine Welcome Day and Go Blue Bash. Students explored everything from campus resources and student organizations to academic departments and programs across CASL, where our doors were wide open to greet them.
Inside CASL, our enthusiastic Student Ambassadors welcomed students with cheers, upbeat music, and helpful advice. At our “Advice from the Ambassadors” table, Bryanna Worthy (Dept. of Language, Culture, and the Arts), Ishita Desai (Dept. of Social Sciences), and Somie Opara (Dept. of Natural Sciences) shared tips on courses and campus life, guided students to classrooms, and handed out CASL stickers and bookmarks loaded with key info and QR codes to resources. We began our Student Ambassador program 2 years ago in CASL, where students from every department represent their different programs by being liaisons during recruitment events, tabling events, admitted student events, and much more. This project has been key in connecting current and prospective students to knowledgeable and relatable students across our programs.
Other CASL activities included:
Creative Corner with Associate Deans Yunus Zeytuncu and Matt Heinicke, where students colored UM-Dearborn-themed pages and bookmarks.
The Wishing Wall, where students shared their hopes and goals for their college journey. You may have seen this at the Soiree in the City or the Alumni and family picnic, but it doubles as an art installation housed in the CASL building.
Make Friends & Friendship Bracelets, encouraging students to craft and trade bracelets while building connections. We had staff and students from our Social Sciences Dept. on hand to help and promote the friendly spirit.
Selfie Station, featuring maize-and-blue props, our “I’m a Dearborn Wolverine” frame, pennants, and our CASL backdrop for first-day photos.
Meet the Dean, a popular stop where students chatted with Dean Budikova in a welcoming environment.
Campus was buzzing with excitement, and in CASL we were especially grateful for the chance to meet our newest Wolverines and help them begin their journey at UM-Dearborn.
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