Category: Professional Notes

Jason W. Davidson, Associate Professor, Political Science and International Affairs, attended the 58th Annual National Security Forum (NSF) at the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama by personal invitation from the Secretary of the Air Force. The purpose of NSF is to expose influential citizens to senior U.S. and international officers and civilian equivalents in order to engage each other’s ideas and perspectives on Air Force, national and international security issues.

 During the week of May 16-20, approximately 120 civilian leaders in business, education and government from all over the U.S. met with senior military leaders to explore current and future national security issues facing the nation. The NSF provides the opportunity for an open and candid exchange of ideas among these guests, senior military and civilian leaders, and our Air War College students. Jason attended lectures, met in seminars for in-depth discussions and participated in several social events.

Prof. Nabil Al-Tikriti (History) offered a lecture entitled “All My Children: Succession Politics Under Bayezid II” at the American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT) in Istanbul on 30 May 2011.  This talk was given in conjunction with the NEH/ARIT grant which Prof. Al-Tikriti held this spring.

Cate Brewer, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, has been selected to attend the Teacher Development Workshop at The Actors Center in NYC in June.

UMW’s Small Business Development Center will offer consulting and training sessions in King George County. The 90-minute consultations address finance, accounting, marketing and demographic analysis.

Offered in partnership with the King George Department of Economic Development, the sessions are free to the public. Appointments must be scheduled in advance and are conducted at the King George Office of Economic Development at 10459 Courthouse Drive.

The venture also includes King George County as a partner in the UMW SBDC regional Business Constellation Program, whose mission is to make business services more accessible by offering services at multiple offices throughout the region.

The UMW SBDC provides assistance to the small business community in 17 Virginia counties and cities through management training, research and consulting.

In 2010, the center received full reaccreditation by the Association of Small Business Development Centers, the national accrediting body for SBDCs under contract with the U.S. Small Business Administration. In addition, Brian J. Baker, executive director of the SBDC, was awarded the Virginia Small Business Development Centers State Star Award in recognition of his contributions to the state program and his commitment to small business.

For more information, contact the SBDC office at (540) 286-8060.

UMW has been selected as host of the 2011 Governor’s Foreign Language Academy in German by the Virginia Department of Education.

This summer, 45 Virginia high school students who have excelled in language study will reside on UMW’s Fredericksburg campus from June 25-July 17. The program provides students with a three-week foreign language immersion intensive environment.

Marcel Rotter, associate professor of German, said the university’s dedication to foreign language studies makes Mary Washington a fitting site of the program. Rotter, who developed the grant proposal for the German academy, will be the program coordinator.

“UMW has a strong commitment to liberal arts education, including foreign language education,” said Rotter. “We have a language requirement that provides all graduates at least an intermediate knowledge of one foreign language. The recent restructuring of the Office of International Academic Services is additional evidence.”

During the academy, use of the English language is forbidden. Participants agree to strictly speak German for the duration of the program.