February 14, 2024
A note from the Dean
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

Last night, it was a pleasure to talk with Dr. Tameka Cage Conley in front of students, faculty, and staff—as well as many in the local community—about my 2021 book Afro-Nostalgia: Feeling Good in Contemporary Black Culture. It was a rich discussion about creating joy, fostering resilience, and finding your purpose, the culture of higher education, and the importance of community to our well-being. I enjoyed seeing many of you there. Thanks to all who attended!

Earlier today, I visited Takeda Pharmaceutical to discuss the topic of empowerment with their team and shared some of our own strategies from here at Oxford. I have enjoyed meeting and collaborating with our community partners.

This Friday, February 16, I encourage you to stop by the Dean’s Dining Room from 1:00-2:30 p.m. for a Lunch and Learn with Joe Sutherland—the director of the Emory Center for AI Learning—on how we can use AI in the workplace.

I wish you each a Happy Valentine’s Day and hope you enjoy the hearts strung about the trees by our wonderful students.

Warmly,
Badia
Submitting to Campus Update
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A reminder to all faculty and staff that Campus Update submissions are due no later than Monday at 5:00 p.m. for the Wednesday edition. Items that are received after that time will be included in the following week's newsletter.
Staff Features
Oxford Communications is featuring a staff member each week to help us get to know our colleagues. To nominate a staff colleague to answer our five-question profile for publication in future issues, please contact [email protected]. You can also nominate yourself!

NAME: Kim Foxworth
TITLE/DEPT: Academic Services Coordinator — Office of the Registrar
How long have you been at Oxford?
I have been at Oxford for four-and-a-half years. I maintain and update students' permanent academic records in an organized filing system and compile reports.
What do you like best about your job and about Oxford?
I like interacting with students and building community with my colleagues.
What is your favorite song/tv show/movie/restaurant/podcast?
My favorite song is "Lady In My Life" by Michael Jackson. My favorite TV show is NCIS: Los Angeles. I don't specifically have a favorite movie, but I enjoy watching comedy, action, and romance movies.
What makes you happy or brings you joy?
I love traveling with my husband; children; and our fur baby, Jacque. 
Please complete this sentence: It might surprise people to know that I...
...am a die-hard New Orleans Saints fan! #WHODAT
Oxford In The News
David Gowler, Pierce Chair of Religion, published an opinion piece in Religion News Service: “We need more Howard Thurman in our politics: The theologian and often-overlooked civil rights hero would have warned us against politics as a zero-sum game.” The piece can be found here.
Brad Hawley, Associate Teaching Professor of English, will participate in the University of Notre Dame program Virtues and Vocations: Reimagining the Character of Professional Education. The initiative offers an opportunity for faculty from across institutions and disciplines to join a community of practice in integrating moral virtues into their teaching. As part of the program, Hawley will redesign his Oxford Discovery Seminar, titled Ethical Issues in Fictional Narratives, and will encourage students to reflect on the values of justice, love, and compassion—not just in fiction, but in their own lives. He will learn from a total of five Notre Dame workshops over the course of spring and summer. After incorporating lessons from the workshops into a revised course design, the resulting syllabus will live in the program's Integrating Virtue Resource Library as a reference for other educators. The course will be offered at Oxford in fall 2024. 
Anouar El Younssi, Assistant Professor of Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies, recently published an academic article titled "The Material Resurgence of Tamazight in the Moroccan Public Sphere: Possibilities and Limits." It appeared in the Tamazgha Studies Journal. You can read the article here.
Alumni News
Tinsley Ellis Jr. 77Ox 79C released his first-ever solo acoustic album titled Naked Truth from Alligator Records.
Oxford Alumni Basketball Game
On Sophomore Day—Saturday, February 17—there will be an Oxford alumni basketball game at 1:00 p.m. in Williams Gym. Please come and support the Oxford men's basketball team. We will also be honoring Oxford's talented sophomores. You can register through the link here.
Dana Greene's Memorial Service Information
Dana Greene’s service will be live streamed on February 18, from 2-5 p.m., from Mount Vernon Unitarian Church in Alexandria, VA. You can access the livestream link here. Please visit Dana's obituary site and leave a favorite memory of her here.
Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues:
We request nominations for the Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award. This award is presented to faculty members in each of the four undergraduate schools in recognition of a record of excellence in undergraduate teaching. Established by Emory Williams, a 1932 Emory College alumnus and long-time trustee, the award designation represents a university honor for teaching. 

AWARD CRITERIA: 
Award recipients hold a record of excellence in teaching, having made major contributions in their academic discipline to curriculum development, pedagogy, and educational innovation. They have earned the respect of colleagues both at Emory and in the larger academic community. In addition to a stellar academic record and the accomplishments above, and in keeping with Mr. Williams’s wishes, the award honors faculty who: 
  • Foster participation, inquiry, and creative expression in the classroom
  • Exemplify the highest quality of teaching scholarship
  • Serve as a mentor to students
  • Currently teach undergraduate students
  • Retain a continual record of outstanding accomplishment and ongoing commitment to teaching
  • Make significant contributions that impact and advance the university through teaching. 

To make a nomination, submit a 1–2 page letter of nomination that includes the nominee’s name along with clear and detailed examples of teaching excellence, mentorship of students, and significant contributions that have impacted and advanced the university through teaching. Nominations should be submitted to the attention of Dr. Kristin Bonnie, Dean for Academic Affairs, via email to [email protected] by Friday, February 16, 2024. 
Oxford College Library's New Digital Exhibit
The Oxford College Library has adapted “The Work is Never Finished: Building Inclusive Archives”, originally on display at the library from October 2021 through December 2022, into a new digital exhibit. The exhibit highlights materials from the Oxford College Library’s Archives and Special Collections related to the early history of Emory College and Oxford College. Exhibit items document over 150 years of Oxford history and include films, photographs, interviews, family and business records, college records, student publications, and news clippings. “The Work Is Never Finished” presents evidence that challenges the dominant narratives of Emory history. The library staff hope that the exhibit provides space to consider multiple counter-narratives that confront systemic racism and examine its impact on the Oxford community, and that the exhibit can contribute to and enhance the conversations and work being done by Oxford faculty, staff, and students to create a more inclusive and just community. You can view the digital exhibit here.
Tarbutton and Kabir Fellows Story
Oxford’s Tarbutton Leadership and Kabir Fellows spent last summer working in communities at home and abroad exploring interests ranging from medicine and education to mental health research—all through Oxford's Center for Pathways and Purpose. The Center amplifies programs and resources to provide students with enriching developmental opportunities. Read more about the Center, as well as the adventures of the 2023 Tarbutton and Kabir Fellows, here.
Save The Date for CSCE: April 19, 2024
The Oxford College Library will host A Day of Celebration of Scholarship & Creative Expression (CSCE) on Friday, April 19, 2024. CSCE is a full day dedicated to exhibits, presentations, and poster sessions highlighting and celebrating the scholarship and creative work of students, faculty, and staff. Read about last year’s event here. 

Look for more information about this annual event in upcoming issues of this newsletter and EaglePost. 
FEBRUARY
That is Not Microfinance: How Ideas About the Good Life Shape Conflicts in International Development
Humanities 202 | 7:00 p.m.
Men's Basketball: Georgia Christian Community College
William's Gym | 1:00 p.m.
Take a Break Tuesday
Student Involvement, Leadership, & Transitions
Oxford Student Center Plaza | 1:15-2:30 p.m.
The Limits of "Family" presented by Dr. Abbey Willis
William's Gym | 6:30 p.m.
To submit a news item for the next Campus Update, please email Julia Kim.
The newsletter is distributed weekly on Wednesday. Please submit items by Monday afternoon.