Category: What’s New @ UMW

At the end of the calendar year, the University received a gift of $33,333 to support the existing Chiles Scholarship. The late Dorothy Chiles Hodnette ’26 originally established the Chiles Scholarship in 1992 to showcase her love for Mary Washington and to honor her three sisters: Avie Bell Chiles Smith ’19, Lula Garland Chiles Clark ’31, and Mary Chiles Henderson ’27.

Mrs. Hodnette’s daughter, Dr. Lucy Gibbs, made the new gift to augment the endowed scholarship to benefit students who demonstrate exceptional academic ability.

This gift announcement is from the Office of Advancement and University Relations.

Eight faculty members were awarded sabbatical leaves for all or part of the 2012-13 academic year to pursue a research or other professional development project, according to the December 2011 newsletter from the Provost’s Office.  Another six faculty members will spend the next academic year as Jepson Fellows with a half-time teaching load while they pursue a research project that has particular and direct application to their teaching.

The 2012-13 sabbatical awardees and their project statements are listed below:

• Nabil Al-Tikriti, Department of History and American Studies.  Project for spring 2013: complete final chapters of monograph on the Ottoman empire and submit final draft for publication.

• David Cain, Department of Classics, Philosophy, and Religion.  Project for fall 2012: complete a collection of essays on Kierkegaard.

• Mindy Erchull, Department of Psychology.  Project for fall 2012: analyze collected data, prepare to present project and results for publication on objectification among young women.

• Eric Gable, Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Project for spring 2013: complete book on the archeology of art.

• James Gaines, Department of Modern Foreign Languages.  Project for spring 2013: complete series of articles on 18^th century literature.

• Stephen Hanna, Department of Geography.  Project for 2012-13 academic year: consolidate research and submit book for publication on heritage tourism in Fredericksburg.

• Bruce O’Brien, Department of History and American Studies.  Project for 2012-13 academic year: complete book draft for a series on modern England (Academic year 2012-2013).

• Jennifer Polack-Wahl, Department of Computer Science.  Project for spring 2013: complete final testing of iTouch to be used in elementary education.

Jepson Fellows and titles of their projects for 2012-13 are:

• Janet Asper, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, “Development of Super-absorbing Organic Gellants for Crude Oil, and a Polymer Themed Organic Chemistry Laboratory Curriculum”

• Julius N. Esunge, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, “Minimizing Insurance Company Risk in a Random Framework”

• Ben LaBreche, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Linguistics, and Communication (English), “Liberty Agonistes: The Problem of Freedom in the Age of Milton”

• Jangwoon (Leo) Lee, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, “A Domain Decomposition Method for Mathematical Models with Random Input Data”

• Jason Matzke, Associate Professor, Department of Classics, Philosophy, and Religion (Philosophy), “Between Civil Disobedience and Burning Rage: Reframing Radical Environmental Activism within Deliberative Democracy”

• Colin Rafferty, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Linguistics, and Communication (English), “Beyond Truth: A False Memoir in Literature and Culture”

Daniel Preston, editor of the Papers of James Monroe, published volume four of the Monroe Papers, which covers the years 1796-1802, in November.  Preston, who has been the editor of the Monroe Papers at UMW since 1999, received a three-year grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities in September.  Prior to the receipt of the NEH grant, the Monroe Papers received major support from a gift to UMW from Robert and Alice Jepson.

Birding at Stratford: Left Out In The Cold. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14.

Dr. Andrew Dolby, chair of the University of Mary Washington’s Department of Biological Sciences and president of the Virginia Society of Ornithology, will lead a walk across the estate and discuss adaptation of birds to the challenges of winter. This is the first in four-part series of programs through September.

Registration is $25 with a $10 box lunch optional; the program is free to Friends of Stratford  members. To register, email rsvp@stratfordhall.org, fax 804/493-0333 or leave a voicemail, 804-493/8038, ext. 7787. Continuing Education Units  available.

Details:  bit.ly/xoPGAS. Stratford Hall is 45 minutes east of Fredericksburg off State Route 3.  stratfordhall.org; 804/493-8038.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration will include a keynote lecture, a film and discussion and a day of service.

Keynote Speaker: Marc Lamont Hill
Sponsored by the Office of the President
Wednesday, Jan. 18
4 p.m, Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall

Activist, social critic, and scholar Marc Lamont Hill is consistently recognized as one of the nation’s most notable African-American leaders. An associate professor at Columbia University, he has emerged as an important voice in a new generation of public intellectuals. With a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, Hill has focused his research on the intersections of youth culture, identity, and educational processes.
In his inspirational keynote speech, Building Toward the Dream: Progress in the Age of Obama, Hill will address political activism and social change in today’s society. He will speak about the importance of honest communication about both the past and present to precipitate social progress. Martin Luther King, Jr. was known for his ability to connect with individuals and inspire them to work for social justice. Hill hopes to remind people of King’s legacy and encourage them to continue to work for social change.

Film and Discussion: King: Man of Peace in a Time of War
Sponsored by Omicron Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Thursday, Jan. 19
6 p.m., Lee Hall, room 411

In the 2007 documentary King: Man of Peace in a Time of War, an archived interview with Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as interviews with Jesse Jackson, Colin Powell, and others, gives an in-depth look at King’s dream of peace. During a time of unrest, when the Vietnam War and civil rights movement were at the forefront of the world’s mind, King still expressed hope and a strong belief that one day there would be peace. This influential documentary provides an intimate look into King’s life and thoughts; it is a tribute to the man whose strong will and pursuit of equality is still an inspiration.

MLK, Jr. Day of Service
Saturday, Jan. 21
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service. This year, the UMW MLK, Jr. Day of Service will focus on service projects that recognize Dr. King’s dedication to addressing social justice issues, such as poverty and public health. All members of the campus community are invited to participate in the UMW MLK, Jr. Day of Service. Honor Dr. King’s legacy by giving back and getting involved with the Fredericksburg community. Please register online at the James Farmer Multicultural Center website. Community service projects are available in three- or four-hour increments. To sign up, please download the following form and return it to our office in Lee 211, click this link to sign up online,  or contact the Office of Community Service at 540-654-1122.