CCS Hosts Inaugural Non-Academic Lecture Series

New initiative creates space for students, faculty and staff to connect beyond the classroom

This past November, the College of Creative Studies (CCS) held the inaugural lecture of the Non-Academic Lecture Series, a new initiative aiming to strengthen community by creating a shared space for hobbies, interests, and passions outside of academia.

The series was developed through a collaboration between the CCS Community Council (CCSCC) and the CCS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, emerging from conversations about how to foster stronger relationships between students and faculty.

“One of the main takeaways during our meeting was how students wanted to get to know faculty as people rather than just their teachers,” said CCS Computing Faculty Richert Wang. “We thought having a fun lecture series highlighting interests outside of academics would help students get to learn more about other students, staff and faculty, make faculty more approachable, and learn interesting things from each other.”

The pilot event, held during a weekly CCS coffee hour, featured paired talks by a student and a faculty member centered on a shared theme. The inaugural talks focused on animals, with Tuesday Mahdavi ’28 (CCS Biology, Writing & Literature) leading a live dog training demonstration, complete with flips and tricks, and CCS Music Composition Faculty Leslie Hogan discussing her experiences caring for horses.

Mahdavi said she was excited to present something deeply personal in a non-academic setting.

“I grew up training dogs and it continues to be a large and important part of my life,” Mahdavi said. “My relationship to my dogs is very special to me, and sharing it with the CCS community was amazing."

Hogan, who was invited to speak about horse ownership and care, reflected on how personal interests can shape both creativity and teaching.

“When I go to the barn, the combination of physical labor, fresh air and the horses I love and care for relaxes me and quiets the mind,” Hogan said. “I do write landscape music—music in response to what I see, smell, hear and touch when outside—and the landscape in and around the stable is quite lovely and frequently visited by wildlife.”

She added that these experiences often inform her teaching, particularly when encouraging students to notice creativity and “wildness” in their everyday surroundings.

Events like the Non-Academic Lecture Series, Mahdavi said, help cultivate a more holistic sense of community at CCS.

“Events like these allow our community to not only form around academic subjects, but enmesh our personal lives as well,” she said. “CCS is such an important facet of my life, and I feel so lucky to have a community that celebrates every part of my life.”

Have a non-academic passion you’d like to share with the community?

Students, staff and faculty interested in giving a brief talk about a non-academic interest are invited to submit a proposal for the CCS Non-Academic Lecture Series. Proposals for Winter and Spring 2026 lectures are now being accepted.

Those interested should complete the CCS Non-Academic Lecture Series Proposal Form by Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.