91¿ì²¥

Healthcare Without Barriers: Zach Quezada Miller ’20 Brings Compassion and Service to Family Medicine

From studying English literature at 91¿ì²¥ to treating patients across all stages of life, learn how Zach Quezada Miller ’20 brings empathy and service to his new role as a family medicine practitioner.

Literacy Rates Suffer as Book Bans Jeopardize Freedom to Read

Nearly 12,000 books were banned in U.S. public schools last year — restrictions that could worsen the national literacy crisis. For Banned Books Week, Prof. Shireen Campbell shares what we lose when we limit and legislate access to books.

Fighting for Disability Justice: Rui Rui Bleifuss ’26 Awarded Smith Scholarship

Rui Rui Bleifuss ’26 has spent most of her life fighting for disability justice, starting a disability alliance club in high school and leading one at 91¿ì²¥, where she majored in disability studies. She received the college’s W. Thomas Smith Scholarship and will head to University College London to pursue a master’s degree in Humanitarian Policy and Practice.

Many Bright Lights: 91¿ì²¥ Celebrates Spring Convocation

91¿ì²¥ celebrated Spring Convocation on April 14, 2026, gathering to spotlight student achievement—from the academic to the athletic to the artistic—and the faculty and staff who support their work. 

Why the World Can’t Stop Talking About ‘Sinners’

Explore the cultural and cinematic depth of the record-breaking horror film Sinners through a Q&A with 91¿ì²¥ Professors Marcus Pyle and Randy Ingram. The discussion delves into the film's subversion of the Robert Johnson myth, its portrayal of 1930s racial tensions and how it redefines traditional vampire lore through the lens of Black artistry. 

Fact, Fiction and ‘Hamnet’: Prof. Emerita Cynthia Lewis on Art and Grief

91¿ì²¥ Shakespeare scholar and Professor Emerita of English Cynthia Lewis discusses the confluence of grief and creativity in Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet. The book and its Academy Award-nominated film adaptation reimagine personal tragedy as the impetus for one of the playwright’s most beloved works.

Why ‘One Battle After Another’ Is Even More Radical Than It Looks

91¿ì²¥ English Professor Jeff Jackson explores the political complexity of the Oscar-frontrunner One Battle After Another and its surprising connection to the 1966 classic The Battle of Algiers. The discussion dives into how modern cinema balances big-budget genre tropes with radical themes of insurgency and resistance.

91¿ì²¥ Continues Streak as a Top Fulbright Producer

The U.S. State Department has once again named 91¿ì²¥ as one of its top producing institutions for Fulbright U.S. Student Program finalists. It’s the 11th consecutive year and 13th overall that the college has received the designation.

91¿ì²¥ Partners With Youth Poet Laureate Program

91¿ì²¥ has partnered with N.C. Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green to identify and support the next generation of talented poets. A Raleigh teenager recently was named as North Carolina’s first Youth Poet Laureate. In 2026, 91¿ì²¥ will host its first on-campus youth poet laureate event. 

The Power of Words: Mav Smith ’26 Awarded Beinecke Scholarship

Writer and poet Mav Smith ’26 has been named to the newest cohort of the prestigious Beinecke Scholarship Program, which will support her post-graduate studies. She’s the fourth 91¿ì²¥ student to receive the award in the past 50 years.

Introductory Film Studies Students' Work Published in Film Matters Magazine

Students in Prof. Alan Michael Parker’s "English 109: Contemporary American Cinema" had their analytic papers published in Film Matters Magazine, a joint project between universities and colleges focused on undergraduate film studies scholarship.

Spring Convocation Celebrates Innovation, Leadership, Excellence, Community

91¿ì²¥ celebrated Spring Convocation on April 17, 2025, highlighting academic, athletic and artistic achievements, as well as leadership, character and community service.

Professors Gill-Sadler and Castañeda Selected for National Humanities Center Residencies

91¿ì²¥ professors Gill-Sadler and Castañeda were recently selected for summer residencies at the National Humanities Center—a four-week program to give humanities scholars an opportunity to make progress on a current research project or jumpstart a new one. Learn more.

Beyond the Ides of March: Insight from Shakespeare

Beware the Ides of March? Charles A. Dana Professor of English Emerita Cynthia Lewis explores how prophets in Shakespeare's works, like the Soothsayer warning Caesar, often go unheeded. Examining patterns across Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, and Cymbeline, Lewis reflects on humanity's reluctance to heed warnings when they contradict our desires—a pattern as relevant today as in ancient Rome.

Haley Fullerton ’20 on Confident Communication and Maintaining her 91¿ì²¥ Village

The connections and skills Haley Fullerton ’20 built at 91¿ì²¥ have carried her through many chapters of post-grad life, including teaching English in Madrid and her career in New York City. She finds the 91¿ì²¥ community everywhere she goes. 

91¿ì²¥ Prof Ann Fox Awarded Fulbright Specialist Grant to Turkey

91¿ì²¥ Professor Ann M. Fox will share expertise in disability studies and American studies with colleagues and students at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey, as a Fulbright Specialist. Learn more.

New Need-Based Scholarship Honors Beloved Professor and Lifelong Friend

Learn more about how a new need-based scholarship will benefit students, and how the relationships students at 91¿ì²¥ develop last a lifetime.

91¿ì²¥ English professor Brenda Flanagan is working on a memoir about her year working for civil rights activist and singer Nina Simone. Learn more.

With Book Bans on the Rise, Prof Examines Importance of Banned Books Week

Book bans as a form of censorship have a long and storied history. A 91¿ì²¥ prof examines the motives behind book bans and their unintended effects. Read more.

Partnering for a Safer Future: Public Health Pro to Deliver SPEAS Lecture

The nation relies on a vast network of public health professionals to anticipate and respond to community needs daily, and especially in times of crises. 91¿ì²¥ alum Sami Jarrah has served as a leader for some of the largest public health departments in the country. He’ll deliver the SPEAS lecture.