Professional Notes Archives

Larus Provides Geopolitical Analysis for BBC News

July 9, 2025 by Guest Author

Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus

Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Freund Larus was quoted by BBC News in an article titled “Will the spillover effect of the US surprise attack on Iran cover North Korea and the Taiwan Strait? Asia-Pacific region hotly discusses Trump’s muscle flexing.” In the article, Larus, who serves as an Adjunct Senior Fellow at Pacific Forum, provided expert analysis on regional geopolitical implications, noting that if the U.S. mission against Iran’s nuclear weapons is ultimately successful, Beijing will grudgingly realize again that the United States is not a “wounded hegemon.” Read the article.

Gupta Quoted in TRT Global on U.S. Economic Policy

June 26, 2025 by Guest Author

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Surupta Gupta

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Surupta Gupta was quoted in a article titled “Will a proposed US law become a ‘bunker-buster’ for the global economy?” for TRT Global. In the article, Gupta provided analysis on the international implications of proposed US legislations. An excerpt from the article reads, “These countries will face pressure to negotiate deals with the US or find alternative partners,” Professor Surupa Gupta of the University of Mary Washington, Virginia, tells TRT World. Read the article.

Fallon Presents at African Linguistics Conference

June 26, 2025 by Guest Author

Associate Professor of Linguistics Paul Fallon

Associate Professor of Linguistics Paul D. Fallon gave a virtual presentation at the 56th Annual Conference on African Linguistics (ACAL), held online and at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, Minneapolis, on May 6, 2025. His talk was entitled “‘Fire’, ‘nose’, ‘water’, mouth’: Comparing the Leipzig-Jakarta and Swadesh lists in Central Cushitic.” He shared the results of his investigations comparing lexical borrowing using two vocabulary lists in two different time depths for Central Cushitic languages (spoken in the Horn of Africa).

In addition, Fallon has been appointed as one of two Reviews Editors for Dictionaries: Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America. The first issue under his editorship appeared in mid-June 2025.

Barry Elected Associate Editor for the Journal of Early Christian Studies

June 25, 2025 by Guest Author

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Jennifer Barry

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Jennifer Barry was recently elected Associate Editor for the Journal of Early Christian Studies (JECS). This prestigious appointment reflects Barry’s national reputation in the field of Late Antiquity and early Christian historiography. The JECS is a leading peer-reviewed publication dedicated to the study of Christianity in the ancient world. In her new role, Barry will help shape the direction of cutting-edge scholarship in the field, bringing her expertise in gender, rhetoric and historical memory to one of the discipline’s most influential journals.

Al-Tikriti Lectures DLA Unit on Middle East Affairs

June 25, 2025 by Guest Author

Professor of Middle East History Nabil Al-Tikriti

Professor of Middle East History Nabil Al-Tikriti discussed the current situation in the Middle East this month, covering economic, military, political and diplomatic affairs. He made this presentation to Ft. Belvoir’s Supply Corps Reserve Unit supporting the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), with reserve unit attendees present from the U.S. Army, Navy and Marines. The presentation included broad ranging discussions of conflicts, tensions, historical backgrounds and theatre realities for the Indo-Pakistan conflict, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, the Caucasus, Turkey, the Gulf States, Syria and Israel-Palestine. In the course of this discussion, Al-Tikriti shared his analysis of the long-term effects of the Gaza Genocide, Ukraine war and China’s construction of a parallel global economy.

Mathews Shares Religious Expertise Across National Media Platforms

June 25, 2025 by Guest Author

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews has been featured across multiple media outlets recently, sharing her expertise on religious topics. In May, she was part of a panel discussion on Black religious life hosted by Fairfax County NAACP (the panel starts around minute 54 of the linked video). Earlier this month, she was interviewed for an article in an Italian magazine “PrisMag” about the prospect of the first American pope.

Most recently, Mathews was featured on NBC Washingtons “4 Your Reading” series, which highlights local authors, where she discusses her new book titled Contentious Unions, which explores the intertwined histories of three historically Black institutions: Richmond Theological Seminary in Virginia, Central City College in Georgia and American Baptist Theological Seminary in Tennessee.

Davidson Analyzes NATO Tensions for Atlantic Council

June 25, 2025 by Guest Author

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson shared expert insight in a recent article for the Atlantic Council titled “What explains the transatlantic rift? It’s all about threat perception.” As NATO allies prepare for his month’s summit in The Hague, Davidson explores differing views on global threats and defense spending, particularly in the light of U.S calls for increase military investment. Davidson’s analysis helps contextualize the evolving dynamics within the alliance. Read the article.

Moon Publishes Book on Race and Geography

June 25, 2025 by Guest Author

Professor of History and American Studies, Krystyn Moon

Professor of History and American Studies Krystyn Moon has published a new book titled Proximity to Power: Rethinking Race and Place in Alexandria, Virginia with the University of North Carolina Press (2025).

The book examines how Alexandria’s unique geographic position across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. profoundly shaped the experiences of African American residents from the mid-19th century to the present day. Moon explores how this proximity to the nation’s capital affected Black residents’ access to schools, transportation and other resources compared to other southern communities. Through detailed analysis of Alexandria’s Black community, the book highlights their enduring advocacy and resilience while adding important nuance to our understanding of how geography influences racial experience in America.

Kelly Discusses Education on Chamber Podcast

June 25, 2025 by Guest Author

College of Education Dean Pete Kelly

College of Education Dean Pete Kelly was recently featured on the Chamber Talks podcast, produced by the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce. In the episode titled “Beyond the Classroom: Honoring Our Region’s Teachers,” Kelly is joined by Fredericksburg City Public Schools Superintendent Marci Catlett to discuss the current landscape of education. Together, they shared insights into the challenges and opportunities facing both K-12 and higher education and the vital role teachers play in shaping future generations. Listen to the episode.

Lindberg Featured in CampusESP Communications Article

June 25, 2025 by Guest Author

Director of First Year Admissions Sarah Lindberg

Director of First Year Admissions Sarah Lindberg was featured in a CampusESP article titled “Boost enrollment by personalizing your institutional voice to families.” The article highlighted strategies from a panel discussion at the 2025 CampusESP Summit where Lindberg shared how UMW uses authentic communication as a competitive advantage in enrollment. Lindberg discussed UMW’s approach, noting that “we don’t stat with tech, we start with where a family is in the funnel.” Read the article.

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