COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES 1 Robert A Flowers II Herbert J. and Ann L. Siegel Dean SPRING 2026 MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN CELEBRATING THE POWER OF CREATIVITY In the College of Arts and Sciences, our story begins with a simple symbol: &. Small yet powerful, it represents the connections that shape who we are and how we work. It reflects our joint commitments to teaching and research, analysis and imagination, discipline and discovery. It represents the dynamic exchange between arts and sciences across 18 departments and 10 interdisciplinary programs serving undergraduate and graduate students. Most importantly, it signals connection—between ideas, between people, and between the university and the wider world. The possibilities that emerge from an arts and sciences education position us as silo-breakers and unifiers. We bring chemists and poets, political scientists and data scientists, historians and neuroscientists into shared conversations that spark new modes of inquiry. Acumen stands as a testament to this work: scholarship that crosses boundaries, creative research that reframes urgent questions, and discovery that advances both knowledge and empathy. This integrative approach is not simply aspirational; it is foundational to how we prepare students to lead in complex, interconnected environments. A liberal arts education is the beginning of an intellectual journey that can lead anywhere. Through the Lehigh University Art Galleries, students and community members engage with free, accessible exhibitions that redefine experiential learning across disciplines. On the following pages, you’ll discover how theatre and music faculty collaborate on productions such as “Into the Woods”, blending artistic rigor with interdisciplinary creativity. Research across the college explores both historical and contemporary challenges—from examining how federal policy and systemic barriers shaped efforts to diversify America’s airwaves in the 1980s, to investigating pivotal moments in British history through the combined lenses of literature and archival scholarship. Students find connections, whether it bridges early modern drama with contemporary design thinking or reimagines pharmaceutical development through innovative scientific research. These endeavors reflect a culture of inquiry that is both expansive and deeply relevant. For many, CAS is not only the foundation of a Lehigh education but the beginning of a lifelong relationship. The College of Arts and Sciences is the fabric that holds the university together, while also stitching it meaningfully into the surrounding community and global networks of influence. We lead in welcoming our local community onto campus—into our classrooms, galleries, and performance spaces—and in fostering creative, inclusive, and forward-looking ways of addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. I am continually energized by the faculty, staff, and students who ask, “What if?” and then pursue the answers with rigor and imagination. I invite you to consider how alumni, corporate partners, and philanthropic supporters can help amplify this momentum. Together, we can expand access, accelerate discovery, and strengthen the connections that define the College of Arts and Sciences. The work ahead is ambitious, and it will be most powerful when we do it together. ACUMEN MAGAZINE EDITOR Robert Nichols M.Ed.’17 | CAS ADVISORY BOARD Robert A. Flowers II, dean; Kelly Austin, R. Michael Burger, Dawn Keetley, Jessecae Marsh, associate deans | GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kayley LeFaiver | CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Hayley Frerichs, Sara Karnish, Vicki Mayk, Tricia Miller Klapheke, Steve Neumann, Robert Nichols, Melinda Rizzo, Abby Ryan MA’17 | PHOTOGRAPHER Christine Kreschollek ACUMEN is published annually by the College of Arts and Sciences at Lehigh University | COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Lehigh University, 9 West Packer Avenue Bethlehem, PA 18015 | cas.lehigh.edu | ©2026 Lehigh University Cover illustration by Kathleen Fu DOUGLAS BENEDICT READER FEEDBACK: Please send comments to: acumen@lehigh.edu Like us: CAS_Lehigh Follow us: lehigh_cas Follow us: lehighu-cas Subscribe: @lehigh_cas
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