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Greetings from Dean Budikova

Esteemed alumni, donors, and friends of CASL,

As we welcome the vibrant days of spring, we're excited to share the latest edition of our Alumni and Donor Newsletter. This season brings a wonderful array of accomplishments and events that highlight the dynamic spirit of our College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL).

In this issue, we're thrilled to showcase cutting-edge faculty research and celebrate the publication of several noteworthy books. Our spotlight on student achievements features CASL's four "Difference Maker" awardees, as well as our esteemed Medallion Winners, who exemplify excellence and leadership. We also take a moment to reflect on the joyful memories from this year's graduation commencement—congratulations to all of our new graduates! As well, relive the elegance of the recent Soiree with a snapshot of moments captured in this special event that brought together our cherished community members. A heartfelt thank you goes to all our generous donors who contributed on Giving Blue Day, many of whom are our own faculty and staff! Your support has been instrumental in amplifying the impact of our students and faculty. We are incredibly grateful for the commitment and generosity demonstrated by our alumni, faculty, and staff, making this day a tremendous success.

As we move into the summer months, we wish you all a season filled with productivity and renewal.

Warm regards,
Dagmar Budikova
Dean

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.

Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies, Kathleen Darcy, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Studies, Maya Barak, and Liliana Hamze undergraduate in Criminology, Law, and Criminal Justice recently presented research, theory, and policy on the issue of family separation for incarcerated and detained women to a group of judges at the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) annual conference.
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Besa Xhabija and her students, Ayah A. Farhat, Yazan A. Almahdi and Fatima Z. Alshuhani have been conducting important research in their undergraduate lab which uses digital holographic microscopy and machine learning to characterize melanoma cells in a label-free, non-invasive manner. Their work, and recent paper, Morphological and Optical Profiling of Melanocytes and SK-MEL-28 Melanoma Cells Via Digital Holographic Microscopy and Quantitative Phase Imaging was chosen as the cover story on peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal, Advanced Biology!
Recent Faculty Publications
Pamela Pennock - Rethinking Arab American Activism
Jorge Gonzalez del Pozo - Mujer islas. Adelina Gurrea Monasterio: equilibrio e identidad
Paul Draus - Forging Identity, The Story of Carlos Nielbock’s Detroit
Sally Howell - Beyond Refuge in Arab Detroit
Francine Banner - Beyond Complicity
Anna Muller - Gender and Nation in East Central Europe
Check out our newest programs:
- Launching Fall 2025 - MS in Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Launching Fall 2025 - BA in Research Administration
- Launching Fall 2025 - Minor/Concentration in Neuroscience

Thank you to all of our wonderful donors and Alumni for your contributions toward CASL on this year's Giving BlueDay! We are proud to announce that 26% of the overall funds raised across the university were for CASL programs! Over 50% of our donors in CASL were faculty and staff and nearly 40% alumni. Additionally, CASL had several significant donations to our Study Abroad Scholarship Fund and a matching gift to our CASL Annual fund! We appreciate your continued support.
Have you heard of the Look to Michigan campaign? Here in CASL, we are focusing our efforts on Infrastructure, High-Impact Practices, and Scholarships. Our vision centers around creating access and affordability, preparing our students for careers, and providing research and creative practice opportunities. Learn more about the campaign and how you can help support initiatives that are important to the success and future of the college.
A powerful new scholarship is paving the way for Arab American studies and student research here at UM-Dearborn. Thanks to a $100,000 endowment from civil rights attorney Abdeen Jabara, the Holly Maguigan & Abdeen M. Jabara Scholarship Fund will support student-led research, internships, and Arabic translation work in partnership with the Arab American Museum. Read more.
Congratulations to CASL Alumnus, Timothy J. Abeska ('79 BA, Political Science). In June, he receives the Indiana Bar Foundation Legend Award, recognizing his immense contributions to the Foundation’s mission over the course of his career!

CASL students honored as Medallion winners for Spring 2025
- Congratulations are in order for Ayah Farhat (BS Biochemistry) for being selected as the prestigious Chancellor's Medallion recipient. In addition to ground-breaking research on melanoma, Ayah also served as a UM-Dearborn Mardigian Library Circulation Desk student assistant; President of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and ASBMB student chapter; a Kumon Math and Reading tutor; a Wolverine Mentor Collective mentor; and a volunteer at Corewell Health, Caroline Kennedy Library, the UM-Dearborn Food Pantry and theUM-Dearborn Wolverine Wardrobe.
- Vincent Intrieri (BA International Studies) was recognized as a dean's medallion recipient. Vincent was president of the Wolverine Media Network; editor-in-chief of the Lyceum; treasurer of the Student Veterans Association; a mentor for the Dearborn Veterans Treatment Court; and served on the Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council.
- Ahmad Makki (dual BS in Mathematics and Economics) was also recognized as a dean's medallion recipient. Ahmad was the founder and president of the Arab Affairs League Club; participated in the deleation for the Model Arab League; is a violin instructor, and is also a talented language learner with proficiency in Korean and Arabic and intermediate skill in West African Creole.
The 2025 UM-Dearborn Difference Makers include four extraordinary CASL students who are paving the way in their fields while uplifting others and pushing for change:

Sean Casey (class of 2026), has an unwavering commitment to serving vulnerable populations both in his personal life and in his aspirations to become a neurosurgeon. On his path to medicine, Sean has experienced the Inside/Out Prison exchange program which he says has given him new perspectives and deepened his compassion for serving others. Read More...

Sydney McKinney-Williams (class of 2025), dedicates her time and immense creativity to helping others. As a Journalism and Media Production student, Sydney has a passion for film and notes that through that, she wants to make a positive impact on the world. Her film, “Uncovering: History of the Black Student Union” recently premiered at the Inclusive History Project Summit. As Vice President of the Black Student Union, Sydney has created spaces for dialogue and cultural celebration through organizing events and initiatives that celebrate black culture and build connections across campus. Read More...

Amy Nkrumah (class of 2025), a behavioral and biological sciences and pre-medicine student, leads from the heart and has been involved in ground-breaking nanomedicine research. Her work has been published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, and she also presented at the American Chemical Society’s Spring 2025 Conference in San Diego. Amy also has been a leader in Minority Association of Pre-Med Students (MAPS) where she developed better ways to connect students with resources in the field. Read More...

Noora Ahmad (class of 2026), actively seeks ways to support and raise awareness for diverse communities and individuals on campus. From being a mentor for the Wolverine Mentor Collective to starting the Deaf and American Sign Language Club (DASL) on campus, Noora wants to provide others safe spaces to share their experiences. This Biochemistry major is looking for ways to highlight hearing impaired issues and moving toward making cochlear implants fully implantable – which she is currently working on through research and co-hosting the Fall 2025 Natural Science Colloquium. Read More...

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Commencement Recap

On April 26th, 1074 degrees were rewarded across three ceremonies here at UM-Dearborn. Undergraduate student speaker and CASL grad, Asil Khanafer, who earned a Bachelor of Science in behavioral and biological sciences spoke about not letting disappointment, loss and failures become defining moments. Reflecting on her years at UM-Dearborn, Khanafer said to the graduates, “We didn’t let our failures define us. We kept going — driven by determination, a little bit of luck and countless hours spent on the second floor of the library. Whether we were studying late into the night or just catching our breath after the chaos of first-week parking, we were pushing forward. And today that persistence is what brought us here — to this moment, this achievement and to this new beginning.” Read More.

CASL shines at Soiree in the City!

On Thursday, May 1st, UM-Dearborn celebrated our Look to Michigan campaign at Michigan Central Station with Dreams in Practice: A Soiree in the City that included Warde Manuel (Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics for the University of Michigan) as emcee, remarks from Chancellor Grasso (now serving as President of UM Ann Arbor), and even participation from Bruce the Goose!

The CASL Corner spotlighted several of our key initiatives: cutting-edge student and faculty research like cognitive brain EEG demonstrations from the Department of Behavioral Sciences, and live melanoma cell displays—vital to the groundbreaking cancer research underway in our Natural Sciences department.

Practice-Based learning showcased the important role of art in developing stories, voice, and hands-on expression through our Arabic major and translation certificates from the Department of Language, Culture and the Arts; and processing our rich history through translation of archival information with our department of Social Sciences.

Finally, the CASL Corner celebrated the student experience, with several students sharing their enriching and impactful journeys through our diverse programs. From study abroad and SOAR to internships and the Honors Program, each student highlighted their unique path—proudly reflecting the depth and variety of opportunities within CASL.

We also featured a bookshelf of recent faculty and student co-authored publications, along with a Michigan mosaic where attendees shared messages to students and reflections on their CASL experiences.

Our liberal arts programs offer invaluable educational opportunities. The stories from our small corner at the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters truly represent the Dearborn Difference