September 2025
Published October 01, 2025
You're Invited to Join the College of A&S During UW Homecoming!
It's Homecoming, Pokes! Join the College of Arts & Sciences for a day full of brown and gold spirit. Alumni and friends are invited to march with us in the Homecoming Parade on Saturday, October 4, at 10 a.m. Then, keep the celebration going by attending the Alumni Association Tailgate and visiting the A&S alumni reunion table from 2–5 p.m. in the Gateway Center Ballroom. Catch up with fellow alumni, faculty, and staff before heading to the game. RSVP today here.
A Message from Dean Turpen
This week, we are looking forward to the Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation on Thursday, October 2, from 2-4 p.m. in the A&S Auditorium. Please join us as we celebrate the academic achievements of our outstanding honors students.
Additionally, UW Homecoming is right around the corner, and it's always a special time to celebrate UW and reconnect with our community. I invite you to march in the Homecoming Parade with the College of A&S on Saturday, October 4, at 10 a.m., and to stop by our A&S Alumni Reunion table during the Alumni Association Tailgate from 2-5 p.m. in the Gateway Center Ballroom.
I hope to see you at one—or both—of these great events. Go Pokes!
J. Scott Turpen
UW's Annual Giving Day Returns to Campus October 23-24, From Noon to Noon
You're Invited to the Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation on Oct. 2!
Learn More About This Event Here
See Country Hitmaker Chris Janson in Concert on Friday, Oct. 3, During UW Homecoming
Carlee Hughes Selected for Prestigious Emerging Leaders Program
Carlee Hughes, director of business operations for the College of Arts and Sciences at UW, has been selected to participate in the National Association of College and University Business Officers 2025-26 Emerging Leaders Program. Hughes is one of 78 participants selected from the largest applicant pool in the program’s history, representing 69 higher education institutions across 31 states and the District of Columbia. Thirty-eight colleges and universities -- including UW -- have an emerging leader participating for the first time.
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Nominated for WHS Award
UW Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Tammy Heise was nominated by the Albany County Historical Society for a Wyoming Historical Society award in the Publications – Magazine category. Her nomination recognizes four articles on Religious Intolerance and Civil Discord published in the "Annals of Wyoming: The Wyoming History Journal." Heise and other nominees from the county will be recognized at a reception in November.
UW History Professor Earns Wiley-Silver Prize for the Best First Book in Civil War History
Cecily Zander, assistant professor of history at UW, has earned the 2025 Center for Civil War Research’s Wiley-Silver Prize for the best first book in Civil War history. This prize honors new and emerging scholars in the field of American Civil War history. Scholars who earn this award receive $2,000 and an invitation to speak at the University of Mississippi. Zander’s book, “The Army Under Fire: The Politics of Antimilitarism in the Civil War Era” (Louisiana State University Press), is a pathbreaking study that examines the intense political debates over the size and use of military forces in the U.S. during the Civil War era.
Team at UW Publishes Paper on Water Hazards in Wyoming
Senior Lecturer of Religious Studies Mary Keller is the lead author on an article on the topic of water-hazards in Wyoming. “The article covers two things. We did a survey to find out what people are concerned about, and we learned from that survey that water, the kind of hazards like droughts, floods, fires,” says Keller. For the second part of that study, UW's team decided to do an educational discussion. Discussion groups took place in Powell, Sheridan, and Torrington. Learn more here. Photo by Chad Flanagan.
Team of UW Anthropology Scholars Presents in Austria
Several UW anthropology scholars were recently shaping mountain research at the 2025 International Mountain Conference at Innsbruck, Austria. The event aims to continue this scientific conference series exclusively targeted towards mountain-research. Hosted in the Alps, the key goals of the conference are to synthesize and enhance our understanding of mountain systems, in particular their response and resilience to global change. Two anthropology graduate students, two professors, and a BA alumnus presented at the conference.
Photojournalism Professor has Photos Published on Business Insider Website
UW Photojournalism Professor Shane Epping recently made photos for Business Insider, a Pulitzer Prize winning multinational financial and business news website, about Upton High School in northeastern Wyoming. His photos accompanied several stories that were published in September for a global audience.
Professor of Drawing to be a Visiting Artist at Arkansas State University
Professor of Drawing Shelby Shadwell gave a public zoom lecture for IA&A at Hillyer on Saturday, September 27, in conjunction with his solo exhibition, "EMERGENCY BLANKETS / VISCERAL" at their gallery space in Washington D.C. Additionally, he will be a visiting artist and provide a public drawing demonstration in conjunction with the group exhibition, "STIL/LEVEN, STILL/EVEN," at the Bradbury Art Museum at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, September 28 - 30. Learn more here.
English Professor to Give Lecture at Mahindra Center at Harvard
Next month, Professor of English Arielle Zibrak will give a lecture titled "Exceptional Thinking: Eugenic Feminism and the Poetics of Positivity at the Mahindra Center at Harvard on Oct. 16 from 6-7:30 p.m. This lecture is an extension of her Seibold award, given annually to UW College of Arts and Sciences faculty members who are focused on teaching.
Wyoming Chorale Performs with Choral Directors and Singers from the Region
The Wyoming Chorale performed a concert on Saturday, September 20, 2025 in the BCPA Recital Hall. The ensemble includes choral directors and singers from around the region, as well as UW choral students. The choir, conducted by Dr. Brian C. Murray and accompanied by Dr. Soyeon Kang, showcased repertoire by Rosephanye Powell, Susan LaBarr, Elaine Hagenberg, André J. Thomas, and Marques L. A. Garrett. For other upcoming concerts, click here.
Upcoming Events
Publishing Career Talk with James Campbell
Join the Department of English in welcoming James Campbell for an informative talk
on publishing careers from 4-5 p.m. on September 30 in Classroom Building, room 118.
Additionally, Campbell will conduct one-on-one meetings/consultations for folks with
book projects and publishing questions. Learn more here.
Five Windows: Life Hacks from an Accidental Foreign Correspondent
Sara James, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, author and public speaker, will present
“Five Windows: Life Hacks from an Accidental Foreign Correspondent” at noon Oct. 1
in the Family Room of the University of Wyoming Student Union. Her presentation is
free and open to the public.
Her talk will inform attendees about how to navigate the ups and downs of their careers by taking experiences drawn from when she worked for NBC as a newsreader and from her current role as a commentator for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The talk is co-sponsored by the School of Politics, Public Affairs, and International Studies and the Communication and Journalism Department.
Join A&S at UW Homecoming!
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. This year, 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 plan to attend, please RSVP here. We
hope to see you there!
Upcoming UW Symphony Orchestra Performances
The UW Symphony season-opening performance is Thursday, October 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the Buchanan Center Concert Hall. From "New World" to "Frankenstein," guests are sure to experience a wide range of music. Be sure to get your tickets now; they sell fast! See the schedule here.
