March 5, 2026

When the College of Humanities joins in the Alumni of the Year celebrations every year, it’s a reminder of just how connected we are. Success is always a collaborative endeavor and our Humanities students are supported by so many champions, from our own faculty and staff, to an ever-growing network of alumni and friends. We turn to this network often to help fulfill the mission of the College and elevate lives, careers and communities. We’re thrilled when our alumni, like Michelle Durham (French and Communication ’02), return to pay it forward. And we were thrilled when dozens of supporters contributed to make Giving Day a success by joining Team Kerr. Stay tuned as we turn this into even more of a team effort as the year progresses. The long game of supporting our students will always pay off.

• Professor Gorman Earns More Book Accolades

• COH Graduate Student Named a Finalist for Major Translation Prize

• COH Hosts Love Your Future Career Readiness Workshop on March 27

• Logan Phillips Named as 2026-2029 Tucson Poet Laureate

• Student Regent Garcia on Language, Leadership and Service  

• COH Faculty Create New Free Publication For Linguistics Educators

• Center for Buddhist Studies Announces Integrative Well-Being Prize Recipients

• Join the Poetry Center for the 2026 Downtown Haiku Hike

“I have always loved language! I was planning on self-studying Japanese, so why not get a degree out of it? I got to study in Kyoto, Japan last summer and I was excited to be immersed in the language and get to see the culture first hand. I’ve learned a lot about other cultures and backgrounds and to respect and appreciate all walks of life. The humanities are an underrated superpower. The education goes so much deeper than you expect, and it’s useful in every situation in every-day life.”
- Meagan Rausch

East Asian Studies, emphasis in Japanese Language & Political Science

“I am both a professional in higher education and a novelist, and I thank the College of Humanities for offering me the skills I need to pursue both of my passions. Learning another language taught me to be intentional with my words in both professional and creative settings. In both writing fiction and working with college students, the goal is to make connections and understand my audiences. The College of Humanities gave me all the skills I needed to do just that, and these are skills I can take wherever I go!”

- Jacob Shirley

B.A Italian & Psychology, 2013

Senior Coordinator, Summer Programs

University of Arizona; Novelist

What's Your Alumni Story?

“The College of Humanities is the heart of U of A academics. From my experience in getting to know the U of A, Tucson and many of our alumni, what separates us from other institutions is that we produce great, compassionate, loyal human beings. This is the true essence of U of A that Dean A-P Durand and his crew have been able to capture. A-P and his staff have found value in pouring into the human spirit and in my opinion, that is the most valuable thing we can do, pour into others!”

- Tommy Lloyd

Head Coach, Men's Basketball

COH partner and friend

The annual East Asian Language and Culture Festival is a celebration of the vibrant cultures and traditions of East Asia. The festival is organized by faculty and students and hosted annually in honor of the Lunar New Year by the Department of East Asian Studies and Center for East Asian Studies. Attendees immerse themselves in hands-on cultural experiences from traditional Chinese calligraphy and origami to the thrill of Japanese kendama and colorful yukata dress-up. Students studying Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages bring their classroom learning to life while faculty and program representatives share information with new students about language courses, study abroad opportunities and more. #EastAsian #Culture #HumanitiesMatter #UAHumanities

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