Lance Gentry, associate professor in the College of Business, presented research on telework trends and public policy implications to the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce and helped lead a workshop on potential public policy improvements on Feb. 9, 2017.
Wilson and Students Publish Paper on Sexual Violence
Laura Wilson, assistant professor of psychology, has published a paper with recent graduates of the University of Mary Washington. During their senior year, Hannah Walker, Jennifer Freud, Robyn Ellis and Shawn Fraine completed a large-scale project on sexual violence under Wilson’s guidance. The paper, “The Prevalence of Sexual Revictimization: A Meta-Analytic Review,” was recently published in a top tier peer-reviewed trauma journal called Trauma, Violence, & Abuse.
Robyn Ellis and Shawn Fraine also co-presented the study with Wilson at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies conference in Dallas in November. The primary research question for the project was: What percentage of child sexual abuse survivors experience sexual violence again later in life? This phenomenon is called sexual revictimization. During the study, the students read almost 1,500 research articles about child sexual abuse. They then used a review process that narrowed it down to 80 relevant studies and used a statistical approach called meta-analysis. The results showed that almost half of child sexual abuse survivors are sexually victimized again in the future. These results confirm the high risk of sexual revictimization among child sexual abuse survivors and highlight the importance of increased awareness about this issue in society.
Barry Publishes Article on Exile in Early Christianity
Jennifer Barry, Assistant Professor of Religion, has published an article titled “Receptions of Exile: Athanasius of Alexandria’s legacy,” in the collected volume Clerical Exile in Late Antiquity edited by Julia Hillner, Joerg Ulrich and Jakob Engberg. This article is the result of a pre-arranged collaborative project held at the International Patristic Society Conference held at Oxford University, U.K. (July 2015). Barry’s contribution stems from her larger work on clerical exile in late antiquity.
Chapter abstract:
This chapter examines how the stories of Athanasius of Alexandria’s many exiles became a popular literary schema that circulated within pro-Nicene Christian literature during the late fourth and early fifth centuries. I argue that Athanasius’s identity as a triumphant exile quickly became the standard by which subsequent episcopal exiles were measured. Indeed, by the time the Johanite controversy of the fifth century takes shape in and around Constantinople, Athanasius the exile is invoked to bolster support for John Chrysostom’s tarnished reputation as a failed exile. John’s earliest biographers, Ps.-Martyrius and Palladius of Helenopolis, insist that those who question their hero’s orthodoxy are no better than those heretical enemies of the great Athanasius.
Safe Zone Training
The Safe Zone program offers workshops that are designed to educate members of the University community about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) issues to increase the safety and inclusion of all its members.
Safe Zone consists of people who:
- Will be understanding, supportive, and trustworthy if LGBTQ+ individuals need help, advice or just someone to talk to.
- Will not tolerate homophobic and heterosexist comments and actions and will address them in an educational and informative manner.
- Will have received training and can provide information regarding on- or off-campus resources.
We offer two types of Safe Zone workshops for faculty and staff. The Basic training focuses on terminology, issues related to privilege, increasing awareness and sensitivity, and how to support the LGBTQ+ population on campus. The Advanced training is geared toward faculty and staff who have already completed the Basic training and covers more advanced topics, including bystander intervention.
We are currently accepting enrollment for two Basic training sessions for any interested faculty or staff member on Tuesday, March 21, from noon to 2 p.m. and Wednesday, April 12, from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. We are also offering an Advanced training on Tuesday, April 11, from noon to 2 p.m. Registration is required and space is limited. Please email Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu to register for one of the trainings or if you have questions.
Rochelle Reviews Latest Novel by Fred Chappell
Warren Rochelle, Professor of English, recently reviewed Fred Chappell’s latest novel, A Shadow All of Light, for the North Carolina Literary Review. That review, titled “Light and Dark, Dark, and Light,” appears in NCLR Online 26 (2017): 62-63.
Green Zone Training Initiative
A “Green Zone” is a location recognized by veterans as a safe place. Student veterans and service members are a diverse group of individuals, ranging in age, race/ethnicity, gender, and backgrounds. Please join UMW Green Zone volunteers in the Magnolia Room of the University Center on Wednesday, Feb. 22, from noon to 1:30 p.m. for an open discussion on working with student veterans and service members and assisting them with the transition to student life. At 12:45, we will turn the discussion over to a panel of student veterans for their perspective on transitioning from the military to a college campus.
As of this past spring, Virginia ranked fourth in states with the most active duty and reserve members of the military. It’s imperative that UMW staff and faculty educate themselves about working with student veterans and service members.
*Please feel free to bring your lunch to this training session.
Human Trafficking Awareness Month Event Held at UMW (Fredericksburg.today)
Giving Highlights
Every day, UMW alumni, parents, and friends show their support to the University in numerous ways. One way is through gifts to support students, programs, and special projects at Mary Washington. In the past weeks, University Advancement has accepted and processed gifts and pledges, including:
- A $25,000 gift from a dedicated couple in the community to support Friends of the Philharmonic.
- A $3,000 gift to the Fund for Mary Washington from an alumna of the Class of 1997.
- A $25,000 pledge from parents of a 2016 alumnus to support the College of Business.
- Two gifts totaling $2,000 for the James Monroe Museum – $1,000 from a couple in Richmond and $1,000 from a donor trust in Fredericksburg.
- A $10,000 gift for the Belmont Building Preservation Fund from a Richmond-based foundation.
- A $7,500 gift from an alumna of the Class of 1966 to enhance an endowed scholarship.
For more information about giving opportunities at UMW, visit giving.umw.edu. UMW faculty and staff can sign up to give through payroll deduction. Click here and enter UMW log-in credentials to access the payroll deduction form.
Coffee with the President
In keeping with his announcement at the recent All-University Assembly, President Troy Paino will hold his first “Coffee with the President” on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Hurley Convergence Center Digital Auditorium. Stop by to share your thoughts and ideas about the University. A second Coffee with the President will be held on Tuesday, March 21, from 4 to 5 p.m. in the University Center, Maple Room (406 D).
Wilson Publishes Paper on Military Sexual Trauma
Laura Wilson, Assistant Professor of Psychological Science, published a paper last month on the frequency of military sexual trauma. The paper, titled “The Prevalence of Military Sexual Trauma: A Meta-Analysis,” was published in a peer-reviewed journal called Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. Wilson conducted a meta-analysis and found that 15.7 percent of military personnel and veterans report experiencing military sexual trauma during their service. She also found that women are at substantially greater risk of military sexual trauma, with 38.4 percent of women reporting military sexual trauma compared to 3.9 percent of men. Ultimately, the findings suggest that military sexual trauma may be a more pervasive problem, among both men and women in the military, than previously recognized. Wilson conducted this project as part of her 2016-2017 Faculty Research Grant.