Science Symposium Highlights Student Research
Communication Journal Honors UMW Political Science Professor
Chad Murphy, assistant professor of Political Science at the University of Mary Washington, was recently announced as the recipient of article of the year for 2014 by Communication Methods and Measures journal.
Murphy, along with Associate Professor of Psychology Chris Westbury at the University of Alberta, published “Expanding the scope of selective exposure: An objective approach to measurement of media ideology” in August 2013.
“The paper does an excellent job describing the methodological limitations of current approaches to selective exposure (i.e., blunt coding, assumption of neutrality, artificial unidimensionality),” said members of the committee who selected the winners. “Further, the cognitive psychology focus on word co-occurrence is interesting and innovative to selective exposure research.”
The winning paper was selected in a two-step process. Editors of the Communication Methods and Measures journal narrowed down the list of articles before members of an executive board serving on a special committee identified the winners.
Murphy and Westbury will be awarded during an annual conference in Montreal, Canada.
“Always…Patsy Cline” Returns to Klein Theatre
Tickets Available July 9 for Dancing with Fredericksburg Stars
UMW Geography Professor Awarded National Grant
University of Mary Washington professor Stephen Hanna is the recipient of a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct fieldwork at plantation museums in the American South. Hanna is professor of geography at UMW, and is an expert on commemorative landscapes, cartography, and critical applications of GIS.
The NSF grant, totaling $445,423 over three years, will support the project “Transformation of Racialized American Southern Heritage Landscape.” Hanna is co-principal investigator for the project with David Butler (University of Southern Mississippi), Derek Alderman (University of Tennessee), Perry Carter (Texas Tech University), Amy Potter (Armstrong Atlantic State University), and Arnold Modlin (Norfolk State University).
The grant, supplemented by Hanna’s Waple Professorship, will allow Hanna and three UMW undergraduate students to join faculty and graduate students from the other universities to conduct fieldwork at plantation museums in Louisiana, coastal South Carolina and Georgia, and Virginia’s James River region.
During the fieldwork, students and faculty will survey and interview plantation visitors, tour guides, and owners, and will conduct participant observations of the tours. Based on pilot research already conducted at four plantation museums in Louisiana, the researchers aim to determine how and to what extent narratives of the enslaved are incorporated in the landscapes and narrations of these museums. They will document visitors’ experiences to show how the role of slavery in the region’s and country’s history are presented at these sites.
Throughout the project, Hanna will teach UMW students to transcribe, code and analyze qualitative data. Students will map the plantation sites and create a website, hosted by UMW, to disseminate the project’s results.
UMW Philharmonic Launches New Children’s Concert Series
The University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra is launching a new major concert series for children, the “Fiddlestix Summer Concert Series.” The series will bring world-class children’s entertainment to Fredericksburg each summer as a part of Fiddlestix, the Philharmonic’s outreach program dedicated to enriching the musical lives and education of children.
The series will kick off on Saturday, August 9 in the William M. Anderson Center with a performance by the Laurie Berkner Band. The Laurie Berkner Band has become one of the leading groups in the world of children’s entertainment. Tickets for the Laurie Berkner Band concert will go on sale at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 26 at philharmonic.umw.edu.
“With young children of my own, I have been frustrated with having to travel long distances for great kid’s entertainment,” said Kevin Bartram, director of the Philharmonic. “Since the Philharmonic has experience with concert production with our annual Celebrity Series, we wanted to offer similar opportunities for area children and their families.”
Critics widely acknowledge the band’s major contribution toward launching what is now dubbed the progressive “kiddie rock” movement. Laurie Berkner was the first recording artist ever to perform in music videos on Nick Jr., and appeared regularly on the network’s series “Jack’s Big Music Show.” Her latest television project is a new short-form animated musical preschool series, “Sing It, Laurie!” which debuted in the spring of 2103 on 24-hour preschool television channel, Sprout. “Sing It, Laurie!” stars Berkner’s voice and features her original music written for the series.
The series will continue in the summer of 2015 with concerts by Nickelodeon’s The Fresh Beat Band and Disney’s Imagination Movers, as well as events for older children from middle school through high school.
The UMW Philharmonic is partnering with Fredericksburg Parent & Family Magazine to promote the series. The concert promoters are currently seeking corporate sponsors as well as dedicated volunteers who are able to assist with production.
The UMW Philharmonic, conducted by Dr. Kevin Bartram, is comprised of both UMW students as well as talented community musicians. The group achieved national acclaim in 2009 with the American Prize, an award given to the top nine collegiate orchestras in the nation. In 2012, the group was featured on a national PBS fundraising show, “A Fiddler’s Holiday.”
For more information about the Fiddlestix Summer Concert Series, contact (540) 654-1324 or email philharmonic@umw.edu.
James Monroe Museum to Join National Sing-Along, June 14
On Saturday, June 14, the James Monroe Museum will join the largest group sing-along of the national anthem in history, as part of the National Museum of American History’s “Raise It Up! Anthem for America” celebration.
“Raise It Up!” parties will be held across the country at 4 p.m. that day to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the American flag. The James Monroe Museum is currently the only gathering place in the Fredericksburg area for the event.
At the museum, participants will perform the Star Spangled Banner on kazoos. Participants will gather at 3:45 p.m. to receive their free kazoos, and the sing-along will begin at 4 p.m. An ice cream social will follow the sing-along.
Reservations are recommended at auphaus@umw.edu or (540) 654-1123. For more information about the celebration or to find a full list of sing-along locations, visit http://anthemforamerica.smithsonian.com/.
The James Monroe Museum is a National Historic Landmark owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia and administered by the University of Mary Washington. Founded in 1927, it is the nation’s largest repository of artifacts and documents related to the fifth President of the United States. For hours of operation, directions, and other information, call (540) 654-1043, or visit www.jamesmonroemuseum.org.
UMW Joins Coalition to Double Study Abroad Participation
The University of Mary Washington has pledged to join the Institute of International Education (IIE)’s Generation Study Abroad initiative to double the number of American students who study abroad by the end of the decade. The initiative also is focused on increasing the diversity of the students who study abroad, ensuring quality, and removing barriers to participation. UMW has committed to increasing the number of students who study abroad by 30 percent over the next five years.
As part of its commitment, the university hopes to create new study abroad initiatives and scholarships, provide increased support for students, and help students engage internationally through service learning, research, or internships.
“UMW recognizes the importance of preparing students to be global citizens able to function in the international marketplace,” said President Richard V. Hurley.
UMW emphasizes the importance of global awareness and believes that a study abroad experience enhances a student’s global outlook and overall education. Currently, more than 300 students take part in a study abroad program each year in dozens of countries around the world.
IIE’s Generation Study Abroad initiative now has more than 300 commitment partners, including colleges and universities of all sizes and types across the country, as well as study abroad organizations, foreign governments, and associations.
Generation Study Abroad will engage educators at all levels and stakeholders in the public and private sectors to drive meaningful, innovative action to increase the number of U.S. students who have the opportunity to gain international experience through academic study abroad programs, as well as internships, service learning and non-credit educational experiences. Building on its nearly 100-year commitment to study abroad, IIE has committed $2 million of its own funds to this initiative over the next five years.
To learn more about study abroad opportunities at UMW, visit the Center for International Education located in Lee Hall or visit http://international.umw.edu.
For more information on IIE’s Generation Study Abroad initiative, and a complete list of commitment partners, visit www.iie.org/generationstudyabroad.
Women’s Rugby Team Wins National Championship
The University of Mary Washington women’s rugby team won the 2014 USA Rugby Division II National Championship in California. The UMW team defeated Cal State Northridge in the championship match 36-22 on Sunday, May 11.
This is the first national championship for a UMW sport club program, according to Mark Mermelstein, director of campus recreation and the fitness center.
“I could not be any more proud of our women’s rugby team,” Mermelstein said. “This storied program has a history of success both on the pitch and within the UMW community. Congratulations to coaches Kris Kabza and Bill Lucas and this outstanding group of student-athletes. I am looking forward to welcoming home our first-ever national champions!”
Two members of the UMW team have been invited to the USA Rugby Women’s All-American camp, and Kristina Rader ’14 has been named the finals MVP.
This year marked the team’s fourth trip to the finals. The team finished third in 2002, 2004 and 2005.
UMW women’s rugby, a club sport since 1985, competes in both the spring and fall. For more information about the team, visit http://www.marywashwomensrugby.com/.
UMW Awards Top Honors and Honorary Degree at Commencement Ceremonies
The University of Mary Washington presented its top honors during commencement ceremonies Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10.
Daniel W. Lipscomb of Purcellville, Va., and Leah C. Tams of Midlothian, Va., received the Colgate W. Darden Jr. Awards, which are presented to the students with the highest grade-point averages (GPA) in the four-year undergraduate program. Both graduates finished with a 4.0 GPA.
Mara N. Scanlon, professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences, was presented the Grellet C. Simpson Award, the institution’s most prestigious annual award for excellence in undergraduate teaching. The recipient is routinely a senior member of the faculty.
Charles M. Murphy, assistant professor of political science in the College of Arts and Sciences, received the UMW Alumni Association Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award, which is presented annually to an exceptional member of the faculty who has served the institution for at least two years but no more than five years.
Lynn Lewis, professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, received the Mary W. Pinschmidt Award. The winner is selected by the graduating class as the faculty member “whom they will most likely remember as the one who had the greatest impact on their lives.”
Beverly D. Epps, associate professor in the Department of Foundations, Leadership and Special Populations in the College of Education, was recognized with the Graduate Faculty Award. The honor recognizes an exceptional full-time faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in graduate teaching and professional leadership in a graduate program. The person selected must have served in a full-time position at the university for at least two years.
Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. The UMW Board of Visitors may award honorary degrees to recognize and express gratitude to individuals who have provided outstanding service or contributions that are instrumental in helping the University achieve major objectives.
Daniel W. Lipscomb & Leah C. Tams
Lipscomb is a psychology major who received a Bachelor of Science degree. He is a member of Psi Chi, the
psychology honor society, and Phi Beta Kappa. He recently presented his research, “Crippling Prejudice: A Study of Disability as Part of Diversity,” at the Virginia Psychological Association conference. Lipscomb also founded UMW’s Video Game Club.
“Some of his professors say that he was the one student who really ‘got it’ when learning the concepts behind statistics,” said Provost Jonathan Levin, who presented the award.
Lipscomb plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical or educational psychology and hopes eventually to work in the school system with a goal of making school environments more welcoming and receptive to all.
Tams is a history major with a minor in mathematics who received a Bachelor of Arts degree. She has held multiple internships, including at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, Kenmore Plantation and Virginia Historical Society. She is a member of Alpha Phi Sigma and Phi Beta Kappa. She is the recipient of the Almont Lindsey Award for Academic Achievement and Exemplary Service, which recognizes a graduating senior for outstanding academic achievement and service to the Department of History and American Studies.
“Her adviser describes her as upbeat, funny and analytical and points out that she will occasionally be seen knitting while she’s thinking,” said Levin.
Tams recently completed research on “Publishing Geographical Information in the Early American Republic” and “The Korean War in the 1960s and 1970s: A Cultural Analysis of the First Six Seasons of M*A*S*H” for her thesis in history for which she received Departmental Honors.
While she contemplates her long-term plans, she will return to work in an internship at the Smithsonian where she will be doing archival work.
Mara N. Scanlon
Mara N. Scanlon, professor of English, has woven together her passion for poetry, women’s literature, Asian American studies, and digital humanities during her decade at UMW.
Levin described Scanlon as a leading force in encouraging faculty and students to experiment with innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and commended her for fostering a sense of community in her classes. “She has been known to break out noise makers to accompany her poetry classes,” he said. “One colleague observed that her classes sometimes take on the character of a rock concert. But don’t confuse that for a lack of rigor. As one student put it, ‘If you get an A, you frame that next to your diploma!’”
Scanlon is the co-editor of a forthcoming book called “Poetry and Dialogism: Hearing Over,” for which she also wrote the introductory chapter. Her professional work includes a collaborative, multi-university National Endowment for the Humanities Grant awarded for a project in the digital humanities called “Looking for Whitman: the Poetry of Place in Life and Work of Walt Whitman.” She recently spent a semester on sabbatical for her “Digital Modernism: The Artifact, The Poetess, and The Modernist Journals Project.”
She received her Ph.D. and master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Charles M. Murphy
Since Charles Murphy joined the Mary Washington faculty in 2009 as an assistant professor of political science, he has made his name for himself, both at UMW and in the community. He has been widely cited as a news source on U.S. politics, and has published numerous scholarly articles.
The recipient of the Mary W. Pinschmidt Award in 2011, Murphy serves as adviser and assistant coach of the university Mock Trial Team, sponsor of the Redistricting Team and is a manuscript reviewer for “Political Behavior” and “American Politics Research.”
“His most noteworthy achievement is his exuberant commitment to the one-on-one relationship that is the heart and soul of a liberal arts education at Mary Washington,” said Levin. “Consider these numbers: in five years, he has supervised 24 independent studies, 39 internships, and another 20 undergraduate research projects. His students have won national essay contests and have presented papers at regional and state professional meetings. And some of his students have landed positions working in the offices of state senators and delegates, thanks to the classroom and internship experiences they had with him.”
Murphy received a Ph.D. in political science and a master’s degree in mass political behavior from the University of California, Riverside and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Baldwin Wallace College.
Lynn Lewis
In her more than 25 years at UMW, Professor of Biology Lynn O. Lewis has researched and taught microbiology and virology, advised countless student undergraduate research projects, and shared her knowledge with colleagues across the country. A former poultry virologist for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, she serves as the adviser for UMW’s pre-vet program. Her current research involves the analysis of viruses that infect bacteria.
“This professor’s enthusiasm for her material is palpable, and her passion is truly infectious,” said Peyton Kremer ’14, who presented the award. “The knowledge I gained in this course on infectious diseases is both fascinating and entirely applicable to my future career in medicine. But what makes what I have learned in this course truly unique is that I will never forget what she has taught me, and that is entirely due to the tireless efforts of this amazing professor.”
Lewis received a Ph.D. in microbiology and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She is a member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Honor Society and the American Society for Microbiology. As the treasurer and a member of the Virginia Branch of the ASM, she has led discussions on the teaching of microbiology to undergraduates.
Beverly D. Epps
Beverly Epps, associate professor of foundations, leadership and special populations in the College of Education, specializes in teacher education. Prior to joining the UMW faculty in 2005, she spent more than 25 years as a teacher and administrator in Virginia public schools, including as the director of testing and curriculum for Prince Edward Public Schools.
“These experiences have significantly informed her research and the perspectives and approaches she brings to the classroom,” said Levin. “Her research focuses on how to better serve the neediest populations in our schools, including students from low income families, juvenile offenders, students of color, and those with disabilities.”
Levin said students repeatedly comment on how Epps contributes to their professional growth and readiness for their future and colleagues admire her expertise, energy, and positive outlook.
Epps serves on the advisory board of the Center for Honor, Leadership and Service and is a faculty adviser of the Stafford Campus Honor Council. She received a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59
Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 established a career as an expert in microscopy in a time when women in the sciences faced entrenched professional inequality.
Building on a Mary Washington bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Rodgers accepted a fellowship from the University of Michigan and earned a master’s degree in chemistry in 1961. She was an electron microscopist at Phillips Electronic Instruments before beginning a four-decade career as an independent consultant to FEI, a premier provider of electron and ion-beam microscopes and tools for nanoscale applications.
“Mrs. Rodgers has served her alma mater with devotion and is among UMW’s most generous living donors,” said President Richard V. Hurley. “Her philanthropy has been carefully and thoughtfully structured to benefit UMW students directly.”
Among her significant contributions, Rodgers donated a transmission electron microscope, which put the UMW microscopy laboratory on par with labs of much larger research universities. Afterward, she came to campus to train faculty and students to use the microscope and to recognize student achievements.
Rodgers has endowed two student research fellowships for research in the physical and biological sciences and has established two Alvey Scholarships. An active advocate for Mary Washington, she has enthusiastically participated in 11 reunions of the Class of ’59.