August 2025
Published August 29, 2025
UW's Annual Saddle Up Event Welcomes 2,800 New Students
UW's annual Saddle Up event was a success! Saddle Up is a week-long program for all first-time students that kicks off their UW experience. Students move in early, build academic skills, connect with classmates, and get a head start on college life. The above photo is one of several College of Arts & Sciences "Poke Packs." See the recap video of last week here.
A Message from Dean Turpen
Saddle Up was a wonderful success last week. Our newest students are off to a strong beginning, thanks to the energy and care of so many across campus. I met all our new students, and they were engaged and asking great questions.
After serving as interim provost for the past eight months, providing support to the university, I am delighted to return to the role of dean. It’s a joy to see our campus alive again with students, staff and faculty, and I’m excited for all that this new academic year holds. I am looking forward to performing at the September 13 concert at the Neltje Center (see below for details) and hope to see you there!
As always, thank you for your support of A&S, and please enjoy the August newsletter.
Go Pokes!
J. Scott Turpen
UW Buchanan Center Special Events Welcomes Country Hitmaker Chris Janson Oct. 3
Learn More And Purchase Tickets!
Arielle Zibrak Releases a 24-Episode Lecture Titled "A Literary Tour of the United States"
Watch The Lecture Series Trailer Here
Western Thunder is Performing at the Broncos vs. Tennessee Titans Game!
Learn More About This Sept. 7 Performance
College of A&S Attends UW at the Rockies Game
The College of Arts & Sciences was well represented at the UW at the Rockies game earlier in August. College Relations Representative Megan Moma and A&S Academic Advisor Rae Robinson were among the team connecting with alumni and sharing some Poke pride. To see all Alumni Association events, click here.
UW Symphony Orchestra Publishes Season Schedule
The UW Symphony Orchestra is an 85-member ensemble playing the finest in orchestral
repertoire. With soloists ranging from internationally known guest artists to faculty
performers to student competition winners, and frequent world premieres, the UWSO
performs many exciting concerts each year. To see their schedule for this season,
click here.
UW Art Professor's Work To Be Exhibited in Washington D.C.
UW Professor Shelby Shadwell's creative research VISCERAL and EMERGENCY BLANKETS will be exhibited by IA&A at Hillyer in Washington D.C. September 6-28. International Arts & Artists at Hillyer is a profit organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts through exhibitions, programs, and services to artists, arts institutions, and the public.
COJO Professors Present at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference
In early August, professors Mitzi Stewart, Hye Soo Nah, and Shane Epping attended the 108th Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference in San Francisco. Collectively, they were selected for six sessions, inclusive of peer-reviewed panel discussions and research presentations.
UW's Rettler Featured on Maggie Daun Show
UW Professor Brad Rettler was recently a guest on the Maggie Daun Show to talk about bitcoin and crypto. The episode, titled "Cryptocurrency Unplugged: Myths, Morals, and Money," delves into the surprising intersections of philosophy, ethics, and digital finance. Listen to this episode here.
UW Professor Amanda Sikirica Receives Honorable Mention at Conference
UW Assistant Professor of Sociology Amanda Sikirica recently received an honorable mention in this year’s PEWS Distinguished Article Award at the American Sociological Association, where she presented her paper, "Where Are Fossil Fuels Displaced by Alternatives? World-Systems and Energy Transitions." Sikirica's research was published in the Journal of World-Systems Research. Read the paper by clicking here.
Upcoming Events
Annual Archaeology Fair Slated for Sept. 13
If you’ve ever had the urge to hurl an atlatl, whittle an arrowhead or make pottery,
the Archaeology Fair may be something you can dig. Several UW faculty members and
students from the Department of Anthropology will be on hand for many of the demonstrations.
The event, in its 10th annual rendition, will take place 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday,
Sept. 13, at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site. The event is free
and open to the public.
Backyard Reverie: A Free Outdoor Concert at the UW Neltje Center, Just South of Sheridan
Join the UW Neltje Center on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 3-5 p.m. for an unforgettable
afternoon of music, monumental art, and mountain views. Ninety award-winning UW Music
Department students and faculty will fill the landscape with Copland’s Hoedown, sizzling
tangos, Latin favorites, soulful Gershwin, and more. Bring a picnic blanket or camp
chair, savor complimentary small bites with a cash bar, and let the music sweep you
away. Admission is free, but tickets are limited. Reserve yours today!
Visiting Author: Caskey Russell
Caskey Russell, former UW faculty member and current Dean of Fairhaven College at
Western Washington University, will be on campus on Sept. 18 to read from and speak
about his new novel, The Door on the Sea (Solaris)—the first book in his forthcoming
indigenous fantasy trilogy. The event will be from 4-5 p.m., location TBA, and will
be open to the public. Those interested can contact Julia Obert at jobert@uwyo.edu
for additional details. Stay up to date with this event by visiting the A&S calendar.
A Lecture with Dr. Nicole R. Fleetwood - Thursday, September 25
Hosted by the UW Department of American Cultural Studies, join Dr. Fleetwood for a
lecture Sept. 25 from 4-5 p.m. Fleetwood is a MacArthur Fellow and Paulette Goddard
Professor in the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication at NYU Steinhardt.
She is an author, curator, and art critic interested in Black art and cultural history,
aesthetics, photography and documentary studies, and art and activism. She is the
author of Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration (Harvard University Press,
2020), and winner of several national book awards. She is also the curator of the
traveling exhibition, Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration , which debuted
at MoMA PS1. This event will take place in the Business Building 57.
UW Homecoming: Sept. 29 - Oct. 4
Mark your calendars for Homecoming 2025, Pokes! From long-standing traditions to new
memories in the making, Homecoming is the perfect time to come together and celebrate
the Brown and Gold. Additionally, A&S alumni are invited to walk in the parade and
distribute candy with the A&S float Oct. 4 at 10 a.m! Later that day, join us at the
tailgate celebration before the Homecoming game. If you're planning on walking in
the parade with us, we'd love to know, so we have plenty of supplies available. Fill
out the RSVP link at https://bit.ly/47rHKsz.
