A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
Assistant Director of New Student Programs Lilly Lester ’20 is often one of the first faces students see — whether at orientation or move-in day. She supports new and transfer students through programming, resources and encouragement every step of the way. Lester helps plan some of the biggest events of the year; her energy and […]
Professor of Political Science and Director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth recently presented a public lecture, “Surveying the Virginia Political Landscape: The Commonwealth’s 2025 Elections and the Policy Challenges of 2026,” at the Richmond World Affairs Council.Media mentions for Farnsworth include: Special Session Redistricting (WUSA TV) “Yes, absolutely and […]
Elizabeth Freund Larus, professor emerita of political science and international affairs, has been invited to speak at the 2025 Polyglot Conference in Taipei, November 10-12. Larus will offer her Chinese-English bilingual presentation “How to Prepare for Public Speaking in a Foreign Language — Lessons from Learning to Speak Mandarin,” to more than 400 teachers, interpreters, […]
Professor of Art History Julia DeLancey was featured in The Free Lance-Star in an article titled “Lecture set on Piazza San Marco.” The piece highlights her upcoming public talk, “Piazza San Marco, Venice’s Stage: Building Power, Facing Peril,” hosted by the Fredericksburg-Este Association.DeLancey will explore how Renaissance Venetians – both those in power and those […]
UMW Museums Director Scott Harris joined News Talk 1230 WFVA’s Town Talk to discuss “Bringing Eliza Home,” the remarkable story of the repatriation of Eliza Monroe Hay, daughter of President James Monroe. Harris spoke with local historian Kathryn Willis about the years-long effort to recover Hay’s remains from Paris and return them to Virginia. On October […]
Associate Professor of English Brenta Blevins recently presented at the Corridors: Blue Ridge Writing & Rhetoric Conference at Radford University. The presentation, titled “Whose Words Are These? Voice in the Age of Generative AI,” explored how generative AI is reshaping the way we understand authorship and expression in academic writing. Blevins’ talk examined the relationship […]
Professor of Historic Preservation Michael Spencer was quoted in Daily Kos in an article titled “Move over, France: Trump wants his own Arc de Triomphe.” The piece explores reports that the President is considering a large-scale commemorative structure in Washington, D.C., raising questions about preservation and planning.Spencer noted the tension between preservation principles and political […]
Associate Professor of Economics Amrita Dhar was featured in The Free Lance-Star in an article titled “UMW brings financial lessons to schools.” The story highlights Dhar’s leadership as director of the University of Mary Washington’s Center for Economic Education, which is expanding its reach across the Fredericksburg region.Dhar collaborates with superintendents, principals and teachers in […]
Professor of Political Science and Director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth recently presented a keynote online lecture, “Shaping Tomorrow Today: Politics and Health Care Policy in Virginia in 2025,” at the Annual Conference of the Virginia Nurses Association. Richmond.Media mentions for Farnsworth include: They Were Rising Democratic Stars. Then […]
Head of Special Collections & University Archives Emerita Carolyn Parsons was recently elected Regional Coordinator for the Jane Austen Society of North America’s (JASNA) Central Virginia region. This year marks the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth and the organization is providing free membership to all interested students through December. The JASMA annual conference, Jane Austen […]
