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COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES 1 Robert A Flowers II Herbert J. and Ann L. Siegel Dean SPRING 2021 MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTS T he College of Arts and Sciences has experienced tremendous challenges over the last year. We have adapted to the new academic landscape of socially distant in-class instruction and remote learning, and our students have found success under difficult circumstances. Additionally, our student support services and business offices had to transform practices to work remotely while still facilitating the work of faculty, staff, and students. If there is anything that I’ve learned over the past year, it’s that we have an incred- ibly hard-working group of colleagues who provide exceptional support to students, their departments, and each other. I believe more than ever that the strength of this College lies in our collegiality and dedication to our mission. Colleges and universities are going through a period of self-ref lection and the challenges of the academy are exacerbated by recent national events. In considering the range of challenges including systemic racism and inequity in our society, global climate change, and our national response to a global pandemic, one thing is clear: The importance of a liberal arts education is more critical now than at any time in our history. A liberal arts education nurtures intellectual practices that enable all students to synthesize facts and material to learn on their own, engage new concepts, question long-held assumptions, and to make informed decisions. Ideally, a liberal arts education prepares students for the career and life changes they will encounter, the jobs that haven’t been created yet, and a life of informed citizenship based on facts and reasoned arguments. A foundational component of the liberal arts education in the College of Arts and Sciences is our strength in the arts. Lehigh is among a handful of top-tier research universities that have both a first-rate performing arts center and an art gallery in addition to excellent academic departments in theatre, music, and art, architecture, and design. Our strength in the arts provides a unique student experience that is unmatched by either a traditional liberal arts institution, or a large research-intensive university. While the arts are a critical component of Lehigh’s vibrant social and intellectual life, they are also the conduit in which faculty, staff, and students collaborate with the community to engage in challenging conversations and to learn what we have in common. In this issue of Acumen , we explore the research and creative work that impacts some of today’s most pressing issues. Our cover story focuses on how the arts in the College of Arts and Sciences foster a culture of innovation, creativity, and humanity. The issue also offers stories about a student-run design agency, creative thinking within elite consulting firms, and student research addressing the role of literature and healing, the history of public health in early America, and the importance of an Italian landmark. We also delve into a student club dedicated to addressing tough sociocultural and political issues and an alumnus tying together design excellence with public responsibility. I hope you enjoy this issue of Acumen . I look forward to sharing our contribu- tions and accomplishments with you and welcome your thoughts and comments. ACUMEN MAGAZINE EDITOR Robert Nichols ’17G | CAS ADVISORY BOARD Robert A. Flowers II, dean; Kelly Austin-Noble, Diane Hyland, R. Michael Burger, Susan Szczepanski, associate deans | GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kayley LeFaiver | CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jack Croft, Leslie Feldman, Wendy Greenberg, Kelly Hochbein, Robert Nichols ’17G, Chris Quirk, Bernadette Sukley, Dawn Thren ’21P, Cynthia Tintorri | PHOTOGRAPHERS Douglas Benedict, Ryan Hulvat, Christine Kreschollek, Marc Olivier Le Blanc, Christa Neu | ACUMEN is published annually by the College of Arts and Sciences at Lehigh University. Acumen can also be found online at acumen.cas.lehigh.edu | COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Lehigh University, 9 West Packer Avenue Bethlehem, PA 18015 | cas.lehigh.edu © 2021 Lehigh University Cover illustration by Bomboland DOUGLAS BENEDICT, JING JING TSONG / THEISPOT.COM READER FEEDBACK: Please send comments to: acumen@lehigh.edu LIKE US: facebook.com/CAS_Lehigh TWEET US: @Lehigh_CAS