Category: Professional Notes

John N. Pearce, former director of the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library and former professor of historic preservation at the University of Mary Washington, has been honored with the prestigious History Award from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The distinction, given for lifetime contribution to American history, is awarded to only seven Americans each year.

Diana Wallace Perrussel, regent of the Overwharton Parish Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, presented the gold medal to Pearce on Saturday, November 12 at the residence of UMW alumna Judy Barton who nominated her former professor.

Pearce was recognized for his leadership of the James Monroe Museum and his long-standing devotion to preserving history in Fredericksburg and other parts of the nation. Among his vast accomplishments, Pearce worked to restore the 1849 building that houses St. George’s Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, raised money to preserve the 18th century Masonic cemetery, established the only Welsh festival on the East Coast to honor the heritage of the fifth president of the United States, helped create the James Monroe Presidential Center and served as liaison for the Enchanted Castle site established by Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood in the early1800s.

Read the full release.

Kristen LePine has been named resident playwright and company member at the HUB Theatre in Fairfax, Virginia.  The HUB has commissioned Kristen to write a new play this spring.

Also, Pinky Swears Productions in Washington, DC recently presented an excerpt of Kristen’s play Leto Legend at their SWEAR IT! Smörgåsbord.

Jim Groom, director of teaching and learning technologies, is featured in the November 2011 newsletter of Educause. The newsletter, “7 Things You Should Know About MOOCs,” mentions Groom’s leadership with the “Digital Storytelling” course. Read the full article.

Jeff McClurken, associate professor of history, will moderate the Years of Anguish Sesquicentennial speakers’ forum on Saturday, Nov. 12.  The forum, held in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium from 1 to 5 p.m., will feature acclaimed historians Gary Gallagher and Peter Carmichael.

The Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center, the National Park Service and the University of Mary Washington are sponsoring the program, which is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow the presentations in the Dodd Auditorium Foyer.

Gary Gallagher, the John L. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War at the University of Virginia, will present the lecture, “Devoted to Union.”

Peter Carmichael, director of the Civil War Institute and Robert C. Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Studies at Gettysburg College, will explore how the generation of 1861 understood the war and why they fought.

Pre-registration is not required, but is requested.  Register on-line at www.famcc.org, or 540-371-3037 ext. 400.

Charles Shields, associate director of the Great Lives lecture series, is featured in an article in the Nov.10 issue of The Free Lance-Star. The article discusses Shields’ new biography, And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut, A Life and the upcoming book discussion in Fredericksburg on Thursday, Nov. 17. Read the full article.

A question-and-answer session with Shields is in Reuters‘ Book Talk. Shields answers questions about Kurt Vonnegut’s life and legacy. Read the full article.

The biography also is featured in an article in USA Today, calling Shields’ work “engaging and surprising.” Read the full article.