A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
President Troy Paino
University of Mary Washington President Troy D. Paino has been named to the Virginia Business “Power 500” list for 2025–26, which recognizes the Commonwealth’s most influential leaders in business, government, politics and education. The annual list, now in its sixth year, highlights leaders across 21 industry categories. Paino is featured in the education section as one of 24 leaders that are recognized.
Professor of Education Melissa Wells
College of Education Professor Melissa Wells and former faculty Courtney Clayton received the Virginia Open Educational Resource (OER) Impact Award for their text, Foundations of American Education: A Critical Lens.
Created in 2025, the award recognizes outstanding OER in Higher Education that have had a significant impact in Virginia classrooms. Since publication in 2021, the free online textbook has had over 190,000 visitors and over 430,000 page views. UMW education professors Janine Davis, Teresa Coffman, Christy Irish and Melissa Jenkins also made contributions to the text.
Associate Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds
Associate Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds has authored an op-ed for Cardinal News titled “Virginia has one of the highest utility disconnection rates in the nation. The data center boom will make things worse.” Bonds highlights research from the Energy Justice Lab at Indiana University showing Dominion Energy disconnected 339,000 households from electrical service in Virginia for nonpayment in 2024, while Appalachian Power disconnected another 43,000 customers. Among the 23 states reporting data, Virginia had the highest disconnection rate. Bonds argues that the rise of energy-intensive data centers will worsen energy insecurity, leaving many families struggling. Read the op-ed in Cardinal News.
Director of First Year Admissions Sarah Lindberg
Sarah Lindberg ’08 found her way back to Mary Washington to guide the next generation of Eagles as Director of First-Year Admission. “Seeing and helping [students] walk through that process keeps me coming to work every day,” she said.
For Sarah, supporting students at such a pivotal time is what makes her role so meaningful. Hear her story in this episode of the PS: I Love U(MW) social media series. See all the PS: I Love U(MW) episodes on @marywash Instagram.
Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication and Digital Studies Anand Rao
Stefan Bauschard of Union College and adjunct instructor for this fall’s UMW course DGST 301N: AI in Society
The University of Mary Washington’s commitment to preparing students for an AI-driven world has gained international recognition. Anand Rao, professor of communication and director of UMW’s new Center for AI and the Liberal Arts, has co-authored a groundbreaking AI Literacy Module now available in all Oxford Insight courses from Oxford University Press (OUP).
The module was developed by Rao along with Stefan Bauschard of Union College and adjunct instructor for this Fall’s UMW course DGST 301N: AI in Society. The module responds to one of higher education’s most pressing questions: how can students learn to engage critically and ethically with generative AI? The interactive module includes short explainer videos, assessments, and course-specific activities that teach students the fundamentals of generative AI, academic integrity, effective prompting, and critical thinking. It is designed to help students not only navigate AI tools in their coursework but also apply those skills throughout their education and future careers.
The AI Literacy Module is available as an optional add-on in Oxford Insight’s all-in-one courseware and can be introduced at the start of the semester or prior to AI-related assignments. It provides a foundation for students across disciplines to understand and apply AI responsibly.
More information about the module can be found on Oxford University Press’s blog under “AI Literacy Module Arrives in Oxford Insight to Guide Students & Instructors.”
Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth was quoted in an NBC 4 article titled “Spanberger, Earle-Sears contrast messaging in ads as race for Virginia governor nears.” In the article, Farnsworth analyzed shifting campaign strategies, noting that economic concerns are no longer the primary GOP focus. “What you see with the Republican message right now is a very powerful pivot away from the economy, focusing instead on the cultural issues that worked well for Glenn Youngkin four years ago,” he said. Read the full article at NBC 4 and MSN.
Other media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Labor Days past: When politics leapt from summer doldrums to its fall stretch run (Virginia Mercury; Yahoo News)
“So much has changed in Virginia politics over the last 25 years, and those changes all work against events like Buena Vista,” said Stephen Farnsworth, political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. “For the dwindling Richmond press corps, it’s a very expensive proposition to make the trek. For the candidates, it’s not clear there’s a lot of value in going if there’s no coverage,” said Farnsworth who, before his 32 years as a professor, reported for the Kansas City Star. Read article at Virginia Mercury and Yahoo News.
U.S. National Guard troops start carrying weapons in Washington (CTV News Canada)
“I think this is clearly an effort to dominate the political environment,” said Stephen Farnsworth. Read article at CTV News Canada.
Poll: Spanberger ahead, Earle-Sears closes gap (DC News Now; MSN)
Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is a professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. Dr. Farnsworth reacts to Earle-Sears closing the gap and how each candidate should move forward with less than 100 days in the race. “Part of this has to do with Republicans coming together,” said Stephen Farnsworth. Read article at DC News Now and MSN.
Virginia’s top Senate Democrat wants to cover Trump cuts with weed tax revenue (WHRO; WVTF)
University of Mary Washington Political Science Professor Stephen Farnsworth said funding gaps include forthcoming rate hikes for those on Affordable Care Act healthcare plans and hits to tax revenue from federal layoffs. “Virginia is going to have to figure out how to generate significant additional cash to compensate for the economic challenges that come from President Trump’s policies,” he said. Read article at WHRO and WVTF.
Latest polling shows Spanberger leading Earle-Sears, LG/AG races within the margin of error (MSN)
“The numbers seem about where one might expect. This is a significant headwind for Republicans this election cycle,” University of Mary Washington Professor Stephen Farnsworth told 8News. Farnsworth said, although Spanberger’s seven-point lead is considerably smaller than her 17-point lead in May, it’s actually Republicans who should be worried. Read article at MSN.
Professor of History and American Studies, Krystyn Moon
Professor of History and American Studies Krystyn Moon gave a lecture at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture on Thursday, August 7, discussing her new book, Proximity to Power: Rethinking Race and Place in Alexandria, Virginia. Moon highlighted the long-standing advocacy and agency of Alexandria’s Black residents, adding further nuance to our understanding of the relationship between race and place. See more at WAVY TV3.
Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication and Digital Studies Anand Rao gave an invited presentation titled “AI and the Humanities: Through the Lens of AI Pluralism” at the Ai4 conference in Las Vegas this month. Ai4 is one of the largest AI conferences in the country with more than 12,000 attendees. Rao’s presentation focused on how higher ed, and in particular the humanities and liberal arts, can not only adapt to the challenges presented by AI, but also help lead the development of aligned and responsible AI in the future. Rao’s presentation was one of just eight presentations included on the education track.
Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews
Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews was recently featured in the African American Intellectual History Society’s (AAHSI) “The ‘Sinners’ Movie Syllabus.” In the May 2025 Black Perspectives newsletter, Dr. Jemar Tisby and Dr. Keisha N. Blain included Mathews’ 2017 book, Doctrine and Race: African American Evangelicals and Fundamentalism Between the Wars in the curated educational resource for instructors who wish to contextualize the recent film Sinners, released earlier this year. Such interdisciplinary syllabi help foster critical inquiry and dialogue about popular culture and recent events.
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth was quoted in a Yahoo News article titled “Trump suggests he may endorse Earle-Sears for VA governor.” In the article, Farnsworth noted that Trump often endorses candidates he views as likely winners, and told the news outlet, “The polls are really unfavorable right now, and it might be a really difficult environment to get a full-throated endorsement.” Read the full article from Yahoo News.
Other media mentions for Farnsworth include: