Editor's Desk

Thank you for your article about Farrah Tek ’10 and her work in Cambodia (Pursuit of Justice, Fall/Winter 2011), which was so beautifully written by Kristin Davis, photographed by Reza Marvashti, and designed so spectacularly by the staff at University of Mary Washington Magazine. When our daughter saw the magazine, she asked me to make a color copy of the cover. She already has the photocopy on her wall. Farrah is one of her greatest heroes. Gregory H. Stanton President, Genocide Watch [Stanton, a former UMW James Farmer professor of human rights, was Tek’s teacher and adviser.] … [Read more...]

No one exuded more exuberance for life than Ruby Lee Norris ’36.That’s why news of her stroke earlier this year and subsequent death hit me so hard. I first met Ruby Lee eight years ago at her Topping, Va., home in Virginia’s Northern Neck. As the new Mary Washington magazine editor, I was her invited guest. In her mind, we were kindred spirits, laborers in the thankless but gratifying world of words. We sipped tea while perusing the Pleasant Living magazines on her coffee table – nearly every one with an article or photograph by Ruby Lee. Using a state-of-the-art computer, she was a writer, blogger, emailer, and faithful UMW class agent. As daily inspiration, I keep a snapshot of Ruby Lee – eyes twinkling – on my desk. At a packed funeral service, her pastor and friends tried to find words to capture this 96-year-old who defied description: A lady of great stature Dignified, gracious, enlightened, forthright, and faithful An elder stateswoman  A fashion icon A … [Read more...]