Community Connections
Offered for the second year to students for course credit and to the public free of charge, in 2005 the Chappell “Great Lives” lecture series highlighted influential individuals who have made indelible marks upon history. Attracting audiences of as many as 400, UMW professors and guest lecturers covered diverse time periods and disciplines, discussing notable figures from Mozart to Elvis Presley and Mohammad to Robert E. Lee. Video files, or webcasts, can be accessed on the University web site at http://www.umw.edu/doit/dtlt/showcase/webcasts.php.
The Fredericksburg Forum celebrated its ninth season immersed in the world of politics. Broadcast journalists Gwen Ifill of Washington Week and Mark Shields of Capital Gang, both of whom serve regularly as political commentators on PBS’s The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, appeared in the fall immediately following the presidential election. In the spring, students and Forum patrons were entertained by the Capitol Steps, a troupe of current and former congressional staffers who combine music and parody to provide a humorous look at serious issues and personalities on Capitol Hill and in the Oval Office.
Two eminent businessmen served as Executives-in-Residence, attending classes to discuss business ethics and corporate leadership and attending a breakfast to speak to local business leaders. Richard F. Barry III, vice chairman of Landmark Communications Inc., a diverse group of publications and media outlets including The Weather Channel, served as the fall executive. The spring visitor was Charles H. Foster, chairman of LandAmerica Group Inc., a holding company for Lawyers Title Insurance Corp., Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co., and Transnation Title Insurance Co., headquartered in Richmond. Both Executives-in-Residence are married to Mary Washington alumnae: Carolyn Kennett Barry ’65 and Elizabeth Ferguson Foster ’69.
An exhibit titled “Reflections on American Slavery: Selected Objects from the Collections of the United States Slavery Museum” put a national spotlight on the UMW Ridderhof Martin Gallery. Entertainer Bill Cosby came to see it, as did many international visitors.
The second annual Celebrity Series concert featured Canadian Brass, a world-renowned and entertaining quintet that performed classical and contemporary works with the UMW-Community Symphony Orchestra.