A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
Assistant Professor of Communication Adria Goldman
Associate Professor of Communication Adria Y. Goldman shared her expertise with NBC and MSN, following fashion comments making headlines. Recently, Goldman said, the pendulum has swung further to define some Black mothers negatively for their sexuality. Read more.
Spearheaded by UMW Assistant Athletic Trainer Katie Carnaghi, the Let’s Talk Eagles initiative lays out a full game plan, with monthly meetings, timely topics like nutrition and stress management, and most of all, a safe space for sharing concerns and conversation. Read more.
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently analyzed political fundraising for Governor Youngkin and commented on Virginia school funding, amid upcoming races and early voting.
Grace Anne Braxton. Photo by Scott K Brown Photography Inc.
Grace Anne Braxton has a pile of gold, silver and bronze medals from international competitions, but it’s been the informal titles she’s earned along the way that say even more about her skills and personality. Read more.
Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs and Adjunct Fellow at Pacific Forum, appeared on Al Jazeera’s July 10, 2023 Inside Story news talk program to discuss U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen’s visit to Beijing and US-China relations. Professor Larus stated that US firms are putting tremendous pressure on the Biden administration to foster a stable environment in which to do business with and in China. To repair US-China relations, both Washington and Beijing need to work to manage, rather than solve, irreconcilable differences.
Dave Fleming, Assistant Dean of Residence Life and Housing and Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs
It was a wonderful privilege to speak on a panel with two dynamic Student Affairs professionals, Brian Arao, Ed.D. and Libby Spotts, about reimagining the performance review process. I wasn’t going to listen to it but decided to on my way home from a long day in the office. This episode is full of powerful guidance and encouragement for supervisors and employees in and beyond Student Affairs. Read more.
Senior Associate Registrar Kevin Caffrey
Senior Associate Registrar Kevin Caffrey was a guest on WOSU’s All Sides and spoke with host Matthew Rand of 89.7 NPR News about workplace culture and returning to the office post-COVID. The piece was titled “Will working full-time in an office become the norm again for the majority of the workforce?” Topics included the importance of employers valuing physical as well as psychological safety at work as well as the importance of cultivating a positive workplace culture that prioritizes empathetic communication and leadership. Caffrey explained that post COVID-19, “Organizations really need to assess and reflect on their workplace culture. Is it a place that their employees are going to want to return to and feel physically and psychologically safe?” Listen to the program.
Center for Teaching Director and Associate Professor of Education Victoria Russell
Center for Teaching Director Victoria Russell has been elected Communications Chair in the Virginia Educational Development Collaborative (VEDC). The VEDC is a consortium of faculty developers in Virginia who meet regularly to share and promote best practices in college teaching. The consortium was an initiative created through the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Russell will serve a three-year term on the Executive Council with officers from institutions across Virginia.
Russell also was recently selected for the 2023-2024 Senior Leadership Seminar for the Virginia Network of the American Council on Education’s Women’s Network. Initiated in 1987, the Senior Leadership Seminar provides a forum to bring together emerging women leaders with established leaders in higher education in the Commonwealth. The Senior Leadership seminar focuses on three core areas: personal development, professional development, and trends in higher education. During meetings throughout the year, speakers and guests join the group to discuss critical issues facing higher education from a variety of perspectives.
UMW James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams’ behind-the-scenes work with the City of Fredericksburg’s Victoria Matthews was lauded in an article titled “Fredericksburg unveils historic marker honoring John Washington,” which ran recently in The Free Lance-Star. “In February, the city and the University of Mary Washington introduced a Civil Rights Trail that has been years in the making,” the article says. Williams and Matthews have been the driving force behind the initiatives. Read more.
Professor and Chair of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman
Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Affairs Rosalyn Cooperman penned an article titled “The Fight for Partisan Control of Virginia’s State Legislature Continues and Democratic Women are on the Front Line” for the Center for American Women in Politics/Rutgers. The article pointed to three main takeaways of how gender is playing a significant role on the campaign trail in Virginia for the House of Delegates and state Senate. Read the article.