FACULTY AND STAFF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND BEST PRACTICES // May 2025

Sara Sewell published "La memoria sensoriale," (Sensory Memory) in Musica per la Shoah: Concerti per il Giorno della Memoria al Conservatorio G. Verdi di Torino, Erik Battaglia et al., Florence: Giuntina, 2025.

Alain Gabon published "New French Islamophobia in a post-Secular France" in the book Secularism, Race, and the Politics of Islamophobia (University of Alberta Press).

President Scott D. Miller serves as executive editor for the President to President thought leadership series. The tenth and final chapter of this year’s series is now available online. In “From General to President: Game-Changing Leadership and Thoughts for Higher Education Excellence,” Hampton University President Lt. Gen. Darrell K. Williams (US Army, retired) examines the idea that many successful leaders, regardless of profession or industry, lean on one universal truth: understanding and exhibiting respect for the organization’s overall mission is critical. Once leaders feel confident in that conviction, they can recognize how and when to apply lessons learned from past experiences as they lead their organizations.

President Miller's most recent article in Enrollment Manager, with co-author Dr. Katelyn Sanders, Director of Admission & Alumni Affairs at the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy of Shenandoah University, entitled, “How to Showcase Your Campus Culture in a Way That Resonates with Prospective Students” is now available online. President Miller's blog, Dialogue, can be found at prezscottmiller.blogspot.com.

Caitlin Williams spoke on an alumni panel to a group of more than 175 undergraduate and post-doctoral students in the CIRTL program, whose goal is to provide pedagogy training to future faculty.

Kathy Stolley co-facilitated a virtual "Undergraduate Coffee Chat with Applied Sociologists" for the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology.

Kathy Merlock Jackson chaired a panel at the Popular Culture Association Conference in New Orleans on "The Legacy of the American Culture Ph.D. Program at Bowling Green State University" and presented a paper, "Looking Back, Looking Forward: The Study of Childhood, Disney, and Media Over Time." The session brought together members of the program's seminal cohort and current students.

Merlock Jackson also served on the review committee for the Jones Award for the best paper presented in American culture by a graduate student at the Popular Culture Conference. The award is named for former Virginia Wesleyan political science professor William M. Jones.

Kelsi Dunman, Amanda Battle, and Sarah deRosa presented, "Building Together: Lego Workshops for Literacy and Resilience," at the annual VIVA Community Forum as part of the Lightning Round Member Talks. The Lego Literacy Workshops will be piloted through VWU's WesBridge Scholars program this fall.

Maynard Schaus presented a poster entitled, "Habitat Restoration Efforts to Promote Access to Urban Green Space," at the Hampton Roads Social Justice Conference. Elizabeth Malcolm, Chris Haley, Annika Quick, Garry Harris, Bill McConnell, Eric Johnson, and Bethany Smeeton were co-authors on the poster presentation.

April Christman and Benjamin Dobrin presented, “Meeting the growing mental health demand during times of high crisis and low resource availability, through a public health lens,” at the National Association of Social Workers VA 2025 Virtual Conference. This presentation was approved by the Association of Social Work Boards to award attendees 2 CEUs toward their clinical license renewal.

OTHER

April Christman completed a training facilitated by the Council on Social Work Education:

"Nourishing action: Environmental Justice in the classroom." The training explored how to teach environmental justice within social work, with an emphasis on ways to teach about environmental changes, collective human rights, and the rights of nature.

Victor Townsend was invited to participate in Career Day at Lindenwood Elementary School in Norfolk, VA, as a presenter representing the profession of scientist/professor.

Representing the Robert Nusbaum Center at VWU, Eric Michael Mazur is one of 18 historians and legal scholars from around the country to sign on to an amicus brief accepted by the United States Supreme Court for OKLAHOMA STATEWIDE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD vs. DRUMMOND, a First Amendment religion case scheduled to be heard in May.

Kelsi Dunman has been selected as a volunteer coordinator for the Virginia Library

Association's Conference Committee. She will oversee volunteers for the VLA Annual Conference and assist with planning and executing the conference.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Students in Mindy Gumpert’s Classroom Management course welcomed third graders from Norfolk Collegiate to VWU for a morning of engaging environmental education. Highlights included hands-on stations, with the “Build a Buoy” challenge—testing designs to see if they could float or sink—proving to be a favorite among the children.

Students in Gumpert’s Foundations/Legal Issues in Special Education course toured Chesapeake Bay Academy (CBA) to learn of alternate school options for students with learning differences. One student reflected that one of the best things about CBA, other than its inclusive education, is their affirmations and attitudes toward students.