Congratulations to Two Graduating Staff Members

Posted on May 9, 2012 by grjohnson

The College congratulates Patsy Connors and Naomi Batten, both staff members in the College of Humanities and Sciences, who are graduating this week!

Patsy, who works in the Dean’s Office as Assistant Director of Financial Operations, is graduating magna cum laude with a degree in History and minors in Art History and Latin and Roman Classics. Patsy tells us:

“These were all subjects I loved, but somehow I ended up taking practical courses like accounting and other business classes which served me well. I came to work at VCU in 1995 and moved to the Office of the Dean for The College of Humanities and Sciences in 1998. I had always taken classes to help my job, but not the subjects I really loved. My daughter and sister, VCU alums, were the motivators. They knew I was getting a degree long before I did….

Getting to know my fellow students and learning from them has been one of the most fun aspects of this degree. I’ve been included in study groups, tutored, been tutored, and been to some fun parties. Why is this important? Because I was more than twice the age of the other students. So, at 65 when I am supposed to be thinking of retiring, I am graduating magna cum laude and thinking of what do I want to do next.”

Naomi E. Batten, who works in the Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies will be graduating with a degree in Psychology. She has been pursuing her undergraduate degree since 2003. Naomi writes:

Naomi Batten

“Being the first in my immediate family and the first on my fathers entire side of the family has helped motivate me to finish my studies.  I wouldn’t say that I’m the typical success story because I have had rocky times in my education.  I have taken off from school for two years because I was unable to afford it.  After managing to get a job with VCU I was able to begin classes again and am now finally graduating from college.  I have always been a firm believer that a person should complete what they begin and I would say that was my main motivation to this day.  My plans for post graduation include obtaining a full time position at the University and continuing my education through a Masters Certificate if I am accepted.”

Patsy and Naomi are both inspirations to part-time students, and anyone who has taken a detour from education and is considering going back to school! Congratulations to both of you on this tremendous achievement.

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Dr. John Kneebone Announced as Chair of the Department of History

Posted on May 8, 2012 by grjohnson

Dr. Kneebone

The College is pleased to announce Dr. John Kneebone as Chair of the VCU Department of History. Dr. Kneebone will replace Dr. Bernard Moitt, who has served as chair since July 2006. Dr. Kneebone becomes Chair effective July 1.

Dr. Kneebone is associate professor of History. He previously taught at Princeton and Harvard Universities and at the University of Alabama. For sixteen years he was an editor and then director of Publications and Education Services at the Library of Virginia. He is the author of Southern Liberal Journalists and the Issue of Race, 1920-1944 and a founding co-editor of the Dictionary of Virginia Biography project, and a contributor to the first four volumes. At VCU, he teaches the History of the American South and coordinates the Public History component of the History graduate program.

An excerpt from the announcement by Dean Jim Coleman:

“I am so pleased that he agreed to serve as Chair and look forward to having him has a great partner in moving the College towards fulfilling our role in the University’s quest for distinction.

Dr. Kneebone has also performed with excellence as Director of our Public History Program. Through this program, a significant number of history students have been able to gain valuable experience and further their career goals through internships with libraries, museums and other institutions.

I’d like to take this opportunity to express my sincerest gratitude to Dr. Bernard Moitt, who has served as department chair since July 2006. Dr. Moitt has been a tireless supporter, cheerleader, advocate, and leader for students and for faculty as well as an effective manager for the History Department for these six years. I especially appreciated his strong commitment to raising excellence in teaching, student engagement, diversity and scholarship in the department and across the College.

Please join me in congratulating John– and in thanking Bernard for his excellent service.”

Congratulations to Dr. Kneebone from everyone in the College of Humanities and Sciences!

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Dr. Katherine Bassard Announced as New Chair of Department of English

Posted on May 7, 2012 by grjohnson

Dr. Bassard

The College welcomes Dr. Katherine Bassard as chair of the VCU Department of English effective July 1, 2012. Dr. Bassard takes over from Dr. Terry Oggel, who has served as department chair since July 2006.

Dr. Bassard received her undergraduate degree in English at Wake Forest University, an MA in English here at VCU, and her PhD in English at Rutgers University with a Graduate Certificate in Woman’s Studies. She originally joined the faculty at VCU as an instructor in 1986. From 1992-1999 Dr. Bassard taught at the University of California – Berkeley where she rose to the rank of Associate Professor. She returned to VCU in 1999 and was appointed professor of English in 2010. The former director of the MA program in English, Dr. Bassard recently served as the Dean’s Fellow for the College of Humanities and Sciences.

Dr. Bassard’s expertise has been recognized through her work in African American Literature. She examines poetry, novels, speeches, sermons, and prayers by Maria W. Stewart, Frances Harper, Hannah Crafts, Harriet E. Wilson, Harriet Jacobs, Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, and Sherley Anne Williams and discusses how such texts respond as a collective “literary witness” to the use of the Bible for purposes of social domination. Black women’s historic encounters with the Bible were, indeed, transformational; in the process of “turning cursing into blessing” these women were both shaped and reshaped by the scriptures they appropriated for their own self-representation. Her recent publications include Spiritual Interrogations: Culture, Gender, and Community in Early African American Women’s Writing and Transforming Scriptures: African American Women Writers and the Bible. She is the author of many outstanding essays on African American literature and on Christianity and literary theory and has presented numerous lectures and scholarly presentations.

Dr. Bassard has received numerous awards and grants for her teaching and research efforts, including recognition by the Center for Teaching Excellence, Honor’s College, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, as well as from the PEW and Ford foundations. In 2005, she was the recipient of the college’s prestigious Elske v.P. Smith Distinguished Lecturer award.

In his announcement Dean Coleman also thanked Dr. Oggel for his years of service to the Department of English:

“I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Dr. Terry Oggel, who has served as department chair since July 2006. Terry has worked tirelessly on behalf of the department and its faculty, staff and students over these past six years, and this past year has worked closely with me to ensure the continued success of the department and a smooth transition to the new chair.

Please join me in congratulating Kathy — and in thanking Terry for his extraordinary service.”

Congratulations Dr. Bassard from the College of Humanities and Sciences!

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College Presents Awards and Honors Retiring Faculty

Posted on April 30, 2012 by grjohnson

The College presented its annual Faculty Awards at a breakfast this morning, and also honored retiring faculty for their years of service to VCU. Dean Jim Coleman made opening remarks, followed by the presentation of the awards by Dr. Alison Baski, Executive Associate Dean for the College.

The retiring faculty were congratulated and offered words of thanks by their department heads, and presented a gift for their service by Dr. Coleman.

The following is a complete list of the faculty award winners and retiring faculty:

Nelson Wikstrom
2012 Elske v. P. Smith Lecturer Award
The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

Alenka Luzar
2012 Distinguished Scholar
Department of Chemistry

Laura McLay
2012 Excellence in Scholarship Award, Math & Sciences
Statistical Sciences & Operations Research

Andrew Crislip
2012 Excellence in Scholarship Award, Humanities and Social Sciences
Department of History

Sally Hunnicutt
2012 Distinguished Teaching Award, Math & Sciences
Department of Chemistry

Daniel Perdue
2012 Distinguished Teaching Award, Humanities & Social Sciences
School of World Studies

Susan Gooden
2012 Distinguished Service Award
The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

Natasha Long
2012 Distinguished Advising Award
School of Mass Communications

Gay Cutchin
2012 Distinguished Adjunct Award
The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

Retiring Faculty:

John Berglund
Department of Mathematics & Applied Mathematics

Marilyn Gloyer
Department of Mathematics & Applied Mathematics

Charlotte Morse
Department of English

Ted Tunnell
Department of History

Nelson Wikstrom
The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

Congratulations again to all the winners and retirees. Your service to VCU and our students is inspiring!

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Tracey Dawson Cruz Appointed to North Carolina Forensic Science Advisory Board

Posted on April 13, 2012 by grjohnson

Associate professor for forensic science and biology Tracey Dawson Cruz has been appointed to serve on the North Carolina Forensic Science Advisory Board. The Board acts as an advisor to the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory to help the Lab solve crimes and provide impartial service to the criminal justice system. The Board reviews Crime Lab operations and makes recommendations on new programs, methods of testing and qualifications for forensic scientists working in the lab.

The board is made up of 18 members, including the director of the State Crime Lab. The remaining members are scientists appointed by the Attorney General. VCU alumna Alka Lohmann also serves on the Board, as does Pete Marone, who also serves as Chair of VCU’s Department of Forensics Advisory Board and Director of the Virginia Department of Forensic Science.

Dr. Cruz teaches a variety of courses at VCU and also manages the forensic molecular biology research and teaching laboratory. She earned bachelor’s degrees in microbiology and zoology from North Carolina State University and received her Doctorate of Philosophy in Molecular and Cellular Pathology from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, School of Medicine.

The College of Humanities and Sciences congratulates Dr. Cruz for this prestigious honor!

Click here for a picture of the full Advisory Board.
Read the Advisory Board blog here.

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