Spark Celebrates the Achievements and Creativity of The New School
Each spring, student, faculty, and staff researchers and creative practitioners across The New School present their research, writing, and creative projects in film screenings, readings, lectures, presentations, and performances. Building on these events, The New School is launching Spark, an annual celebration showcasing the work of students, faculty, and staff throughout the university. Convened by the Provost’s Office, this celebration, running from early March through Commencement, provides an opportunity for the entire New School community to come together and celebrate this outstanding work.
“When we were conceptualizing this initiative, we wanted to recognize the creative spirit and intellectual rigor of our scholars, creators, and practitioners who are at the forefront of their industries and disciplines,” says Dr. Renée T. White, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “I am delighted that we’ve been able to create a space where the entire university community may come together to celebrate and uplift one another and the incredible creative energy and intellectual rigor that defines The New School.” Provost White will host the signature Spark event, an opening reception with music and refreshments on March 20, 2024, where students, faculty, and staff can celebrate and reflect on our community’s achievements.
Two long-standing annual events are the Parsons Festival and Eugene Lang College’s Dean’s Symposium, which highlight the work of students at those schools. The launching of Spark will bring attention to the innovative work being done at The New School for Social Research, the College of Performing Arts, the Schools of Public Engagement (SPE), and the many centers and institutes at the university. Spark began in early March and will continue through May, with recitals and performances by graduating students from Mannes School of Music, the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and the School of Drama; readings by students in the Creative Writing Program; film screenings with students from SPE’s Media Studies program; the annual Convening of the Gender and Sexualities Studies Institute; and lectures and discussions exploring the future of higher education, international development, languages and communication, and more.
“We wanted to create a space where we could demonstrate the breadth and depth of the work happening throughout the university and demonstrate the value of learning through sharing the research, creative projects, and performances of our entire university,” says Mary Watson, executive dean of SPE. “The work created here grapples with real-world issues, and we wanted to showcase the value and impact our students, faculty, and staff have on the world while at The New School.”