Category: College of Arts and Sciences

Birding at Stratford: Left Out In The Cold. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14.

Dr. Andrew Dolby, chair of the University of Mary Washington’s Department of Biological Sciences and president of the Virginia Society of Ornithology, will lead a walk across the estate and discuss adaptation of birds to the challenges of winter. This is the first in four-part series of programs through September.

Registration is $25 with a $10 box lunch optional; the program is free to Friends of Stratford  members. To register, email rsvp@stratfordhall.org, fax 804/493-0333 or leave a voicemail, 804-493/8038, ext. 7787. Continuing Education Units  available.

Details:  bit.ly/xoPGAS. Stratford Hall is 45 minutes east of Fredericksburg off State Route 3.  stratfordhall.org; 804/493-8038.

Claudia Emerson, Arrington Distinguished Chair in Poetry, is featured in the January issue of Northern Virginia Magazine.

The issue is available on newsstands now; the article will be available online at the end of January.

Steve Watkins, professor of English, is a recipient of a 2011-2012 Artist Fellowship from the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

The Virginia Commission of the Arts awards fellowships annually to artists residing in Virginia in recognition of creative excellence and to support their pursuit of artistic excellence. Watkins is one of four Virginia artists honored in the field of fiction. Each artist will receive a fellowship of $5,000.

For more information about the fellowship or the VCA, read the Dec. 19 press release.

Emile Lester, assistant professor of political science, has an article in the December issue of Kappan. In the article, “Teaching for Religious Tolerance in Modesto: Just Enough, But Not Too Much,” Lester argues that the Modesto school district’s required world religions course should be a model for schools across the country.

In addition, Lester’s research on religion in public schools is the focus of the article “Teaching Religious Literacy in California’s Bible Belt” in a recent issue of Miller-McCune.

Mary Beth Mathews, associate professor of religion, wrote an op-ed that appeared in the Friday, Dec. 9 issue of The Free Lance-Star. The article, “U.S. Voters Do Care What Candidates Believe,” argues that American voters are interested in political candidates’ religious beliefs and practices.