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College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
The College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (CAHSS) is an artistic, creative, and intellectual community. It is an equitable partnership of staff, faculty, and students who are devoted to teaching, learning, and collaboration. The many fields within CAHSS provide the greatest breadth for service-learning, creative engagement, and professional opportunity within a diverse and changing society.
Undergraduate Programs
Hands-on Experience
Our programs and majors offer many unique opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom including student performances, studios, laboratories, newsrooms, internships, and more. Hands-on learning enriches the student, the university, and the community, tying academic study to real-world experiences.
Study Abroad
Studying abroad is an exciting way to enhance an undergraduate experience through exposure to different cultures, languages, and communities. Travel, explore, embrace new environments, all while making progress toward graduation.
Personal Attention
It’s the difference between sitting through a lesson and playing a role in creating it. Feel challenged by faculty who expand students’ worldview and supported by departments that pride themselves on personalized attention.
Nicolette Amann
English
The California Writing Project (CWP) has been named a 2026 Library of Congress Literacy Awards Successful Practices Honoree. Announced on International Literacy Day, September 8, the award recognizes CWP’s statewide network of teacher leaders along with its comprehensive reach, replicable model, and community-responsive approach to literacy education. The recognition celebrates the collective work of CWP sites and educators across California to support teachers of writing and create literacy opportunities shaped by the needs and strengths of local communities. Since 1977 and with generous support from CAHSS and the English Department, the Redwood Writing Project (RWP) has provided professional learning, resources, and a supportive community for local K-college teachers in our region.
Armeda C. Reitzel
Communication
Dr. Armeda C. Reitzel, Professor Emeritus, has been selected for her second engagement as a Virtual Service Pilot Program Participant with the Peace Corps. Over the course of 27 weeks, Dr. Reitzel will support the English language and communication skill development of Ukrainian teachers and youth across 15 schools located in different areas of Ukraine.
Dr. Troy Lescher (Faculty) & Hayden Hilscher (Student)
Dance, Music & Theatre
Dr. Troy Lescher and Hayden Hilscher (Class of 2026) recently published “Doctoral Projects in Progress in Theatre Arts, 2026” for the Association of Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE). This report, based on collaborations of numerous national and international institutions, introduces PhD candidates and shares their emerging research with the field.
CAHSS Alumni Updates
Shiloh (Green) Soto
Environmental Studies, 2016
In 2024, Shiloh graduated with her PhD in Interdisciplinary Humanities: Department of History & Critical Race and Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Merced, and promptly began working as a teaching professor in the History department at Washington State University, Vancouver (just across the river from Portland, Oregon). At WSU, Shiloh teaches about environmental segregation and community-led decision making across the 20th century US West. With her spouse Iván González-Soto (ENST ‘16), who is now an Assistant Professor of Latinx History at WSU, they are the busy parents of a spunky and wonderful 4-year old. Shiloh loves being a mom and exploring the changing seasons of the Pacific Northwest.
Vincent Engel
Art, 1970
Vincent and his wife, both 1970 graduates of Humboldt State, recently returned to California after living almost 10 wonderful years in Barcelona, Spain. They returned to be new grandparents. They are slowly readjusting to the pace of life here, but enjoying their grandson. They are looking forward to visiting Cal Poly Humboldt this fall. It's always nice seeing the changes to the campus and it’s magnificent surroundings.
Kathleen Clark
Sociology, 91
After graduation, Kathleen very happily worked as a bread baker at the Co-op Bakery for several years... but eventually got a job as a social worker in Child Welfare in the Bay Area. She promoted to a supervisor position (her favorite job) and later became a program manager for the Public Administrator in the Bay Area. Kathleen retired in 2022. She and her wife returned to Humboldt County where she is now on the McKInleyville Municipal Advisory Committee, and volunteering at the Native Plant Society and thoroughly enjoying the beaches and hikes that she loved 30+ years ago. And she is so glad that so many college friends are still here.
Upcoming Events
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CAHSS News
- 2026 McCrone Awards Honor Exceptional Faculty and Student Achievement
- Honoring Veterans with Diverse On- and Off-Campus Programming
- New Report Explores How Climate Change is Shaping the North Coast’s Future
- The Fall 2026 Edition of Humboldt Magazine is now Live Online!
- Cal Poly Humboldt Student’s Journey Leads to Top CSU Honor
- Working with the Elements: Inside Cal Poly Humboldt’s Clay Recycling and Reclamation Projects