WC English Lecturer Erin Murphy Nominated For Prestigious Pushcart Literary Prize

Chestertown, MD, December 4, 2003 — Erin Murphy, a Lecturer in English at Washington College, has been nominated for a 2003 Pushcart Prize for her poem “Studies,” published in the August 2003 issue of the poetry journal Red River Review. A 1990 graduate of the College, Murphy recently took Second Place in the 2003 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Award competition, received Second Place honors in the 2003 Literal Latte Poetry Awards, and was a finalist for this year's Pablo Neruda Award.

“Studies” is a poem in two voices that deals with the clinical and personal aspects of Alzheimer's disease. The editors of Red River Review gave it the journal's “highest possible ranking” and voted to nominate it for this year's Pushcart Prize.

The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses series has been published every year since 1976 and is one of the most honored literary projects in America. Small press journal and book editors can make up to six nominations from their year's publications by the December 1 deadline. Hundreds of presses and thousands of writers of short stories, poetry and essays have been represented in the pages of the annual Pushcart collections. Writers who were first noticed in their pages include Raymond Carver, Tim O'Brien, Jayne Anne Phillips, Susan Minot, John Irving, and Philip Lopate.

Murphy, who served as Creative Writing Editor for the 2003 issue of the Washington College Review, acknowledges her excitement about the nomination.

“I don't write poems for the money or the glory, although it's certainly thrilling when an honor such as the Pushcart nomination comes along,” she said. “I have a thing for language and poetry the way mechanics have a thing for cars. I like to get under the hood of a poem and tinker with words, see what I can make them do. Whatever the outcome, the Pushcart nomination will rev me up to write even more.”

Tea & Talk Series Welcomes Professor Richard DeProspo On Literary Naturalism In The U.S., Nov. 17

Chestertown, MD, November 4, 2003 — The 2003-2004 Tea & Talk Series continues on Monday, November 17 at 4:30 p.m. with a talk in the O'Neill Literary House by Washington College English Professor Richard DeProspo.

Dr. DeProspo will address the topic: “Thoreau/McKibben/Henley: Literary Naturalism in the U.S. from the Most Taught Book in the World through the Most Prestigious Lit Mag in the World to the Best Selling Album in the World.”

The talk will trace the culture of ecology in the United States—most recently manifested in the sub-culture of global warming—from its reputed origin in the writings of Henry David Thoreau, through its advocacy in the writings of the influential literary ecologist Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature, to its influence on the career of celebrity ecologist and activist Don Henley, drummer for the Eagles and composer of such recent albums as The End of the Innocence.

The event is free and all are welcomed to enjoy tea, conviviality and discussion at the O'Neill Literary House. Tea served at 4 p.m.

Tea & Talk Series Hosts Prof. Tom Cousineau Speaking On The Tragic Tradition In Western Literature

Chestertown, MD, October 13, 2003 — The O'Neill Literary House continues its 2003-2004 Tea & Talk Series on Monday, October 20, at 4:30 p.m. with a talk by Washington College English professor Tom Cousineau titled “Singing Songs while Killing Goats: From Oedipus the King to Waiting for Godot.” The event is free and all are welcomed to enjoy tea and discussion at the O'Neill Literary House. Tea served at 4 p.m.
“The title of my talk refers to ‘tragoidia,' the Greek word for tragedy which is usually translated as ‘a song sung while sacrificing a goat,'” says Professor Cousineau. “The talk itself grows out of the many classes involving Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot that I have taught here at the College. Over the years, I've pondered the different ways in which each play gives expression to the ritual practices out of which Western drama developed. The talk will reflect my research on this topic and my thoughts on it as I worked on various publication projects. In fact, these reflections became a fundamental reference for my forthcoming book, Ritual Unbound: Reading Sacrifice in Modernist Fiction.”
Founded in 1782 under the patronage of George Washington, Washington College is a private, independent college of liberal arts and sciences located in historic Chestertown on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Since its dedication in 1985, the rambling and eclectic O'Neill Literary House has been the locus of the College's creative writing and literary culture.

WC History Professor's Research To Be Featured In New PBS Series

“History Detectives” Will Explore the Legend of Delmarva's Infamous Patty Cannon
Chestertown, MD, July 1, 2003 — Dr. Carol Wilson, associate professor of history at Washington College and author of Freedom at Risk: The Kidnapping of Free Blacks in America, 1780-1865, has contributed her expertise to a new 10-episode Public Television series titled History Detectives. The fourth episode, which will air Thursday, July 17 at 8:00 pm on Maryland Public Television stations, will feature Wilson's research on the infamous Patty Cannon, the leader of a gang based on the Delmarva Peninsula during the early 19th century that made its living by kidnapping free African Americans and selling them into slavery. Wilson's book, published in 1994, includes a study of the activities of this notorious gang.
“Patty Cannon and her criminal exploits are the subject of much local mythology on Delmarva,” said Wilson, who served as a consultant to the show's producers and provided on air historical background on the activities of the Patty Cannon gang. Cannon and her ruthless band of kidnappers were based near the town of Reliance, Delaware, on the Dorchester County, Maryland line, where Cannon's house still stands.
“The history of the kidnapping of free African Americans in antebellum America is little known and studied,” said Wilson, whose 1994 book continues to be the only major scholarly work published on the subject. She was recently a panelist at a Smithsonian-sponsored conference on the Underground Railroad and shared her research on the “other” underground railroad in which thousands of free people were kidnapped and smuggled into slavery.
In 10 one-hour episodes of History Detectives, architects, historians and antiquarians will unlock the history behind any house or artifact. Using the latest technology combined with traditional investigative techniques History Detectives will make amazing discoveries about the homes and possessions of many ordinary Americans. Whether it's a family heirloom or a house with a mysterious past, the series will uncover the history on America's doorstep. Learn more about the series at www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives.

Four Retiring Faculty Honored May 14 At Hynson-Ringgold House

Chestertown, MD, May 21, 2003 — Washington College has announced the retirement of four distinguished faculty members this spring: Robert Anderson, professor of philosophy; Colin Dickson, professor of French; Daniel Premo, the Louis L. Goldstein Professor in Public Affairs; and the College's Librarian William Tubbs. Fellow faculty, staff and family joined President John S. Toll at the Hynson-Ringgold House in Chestertown on Wednesday, May 14 to celebrate and to honor their years of service to the College and its students.
Dr. Anderson joined the faculty as assistant professor of philosophy in 1976, was promoted to associate professor in 1984, and was made full professor in 1988. In 1980, he was awarded the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. In addition to serving as chair of the Philosophy Department for several years, Dr. Anderson also was chair of the Humanities Division and of the Honors Program Committee. He has written on the Jewish philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, and has recently completed a book-length manuscript on Plato's Theaetetus. Dr. Anderson received his A.B. degree from Temple University in 1961 and both his M.S., in 1965, and his Ph.D., in 1976, from Yale University. With his powerful intellect and gift for teaching, Anderson has had a profound influence on the lives of his students. In his own quietly inspirational way, he has attracted majors to a field of study that epitomizes the liberal arts.
Dr. Dickson came to Washington College as assistant professor of French in 1971 and was promoted to associate professor in 1982 and to full professor in 1991. He has served as the chair of the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures, and has brought his voice of reason to his extensive committee work. He has chaired the Board of Student Publications, Lecture Series, Service & Scholarship Committee, and the Student Aid Committee, and was faculty adviser for several student exchanges. He holds his B.A. from Amherst College, and masters degrees in both physics and Romance languages, as well as his Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Dickson has made his mark as a scholar of Michel de Montaigne, as a gifted jazz musician, and as an inspirational teacher of French language, literature and film.
A former U.S. diplomat in Latin America, Dr. Premo joined the faculty as assistant professor of history and political science in 1970 and was promoted to associate professor in 1974 and to full professor in 1982. He won the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1987. Among his many appointments as a respected campus leader, Dr. Premo has served as chair of political science and international studies, chair of the Faculty Finance Committee, and as curator of the Louis L. Goldstein Program in Public Affairs. He received his B.A. in Spanish and Social Science from Western Michigan University, and his M.A . and Ph.D. in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. At Washington College, he has been instrumental in developing international programs and model diplomacy programs that engage our students in the world, and, with his gift for teaching, has profoundly touched the lives of his students.
Professor Tubbs was named Librarian in 1983. Tenured in 1987, he was promoted to full professor in 1993. He has been responsible for initiating and implementing the information technologies that have ensured Washington College's position at the forefront of the digital information age. The 2000 external review of the Library praised his leadership of Miller Library in these words: “The physical collection is not large, especially in comparison with those of the wealthier of the College's self-selected peer institutions, but the range and depth of full text and other electronic resources accessible by the Washington College community is certainly comparable with all but the wealthiest of them.” Professor Tubbs received his B.A. in Mathematics from Davis and Elkins College in 1960, his M.Div. in History and Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1963, and his M.S. in Bibliography Reference from the School of Library Service at Columbia University in 1966.
“We are proud to honor the years and the commitment to the highest standards in education that these four have given to Washington College,” said Dr. John S. Toll, President of the College. “Each in his own way has imparted the priceless gift of wisdom and the value of on-going, life-long learning to generations of Washington College students.”

Father of the Man: Robert Mooney Debuts New Novel October 24

Chestertown, MD, October 3, 2002 — Robert Mooney, Director of the Creative Writing Program at Washington College, will debut his new novel Father of the Man (Pantheon Books, 2002) in a public reading on Thursday, October 24, 2002, at 4:30 p.m. in the College's Hynson Lounge. A book signing and reception will follow. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.
The October 24 reading begins a seven-city book tour for the release of Father of the Man. For the complete list of times and locations for readings and booksignings, click here. Father of the Man is a multi-layered novel about the love between a father and son, husband and wife, mother and child, and the living and the dead. The novel is set in post-Vietnam America, in a closely-knit community of Irish-Americans in Binghamton, NY. Bus driver Dutch Potter, a proud WWII veteran, who has spent 12 years caught between despair and hope, waiting for news of his son Jom who has been MIA in Vietnam. After a violent argument at home over his role in his son's enlistment, Dutch is driven to a last desperate act, taking hostage the passengers on his bus route in an armed standoff with federal authorities to force an answer from the government about his son's fate. It is during this standoff that the plot brings an unexpected answer to Jom's postwar fate. Father of the Man has been called “an affecting, eccentric, poignantly realistic novel about a lost man's hopeless and tragic attempt to erase or at least recover his past,” by award-winning fiction writer Ron Hansen. Novelist Larry Woiwode observes that “very few novels reach, in the way Mooney's does, for understanding and reconciliation between generations—specifically the gap that widened over the war in Vietnam.”
A nominee for the Pushcart Prize and author of numerous published works of short fiction, Mooney began his writing apprenticeship in 1979, while living in Oregon. Realizing he needed more guidance to develop his writing, he returned to his home state of New York to apprentice with novelist John Gardner who taught creative writing at the State University of New York-Binghamton. He worked a year-and-a-half with Gardner before his death in 1982. After receiving his Master of Arts in 1983, Mooney taught as an adjunct faculty member at SUNY-Binghamton and took workshops with novelist Larry Woiwoode, who succeeded Gardner. After Woiwode left SUNY-Binghamton, Mooney became director of the creative writing program where he continued until 1997, when he moved to Chestertown to direct Washington College's Creative Writing Program.

Washington College Welcomes New Faculty For The 2002-2003 Academic Year

Chestertown, MD, August 30, 2002 — As Washington College welcomes 390 incoming freshmen and transfer students, the College is joined by 18 new faculty members for the 2002-2003 academic year, including seven new faculty appointments for tenure-track professorships in economics and environmental studies, mathematics, foreign languages, political science and international studies, biology, and business management.

To tenure-track positions, the College welcomes the following professors this year: Robert Dawson (Ph.D. candidate at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), instructor in economics and environmental studies; Michael McLendon (Ph.D., University of Iowa), assistant professor of mathematics; Lisa Noetzel (Ph D., The Pennsylvania State University), assistant professor of Spanish; Andrew Oros (Ph. D., Columbia University), assistant professor of political science and international studies; Scott Rawls (Ph.D., East Carolina University School of Medicine), assistant professor of biology; Karen Senecal (C.P.A., MBA from the University of Texas at Arlington), assistant professor of accounting; and Susan Vowels (MBA, University of Delaware), assistant professor of business management.

In the physics department, Dr. Karl Kehm (Ph.D., Washington University) has been appointed to a three-year position as assistant professor of earth and planetary science.

Our visiting professors for the 2002-2003 academic year are Sheila Barry, visiting assistant professor of psychology; Kathleen Guidroz, visiting assistant professor of sociology; Lynn Mahaffy, visiting assistant professor of biology; Jennifer O'Neill, visiting assistant professor of art; and Michael Ruscio, visiting assistant professor of psychology.

The College also welcomes the following lecturers: Susan Dorsey, education; Carolyn Becker, Spanish; Christopher Chlumsky and Michael Strauss, music; Renee Zhiyin Dong, Chinese; René Hayden, history; Barbara Romaine, Arabic; and Polly Kuulei Sommerfeld, drama.

The C. V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience is joined this year by its first visiting fellow, Adam Goodheart. Dr. Michelle Johnson also has joined the College as Field Experience Coordinator for Elementary Education.

"Adding to our faculty resources and maintaining teaching excellence are fundamental goals at Washington College," said Dr. Joachim Scholz, provost and dean of the College. "We continue to attract highly-motivated students, and bringing new faculty and new courses on-line—such as a foreign language course in Arabic and physics' courses in earth and planetary science—helps to expand our students' curricular choices."

College Honors Staff, Faculty for Years of Service

Chestertown, MD, December 17, 2001 — In the spirit of an annual end-of-year tradition, the following Washington College staff and faculty members have been recognized this December for their years of service to the College.

Honored for 10 years of service are: Michael Kerchner, Department of Psychology; Carol Wilson, Department of History; Carol Thornton, Health Service; Joseph Holt; Office of the President; and Howard Scholtz, Dining Service.

Honored for 15 years of service are: Cynthia Grimaldi, Miller Library; Kevin Brien, Department of Philosophy; Rosemary Ford, Department of Biology; Jeanette Sherbondy, Department of Sociology and Anthropology; L. Josephine Blades, Development Office; and Edward Neal Metzbower, Buildings and Grounds.

Honored for 25 years of service are: Robert Anderson, Department of Philosophy; Donald Munson, Department of Biology; Betty Ann Scott, Dining Service; and Patsy Will, Development Office.

Honored for 30 years of service are: Colin Dickson, Department of Foreign Languages; and Rita Phillips, Buildings and Grounds.

Honored for 35 years of service are: Diane Larrimore, Office of Student Affairs; Timothy Maloney, Department of Drama; and Joanne Clothier, Buildings and Grounds.

"We are very proud of these employees," said Dr. John S. Toll, president of the College. "Their dedication, talents and service inspire others and help us to carry on a tradition of excellence in education."

Washington College Welcomes New Faculty and Second Largest Freshman Class

Chestertown, MD, September 5, 2001 — As Washington College welcomes its second largest class of incoming freshman and transfer students—numbering 384 students—the College is joined by 26 new faculty members for the Fall 2001 semester, including five new faculty hired for tenure-track professorships in psychology, business management, French, computer science and philosophy.

For tenure-track positions, the College welcomes the following professors this year: Katherine Cameron (Ph.D. University of California), assistant professor of psychology; James Falter (D.A.B., Nova Southeastern University), assistant professor of business management; Pamela Pears (Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh), assistant professor of French; Roseanne Tesoriero (Ph.D., University of Maryland), assistant professor of computer science; and Peter Weigel (Ph.D., Yale University), assistant professor of philosophy.

Visiting professors for the 2001-2002 academic year are Bonnie Ryan, Jessie Ball duPont Scholar in the department of sociology and anthropology; Hongyan Xiao, visiting assistant professor of political science; Jill MacDougall, visiting assistant professor of drama while Professor Timothy Maloney is on leave during Fall 2001; and John Doherty, visiting assistant professor of biology.

Washington College also welcomes Barbaranne Mocella and Scott Woolever, lecturers in art; Matthew Johnson and Joe Matanoski, lecturers in biology; Robb MacFarlane, lecturer in business management; Barbara Creegan, lecturer in chemistry; Michele Volansky, lecturer in drama; Andrew Hill, instructor in economics; Judith Goodman and Edward J. Silver, lecturers in education; Enid Larrimore and Kimberly Middleton, lecturers in foreign languages; George Vrtis, lecturer in history; Dr. Jean-Louis Marchand, lecturer in psychology; Kenneth Schweitzer, lecturer in music; Tara E. Kent, instructor in sociology; and Deborah Taub, lecturer in sociology and anthropology.

"With our second largest incoming class in the College's history, the demands on our faculty have never been greater," said Dr. John S. Toll, president of the College. "With new faculty adding to our resources, I have no doubt that our students will have the close attention and teaching excellence that is our fundamental value at Washington College."

Amick Selected For Who's Who Among America's Teachers

Chestertown, MD, November 28, 2000 — H. Louise Amick, assistant professor of mathematics at Washington College, has been selected for inclusion in Who's Who Among America's Teachers 2000. Teachers honored in the publication represent the top five percent of the nation's educators.

Teachers included in Who's Who are nominated by former students. Only high school and college students who have been cited for academic excellence themselves in Who's Who Among American High School Students and The National Dean's List are invited to make nominations. Each student was asked to choose one teacher "from your entire academic experience who made a difference in your life by helping to shape your values, inspiring interest in a particular subject and/or challenging you to strive for excellence."

A graduate of both Washington College and the University of Delaware, Professor Amick has taught at Washington College since 1990. She lives in Newark, DE, with her husband, State Senator Steve Amick, and their son, Paul.

George Spilich Appointed To New John Toll Chair at Washington College

Psychology Professor Is Noted for Encouraging Undergraduate Research

Chestertown, MD, October 4, 2000 — The Board of Visitors and Governors of Washington College recently raised $2 million to endow a new chair in honor of College President John Toll, one of the most highly regarded educators in the nation. This fall, the Board named as the inaugural chairholder a senior faculty member who over the past decade has transformed the psychology department into a top academic performer.

"Of all the faculty members who do not already hold endowed professorships or chairs, George Spilich, professor and chair of the department of psychology, is outstanding in his teaching, research and service to the College," noted College President John S. Toll. "Everyone knows he is a gifted teacher, but not all colleagues realize that he has done some very important research. He is a marvelous leader who maintains very high standards for both his students and his faculty. In addition to these qualities, his selfless efforts to help students and to promote Washington College made him the logical choice for the John Toll Chair."

The Board devised the John Toll Chair to go to an outstanding faculty member in any discipline who, according to the Board resolution, "represents in exemplary fashion the College's goals of superb teaching and advising, fine research and excellent service, and who displays a strongly positive attitude and a deep commitment to Washington College and its students."

George Spilich is a champion of undergraduate research who, several years ago, worked with his colleagues to revamp the department's curriculum to emphasize engaged learning. He and his department members endeavor to get students involved in research as early as their freshman year, and continue to guide them through their academic studies and to train them to use the most sophisticated research techniques, laboratory equipment and instructional technology available.

As a direct result, Washington College, among its liberal arts and sciences peers, graduates a disproportionately higher number of students who go on to earn the Ph.D. and M.D. degrees, and national test scores in psychology have skyrocketed. In May 2000, the College's graduating psychology majors scored at the 91st percentile on the Educational Testing Services' national outcomes exam in psychology, and at the 98% percentile in behavioral neuroscience, a concentration that was established in 1992. This graduating class of 33 was awarded three-quarters of a million dollars in graduate scholarships and stipends. The program in psychology and behavioral neuroscience has been identified as a national leader in faculty-student research, averaging about 40 student co-authors per year at peer-reviewed professional conferences. Faculty also publish with student co-authors in peer-reviewed professional journals.

Spilich's own research investigates how performance of skilled tasks such as driving and reading are affected by nicotine or alcohol. He also explores how fatigue compounds the effects of those drugs in contributing to accidents on the road and in the workplace. Other investigations with colleagues at universities here in the U.S. and abroad deal with neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease; sex differences in cognitive processes; and visuospatial memory.

Spilich has published extensively in the area of human memory and performance, with a focus on pharmacological treatment of dementia and the effects of nicotine upon skilled performance. In addition to several articles underway with student co-authors and colleagues, Spilich is working on a book project, Tobacco, Nicotine and Cognitive Performance, and a CD-based multimedia text, Cognitive Neuroscience for Everyone!

Spilich joined the Washington College faculty in 1979, and has served as department chair since 1983. Under the Fulbright Research Scholars program, he was a visiting research associate professor of neurology and nuclear medicine at the University of Zagreb Hospitals in Croatia, in 1988-89. He served on the Board of Directors of the Eastern Psychological Association from 1995-1998, and presently is serving his second three-year term as Councilor to the Psychology Division of the Council for Undergraduate Research.

In addition to his scholarly work, he has written several successful grants for new scientific instrumentation, most recently finding funds to upgrade research laboratory facilities to support undergraduate research in cognitive neuroscience, psychopharmacology, developmental and social processes, and sensation and perception, among others.

He has served on several academic committees, including the Premedical Committee, the Graduate Council, Academic Affairs, Academic Computing, and the Information Technology Steering Committee. He won the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1990.Spilich earned his bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds a master's degree in experimental psychology from the University of Texas-El Paso and his Ph.D. in cognitive and developmental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh.

Despite his significant achievements, Spilich believes that his recent appointment to the endowed chair carries not the recognition of his value as a teacher and mentor, but the expectation for continued accomplishments.

"An endowed chair named for John Toll comes with the responsibility to work with faculty, students and alumni to elevate the national reputation of Washington College. I'll have to do something really big in the next year or two."

The Toll Chair is the third of five endowed chairs to be created during the $72 million Campaign for Washington's College.

Maryland Association Honors Educational Excellence at October Meeting

Chestertown, MD — When the Maryland Association of Higher Education convenes at Washington College on Oct. 15, attendees can look forward to more than standard conference fare. They'll be treated to a showcase of exemplary educational programs from around the state, one of which includes following the Mongol hordes at Washington College. The hordes aren't roaming the campus. They're safely confined to an animated Web-based map, one of several Assistant Professor Clayton Black uses in his course on early Russian history. The College's use of Web technology in instruction was chosen as an exemplary program by the association.

Eleven Washington College professors work with Nancy Cross, instructional technologist, and Gerry Waterson, assistant director of academic computing, to develop Web-based courses. Their initiatives and computer software training for the faculty and staff of the College are funded by $300,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation that supports cost-effective use of technology in teaching. Black says that Web-based instructional technology enables his students to visualize subtle historical points and encourages them to present their best writing for papers posted on the course site.

Also recognized at the conference will be programs from the University of Maryland, College Park; Prince George's Community College; Carroll Community College; Frostburg State University; and Salisbury State University.

Members of the Maryland Association of Higher Education exchange ideas for improving higher education in the state. At the Oct. 15 conference, the MAHE will also announce the winner of its Lifetime Achievement Award.