Video: President Elect Mitchell B. Reiss Addresses Washington College Community

More about Mitchell B. Reiss

In the Footsteps of Founding Patron George Washington, Ambassador Mitchell B. Reiss (Ret.) to Serve as 27th President of Washington College

Chestertown, MD -- The Board of Visitors and Governors of Washington College, founded in 1782 with the patronage of the nation's first president, has selected Mitchell B. Reiss, 52, who has served as a U.S. Presidential envoy, ambassador, policymaker, lawyer, author and university professor, to be the College's 27th president.

Reiss will assume the presidency on July 1, 2010, succeeding Baird Tipson, who since 2004 has led the liberal arts college, which is Maryland's first institution of higher learning and the nation's 10th oldest.

"I am deeply honored to have been selected as Washington College's next president," said Reiss. "This is a remarkable and impressive institution. It does something both rare and important. It provides young men and women with the opportunity to think critically, express themselves persuasively and listen respectfully to the views of others. These skills are the very best possible preparation for understanding our world, for contributing to our society and for achieving personal balance and well-being. This is as true in the 21st century as it was when the College was founded in the 18th century. My wife Elisabeth and I are excited to be joining the Washington College family."

In announcing Reiss's selection, Albert J.A. Young, a Bel Air, MD, attorney and alumnus who chaired the search committee, observed that the College and Reiss have connected at a propitious moment. "Thanks to a recently completed $100 million construction effort that has transformed our campus, a pivotal acquisition of property on the Chester River to expand our presence on the waterfront, and a commitment to sound fiscal management, Washington College is poised to make a great leap,” Young said. "Mitchell Reiss, with his sterling academic credentials and rich and varied career experiences, is just the person to continue to move us forward. The search committee is thrilled to secure such a talented, capable leader."

Reiss currently serves as diplomat-in-residence at The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, where he has also served as vice provost for international affairs, dean of international affairs, director of the Wendy and Emery Reves Center for International Studies, professor of law at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law, and professor of government.

Taylor Reveley, President of William & Mary, saluted Reiss's appointment. "Washington College has chosen splendidly for its next president," he said. "Mitchell Reiss's accomplishments as a diplomat and as a dean, professor and scholar at William & Mary have been extraordinary."

From 2003 to 2007, Reiss served as President George Bush's Special Envoy for the Northern Ireland Peace Process, the role in which he attained the rank of ambassador. For his service, the State Department honored him with its Foreign Affairs Award for Public Service. He has also served the U.S. Department of State as director of policy planning, where he reported to Secretary of State Colin Powell and helped develop U.S. foreign policy, with special emphasis on Iraq, North Korea, China, Iran and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Earlier in his career, Reiss helped managed the start-up and operations of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO), a multinational organization designed to end North Korea's nuclear weapons program; he was also KEDO's chief negotiator with the North Koreans. Reiss was a Guest Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., where he started the Center's nonproliferation and counterproliferation programs. He practiced corporate and banking law for three years at the firm of Covington & Burling and was Special Assistant to the National Security Advisor as a White House Fellow in 1988-89. He has served as a consultant to the Office of the Legal Advisor at the State Department, the General Counsel's Office at the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the Los Alamos and Livermore National Laboratories.

Reiss has published widely on issues of international trade, security and arms control, has provided expert commentary to national and international media, and is a frequent speaker on these topics at conferences domestically and internationally. He has authored three books: the forthcoming Negotiating with Evil: Why States Engage with Terrorist Groups; Bridled Ambition: Why Countries Contain Their Nuclear Capabilities and Without The Bomb: The Politics of Nuclear Nonproliferation. He has served as a co-editor and as a contributing author for more than 20 books, and is published frequently in leading academic and foreign policy journals and in the news media.

Reiss is a cum laude graduate of Williams College, where he competed in intercollegiate tennis and squash. He earned a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University, and received a certificate from the Academy of International Law at The Hague, Netherlands. He holds a doctorate of philosophy in international relations from Oxford University and a juris doctorate from Columbia University. Born in Dayton, Ohio, he grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. Reiss is married to the former Elisabeth Anselmi, whom he met when he was studying at Oxford and she was performing as an actress in the West End of London. Married for 23 years, they have two children, a son Mathew, 19, who is a sophomore at Brown University, and a daughter Michael, 16, who is a high school junior in Williamsburg, Virginia.

About Washington College

Founded in 1782 under the patronage of George Washington, Washington College was the first college chartered in the new nation and today ranks among the nation's top 100 selective liberal arts colleges. The College enrolls approximately 1,200 undergraduates from 35 states and 40 nations. With a student to faculty ratio of 12 to 1, the College emphasizes the transformative power of small classes and close connections between professors and their students. Among the College's distinctions are the following:

· The Sophie Kerr Prize, the largest literary undergraduate prize in America, and one element of a flourishing community of student writers supported by the Rose O'Neill Literary House

· The Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows which funds projects and research independently initiated by students

· The C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, an institute that sponsors the annual George Washington Book Prize for the year's best work on early American History

· The Center for Environment and Society, which uses the College's setting in the Chesapeake Bay region as a learning laboratory to shed light on the reciprocal relationship between humankind and the natural world.
· The Goldstein Program in Public Affairs and its Institute for Religion, Politics and Culture sponsors lectures, student participation in models and conferences, and projects that bring student and faculty together with leaders experienced in developing public policy.

The College is located in Chestertown, MD, named by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America's most distinctive historic communities, approximately 90 minutes from Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Recalls Fall of Communism In Washington College Lecture

CHESTERTOWN – The Honorable Philip Dimitrov looms large in the modern history of Eastern Europe: He led the Bulgarian reform movement while his country was still under Communist rule, and subsequently became the first post-Communism Prime Minister of Bulgaria.

Former Prime Minister Dimitrov will recount those turbulent times when he presents “Religion and the Transition from Communism in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe” at Washington College’s Litrenta Lecture Hall on Monday, November 23, at 7 p.m.

The event is sponsored by the Goldstein Program in Public Affairs and its Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture.

As the winds of change began sweeping over Europe’s Communist bloc countries in the waning years of the Cold War, Dimitrov was active in the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), a broad coalition against continued rule by the Bulgarian Communist Party.

After the demise of the single-party Bulgarian Communist state in 1990, Dimitrov became Prime Minister of Bulgaria in 1991. During his term, the new government managed to make nascent democratic institutions work and started an ambitious set of political and economic reforms.

Under Dimitrov’s administration, observance of human rights became an irrevocable legal and ethical norm, and previous ethnic tensions and abuses were eliminated. Foreign policy focused on integration into Europe and the West.

The Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture explores the role of religious belief in public life and is a vital part of the Louis L. Goldstein Program in Public Affairs, which was established in 1990 to encourage students to enter public service by introducing them to exemplary leaders, both in and out of government. The Goldstein Program has hosted journalists, political activists, foreign policy analysts, diplomats, military commanders and government officials of both national and international stature.

The Goldstein Program and the Institute sponsor lectures, symposia, visiting fellows, student participation in models and conferences, and other projects that bring students and faculty together with leaders experienced in developing public policy.

Litrenta Lecture Hall is located in the John S. Toll Science Center. Admission to “Religion and the Transition from Communism in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe” is free and open to the public.

Washington College Department Of Drama Presents 'Troy Women'

Karen Hartman play is adapted from Euripides’ ‘Trojan Women’

CHESTERTOWN – The Washington College Department of Drama will present “Troy Women,” Karen Hartman’s modern adaptation of Euripides’ “The Trojan Women,” at the Tawes Theatre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 19-21, at 8 p.m.

A bold new take on Euripides’ 415 B.C. classic about the horrible costs of war, “Troy Women” deals with themes as resonant today as they were in the midst of the Peloponnesian War, when Euripides’ tragedy debuted.

The story of the fallen royalty of Troy is offset and illuminated by the chorus: five distinct women whose voices become increasingly unified as the tragedy mounts.

Hecuba and the women of Troy mourn and celebrate their city on the morning after its destruction. Together, they grieve the deaths of their husbands and children as they await their fates at the hands of their Greek captors.

With modern elements adapted into Euripides’ classic, Hartman’s “Troy Women” adaptation is a chilling, brutal, but accessible portrait of women during war.

Directed by Professor of Drama Tim Maloney, who appears in the play as Poseidon, the Washington College production of “Troy Women” also features Alyssa Velazquez as Athena, Polly Sommerfeld as Hecuba, David Smaus as Talthybius, Katie Muldowney as Cassandra, Maggie Kobik as Andromache, Joe Rittenhouse as Menelaus, and Emmy Landskroener as Helen.

Also appearing as women of Troy are Maggie Farrell, Marta Wesenberg, Alexi Lemper, Brittany Rankin and Connie Carpenter. The Greek soldiers are played by John Lesser, Kevin Lemos and Jim Lyons.

Tawes Theatre is located in the new Daniel Z. Gibson Center for the Arts. Admission to “Troy Women” is $3 for students, $5 general admission; for reservations and more information, call 410/778-7835 or e-mail drama_tickets@washcoll.edu.

College Calls For Nominations For President's Medal And Distinguished Service Awards

Deadline for Nominations December 2, 2009

CHESTERTOWN, MD, NOV. 12 – Baird Tipson, President of Washington College, today called for nominations for the annual President’s Medal and the President’s Distinguished Service Awards—to recognize employees, as well as community members and organizations, for meritorious service to Washington College and/or Chestertown and the greater Kent County community.

The College is accepting nominations until December 2, 2009. The award recipients will be honored at the College’s George Washington’s Birthday Convocation on February 19, 2010.

The President's Medal recognizes the accomplishments of an individual or an organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of Washington College and/or the region. Previous recipients include: Richard Miller, Leslie Raymond, Ruth Briscoe, Nancy Dick, Chris Havemeyer, Jim Siemen, the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Department, the Kent Family Center, Tracey Davenport and Summer Days Math & Science Camp for Girls.

The President’s Distinguished Service Awards recognize exceptional performance, leadership, and service by faculty and staff of Washington College. Last year’s recipients were: Vickie Anderson, Billie Dodge and Shirley Dorsey.

Nominations will be reviewed and evaluated by the President’s Awards Advisory Committee. Complete nomination information and criteria for the 2010 awards are available online at president.washcoll.edu.

Nomination Rules & Criteria

Individuals may be nominated in either or both award categories. Nominees will be considered for an award only in the category for which they have been nominated. Individuals serving on the Awards Advisory Committee are not eligible for nomination. Nominations in both categories are due by December 2, 2009. Nominations should include a cover sheet with the following information: (1) the name of the nominee; (2) the award for which the individual or organization is being nominated; and (3) the name of the nominator.

The President’s Medal

The recipient of the President’s Medal will be an individual or organization with an exemplary record of sustained and acknowledged contribution to the quality of life in Chestertown, Kent County, and/or at Washington College. The candidate's career or organization’s work should be distinguished by a dedication to the fulfillment of the ideals represented in the Washington College Mission Statement and by service to their fellow human beings. Particular emphasis will be placed on contributions that have had a wide-ranging positive influence on Chestertown and the Washington College community.

Eligibility: Any individual or organization may be nominated for the President's Medal. A nominee should have at least five years of demonstrated service.

Nomination Materials: A letter of nomination should be submitted, clearly indicating why the individual or organization should be so honored and how the individual or organization exemplifies the criteria for this award. A résumé, curriculum vitae, or brief background sketch of the nominee should accompany the nomination letter. At least two, but no more than three, seconding letters of nomination may accompany the nomination or may be sent under separate cover. In subsequent years, nominations submitted in the past two years will automatically be reconsidered; however, updated information is encouraged.

President’s Distinguished Service Awards

The President’s Distinguished Service Awards recognize exceptional performance, leadership, and service by an employee of Washington College. The recipient of this award will have a record of exemplary performance and distinctive contributions to the operation of an administrative, academic, research, or service unit on campus. He or she will have clearly demonstrated initiative toward the improvement of the College’s programs or campus activities and will have shown commitment to the campus community as a whole.

Eligibility: Any member of the faculty or staff who has been employed by Washington College for at least five years (in any of one or more capacities) may be nominated for a President’s Distinguished Service Award. No more than five awards will be given annually. The awards will be distributed equitably between salaried and hourly employees.

Nomination Materials: A letter of nomination should be submitted, clearly indicating why this individual should be so honored and how the individual exemplifies the criteria for this award. A résumé, curriculum vitae, or brief biographical sketch of the nominee should accompany the nomination letter. At least two, but no more than three, seconding letters of nomination may accompany the nomination or may be sent under separate cover. In subsequent years, nominations submitted in the past two years will automatically be reconsidered; however, updated information is encouraged.

Deadline for Nominations: The deadline for the receipt of nominations and supporting materials for both the President’s Medal and President’s Distinguished Service Awards is December 2, 2009. Nominations or supporting materials received after that date will not be considered.

Nominations should be sent to President’s Awards Advisory Committee, c/o President’s Office, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620.

Poet Leslie Harrison To Present Reading At Washington College

CHESTERTOWN – Award-winning poet Leslie Harrison will present a reading at Washington College’s Rose O’Neill Literary House on Thursday, November 19, at 4:30 p.m.

Harrison’s "Displacement" was the 2008 Katherine Nason Bakeless winner in poetry from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. The work was published by Mariner Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, in July 2009.

Harrison also has had poems and prose published in Poetry, Southwest Review, The New Republic, Barn Owl Review, Gulf Coast and elsewhere.

She holds graduate degrees from the Johns Hopkins University and the University of California, Irvine, where she completed her MFA in 2006. She has been a Tennessee Williams Scholar at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and a fellow at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference.

Harrison’s reading at Washington College is presented by the Sophie Kerr Committee. Admission is free and open to the public.

Scholar Explores Emerson, Photography in Rose O'Neill Literary House Talk

CHESTERTOWN – Sean Meehan, Assistant Professor of English at Washington College, will present “‘This is a Fragment of Me’: Emerson and the Poetics of Metonymy” at the Rose O’Neill Literary House on Tuesday, November 17, at 4 p.m.

Dr. Meehan began his scholarly focus on the American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson with a dissertation on photography in 19th-century American autobiography, completed at the University of Iowa.

Dr. Meehan recently published a book based on that dissertation, Mediating American Autobiography: Photography in Emerson, Thoreau, Douglass, and Whitman. His upcoming lecture on Emerson and metonymy is part of his current work-in-progress, a study of Emerson’s engagement with the practice and theory of education and an exploration of Emersonian ways of learning both from the past and for the future.

Dr. Meehan was awarded the Ralph Waldo Emerson Memorial Association Fellowship for 2005-2006 from Houghton Library, Harvard University. He published an article based on research he did at Houghton in Emerson Society Papers (2006), “Living Learning: Lessons from Emerson’s School.”

In addition to teaching the courses “Emerson and Whitman” and “American Environmental Writing,” Dr. Meehan teaches “Literature and Composition” and is the Director of Writing for Washington College.

Dr. Meehan’s presentation is part of the Rose O’Neill Literary House’s recently relaunched “Tea and Talk” series, which highlights the work of authors and scholars on the faculty and staff of Washington College.

The series will continue in Spring 2010 with presentations by Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies Christine Wade, Assistant Professor of Drama Michele Volansky, and Vassar College Professor Emeritus of History (and Washington College Trustee) Benjamin Kohl.

Admission to “‘This is a Fragment of Me’: Emerson and the Poetics of Metonymy” is free and open to the public. For more information, call 410/778-7899 or visit lithouse.washcoll.edu.