Tulane University School of Liberal Arts

Why are grocery bills continuing to rise?

Economics Professor Marcus Coleman recently spoke with WWLTV about the factors driving higher food prices and the impact they're having on families across Louisiana. His insights help connect broader economic trends to the realities many families are currently experiencing.

Rising grocery costs, summer break strain Louisiana families as demand for food assistance grows According to federal data, grocery prices rose 2.3% in 2024 and are projected to climb another 2.9% this year.

What can data tell us about life in America today?

The New York Times op-ed explores a new bipartisan report from the State of the Nation Project, led by Economics Professor Douglas Harris, which examined more than three decades of data from all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

The report found that while Americans may disagree politically, many states are facing the same challenges: declining trust, increasing mental health concerns, and lower life satisfaction. It also highlights areas where communities are making progress and provides a roadmap for understanding what helps people thrive.

Opinion | The States Where Life Is Better Trust, well-being and mental health are all down in America. But some states are better to live in than others, according to a new study.

Recognizing Generations of Giving

On Thursday, May 14, the Emeritus Club of Tulane honored three Tulanians for their commitment to service and community. Hon. Victoria Reggie Kennedy (Newcomb Institute/NC ’76, Tulane Law School/L ’79) and Mark Oswald (Tulane University School of Liberal Arts/A&S ’76) both received the Outstanding Emeritus Alumni/ae Award, while Jimmy Nieset (A&S ’64, L ’67) received the Dan Hurley Emeritus Award. Learn more about our trio and their dedication to our alma mater.

📰: bit.ly/4dN8oPK

As part of Tulane’s , BEMH 6810: Animal Ethics, led by Dr. Stephen Hanson and Dr. Valery Holliday, explores the complex roles animals play in our lives — from laboratory research and food production to pets and biotechnology.

Students will examine how the widespread use of animals since World War II has raised urgent ethical questions and consider the social, scientific, and moral responsibilities humans have toward other species.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/41TLePD

As part of Tulane’s , BEMH 6810: Animal Ethics, led by Dr. Stephen Hanson and Dr. Valery Holliday, explores the complex roles animals play in our lives — from laboratory research and food production to pets and biotechnology.

Students will examine how the widespread use of animals since World War II has raised urgent ethical questions and consider the social, scientific, and moral responsibilities humans have toward other species.

Learn more at https://bit.ly/41TLePD.

How do race, environment, and politics collide to shape who suffers most in a crisis?

For students interested in environmental justice, public health, and medical ethics, EVST 3950 / BEMH 6530: Race, Nature & Disaster uncovers the hidden systems behind epidemics through an intersectional lens.

From cholera outbreaks in Haiti to the global impact of COVID-19, this course examines how politics, social inequality, and environmental crises combine to put marginalized communities at the greatest risk.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/41TLePD.

🎓 “Momentum doesn’t wait for perfect. It responds to movement.”

At the Commencement ceremony in the Caesars Superdome, Dean Brian T. Edwards delivered a graduation address that managed to blend heartfelt wisdom with internet nostalgia, humor and a few perfectly timed memes.

Reflecting on uncertainty and change, Edwards encouraged the Class of 2026 to resist retreating from the world and instead keep taking small steps forward. Along the way, he referenced the “mannequin challenge,” “Bye Felicia,” “go touch grass,” and even compared today’s nostalgia for 2016 to his own generation’s longing for the 1990s.

And yes — he got the graduates to freeze in place for a live Superdome-wide mannequin challenge video.

The ceremony also honored distinguished alumna Ali Vitali, Class of 2012, host of "Way Too Early with Ali Vitali" on MS NOW and the network’s senior Capitol Hill reporter. Vitali reflected on the winding road from Tulane student to national political journalist, reminding graduates: “There is no map.”

Together, their messages created a commencement ceremony that felt deeply Tulane: thoughtful, funny, hopeful and unmistakably human. 💚🌊

How has medicine shaped the US, and how has society shaped medicine?

This , HISU 2100 / BEMH 6521: History of Medicine in the US offers students an in-depth look at the story of health care in America. From pandemics to groundbreaking discoveries, the course examines the social, political, and economic forces that have influenced how medicine is practiced and experienced.

Guided by Senior Professor of Practice Jacquelyne Thoni Howard, students will explore the connections between medicine and everyday life, gaining insight into the ways these systems continue to impact communities today.

Earn credits, expand your perspective, and see history come alive through the lens of medicine.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/41TLePD.

Care for community at the center of neuroscience grad’s leadership Paresh Kolluru is a Tulane 34 recipient graduating with a major in neuroscience from the School of Science and Engineering and a minor in philosophy from the School of Liberal Arts. (Photo by Kenny Lass)

Crystal Clear Vision

When the classroom goes beyond the four walls, lessons can lead you into a world of opportunity. Learn from Dr. Lauren Agnew (Tulane University School of Liberal Arts ’09), owner of Eye Wares Nola, on how New Orleans opened the door to a career of creativity, medicine, and flexibility.

📰: bit.ly/4tkBbzo