Five longtime professors and a veteran administrator will be awarded emeritus status at the University of Mary Washington’s undergraduate commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 8.
Roy H. Smith will be named Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology; William B. Crawley Jr. will be named Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History; Margaret Williamson Huber will be named Distinguished Professor Emerita of Anthropology; Brenda E. Vogel will be named Professor Emerita of Education; LeRoy S. Strohl III will be named University Librarian Emeritus; and Christina Kakavá will be named Professor Emerita of Linguistics posthumously.
The title of emeritus is bestowed on faculty and administrative faculty members who have served the university for at least 15 years. Faculty members also must have attained the rank of professor or associate professor.
Roy H. Smith
Roy H. Smith began his career at Mary Washington in 1970 as an assistant professor of psychology. In his 40 years at UMW, Smith’s depth of knowledge in cognitive neuroscience, drug education and alcohol abuse provided a wide range of learning opportunities for students.
The author of several articles, books and presentations, Smith has received multiple grants for his research. His membership in numerous professional and scholarship organizations reflects his dedication to and passion for his discipline and his love of teaching.
In 1999, Smith was awarded the title of distinguished professor by the UMW Board of Visitors. He received the J. Christopher Bill Outstanding Faculty Service Award in 2004.
He is an active participant in many community organizations, including the Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg, Christ Church in Spotsylvania and the Association for Retarded Citizens.
Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Tennessee and a doctorate degree in physiological psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.
William B. Crawley Jr.
William B. Crawley Jr. came to Mary Washington in 1970 as an assistant professor of history. Since then, he has impacted the lives of students through his service in several academic and administrative capacities.
In 1988, Crawley was appointed college historian and was elected to the endowed rector and visitors chair. He served as director for the Center for Historic Preservation for four years, as chair of the Department of History and American Studies for eight years and as executive assistant to the president from 1983 to 1988. He was awarded the title of distinguished professor in 1994.
In 2006, Crawley and his wife, Terrie Crawley, member of the class of 1977, received Washington Medallions for their “extraordinary accomplishments, generosity and service” to UMW. They subsequently served as co-chairs of the Centennial Campaign, and Crawley documented the establishment, growth and development of UMW in his book, “The University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008.”
His engaging lectures and popularity as a history professor are evidenced by his 1994 receipt of the Grellet C. Simpson award for excellence in undergraduate teaching and his 2005 receipt of the Mary W. Pinschmidt award for the professor the senior class is most likely to remember for having the greatest impact on their lives.
Crawley received a bachelor’s degree in Latin from Hampden-Sydney College and earned master’s and doctoral degrees in history from the University of Virginia.
Margaret Williamson Huber
Margaret Williamson Huber joined the University of Mary Washington faculty in 1974. An expert in gender, political organizations and symbolic systems, Huber has inspired her students for more than 30 years.
Her outstanding accomplishments in the classroom and selfless attention to her students were recognized when she was honored with the Grellet C. Simpson Award for excellence in undergraduate teaching in 2008.
Huber has an extensive dossier of professional publications and research presentations. She is a noted expert in American popular culture, the Powhatan Indians of Virginia and the peoples of Papua, New Guinea.
She was awarded the title of distinguished professor in 1994 and is a member of multiple university committees, including the self-study committee, the gallery advisory committee and the faculty affairs committee. Her service also includes chairing the departments of sociology and anthropology and the promotion and tenure committee.
The current secretary-treasurer of the Southern Anthropological Society, Huber remains active in her discipline by encouraging students to present at annual conferences.
She received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Bryn Mawr College as well as a doctorate in philosophy and a bachelor of literature degree, both in social anthropology from Oxford University.
Brenda E. Vogel
Brenda E. Vogel started her career at Mary Washington in 1977. She has taught and advised hundreds of students as a professor of education, and her service as architect and director of the university’s popular master of education program has influenced thousands of local educators and school administrators.
In addition, Vogel has served as coordinator of teacher education services, director of field experiences, education department chair and interim assistant dean of academic services. In 1989, she became the university’s nominee to both the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education teacher awards.
Asked to create and launch education programs at the Stafford campus in 1999, Vogel sought input from student focus groups and education officials to craft post-bachelor’s teacher licensure and master of education programs.
She served on multiple university committees, including the Alumni Association Board and centennial and inauguration committees and as chair of self-study, faculty search and other committees.
She received a bachelor of fine arts in drama education from Virginia Commonwealth University and master’s and doctoral degrees in education from Virginia Tech.
LeRoy S. Strohl III
Leroy S. Strohl III has directed the growth and course of the University Libraries in his quarter-century tenure at Mary Washington, guiding the library through rapid and wide-ranging innovations in the information technology field.
As the amount of information and number of resources available swelled with the rise of virtual technology, Strohl presided over the transition from a card catalog to the library’s first online circulation and catalog system. Under his direction, library holdings expanded to include numerous electronic books, an extensive array of online databases and other non-print materials available to students, faculty, staff and the public.
Strohl was instrumental in the design of Simpson Library and supervised the library’s move to the site from Trinkle Hall. He also facilitated the opening of a second library at the Stafford campus.
An initial and long-time member of the steering committee for the Virtual Library of Virginia, Strohl was active on several university committees. He also has participated in many Fredericksburg area community groups and organizations, including the Bluemont Music Festival and the Rappahannock Rotary Club.
Strohl received a bachelor’s degree in English and theology from Hanover College, a master of arts degree in English literature and a master of library science degree from the University of Kentucky.
Christina Kakavá
Christina Kakavá began sharing her passion for linguistics with students in 1994 when she joined the faculty of Mary Washington.
She published extensively in sociolinguistics with a special emphasis on cross-cultural linguistics, issues of language and gender and intercultural identities among bilingual speakers.
Kakavá became an integral member of the university community, serving as chair of the General Education Committee and Curriculum Committee. She was a member of the Faculty Senate and committees on global awareness and instructional technology.
Professionally affiliated with the American Association of Applied Linguistics, the International Association of Applied Linguistics and the Linguistic Society of America, Kakavá maintained an extensive list of refereed and invited research presentations.
She devoted herself to undergraduate research opportunities, individual study projects and appropriate research methods for the study of language. In 2007, Kakavá led the President’s Travel Club to Greece after researching and preparing for the trip.
Kakavá received a bachelor’s degree in Greek and English from the University of Athens and her master’s and doctoral degrees in linguistics from Georgetown University.
She died in February after a three-year battle with cancer.