As Americans become more polarized, even family dinners can feel fraught, surfacing differences that could spark out-and-out conflict. Tense conversations often end with a familiar refrain: “Let’s just drop it.” As a communications educator and trainer, I am frequently asked how to handle these conversations, especially when they involve social and political issues. One piece...
The recent deportation orders targeting foreign students in the U.S. have prompted a heated debate about the legality of these actions. The Trump administration made no secret that many individuals were facing removal because of their pro-Palestinian advocacy. In recent months, the State Department has revoked hundreds of visas of foreign students with little explanation....
Since 2020, content creator Remi Bader had accumulated millions of TikTok followers by offering her opinions on the fits of popular clothing brands as a plus-size woman. In 2023, however, Bader appeared noticeably thinner. When some fans asked her whether she’d undergone a procedure, she blocked them. Later that year, she announced that she would...
“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world…” — W.B. Yeats, The Second Coming In moments of political upheaval, Yeats’s words echo with an almost prophetic clarity. As American institutions weather the storms of executive disruption, legal ambiguity, and polarized governance, we must reexamine what it means for “the...
On Friday, April 25, Miami City Ballet unveiled its daring new take on Carmen, choreographed by the visionary Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Known for her modern, sharp-edged storytelling, Ochoa brings a distinctly fresh energy to the legendary tale, one that celebrates female autonomy with fierce elegance—and, fittingly, style was at the heart of it all. From...
As the Ringier Collection takes over Germany’s Langen Foundation, the publisher ponders decades of curiosity, collaboration – and mixing business with pleasure ‘I gave up on asking myself why I have this drive to collect so many pieces of art,’ says Michael Ringier. Despite initially claiming ‘there is no real answer,’ when pressed, the chairman...
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” — John Donne, Meditation XVII In an era defined by global interdependence, the United States stands at a pivotal juncture. Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, a renewed emphasis on “America First” policies has signaled...
The professional world has no shortage of micromanagers — or, as Penn State School of Labor and Employment Relations (LER) faculty members Craig L. Pearce and Hee Man Park like to call them, “accidental dictators.” But leaders don’t have to fall into that trap, according to an article published in the journal Organizational Dynamics co-written by Pearce, Brova Family Endowed Professor of leadership...
Easter wouldn’t be Easter without a bunny, egg hunts, and festive baskets. Alongside the religious significance of Easter, the story behind the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs involves a mix of pagan rituals, Christian traditions, and 19th century European folklore. Candace Buckner, assistant professor of religion and culture at Virginia Tech, shares more about the...
I grew up playing in a lot of different bands, and my bandmates and I always held onto the belief that if we could just open for a more established act, it would pave the way to more success. When I started playing in the indie pop band Passion Pit – a group known for...
