ACCOLADES

The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs named UR one of the U.S. colleges and universities that produced THE MOST FULBRIGHT U.S. STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS FOR 2022–23 Richmond is among only 18 institutions to be honored in both categories. It’s the fifth year in a row UR has been named a top producer of Fulbright students.

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation awarded UR a $156,000 BECKMAN SCHOLARS GRANT for faculty-mentored student research. Funds will support six student research scholarships over three years. It is the sixth time Richmond has received the Beckman Scholars award since 2006.

The Institute of International Education ranked UR high among baccalaureate colleges for INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS and the NUMBER OF STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD in its “Open Doors Report.” Richmond ranked No. 5 overall and No. 2 for short-term study abroad programs. UR ranked 12th for total number of international students

The Princeton Review named UR to its list of the 168 BEST LAW SCHOOLS. The law school was ranked No. 9 for BEST STATE AND LOCAL CLERKSHIPS.

Poets&Quants for Undergrads, an online publication for undergraduate business education news, ranked the Robins School of Business No. 18 on its 2023 “BEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOLS” list. The business school ranked No. 14 on career outcomes, No. 21 on academic experience, and No. 23 on admission standards.

The Associated Colleges of the South awarded UR and two other ACS schools nearly $50,000 for the collaborative faculty-focused project “Facilitating Constructive Dialogue in a Challenging World,” which seeks to provide faculty with strategies to lead productive dialogues in their classrooms.

Cigna awarded UR the SILVER 2022 CIGNA HEALTHY WORKFORCE DESIGNATION for demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the health and well-being of employees through a workplace wellness program (UR Well).

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia awarded the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement a $12,300 GRANT to support the CCE’s Pathways to College Experiences program, which introduces Richmond-area middle and elementary school students to the possibility of a college education.

Media Mentions

“Native Americans — and their genes — traveled back to Siberia, new genomes reveal” quoted biology professor MELINDA YANG, who studies the genetic history of ancient East Asian populations. She said, “They’re really clearly showing there’s something Jōmon-like on the mainland,” about a new paper focused on understanding how East Asian ancestry came to permeate Siberia during the Holocene.

Leadership studies professor DAVID WILKINS, a citizen of the Lumbee Nation of North Carolina, was quoted in “The Nooksack tribe in Washington is attempting to evict people from tribal homes.” In the article, which discusses tribal disenrollment, Wilkins said, “Family squabbles and racism are the two major factors rather than money issues.”

In “Why Does Money Exist?” economics professor SAIF MEHKARI, a macroeconomist specializing in fiscal policy and business cycles, emphasized the importance of money in society and culture by saying, “With no money, you would be forced to produce everything you consume.”

Law professors CARL TOBIAS and JULIE MCCONNELL were both quoted in “6-Year-Old Shot Va. Teacher with Mother's Gun, Police Say: Could Mom Face Charges?” McConnell, the director of the Children’s Defense Clinic, said Virginia does not currently have a law “that would allow the prosecution to go forward with a case against a parent.” Tobias said he thinks “authorities are proceeding in a very cautious way, as they probably should.”

Liberal arts professor ERIK NIELSON, an expert in African American literature and hip-hop culture and a sought-after expert on the use of rap lyrics as criminal evidence in court, was quoted in “Should rap lyrics be used in criminal trials? Formerly incarcerated rapper speaks about ‘egregious’ conviction.” “I'm not here to tell you that somebody is guilty or innocent,” said Nielson, co-author of Rap on Trial. “I'm only here arguing for a person's right to a fair trial.”

“Parenting the Disappointed College Applicant” quoted MICHAEL PINA, director of admission. On the topic of comparing children to other applicants or an older sibling, Pina warned parents to “avoid talking about what happened this year or last year to other students.” He added, “Your children want you to be happy and proud of them, and this exacerbates the problem.”

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This Q&A was published as part of The Conversation’s “Uncommon Courses,” a series highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. It has been adapted from the original with the author’s permission.

COURSE TITLE: For the Love of Books

WHAT PROMPTED THE IDEA FOR THE COURSE?

The idea for the class came from seeing University of Richmond students interact with the rare books and archival collections. Their curiosity about historic texts was not just with how the materials were made and used, but also with how these particular volumes survived and became a part of the University’s collection. The course is offered as a first-year seminar.

WHAT DOES THE COURSE EXPLORE?

For most students, books are for homework or reading for pleasure, but I ask them to look deeper into the concept of a book by analyzing books through four themes: object, content, technology, and art.

For books as objects, we look at books through their anatomy and structure, including paper and material form. Students then explore books as content, including how books are written, sold, read, collected. and sometimes banned.

We also explore changes in the technology of book production, including the new virtual and augmented-reality technologies that allow readers to experience books in new ways.

WHY IS THIS COURSE RELEVANT NOW?

When students focus on how the transmission of information has changed over time, they use books as a lens for social and cultural analysis. Exploring books as a communications technology, students develop a stronger understanding of how books have long influenced literacy, economics, technology, art, and culture. In so doing, they also learn the histories, traditions, and labor involved in the creation and distribution of information.

WHAT’S A CRITICAL LESSON FROM THE COURSE?

By choosing to focus on the history of books, the lesson is hopefully that what might appear to be something simple can often be deeply complex, far more meaningful, and have more of an impact than students might expect. For instance, there has been a recent rise in requests to ban books in schools and libraries. By exploring the long history of book censorship, students can better understand the context of current events within that larger history.

WHAT WILL THE COURSE PREPARE STUDENTS TO DO?

Books are physical artifacts that connect today’s students with people from long ago and from faraway places, but books are also agents of change that have influenced societies and cultures for centuries. Students will be able to trace the history of the book and the exchange of information and ideas over time in a way that helps them understand both the historical context and how that continues to shape their world today.

By Lynda Kachurek, head of Book Arts, Archives, and Rare Books, Boatwright Memorial Library

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

A complete list of The Conversation articles by Richmond experts, including this one by Kachurek, is available at news.richmond. edu/placements/ conversation.html.

Faculty interested in writing for The Conversation can contact Cynthia Price, associate vice president for media and public relations, at cprice2@richmond. edu or Sunni Brown, director of media and public relations, at sbrown5@richmond. edu.

Reprints of The Conversation articles appear frequently in Spider Insider, University of Richmond Magazine, and UR Now (urnow. richmond.edu).

On Social

Seeing what his generosity provided for me and other students (along with other donors, big and small) has left an impression on me that I hope to pass down to my kids one day.

… I can say that his philanthropy made a difference in many lives.

—Igor Martic via Facebook Referring to Marcus Weinstein being awarded the Paragon Medal, UR’s highest honor