Nathaniel H. Brown, a professor of English at Mary Washington for more than 30 years, died Nov. 2, 2012, in New Mexico. He was 83. He was a scholar of Romantic poets, with a particular interest in Percy Bysshe Shelley. Harvard University published his Sexuality and Feminism in Shelley in 1979. Brown was an avid tennis player during his Fredericksburg years. He also was a jazz enthusiast. He moved to Santa Fe County, N.M., in 2007 to live with son Whitney Brown, daughter-in-law Beth Brown, and granddaughter Nola Grace Brown. Other survivors include daughter Curry Brown of Fieldale, Va., son Mackenzie Gates Brown of Austin, Texas, two brothers, and a sister. … [Read more...]
Bernard C. Lemoine
March 27, 2013 by
Bernard Charles Lemoine, professor emeritus of music, passed away Jan. 19, 2013. He was 83. A pianist, Lemoine joined the Mary Washington faculty in 1965 and served for 36 years. He taught music theory and focused on the 18th and 19th centuries, the period in which Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms wrote. He shared his appreciation of such Russian composers as Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev with his studio students. Lemoine had a bachelor of music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, a master of music degree in piano performance from the University of Illinois, and a doctorate in music theory from the Catholic University of America. A native of Massachusetts, Lemoine lived in Fredericksburg. He was preceded in death by his wife of 37 years, harpist Suzanne DeLaney Lemoine. He is survived by two children, three grandchildren, and three brothers. … [Read more...]
A Letter to My Fellow Alumni
March 26, 2013 by
As Alumni Association president, I’m privileged to represent more than 35,000 Mary Washington graduates worldwide. Regional alumni networks are becoming re-invigorated. I encourage you to get involved. Check the Alumni page for events in your area. Mary Washington students are actively engaged in high caliber academics and more than 100 clubs and 20 NCAA teams. Student service groups are busy with activities such as Alternative Spring Break, Good Neighbor Day, and Relay for Life. Campus is as beautiful as ever. Newly renovated Mason and Randolph halls have state-of-the-art capabilities. A pedestrian bridge over U.S. 1 connects the main campus to Eagle Village, with student apartments, student-friendly businesses, and the Hyatt Place hotel, slated to open this fall. The Convergence Center, a high-tech hub of academic resources, is under construction. We’ll break ground in May for the Campus Center, with student activity areas, dining services, and a ballroom. Happily, the new … [Read more...]
Alice B. Rabson
March 26, 2013 by
Alice Rabson, retired professor of psychology and outspoken advocate of equality for all, died Oct. 22, 2012. She was 92. Rabson arrived on campus just as the coeducation era began, and she was an immediate and avid supporter of admitting men to what was then Mary Washington College. Throughout the 1970s and into the ’80s, she taught such topics as psychology of women, human sexual response, personality, and social psychology. Rabson helped form a Fredericksburg-area chapter of the National Organization for Women and encouraged students to join. She was among the founders of the Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence, now called Empowerhouse. After she retired from Mary Washington in 1985, Rabson joined the Peace Corps at age 65. She served in the Marshall Islands, teaching English and psychology, and writing and distributing information about health topics. Back in Fredericksburg, Rabson continued to volunteer her time and talents. She was known for her crisply worded … [Read more...]
Swimming Above the Challenge
March 26, 2013 by
When top Division I schools courted Alex Anderson ’15 for a swim scholarship in 2006, the high school senior wasn’t ready. Recruiters from universities in such states as Alabama, Arizona, and Indiana saw a record-setting competitor who took two state titles in the 500-yard freestyle. Anderson saw a commitment to academics he wasn’t ready to make. He turned his back on school, and for a few years he lost his way − and his sport. Seven years later he’s making a name for himself as a UMW student-athlete on the Eagles swim team. In February, the sophomore was named Capital Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Year at a meet in which he broke four individual school and conference records and swam in four record-breaking relays. He represented the University at the March NCAA Championships in Texas, becoming the fourth individual NCAA national champion in UMW school history. Meanwhile, the water helped Anderson get his life on track. “Swimming turned into a therapeutic sport for … [Read more...]
Success Built on Respect
March 26, 2013 by
Diana Rupert Livingston ’71 set forth a vision as general manager of a QVC call center that opened in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in 1999. Co-worker Tom Yurkovich still has those words hanging on his office bulletin board: “Create an environment where people feel valued, want to come to work, and feel time here is well spent.” “It’s how we treat one another,” said Yurkovich, who credits Livingston with fostering an atmosphere of respect and truly caring about the people around her. “She has a sincere interest in understanding people. If you’re going to sit down and have a conversation with Diana, she is going to be interested in what you’re saying.” Livingston worked in two of the three domestic customer contact centers of the multinational home shopping network QVC before opening her own 1,200-employee QVC call center as general manager. A teacher of emotional intelligence and a consummate volunteer recognized with the 2008 Volunteer Service Award from President George W. Bush, … [Read more...]
Professor to Take Air Force Academy Post
March 26, 2013 by
Professor of Psychology Christopher Kilmartin has been chosen to serve a one-year post as distinguished visiting professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. Beginning in July, Kilmartin will teach courses on violence prevention and gender studies in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership. He also will consult with Air Force Academy sexual assault prevention personnel to help improve school programming. Kilmartin, a licensed clinical psychologist, is an internationally recognized expert on gender and on violence prevention. He held a three-year consultation with the U.S. Naval Academy on a revision of sexual assault and harassment prevention curriculum and worked with the Army on similar topics. The author of books including The Masculine Self and The Pain Behind the Mask: Overcoming Masculine Depression, Kilmartin holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. … [Read more...]
George M. Van Sant
March 25, 2013 by
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy George Van Sant passed away Jan. 20, 2013, at age 83. He retired from UMW in 1990, and in 2004 he moved to Irvington, Va., with his wife, Melina Van Sant. She survives him, as do a daughter, four stepchildren, and nine step grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Edward Van Sant, and by three wives, Shirley Van Sant; Peggy Van Sant, the mother of his children; and UMW Professor of English Susan J. Hanna. See Closing Column to read more about his life. … [Read more...]