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Robins School Faculty Join Global Dialogue on Business’s Role in Addressing Society’s Grand Challenges

Faculty from the Robins School of Business traveled to Palermo, Italy, to take part in a global gathering of scholars, practitioners, and thought leaders at LUMSA University.

University of Richmond’s Longtime 8:15 at Boatwright Café Debuts New Location and Expanded Menu

Boatwright Memorial Library reopens

Updates

Parking lots closed for Preview Richmond on Sept. 5

September 4, 2025

Parking lots U17 (Print Shop), U73 (in front of Lora Robins Court), and U21 (Queally Center) will be closed for Preview Richmond on Friday, Sept. 5. Faculty and staff who normally park in these lots can find alternate parking in lots U12 (Steam Plant), W87 (Modlin Center), and W93 (behind Lora Robins Court).

Call for A&S Next case study proposals due Sept. 19

August 26, 2025

Are you interested in helping students translate their education into a purposeful career? Engaging with the Richmond community? Do you want to show students how to understand their strengths, develop key competencies, and explore career paths? Propose an A&S NEXT 2026 case study. The deadline is Sept. 19 at 5 p.m.

Learn more.

Questions can be directed to Elizabeth Soady (esoady@richmond.edu).

Join the Community Dialogue Network

August 25, 2025

The Community Dialogue Network (CDN) is now accepting applications for the Fall 2025 workshop series. Open to all students, staff, and faculty, the CDN prepares members of our university community to facilitate dialogue across differences.

The six-part workshop series will be held on select Friday mornings throughout the fall semester. Don't miss this chance to grow your skills and connect across the university community!

Web of Inquiry proposals due Sept. 5

August 12, 2025

The Web of Inquiry fall proposal deadline is Friday, Sept. 5.

Instructors may propose courses with up to two area attributes, First Year Seminars, or Second Language Proficiency courses.
Courses in Written Communication, Literary and Textual Inquiry, and Quantitative Data Analysis (especially for arts and humanities majors) are particularly welcome.
Don't forget to add Integrated Focus Area attributes to courses in your major.
Consider proposing a General Education Seminar (GES187), which may combine any two Integrated Focus Areas.
Field of Study proposals (for courses with corresponding Areas of Inquiry) are also due on this date.
Instructors must complete all development for proposed Web of Inquiry areas prior to the course start date.

Proposals can be submitted in Coursedog using your department/program credentials. Submitted syllabi must list the new learning outcomes for each proposed area. See the Faculty Resources pages on the website for more information.

Upcoming events

Sep 09

Understanding Your Student Loans
Sep 09

Understanding Your Student Loans Drop-In Hours
Sep 10

Jepson Leadership Forum presents Desmond Howard
Sep 11

9.11 Memorial Walk
Sep 12

Brian Stokes Mitchell
Sep 14

Pacifica Quartet with Anthony McGill, American Stories
Sep 16

C-Suite Conversations: Craig Hoskins, Performance Food Group
Sep 20

Mark Morris Dance Group, Dances to American Music

Campus Highlights

Kudos

September 4, 2025

Philip Knight

As I was selecting food for lunch recently, I noticed some flat bread out at a station I never visit, so I figured I'd try a piece. Phil (special diets lead cook in the Heilman Dining Center) quickly moved it out of my reach and told me that it was reserved for students with special diets. He went on to say that if I — or anyone else who isn't gloved — touches it, then that food cannot be served to the students with allergies. I really appreciate that he took the time to explain why I couldn't have any, but more than that, I was impressed with his obvious dedication to keeping food safe for our campus.
—Jean Creamer, Registrar’s Office

September 3, 2025

Fehima Vjestica

Fehima cleans the 4th floor of Weinstein Hall and keeps it spotless! She is always the first person I see every morning, and she always has a big smile and friendly attitude. As a new faculty, she has helped me settle in my office, taken away my cardboard boxes, and is always welcoming. I really appreciate her and want her to know while she may think she works behind the scenes, her work is very much appreciated!
—Kavitha Cardoza, Journalism
September 2, 2025

Kay Robertson

Kay Robertson was tasked with distributing service awards for some of us who could not be at the awards meeting and was holding them for pick up. Knowing that I teach remotely and don't get to campus as often as I would like, she kindly offered to send it to me at home. I am grateful to receive it thanks to her thoughtfulness!
—Cheryl Huff, SPCS Liberal Arts

August 29, 2025

Billie Afflick

Huge thanks to Billie Afflick at the Dining Center for making our students feel so welcome. SPCS hosted over 50 new students and their families the weekend before classes started, and we planned to treat them to brunch. Shortly before our group arrived from their campus tour, we asked about reserving tables. Billie suggested the Westhampton Room and sprang into action to reserve it. It was a relief to know that our group had a place to sit and continue their conversations as they bonded over the excitement of the semester to come. In the midst of what was already a bustling weekend, Billie went out of her way to propose a solution for our crowd — who then enjoyed brunch as the perfect kick-off to their UR experience!
—Phil Melita, SPCS
August 22, 2025

Jay Einck

Thank you to Jay Einck in Information Services. Jay had tons of patience and great suggestions on ways to assist us with a project that we are currently working on in Risk Management. Thank you for the excellent customer service and IT support, Jay!
—Robin Walinski, Risk Management

July 15, 2025

Sejida Turanovic

Shout out to Sejida Turanovic for her excellent care of the 3rd floor of the International Center this summer. She has been deep cleaning offices, working around our 30+ summer research students, watering plants for faculty who are out of the office, and sharing some of her marvelous home-grown produce!
—Sandra Joireman, Political Science

Did you know…

Among baccalaureate colleges awarding credit for study abroad

—U.S. Department of State, Open Doors Report (2024)

Accomplishments

Hoyt co-publishes article on how loneliness mindsets correlate to social and psychological well-being
September 2, 2025
Crystal Hoyt, professor of leadership studies and psychology, co-published the article "Loneliness mindsets: A new measurement approach and implications for predicting wellbeing" in Behavioral Sciences.

Shields moderates rare meeting of Richmond leaders
September 1, 2025
Tom Shields, chair of graduate education and associate professor of education and leadership studies, moderated a rare meeting of the Richmond Public Schools Board and the Richmond City Council, including Superintendent Jason Kamras and Mayor Danny Avula. This was the first meeting of the two leadership groups since 2022.

Drummond recognized for 'Monument' film
August 28, 2025
Jeremy Drummond, associate professor of art, received the Best Avant Garde Film award at the Mesa International Film Festival for his film Monument. The film was also featured in “Zombies, ghosts, videogames: 10 highlights from St Moritz Art Film Festival” in Dazed.
Faculty Receives SIGMIS Early Career Award
August 27, 2025
Tenace Setor, assistant professor of analytics and operations, received the ACM SIGMIS Early Career Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements of researchers and educators as they commence their journey pursuing excellence in the management information systems discipline. Setor's research examines how digital technologies shape IT workforce development, enterprise system adoption, and organizational transformation.

Erickson and post-bacc publish on field work
August 26, 2025
Priscilla Erickson, assistant professor of biology, along with Weston Gray, post baccalaureate research assistant, published “Field Sampling of Zaprionus indianus in the Eastern United States in 2023-2024” in microPublication Biology.

Erickson, post-baccs, and students publish on invasive species evolution
August 26, 2025
Priscilla Erickson, assistant professor of biology, along with Weston Gray and Logan M Rakes, post baccalaureate research assistants, and students Christine Cole, ’24, Ansleigh Gunter, ’24, Guanting He, ’26, Samantha Morgan, ’23, Camille R Walsh-Antzak, ’24, and Jillian A Yates, ’24, published “Rapid Wing Size Evolution in African Fig Flies (Zaprionus Indianus) Following Temperate Colonization” in Evolution.
Tait published on Covid-19 vaccine communication
August 26, 2025
Margaret Tait, assistant professor of health studies, published "Was health skepticism accounted for in communication about the COVID-19 vaccine? A content analysis of federally-sponsored public service announcements about the vaccine to protect against COVID-19 in the United States," in Preventive Medicine Reports.

Amy McCracken Named to Virginia Business' 2025 Women in Leadership
August 25, 2025
Amy McCracken, associate dean for graduate programs, was named one of Virginia Business' 2025 Women in Leadership honorees. These awards celebrate top women executives for their overall professional accomplishments, civic engagement, mentorship, and breaking glass ceilings.

Goldman, Dominey, and students publish on improved methods
August 25, 2025
Emma Goldman, associate professor of chemistry, and Raymond N. Dominey, associate professor of chemistry, along with students Will Carrick, '21, Emily Kluball, '12, Kaleigh Hall, '12, Bret Adams, '05, and Adam Greenblatt, '05, published "Stereoselective Synthesis of Unsymmetrical 3,3-Diarylpropenals by a Suzuki-Miyaura Reaction of (Z)-3-Aryl-3-chloropropenal Intermediates" in the European Journal of Organic Chemistry.