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SOCIAL SCIENTISTS
In Volha (Olga) Chykina’s Leadership and the Social Sciences course, students explore leadership from a social scientific perspective, drawing from psychology, sociology, political science, and other fields.
“I love teaching this specific class because it focuses on themes of obedience to authority,” Chykina said. “It is always interesting to explore with students how humans behave under pressure and analyze the conditions under which they might behave in ways that do not necessarily align with their ethical beliefs.”
Vice president for communications and chief marketing officer
Tom Addonizio
Associate vice president for communications and media relations
Cynthia Price
Editor Cheryl Spain
Associate vice president for creative and design services
Samantha Tannich
Graphic designer Ashley Gladner
Photographer Jamie Betts
Staff contributors: Lauren Anesta, Sunni Brown, James Campbell, Sandi Cauley, Megan Condict, Catherine Cribbs, Rachel Dawson, Sophia Demerath, ’26, Matthew Dewald, Phillip Gravely, Terrance Henderson, Kevin Heraldo, Allison Steele Hicks, Alicia Hubbard, Lee Anna Jackson, Pamela Lee, Rachel Long, Katie McBride, Rayne Miller, Amy Ogle, ’26, Cynthia Price, Gordon Schmidt, Sandra Shelley, Cindy Smith, and Greg Thompson
Spider Insider is printed on paper that is FSC® Certified, with 10% post-consumer recycled content and
fiber.
THE COVER Landscape Services’ Blake Carter, Eric Lee, and Cody Arbaugh (pictured from left) show off the cutting-edge technology University Facilities is using to make campus maintenance more sustainable and efficient. Learn more on Page. 8. We welcome
Send your story ideas or comments to spiderinsider @richmond.edu.
Sliding Into the Semester Students enjoy sledding on Boatwright Beach in February.
AROUND THE LAKE
Pilgrimage program helps foster interfaith dialogue and trust on
The University Dancers perform “A Seat at the Table,” choreographed by Angelica Burgos, adjunct lecturer of dance, during the student dance company’s 40th Anniversary Concert.
STAY CONNECTED
Read more of President Hallock’s messages to the University community — or share your thoughts with him at any time — at president.richmond.
edu.
Supporting the Arts at UR
Every year, I participate in programs our admission team organizes for prospective students, offering a sense of what it’s like at the University, who we are as a campus community, and what it means to be a Spider.
This year, the team began asking me a new question during the programs: “If you weren’t the University’s president, what would your dream job be?”
My answer: “Nature photographer.”
I find the art of photography and the ongoing hunt for a “good” photograph so rewarding. Perhaps that’s another reason — whether looking at things through the lens of a university president, an economics professor, or a photographer — I can so clearly see how vital the arts are to our vibrancy as a Spider community, our mission as a liberal arts university, and leading a flourishing life.
I love that Spiders do so many things across our five schools and our entire campus. And we are so fortunate that, from our University Museums to our Modlin Center to our Chapel, our Book Arts Studio, our classrooms, and even our residence halls, we can find Spiders creating, curating, performing, and absorbing the arts.
The arts offer a variety of ways to listen, learn, and appreciate. They can help us be present in
a busy world, express our ideas, and foster our well-being. When we show up to experience the arts together and support the creative work of fellow Spiders, we can strengthen our bonds as a community.
Sitting beside Tina in a packed Alice Jepson Theatre for the 40th Annual Celebration of Dance, I experienced awe, joy, and pride. The talent and creativity of UR’s artist-scholars were manifest in the grace and precision of the University Dancers; the choreography they performed together; the costumes they wore; and the light, scene, projection, and sound design that engulfed them. So much creativity went into each performance, reminding me that with the good work of countless Spiders, we can accomplish so much and inspire so many.
So, thank you, Spiders, for honing your creative practices here. Thank you for inspiring our students to express themselves and wonder at the work of others. Thank you for providing logistical and administrative support to promote and present the arts on campus. And thank you for showing up to experience and celebrate the arts together.
Kevin F. Hallock President and Distinguished University Professor of Economics
Photo by Kim Schmidt
Cultural Treasures Repatriated
Ancient World Gallery relics returned to Mexico following ceremony
The University held a repatriation ceremony on campus in February to return six ancient artifacts to their homeland. Felipe García Landa, the deputy consul of Mexico in Washington, D.C., personally accepted the items, which were authenticated by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History) in Mexico City.
The objects had been donated to the Ancient World Gallery by Frederic H. Morgan III, R’76, who had inherited them from his parents. He was on hand at the ceremony, held at Carole Weinstein International Center, to watch their return.
The repatriation came about from students studying the artifacts in Elizabeth Baughan’s Cultural Property, Archaeology, Ethics, and Law class. After learning about Mexico’s repatriation laws, they and Baughan agreed that the items should be returned to their place of origin.
“In the class, we consider the question, ‘Who owns the past?’ from different legal, ethical, and archaeological perspectives through specific case studies like this,” said Baughan, a classics and archaeology professor.
The donated artifacts include:
• A disc-shaped gaming piece created by pre-Hispanic cultures that settled in the Central Highlands region between 1200 and 1521.
• Two anthropomorphic figures created by the Teotihuacán culture between 200 and 650.
• A fragment of an axe made of stone, originating from the Central Highlands and created between 200 and 1521.
• The head of a supernatural figurine, representing a skeletal figure known in archaeological literature as the god Xipe Totec, and an anthropomorphic portrait-style figurine. Both are artifacts of the Teotihuacán style, crafted in the Mexican Highlands during the Mesoamerican Classic period (100–650).
“It’s my great honor to receive these pieces, which legally and emotionally belong to all Mexicans,” said García Landa. “We will cherish them with the same reverence and care that you have done all these years, Mr. Morgan.”
The ceremony concluded with the signing of documents transferring the cultural objects to the consul, who would return them to Mexico.
“Repatriation is a wonderful opportunity to foster new relationships and raise awareness about important cultural traditions and resources,” said Provost Joan Saab. “I’m so impressed by the research and subsequent outreach by our faculty and students to make this ceremony happen.”
SOCIAL BUZZ
My daughter is an alum and now staff member in the Neuroscience department! Thanks to you all for championing socioeconomic diversity. We are U R!
—Kimberly Cousins via Facebook, referring to UR joining QuestBridge
I remember my son waiting for his letter. While everyone else in his school who has applied ED had heard, we had a notoriously, slow and late delivering mailman. My son sat parked in the dining room, refusing to leave, or do anything else, until he saw the mail truck. The mail truck didn’t come till 7 o’clock that night. Thankfully, there was a packet. And the next four most amazing years began fall 2017.
Best wishes to all waiting to hear!
—lgithero via Instagram, referring to the Class of 2029
Lifelong memories from that beautiful campus - and to think, it seems to just get even more beautiful with every passing year!
—Stephen Payne via LinkedIn
Congratulations! My daughter and I enjoyed watching Dr. Lambert and team working with rats on The [Hidden] Lives of Pets
—Lee Waters via LinkedIn
This is one of my favorite things about the UR campus! Cheers to the Facilities team who makes it magical year after year!
—Jenn Yeatman via LinkedIn, referring to the annual wreath-raising on Boatwright Memorial Library
You’re a gingerbread queen, Tina!!!
—ginger_k.lo via Instagram
Connect with us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @urichmond
ADJUSTING ASSESSMENT METHODS
“If I can feed a test question to AI and it gives me the answer, then what was I really testing in the first place?” asked Shital Thekdi, associate professor of analytics and operations. “If we’re teaching things that can easily be automated or replaced, then we need to focus on delivering higher levels of learning that cannot be entrusted to an algorithm.”
AI @ UR
UR’s approach to artificial
intelligence
encourages experimentation focused on enhancing student learning
As 2022 came to a close, English faculty member Joe Essid — now retired — encountered an artificial intelligence bot’s writing output for the first time.
“I had an aha moment when I saw how good the output was,” Essid said. “I was reminded of when I saw my first web browser. I saw a moving weather pattern on a computer. I said then, ‘The world had changed.’”
AI — more specifically, generative AI — has since dominated public attention. Generative AI is a machine-learning model designed to create something new that looks like the data it has been trained on. For example, if the developer fed it millions of lines of computer code, it would be able to generate new code. The same goes for any data: Bots can also learn to create from images, literature, and other art forms, though commonly without artists’ awareness or permission. This has triggered ongoing discourse on whether this training process constitutes theft.
In the case of Essid’s interaction with the chatbot’s writing output, the data would have been samples of prose. The chatbot then crafted something similar from that knowledge bank.
The University is adopting a nuanced approach to AI, one that emphasizes human judgment, critical thinking, and ethical deployment of these powerful new tools.
What is Richmond’s AI policy?
Rather than instituting sweeping top-down policies around AI use, the University gives professors the autonomy to develop appropriate guidelines for their specific courses and disciplines.
“The University’s policy is the one I like most because, above all, the reason I’m an academic is for autonomy and academic freedom,” Essid said. “I think the University’s light-handed approach is the best one.”
This flexible framework allows faculty to experiment in ways that enhance learning objectives. For Andrew Bell, technology consultant and Faculty Hub operations manager, the goal is to “take a really considered position, a very well-researched and nuanced position on the technologies, and be able to communicate that to faculty and help them see its role in their teaching.”
How is AI being implemented in classrooms?
While much public attention has focused on AI writing tools like ChatGPT, faculty are continually uncovering creative applications across many academic fields. In economics professor Saif Mehkari’s first-year seminar, students use AI to create complete marketing campaigns — generating scripts, synthesizing voiceovers, and producing AI-generated images and videos. In
computer programming courses, AI serves as a coding assistant to help students learn syntax while developing their core problem-solving skills.
Shital Thekdi, associate professor of analytics and operations, has students experiment with prompt engineering — learning to effectively query AI systems to support statistical modeling and data analysis. But she emphasizes that the technology doesn’t replace the need for human judgment.
“The class becomes less about coding and more about the analyst and their judgment,” Thekdi said. “You could think of a model as a black box. You have inputs; you have outputs; and the human decides what the inputs are and how to interpret the outputs.”
Tilton sees CLAAI as a natural extension of the University’s strengths as a liberal arts institution.
“We think interdisciplinarily and transdisciplinarily and integrate many ways of thinking together.
That’s the value of a liberal arts education. CLAAI is taking those values and ways of thinking and integrating them into a different way to do AI.”
“The value of the education at the University of Richmond is to understand the tools and how to use those tools, but not entrust those tools to replace one’s own critical thinking.”
What’s next for AI at Richmond?
To keep in lockstep with AI’s rapid evolution, the University is launching the Center for Liberal Arts and AI (CLAAI) this fall. This initiative will “bring together researchers, students, and experts to think about the social, political, and cultural possibilities and challenges of AI,” said digital humanities professor Lauren Tilton, who will lead the center.
Faculty also acknowledge the need to stay current with AI’s development. Training and consultation are available to teaching staff through Bell and the Faculty Hub.
“The value of the education at the University of Richmond is to understand the tools and how to use those tools, but not entrust those tools to replace one’s own critical thinking,” Thekdi said.
“Students learn how to use those tools, but they also get their liberal arts education and learn how to use those tools effectively, ethically, and wisely and use those tools to do great things that the tools could not have done.”
Editor’s Note: This is an abridged version of a story from the spring 2025 issue of University of Richmond Magazine. Find the full story at magazine.richmond.edu.
WHAT IS SPIDER AI?
Spider AI is an internally developed platform that provides faculty and students with access to leading AI models. It emerged from a faculty working group exploring AI applications in teaching and has evolved into a robust system used campuswide.
“Unlike many schools, we are pushing a lot in this space,” said Saif Mehkari, economics professor and co-developer of Spider AI. “We are competing with some of the top schools out there.”
SPIDER INSIDER: A NEW DIGITAL RESOURCE FOR STAFF AND FACULTY
In February, Human Resources and University Communications unveiled Spider Insider, a new digital platform designed to keep staff and faculty current on all things UR.
Spider Insider digital builds on the foundation of the print publication by providing a dynamic, daily stream of timely information, including campus news, events, and updates such as road closures and facility alerts. The site also has quick links to essential resources. With its news-site format, important information is front and center for easy access.
“We’re excited to offer Spider Insider as a way to improve employee communication across campus,” said Geraldine Sullivan, chief human resources officer. “The site allows us to provide timely and relevant information in a format that is convenient and accessible for everyone. It’s a direct reflection of our commitment to keeping staff and faculty connected and informed.”
The launch comes after more than a year of planning and collaboration between the two divisions to improve staff and faculty communications. After analyzing data on how staff and faculty navigate UR’s website, they designed Spider Insider digital to focus on what matters most.
Key features of Spider Insider include:
• Quick links to essential resources such as Workday, UR Alert, SpiderBytes, the Help Desk, and more.
• News from across UR, including highlights from publications and exclusive content created for the site.
• Updates on campus happenings such as road closures and facility alerts.
• Upcoming events, including faculty and staff meetings, training opportunities, and institutional programming.
• Urgent announcements requiring immediate attention.
• Kudos and accomplishments.
• The latest media mentions.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to make Spider Insider their homepage or startup page for quick access to the latest news every day. For instructions, visit spiderinsider.richmond.edu/ about/index.html.
MEDIA MENTIONS
DAMON YARNELL, associate provost and executive director for career development, was interviewed in “New on the Job: Q&A With Damon Yarnell, University of Richmond.” “We help students take the interests and skills and priorities that they develop while they’re in college out into the wider world and position them to earn a return on their experience, including their degree,” Yarnell said.
Biology professor JONATHAN RICHARDSON was quoted in “Rats! Climate change is helping increase their populations in cities.” “Rats are fascinating creatures, but they come with very big issues,” he said. “One of the key takeaways I hope cities glean is that it’s a problem that’s going to require more resources.”
The article “War Beyond Words” reviews a new translation of the renowned novel All Quiet on the Western Front by German professor and Humanities Fellow in Literary Translation KURT BEALS. The reviewer writes, “Mr. Beals’ shimmering version of this novel should become the standard for English readers. He commits to each page a burnished prose that beautifully stewards the original, and he captures more vividly than any other translator the sensory onslaught of Remarque’s narration.”
Law professor ASHLEY DOBBS, an expert in trademark law, is quoted in “The Utah … Mammoth? Outlaws? N.H.L. Team Puts Its Name to a Vote.” “Sports teams are limited by their desire to resonate with local preferences and convey characteristics like fierceness,” Dobbs said. “We’re running out of words. … Any franchise picking a mascot going forward would have to do their branding homework.”
DANIEL HOCUTT, web manager in the School of Professional & Continuing Studies, authored the piece “Composing content with Generative AI: Insights from digital marketing.” “AI integration has far-reaching implications for the practice of technical communication and digital marketing,” he wrote. “While automated processes bring efficiency gains, human expertise remains essential to maintain content and ethical integrity.”
Finance professor JOE FARIZO was featured in “Biz schools prep students for private equity careers.” The Spider Business Hub at the Robins School of Business is an opportunity for budding venture capitalists to work with Richmond-area businesses and learn about some of the challenges they face, Farizo said. “We think that all of this combined is an integrated and comprehensive way to prepare them for private equity and venture capital.”
Visit news.richmond.edu to view additional media mentions or connect with University Communications’ Media Relations team, Cynthia Price, Sunni Brown, and Lindsey Campbell.
At Cross-U, Class is in Session
Campus Operations program allows staff to maintain full-time hours during departmental downtime
Following the departure of students at the end of the academic year, some departments experience a lull, while others desperately need extra hands. The Campus Ops Cross-Utilization Program — or Cross-U — allows staff from departments with a reduced workload to assist those with temporary staffing needs.
“There are times during the summer that departments like dining services do not have the demand they have during the school year, while facilities is busier, preparing the dorms for students in the fall and maintaining them for camps and conferences, Reunion, and Special Olympics,” said Allison Steele Hicks, associate director of communications and professional development for University Facilities. “They have to flip pretty much every single residential location on campus. It’s a lot.”
“Cross-U helped me find where I best fit in the web and could best utilize my skills to help the community.”
Participation in Cross-U is voluntary, and some staff prefer the time off during the summer. But for the 15 to 20 annually who want the hours, Hicks meets with them in the spring to explore their interests — and with department managers to assess their needs. “We don’t just blindly match people,” she said. “I want to make sure both the host department and participant are set up for success.”
The program’s primary goal is to help staff maintain their hours, but it also allows staff to develop new skills, learn about areas of campus, and build relationships. For some, it’s even a chance to explore a career change.
A MILESTONE
This year, the Cross-U program is celebrating its fifth year of matching campus operations staff with host departments such as custodial services, maintenance, support services, procurement, the print shop, and One Card that need extra hands during breaks between semesters.
Allison Steele Hicks, associate director of communications and professional development for University Facilities, looks forward to welcoming the new cohort.
Through the Cross-U program, interested dining staff can keep their full-time hours while helping departments in facilities and campus business services avoid hiring external contractors.
Though staff transfers between departments during the summer had been happening informally for years, the program officially launched in 2020 during the pandemic when staff, faculty, and students were largely learning and working remotely. Hicks, who oversees the program, drew from her experience at Disney to implement the program on campus.
Stephen Birch participated in Cross-U during the pandemic to meet new people and put in extra hours. His assignment was emergency maintenance at the boiler plant. The boiler plant team was “more than happy to teach me and help me grow as a tradesman,” Birch said. “I left having learned more about campus than I had in my first four years here.” When a position opened up at the plant a few months later, Birch applied. “It was the smoothest job transition of my life,” he said.
Today, Birch operates boilers and works with departments across campus. “Cross-U helped me find where I best fit in the web and could best utilize my skills to help the community.”
“It’s always nice to see the relationships that are built,” she said. “These dedicated team members are happy to help out. They make sure the campus continues to be successful throughout the summer.”
For more information about the Cross-U program or becoming a host department, contact Hicks at asteele@ richmond.edu.
Illustration by Katie McBride
BETTER UTILITY MANAGEMENT, TOO Facilities recently implemented a geographic information system to help manage campus utilities. The system allows the team better access to historical data and information related to campus utility assets. The team is also in the early stages of implementing Energy Cap, an energy management monitoring program that will give facilities better data analytics to manage water and energy usage.
Embracing Innovation
University Facilities uses cutting-edge equipment to enhance campus care
University Facilities is vital in maintaining the University’s 90 buildings, spanning 2.8 million square feet and 350 acres of beautiful campus grounds. Every day, the team’s more than 200 members work to ensure campus is safe, well-maintained, and welcoming. The team is also embracing innovative technologies to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and overall campus care.
Robots at work
Boatwright Library’s carpeted floors cover a staggering 100,000 square feet — nearly 100 times the size of the average home’s carpeting. To keep up with daily wear and tear, Custodial Services uses an automated commercial vacuum cleaner. They will soon deploy additional bots to other academic buildings with large carpeted areas. These bots keep the floors clean while freeing up the custodial team to focus on other important tasks.
To keeping our outdoor spaces pristine, Landscape Services recently introduced the Lavo Bot, a remote-controlled pressure-washing machine that makes cleaning decks and patios easier while reducing the physical strain on team members. They also use a remote-controlled mower for challenging areas such as the Eco-Corridor.
“The remote-controlled lawn mower is a much better option for tackling difficult, steep hillsides than a traditional mower,” said Mike Torquato, landscape manager. “It keeps our team members safe.”
University Facilities’ landscape services team uses a variety of innovative technologies — from remote-controlled lawn mowers to pressure-washing bots and drones — to make campus care safer and more efficient.
The team will also consider the use of smart mowers for athletic fields and a turf bot to assist with painting fields once the technology advances.
Drones are joining the team
The facilities team will pilot the use of a pressure-washing drone to assist with masonry and window cleaning. The drone, which requires a specialized license, can fly up to 140 feet to reach hard-to-clean places, potentially reducing the need to hire a specialized contractor. Facilities is also considering using a thermal drone to help with roof inspections in the future.
“When we discovered this new drone technology at a conference, we immediately recognized its potential to benefit campus, said Elena Kinker, custodial manager. “It offers an innovative approach to cleaning areas that are difficult to access with traditional pressure washers.”
By embracing new technologies, the facilities team is making the campus safer, more efficient, and more sustainable.
AROUND THE LAKE
SMART IRRIGATION FOR A GREENER CAMPUS
Behind the scenes, Landscape Services uses a smart irrigation system for some of the more visible high-traffic green spaces like Millhiser and Westhampton greens. This system monitors rain, soil type, plant material, temperature, and evaporation to ensure lawns are not over- or under-watered. It also alerts the team of any irrigation breaks or abnormal water flow, and it provides remote access for last-minute requests.
“Smart irrigation technology is the way of the future for irrigation for both sustainability and efficiency of the system,” said Allison Moyer, associate director of landscape services.
“We now run our irrigation on current weather conditions instead of human instincts.”
ACCOLADES
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs named UR one of the U.S. colleges and universities with the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. It’s the ninth time and the seventh year in a row Richmond has been named a TOP PRODUCER OF FULBRIGHT STUDENTS with six awards offered in the 2024–25 academic year.
Poets&Quants for Undergrads, an online publication for undergraduate business education news, ranked the Robins School of Business No. 17 on its 2025 “BEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOLS” list, up from No. 18 in 2024 and the fourth consecutive year on the list. The business school also ranked No. 15 for career outcomes, No. 21 for admissions standards, and No. 25 for academic experience.
The Richard D. Donchian Foundation awarded the Jepson School of Leadership Studies a $150,000 GRANT to continue and expand the Jepson School’s multifaceted ethics education initiatives. Funds will support faculty scholarship and student learning over the next three years.
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business recognized the Robins School of Business Spider Business Hub in its INNOVATIONS THAT INSPIRE member spotlight program. UR is one of 26 schools selected for the initiative, which highlights innovative ways that business schools are partnering with businesses to elevate communities and enhance the student experience.
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education awarded UR a STARS GOLD RATING for the third time. The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System is a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance.
Cigna Healthcare awarded UR the GOLD 2024 HEALTHY WORKFORCE DESIGNATION for demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the health and vitality of employees through a workplace well-being program (UR Well).
The Joan and Morgan Massey Foundation awarded UR’s Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship initiative a $50,000 GRANT to support the Richmond Innovation Fellows program, a yearlong, interdisciplinary academic program designed to teach students how to identify and solve problems in nonprofit and for-profit spaces.
Print Shop of Choice
UR’s print shop expands services to further mission of campus stewardship
On a quick stroll through campus, lawn signs or banners directing people to buildings or promoting events are a common sight. One might even see a Spiders Vote sticker on a laptop. Examples of the UR print shop’s work are as widespread as its capabilities.
“My biggest goal is when somebody wants to print something, their first thought is, ‘Let me call the print shop,’” said Joel Hagman, manager of print services.
The print shop uses Konica Minolta printers for standard jobs. The printers are capable of punching holes, stapling, and saddle-stitching booklets. They have Roland wide-format printers for signage, banners, and stickers — one that uses eco-friendly ink and another that uses UV ink. The shop is working on acquiring a rotary machine that can print around the entire surface of cylindrical items such as bottles or cans.
“My biggest goal is when somebody wants to print something, their first thought is, ‘Let me call the print shop.’”
Ninety percent of the print shop’s jobs are internal, meaning they are charged to departments. Common requests are for business cards and course packs, but the shop’s services are expansive. Its portfolio includes golf balls, pens, letterhead, posters, stickers, and more. The shop even takes personal requests, such as holiday cards and invitations. With image enhancement, a complimentary two-hour design service, and competitive pricing, the print shop ensures quality and convenience in each job. In summer 2024, the print shop became licensed to produce University-branded items, allowing it to supply frame mat boards, postcards, and other products for the SpiderShop, reducing its need for external vendors.
Each on-campus service furthers the print shop’s commitment to resource stewardship. By making it the preferred print service provider, departments save money and resources that can be redirected toward other priorities — and they strengthen relationships within the campus community.
“We just want to be partners,” said Josh Wroniewicz, business office director. “If you’re not sure how to do a job or who can do it, bring it to us. We’d like to chat with you and see what we can do.”
Job requests can be submitted to the print shop via the website at campusservices.richmond.edu/printing, with typical turnaround times ranging from the same day to a couple of days.
Tip pressure might work in the moment, but customers are less likely to return
Have you ever hesitated at the register, uncomfortable as an employee watched you choose a tip? It’s not just you. The rise of digital tipping systems — from point-of-sale devices held by employees to countertop screens that clearly display your selection — is changing the dynamics of tipping, often in ways that make customers feel scrutinized.
As marketing professors who study digital tipping, we wanted to find out how customers respond to this sort of “tip surveillance.”
We compared tipping setups with less privacy — such as when firms use hand-held payment systems, when employees are facing customers, and when apps immediately show tips to employees — with setups with more privacy, such as countertop payment systems, employees who face away from customers, and apps that disclose tips only after the service.
coming back, our research indicates they would do well to give customers privacy to tip.
One issue might be that some employees think watching customers closely encourages them to tip generously. We didn’t find a straightforward relationship, however, between tipping privacy and tip amounts. Customers tip similar amounts whether they have privacy or not.
“ Customers who felt watched while tipping were less likely to make a return visit or recommend a business.”
Our results were clear: High levels of surveillance are bad for business. Customers who felt watched while tipping were less likely to make a return visit or recommend a business. While privacy often made customers feel more generous and in control of their decisions, when customers feel pressured, they lose the sense of control that makes tipping a positive experience.
Welcome to the payment panopticon
While digital tipping can be convenient, it can also contribute to “tipflation” — the feeling that tipping expectations have gotten out of hand. If companies want to make sure customers keep
For companies, striking a balance between giving customers control and fostering generosity is crucial. A business that trains employees to give customers privacy to tip — and pays those employees fairly — will likely develop a better reputation and a more loyal customer base.
The next horizons of tipping
Today, people tip more money, for more services, and in more places than ever before.
As businesses, customers, and even politicians debate how to best integrate digital tipping into our world, the focus shouldn’t be just on boosting tipping revenue for employees but also on creating a positive experience for customers.
More broadly, customers, workers, businesses, and society may want to consider how to create a system of tipping that protects workers’ rights and dignity while guaranteeing fair pay and that allows customers and business owners to reward employees who contribute by providing great service.
Co-authored by Sara Hanson, associate professor of marketing
AROUND THE LAKE
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
This article has been updated and adapted for length with permission from the author. A complete list of The Conversation articles, including this one in its entirety, is available at news.richmond. edu/placements/ conversation.html.
Faculty interested in writing for The Conversation can contact Sunni Brown, senior director for media relations and strategic communications, at sbrown5@richmond. edu, or Lauren Anesta, media relations manager, at lauren. anesta@richmond. edu.
Reprints of The Conversation articles appear frequently in Spider Insider, University of Richmond Magazine, and UR Now (urnow. richmond.edu).
Participants in Pilgrimage: Northern Ireland visit Derry/ Londonderry, a city affected by the Catholic and Protestant conflict known as “the Troubles.”
LEARN MORE For more information about the Office of the Chaplaincy’s Pilgrimage program, including past and future trips, visit chaplaincy.richmond. edu/programs/ pilgrimage.
Journeys of Faith and Reflection
Chaplaincy’s
Pilgrimage program
helps foster interfaith dialogue and trust on campus
Since 2011, the Office of the Chaplaincy has been guiding students on weeklong domestic and international pilgrimages designed to deepen their faith, enhance religious and spiritual life on campus, and foster learning from diverse communities around the world. The Pilgrimage program, a signature initiative of the Chaplaincy, provides students with the opportunity to explore sacred sites — from the historic paths of the Camino de Santiago in Spain to the solemn landscapes of the Holocaust in Poland. Through these immersive experiences, students are encouraged to engage not only with their own beliefs, but also with the diverse customs and faith traditions of others, learning to navigate a religiously complicated world.
With groups of 8 to 12 undergraduate students, typically led by two staff members, the program’s structure itself cultivates deep connections. The small size creates an intimate environment where conversations and trust can flourish. The relationships students build on these journeys often last far beyond the trip itself.
“There has been a lot of heartache for good reasons on college campuses across the country,” said Craig Kocher, University chaplain. “The relationships that were formed on pilgrimage helped our campus navigate those difficulties because we had intact relationships where trust was already formed and people cared about and
could listen to one another.”
Each pilgrimage is accompanied by a half-unit course that connects students’ religious and spiritual explorations to broader academic themes. Over the past 14 years, the Chaplaincy has led 33 pilgrimages; more than 250 students from a variety of spiritual backgrounds have participated. Thanks to funding from the Chaplaincy, the cost of participation is fully covered, making the program accessible to all.
“Despite their past traumas and religiously motivated violence, countries like Spain, Poland, Germany, and Greece offer glimpses of what’s possible when people of various religious backgrounds come together around their shared values and learn to celebrate rather than debate their differences,” said Josh Jeffreys, Jewish chaplain and director of religious life. “I’m always profoundly moved to see such diverse groups of students engage in vulnerable discussion about their practices and beliefs, their hopes and fears, and their desire for a more just world.”
For Kocher, who has led 15 of these trips, the Pilgrimage program is not just about travel — it’s about transformation. The program offers students a chance “to reflect deeply on who they are, what they believe, and who they want to become.” The lessons learned are carried back to campus, where they continue to shape students’ lives and influence how they engage with others.
“We’ve seen over time that it has a transforming effect on the students who participate,” Kocher said.
The Pilgrimage program was created as part of the University’s broader commitment to experiential learning, providing students with opportunities for real-world connections inside and outside the classroom. At a time when UR was amping up focus on international offerings, the Pilgrimage program filled a gap by providing short-term multifaith international opportunities for students who couldn’t commit to longer periods of study abroad.
Students are encouraged to engage not only with their own beliefs but also with the diverse customs and faith traditions of others.
During spring break, the Pilgrimage program took students to Northern Ireland to explore the conflict and reconciliation between Catholics and Protestants between 1969 and 1998, commonly referred to as “the Troubles.” Students visited relevant sites and learned about the history of the area, the key issues that led to the conflict, and the role of peacemakers in bringing about a resolution.
“It was challenging to be in spaces where terrible things happened,” said Tom Mullen, Catholic chaplain and director of public affairs journalism, who led the pilgrimage with Kocher. “We prepared our students beforehand, but the experience of being on the actual grounds of ‘the
Troubles’ was profound and deeply moving. At the same time, it was inspiring to see how former enemies worked together to promote peace, rebuild their communities, and come together with a renewed passion for reconciliation. We came away with a deeper appreciation for peacemaking and to look for ways to create peace wherever and whenever we can.”
In May, the Pilgrimage cohort will travel to Greece to explore the country’s religious and historical significance, particularly in the development of Hellenistic, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions. These shared experiences of stepping into each other’s worlds deepen students’ understanding of religious history while fostering empathy. It’s an essential aspect of the program, particularly in a world that can often feel divided by religious and cultural differences.
“The world is an incredibly devout place and an incredibly diverse place,” Kocher said. “Often, religiosity becomes a source of pain between people. The pilgrimage explicitly says, ‘Our religiosity can be a source of community and learning. Not a source of division.’”
AROUND THE GLOBE
Since its launch in 2011, the Pilgrimage program has led more than 250 students on 33 pilgrimages to 12 countries/ regions and six U.S. states.
Countries/regions: Northern Ireland, Poland, Scotland, England, Morocco, France, Spain, South Korea, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, the Holy Land
States: Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Maine, North Carolina
LIBRARY’S TRANSFORMATION NEARS MILESTONE
A significant renovation and expansion project remains underway at Boatwright Memorial Library. The transformational project amplifies and reimagines the resources and services available within the library for the Spider community.
The renovation, which began in May 2023, is on track to be completed for the start of the fall 2025 semester. Project highlights include:
• Creating new, unique, and inviting study and gathering spaces, including a two-story enclosed atrium.
• Moving most of the collections to the B2 level to increase study and collaboration space on the main levels.
• Relocating and expanding the existing 8:15 at Boatwright café to the B1 level.
• Creating additional entrances on the first floor and the B1 level to provide easier access into the library.
• Reconfiguring the outdoor terrace with enhanced lake views, planters, and a green roof.
• Making the building more accessible from the lake level.
• Providing better access to key spaces within the library, including the Book Arts Studio, Rare Books & Archival Collections, and the Lora Robins Gallery.
The Lora Robins Gallery will also now include new museum cases with an expanded fluorescent minerals room with an ultraviolet light display to better showcase the fluorescent collection, which is one of the largest in the country.
“As of this fall, the B1 level of the building will be reopened, along with the remainder of the front lawn, walkways, and terrace,” said Burt Teachey, assistant director of construction management. “Construction on the next phase will begin this summer on the first and second floors as we make space for the Weinstein Learning Center.”
The library building will close for the summer once the spring term concludes on May 3 as the final stages of the renovation are completed. During that time, reference and instruction librarians will work out of the Refectory, and other library staff will work in temporary offices or remotely. The library will reopen in August, and all library services will be available for the 2025–26 academic year.
Room to Grow
Orchard and food forest increases biodiversity and educational opportunities through food systems
The Eco-Corridor is growing a new space for campus connection and environmental education with the Eco-Corridor Orchard and Food Forest, an edible plant demonstration site, opening this fall just south of Abby’s Garden. The project aims to enhance biodiversity and promote native species, increase tree canopy coverage, and offer hands-on learning experiences for campus.
Situated near the Eco-Corridor’s main entrance to encourage community engagement, the orchard and food forest will feature dwarf fruit trees, including Anjou pear and New Haven peach; shrubs such as gooseberry, blueberry, and aronia; herbs; and perennial pollinators, including echinacea.
The idea for the orchard and food forest began in 2022 with Daniel Hart, associate director of sustainability and environmental justice. Maddie Hitching, ’25, contributed to its development through her geography capstone, researching and developing criteria for successful orchards and food forests. Haley Herrmann, sustainability communications and engagement specialist, created the artistic renderings. The project received funding in 2024 through a $25,000 grant from the Oak Foundation, whose leadership was familiar with the Eco-Corridor and the connection it facilitates between the campus and the community to support environmental education.
“We want to make it available to anyone, whether you want to pick some herbs to make dinner that night or snack on a piece of fruit.”
At the heart of the project is community involvement. A class participating in the sustainability curriculum helped with plant selection, and natural areas steward Joseph Day, who organizes weekly volunteer events, invited faculty, staff, and students to assist with planting and maintaining the site. Day also envisions using the orchard and food forest to provide cross-disciplinary experiential learning, even for those not typically associated with the environment.
“We’re hoping to engage with the sciences, but also with the English department,” Day said. “Literature is full of references to gardens and orchards.”
The orchard and food forest will be open to all, with the gates remaining unlocked to encourage visitors to explore and interact with nature — and rest from busy routines. Every design choice, from plant selection to the inclusion of benches, was made with the community in mind.
“Our food systems are so critical to us, and not everybody sees how things grow,” said Rob Andrejewski, director of sustainability. “We want to make it available to anyone, whether you want to pick some herbs to make dinner that night or snack on a piece of fruit.”
Illustration by Haley Herrmann
Arts Integration
Partners in the Arts and the Joan Oates Institute celebrate 30 years
In June, Partners in the Arts (PIA) will offer its 30th Joan Oates Institute (JOI), its flagship training program for PK–12 educators to learn with community artists and experts.
PIA was founded in 1994 as the education arm of the Arts Council of Richmond, providing grants for teachers to implement arts-integrated projects in schools. After the first round of projects, teachers requested time to reflect and refine their instructional practices. To meet that need, the first summer institute was held in June 1995 on UR’s campus in partnership with the School of Professional and Continuing Studies (SPCS). When the Arts Council was disbanded and transitioned to CultureWorks in 2009, PIA moved to SPCS.
JOI is named in honor of Joan Oates, an educator, artist, philanthropist, and founding co-chair of PIA. The idea of PIA was rooted in Oates’ personal experience of discovering the importance of the arts in teaching science.
“Joan was a unique artist and educator who believed that the arts have no boundaries and are integral to learning all subjects, which helped define PIA’s founding mission,” said Rob McAdams, director of PIA.
That mission continues today through training and in-school residency projects that connect teachers to the region’s community of experts.
“Educators consistently respond in our course evaluations that, ‘This was the best course ever,’ and, ‘This is why I became a teacher,’” McAdams
said. “I learned from former SPCS Dean Jim Narduzzi that they had similar responses after that first summer institute, and I realized that we were on to something.”
That “something” is PIA instructors teaching all of their courses and workshops using the same practices and strategies they ask teachers to use in their classrooms.
“It is not a sit-and-get,” said Chantea Wright, a middle school assistant principal and 2022 JOI participant. “[JOI] is a hands-on opportunity where you’re going to dig deep and have experiences that you can take back to your classroom and use right away.”
To better facilitate educators taking what they learn at JOI into their classroom, PIA created the Joan Oates Institute for Integrated Learning (JOIFIL) model. JOIFIL supports teachers and teaching artists learning and planning together at JOI and then implementing what they design with their students.
PIA has trained more than 2,500 teachers (76% non-arts teachers), providing $3.4 million in scholarships, discounts, and coaching. It also has supported 225 in-school projects, awarding $1.2 million to teams of teachers and residency artists in Richmond-area schools.
For more information about Partners in the Arts, visit spcs.richmond.edu/arts.
Richmond Public Schools teachers create a shadow puppet show exploring history while increasing literacy skills in a workshop led by Kennedy Center artist Daniel Barash.
AROUND THE LAKE
JOI 2025 Partners in the Arts will host the 30th Joan Oates Institute June 9–13, featuring special guest Lynda Barry, cartoonist, writer, teacher, and 2019 MacArthur Fellow. Barry will deliver the keynote at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, in the Modlin Center for the Arts.
Barry’s keynote will be followed by a book signing and is open to the public. The event is free, but registration is required. Register online at urspcs.info/ lyndabarry.
PIA IN ACTION:
HONORING THE PAST
In April, students, staff, faculty, and community members attended the Burying Ground Memorial consecration, marking the completion of the site honoring a burying ground for enslaved people on a parcel of land that became the University’s current campus in the early 20th century. The ceremony culminated more than five years of research, planning, and construction.
Key elements of the memorial include a courtyard; a witness tree — a tree from the seed of a 210-year-old oak that was alive and bore witness to the events that unfolded on the land; and a vestibule with historical context and artistic portraits that honor the descendants.
“The Burying Ground Memorial represents years of work and collaboration by many people on campus and in the community,” said Amy Howard, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement. “The research, knowledge creation and sharing, community engagement, and relationship building that went into the project represent a collective dedication to advancing UR’s mission and fostering understanding.”
See more accomplishments and submit your own grant, publication, or honor at spiderinsider. richmond.edu.
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
TIMOTHY BARNEY, professor of rhetoric and communication studies, published “The Ghosts of Development: Speech, Money, and Global Subject-Making at the Ford Foundation and the Kenya Women Finance Trust” in Foreign Policy Rhetorics in a Global Era: Concepts and Case Studies
KURT BEALS, visiting associate professor of German studies and humanities fellow in literary translation, published a new translation of Erich Maria Remarque’s classic anti-war novel All Quiet on the Western Front (Liveright).
ANDREW BELL, technology consultant and operations manager; Kylie Korsnack, assistant director of the Teaching and Scholarship Hub; and Kitty Maynard, director of the Teaching and Scholarship Hub, published “Wicked Programming: A Concrete Response to the Challenge of Faculty Disengagement” in the Journal of Faculty Development
KRISTIN BEZIO, professor of leadership studies and Jepson School of Leadership Studies associate dean of academic affairs, published the chapter “Crooked Politics: Shakespeare’s Richard III and Leadership in the Twenty-First-Century United States” in The Arts of Leading: Perspectives from the Humanities and Liberal Arts (Georgetown University Press). Bezio was named to the Winter 2025 Serve Virginia Honor Roll in recognition of her community-engaged teaching.
BOB BLACK, director of broadcast and news content for athletics, was named the winner of the 2024 Bill Schwanke Award, which honors the top play-by-play radio broadcaster in Football Championship Subdivision football.
COURTNEY BLONDINO, assistant professor of health studies, co-published “Latent Classes of Comorbid Substance Use and Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms and Their Stability in U.S. Adults Over Time: Findings from the PATH Study Waves 1–3 (2013–2016)” in Substance Use & Misuse
JENNIFER BOWIE, associate professor of political science, and students published the peer-reviewed book chapter “A Bottom-up Approach to Lower Court Influence on the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom” in Research Handbook on Law and Courts (Edward Elgar Publishing) and “In Her Words: An Analysis of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Use of Emotive Language in Her Authored Dissenting Opinions” in Open Judicial Politics: Decision Making, Public Opinion, Media, Policymaking
COLLEEN CARPENTER-SWANSON, assistant professor in biology, was named to the Winter 2025 Serve Virginia Honor Roll in recognition of service in Virginia and at the University of Richmond.
DAN CHEN, associate professor of political science, published “Legitimacy on Air: How Chinese Local Television News Performs Governance” in Made in China
VOLHA (OLGA) CHYKINA, assistant professor of leadership studies, co-published “An Empirical Concern of the First Amendment: An Essay on the Benefits of Academic Freedom” in The Journal of College and University Law
JASON COPE, information technology analyst, has earned the Certified Auxiliary Services Professional designation from the National Association of College Auxiliary Services.
JONATHAN DATTELBAUM, professor of chemistry, published “Expanding the BASIL CURE” in The Biophysicist
SAM DIRECTOR, assistant professor of leadership studies, published “Bipolar disorder and competence” in the Journal of Medical Ethics
KELLING DONALD
Clarence E. Denoon Jr. Chair in the Natural Sciences; Miles Johnson, associate professor of chemistry; and students published “Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of Copper(I) Proazaphosphatrane Complexes” in Inorganic Chemistry
ART DURNEV, Patricia A. and George W. Wellde Jr. Distinguished Chair in Finance, published Modern Money Mechanics (Kendall Hunt).
DANA EL KURD, assistant professor of political science, presented “Plenary Two: The Threat of Regional Military Expansion in the Middle East” at the Council on Foreign Relations’ 29th Term Member Conference. El Kurd published the chapter “The Oslo Framework and Palestinian Authoritarianism” in Suppressing Dissent: Shrinking Civic Space, Transnational Repression and Palestine–Israel (Oneworld Publications).
SHARON FELDMAN, William Judson Gaines Chair in Modern Foreign Languages, delivered the keynote lecture at a conference in El Vendrell, Spain, commemorating the centenary of the death of Catalan playwright Àngel Guimerà. Feldman gave two other invited talks on Guimerà at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and Santa Cruz de Tenerife as part of the centenary celebrations.
STEPHEN FERGUSON, visiting assistant professor of biology, published “Same data, different analysts: variation in effect sizes due to analytical decisions in ecology and evolutionary biology” in BMC Biology
LAURA FERNANDEZ, assistant professor of Latin American, Latino, and Iberian studies, presented “Las Raras: The New Gothic Latina Trope in US Popular Media” at Colby College’s Center for the Arts and Humanities Play! seminar.
MARY FINLEY-BROOK, associate professor of geography, environment, and sustainability, copublished Climate Crisis, Energy Violence: Mapping Fossil Energy’s Enduring Grasp on Our Precarious Future (Elsevier). Finley-Brook co-published “Circular economy, methane capture, and climate education in US HEIs” in the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
JESSICA FLANIGAN, Richard L. Morrill Chair in Ethics & Democratic Values, co-authored “Public Reason Illiberalism and Ideology” published in Australasian Journal of Philosophy. Flanigan co-authored “Putting Wilt Chamberlain Back in the Game: Why Liberalism Is Not Compatible with Distributive Egalitarianism” in The Independent Review
JULIAN HAYTER, associate professor of leadership studies; Amy Howard, associate provost of strategic initiatives and community engagement; and Thad Williamson, professor of leadership studies and philosophy, politics, economics, and law, published The Making of Twenty-First-Century Richmond: Politics, Policy, and Governance, 1988–2016 (University of North Carolina Press).
CHRISTINE HELMS, associate professor of physics, published “Variability in individual native fibrin fiber mechanics” in Physical Biology
DANIEL HOCUTT, SPCS web manager and adjunct professor of liberal arts, presented “When Technical Communication meets Marketing Communication” for the Society of Technical Communication (STC) Community Coalition.
PIPPA HOLLOWAY, Cornerstones Chair in History, received $57,360 from the National Park Service for an exploration of the history of public school desegregation in Prince Edward County, Virginia. In partnership with colleagues at VCU, Holloway will synthesize scholarly literature on Davis v. Prince Edward County, consider the impacts of the county’s five-year school closure, and examine the commemoration of the case and its aftermath.
AMY HOWARD, associate provost of strategic initiatives and community engagement; Julian Hayter, associate professor of leadership studies; and Thad Williamson, professor of leadership studies and philosophy, politics, economics, and law, published The Making of Twenty-First-Century Richmond: Politics, Policy, and Governance, 1988–2016 (University of North Carolina Press).
CRYSTAL HOYT, Colonel Leo K. and Gaylee Thorsness Endowed Chair in Ethical Leadership, co-published “Mindsets of Parenting Ability: Coping with Challenges and Engaging in Parenting” in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology; “Partisan Prejudice: The Role of Beliefs about the Unchanging Nature of Ideology and Partisans” in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin; “Addiction stigma: Potential costs and benefits of beliefs about the nature of addiction” in Stigma and Health; and “How mindsets can mitigate or sustain prejudice” in Current Directions in Psychological Science
KATHRYN JACOBSEN, William E. Cooper Distinguished University Chair and professor of health studies, published “The burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors by state in the USA, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021” as part of the Global Burden of Disease Collaborators in The Lancet and
International Education Global Engagement Awards
Each year, International Education recognizes students, staff, faculty, and alumni who perform exemplary acts of internationalization to benefit the University of Richmond and communities beyond.
For a complete list of award winners, visit international.richmond.edu.
OLIVIER DELERS
Professor of French
For his leadership in leading impactful summer abroad and Sophomore Scholar in Residence trips and fostering cultural enrichment through literature, film, and communication.
MICHAEL WARCHOL
Director of Communications for the Arts
For his dedication to global engagement, cross-cultural understanding, and support for displaced individuals.
“Global, regional, and national burden of HIV/AIDS, 1990–2021, and forecasts to 2050, for 204 countries and territories: the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021” as part of the Global Burden of Disease Collaborators in The Lancet HIV
NIGEL JAMES, assistant professor of health studies, published “Epidemic preparedness and response capacity against infectious disease outbreaks in 186 countries, 2018–2022” in BMC Infectious Diseases James presented “Quality of Care and Health Insurance Uptake in Namibia” at the Interdisciplinary Association of Population Health Sciences 2024 Annual Meeting and “Quality of Care and Health Insurance Uptake in Namibia: A Geospatial Analysis” at the American Public Health Association 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo.
MILES JOHNSON, associate professor of chemistry; Kelling Donald, Clarence E. Denoon Jr. Chair in the Natural Sciences; and students published “Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of Copper(I) Proazaphosphatrane Complexes” in Inorganic Chemistry
LAURA KNOUSE, professor of psychology, and students published “Avoidant Automatic Thoughts Are Associated With Task Avoidance and Inattention in the Moment: Replication in a Community Sample” in the Journal of Attention Disorders
KYLIE KORSNACK, assistant director of the Teaching and Scholarship Hub; Andrew Bell, technology consultant and operations manager; and Kitty Maynard, director of the Teaching and Scholarship Hub, published “Wicked Programming: A Concrete Response to the Challenge of Faculty Disengagement” in the Journal of Faculty Development
KELLY LAMBERT, MacEldin Trawick Professor in Psychology, received the Educator of the Year Award from Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience at the Society for Neuroscience 2024 Annual Meeting.
ANGELA LEEPER, teaching faculty of education, was selected by the United States Board on Books for Young People to serve on its 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Committee, which oversees nominations for the prize for children’s and young people’s literature.
MICHAEL LEOPOLD, Floyd D. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald Chair of Chemistry, and students published “An Amperometric Sensor with Anti-Fouling Properties for Indicating Xylazine Adulterant in Beverages” in Micromachines Their research is focused on developing a tool for detecting a common “date rape” drug in beverages to protect potential victims and aid forensic investigations. Leopold and students also published “Fouling-Resistant Voltammetric Xylazine Sensors for Detection of the Street Drug ‘Tranq’” in the journal Toxics. Their research is leading toward the development of a device to help protect first responders during the fentanyl opioid crisis.
TZE LOO, associate professor of history and global studies, published “Actions toward Modern Japanese National Consciousness”; a translation of the Okinawan historian Gabe Masao’s essay “Kindai Nihon kokka ishiki e no taiō: Ryūkyū Okinawa chīki no ba’ai”; and “Gabe Masao in Translation,” an accompanying introduction to the historian’s scholarship, in Pacific Historical Review
TODD LOOKINGBILL, professor of geography, environment, and sustainability, and Beth Zizzamia, Spatial Analysis Lab geographic information systems operations manager, published “Virginia Heat Watch: Collaboration to assess climate vulnerability at local to regional scales” in Urban Climate
RICK MAYES, professor of health policy, presented “Medicare Advantage’s Role in Accelerating the Expansion of ‘Big Med’” at the Interdisciplinary Association of Population Health Sciences 2024 Annual Meeting; “Social and Environmental Drivers of Health” for Shenandoah University’s Physician Assistant Program; and “5 Key Facts about U.S. Healthcare and Their Ethical Implications” for the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
KITTY MAYNARD, director of the Teaching and Scholarship Hub; Andrew Bell, technology consultant and operations manager; and Kylie Korsnack, assistant director of the Teaching and Scholarship Hub, published “Wicked Programming: A Concrete Response to the Challenge of Faculty Disengagement” in the Journal of Faculty Development
ROB MCADAMS, director of Partners in the Arts, presented “Arts is Education” at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwest Switzerland.
MIRIAM MCCORMICK, professor of philosophy, published Belief as Emotion (Oxford University Press). McCormick presented “Wondering with Impunity: Why it is (almost) Never Wrong to Wonder” at Zhejiang University.
CAROL PARISH, Floyd D. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald Professor of Chemistry, and students published “A Highly Correlated, Multireference Study of the Lowest Lying Singlet and Triplet States of the Four Thiophene Diradicals” in the Journal of Computational Chemistry
JON PARK, associate professor of computer science, published “Hierarchical Deconstruction of LLM Reasoning: A Graph-Based Framework for Analyzing Knowledge Utilization” in the Proceedings of the Empirical Methods on Natural Language Processing (EMNLP)
SANDRA PEART, dean of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, published “Promise and Progress: Assessing Achievements, New Directions, and Gaps in Leadership Studies” in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies;
Milestones
Congratulations to these UR staff and faculty who celebrated major service anniversaries of 25 years and more in 2024.
45 Years of Service
JOE HOYLE Robins School faculty (Accounting)
40 Years of Service
THOMAS BONFIGLIO Arts & Sciences faculty (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures)
EMMA GOLDMAN Arts & Sciences faculty (Chemistry)
NATALIA GREEN Parking and Transportation
TAMMY WILLIAMS Tyler’s Grill
35 Years of Service
SAM BROWN Custodial Services
MARY CHURCHILL Counseling and Psychological Services
DAN PALAZZOLO Arts & Sciences faculty (Political Science)
LOUIS SCHWARTZ Arts & Sciences faculty (English)
AKIRA SUZUKI Arts & Sciences faculty (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures)
30 Years of Service
BOB BLACK Athletics Public Relations
ERIK CRAFT Robins School faculty (Economics)
DELLA DUMBAUGH Arts & Sciences faculty (Mathematics and Statistics)
SUSAN GALVIN Enterprise Identity and Access
TRICIA STOHR-HUNT Arts & Sciences faculty (Education)
JEROME TOWNER Boiler Plant
DARRELL WALDEN Robins School faculty (Accounting)
25 Years of Service
FAE BELL Robins School –International Business
DAVID BRANDON User Services
BENJAMIN BROENING Arts & Sciences faculty (Music)
WENDY BURCHARD Procurement and Strategic Sourcing
DANIEL FABIAN Richmond College
MELISSA FOSTER Weinstein Learning Center
ALISON HARVEY Enterprise Identity and Access
DOROTHY HOLLAND Arts & Sciences faculty (Theatre and Dance)
JOANNE KONG Arts & Sciences faculty (Music)
JAYNOB LEE Heilman Dining Center SAM LLOYD Events, Conferences, and Support Services
GREG MITCHELL Boiler Plant
ERLING SJOVOLD Arts & Sciences faculty (Art and Art History)
ANNE VAN GELDER Arts & Sciences faculty (Theatre and Dance)
SYDNEY WATTS Arts & Sciences faculty (History)
ADDITIONAL HONOREES
For a complete list of staff service award honorees, visit hr.richmond.edu/ current-employees/ employee-appreciation/ service-awards/ honorees.html.
“Correcting Imposed Institutions: Default and Reparations?” in the Journal of Public Finance and Public Choice; and “Frank H. Knight’s Eulogy of Abram L. Harris” in The Review of Black Political Economy. Peart was selected president of the Society for the Development of Austrian Economics for 2025.
CYNTHIA PRICE, associate vice president for communications and media relations, was named president of the College Communicators Association of Virginia and D.C. Price will serve a two-year term.
TERRY PRICE, Coston Family Chair in Leadership and Ethics, was named an Outstanding Faculty Award recipient by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
GRANT RISSLER, assistant professor of organizational studies, presented “Megaphone or Modulator? Examining The Role of Non-Profit Organizations in Amplifying the Voices of Immigrants” at the annual conference of the Southern Political Science Association in San Juan, Puerto Rico; “Towards Digital Justice and Consolidated Resettlement Resources for New Americans: A Virginia Database Initiative” and “On Immigrants’ Behalf? Comparing Views of Immigrants and Organizations on Needed Integration Services and Policies” at the annual conference of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations & Voluntary Action in Washington, D.C.; and “Immigrant Integration in 21st Century Virginia” at the 2025 Refugee and Immigrant Volunteer Summit.
DAVID SALISBURY, associate professor of geography, environment, and sustainability, received a three-year, $804,605 grant from NASA to support a collaborative project focused on climate impacts on Native Americans in Virginia.
TOM SHIELDS, associate professor of education and leadership studies, co-published “Promotion of Soft Skills in the K-12 Education Curricula: The Case of Virginia State - USA, Portugal and Albania” in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research and Development
CHRISTOPHER SHUGRUE, assistant professor of chemistry, and students published “Electron-rich Anilines as cleavable linkers for peptides” in Bioorganic Chemistry
JULIETTA SINGH, Stephanie Bennett-Smith Chair of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, was interviewed for “‘Learning to Belong Here in an Altogether Different Way’: an Interview with Julietta Singh” in Studies in Social Justice. Singh published “On Anticolonial Homemaking” in Studies in Gender and Sexuality
IGNATIUS SUGLO, assistant professor of rhetoric and communication studies, was elected to the board of directors of the West African Research Association (WARA).
JEN THOMAS, book arts program director, was awarded the 2025–26 M. C. Lang Fellowship in Book History, Bibliography, and Humanities Teaching with Historical Sources by the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia. The fellowship is a two-year program designed to animate humanities teaching and equip educators to enlarge their students’ historical sensibilities through bibliographically informed instruction with original historical sources.
CHRISTOPHER VON RUEDEN, associate professor of leadership studies, co-authored “US Adults Accurately Assess Hadza and Tsimane Men’s Hunting Ability from a Single Face Photo” in Evolution and Human Behavior
DAVID WILKINS, professor of leadership studies, presented “The Indian Citizenship Act at 100: A Century of Mixed Messages” as the invited speaker at a talk sponsored by the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission.
THAD WILLIAMSON professor of leadership studies and philosophy, politics, economics, and law; Julian Hayter, associate professor of leadership studies; and Amy Howard, associate provost of strategic initiatives and community engagement, published The Making of Twenty-First-Century Richmond: Politics, Policy, and Governance, 1988–2016 (University of North Carolina Press).
EUGENE WU, associate professor of biology and biochemistry, and students published “CD46 Is a Protein Receptor for Human Adenovirus Type 64” in Viruses
MELINDA YANG, assistant professor of biology, published “East Asian Gene flow bridged by northern coastal populations over past 6,000 years” in Nature Communications
YÜCEL YANIKDAĞ, professor of history, published “Ottoman and Turkish Exception(alism): States of Exception in Turkey, 1909–1927” in First World War Studies
BETH ZIZZAMIA, Spatial Analysis Lab geographic information systems operations manager, and Todd Lookingbill, professor of geography, environment, and sustainability, published “Virginia Heat Watch: Collaboration to assess climate vulnerability at local to regional scales” in Urban Climate
Outstanding Service Award Winners
These awards, given annually, honor staff for exemplary commitment and service to the University in the following categories: administrative, clerical support, dining services, and service/maintenance. Outstanding Service Award winners are nominated by their colleagues and supervisors and receive $1,000 and a personalized plaque.
CHRISTINE CATON Cashier Heilman Dining Center
HARDT Systems Analyst and Project Manager Enrollment and Student Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems
JACOBS Administrative Coordinator
Residence Life and Undergraduate Student Housing
KINKER Custodial Manager University Facilities/ Custodial
HR Business Partner Human Resources
Food Service Mechanic University Facilities/ Plumbing
ELODIE
LESLIE
ELENA
TRACY KITT
ABRAM SANSON
We offer a warm welcome to our new colleagues and congratulations to colleagues taking their next steps.
The following highlights new hires and retirements for fulland part-time faculty and staff from Nov. 1, 2024, to Jan. 31.
NEW HIRES
FACULTY
SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES
HISTORY
James Broomall
William Binford Vest Chair in History
Marina Montesano
Cornerstones Visiting Chair in History
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
Amalia Gjerloev
Visiting Assistant Professor of Data Science and Statistics
ROBINS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Kerry Michaels
Executive in Residence
STAFF
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES
Stokes Aker
Post-Baccalaureate
Research Assistant 3, Biology
SCHOOL OF LAW
Madeleine Ball
Research and Student Services Librarian
Gunes Eren
Law Clinic Paralegal and Administrative Specialist
PROVOST
Seth Johnson Administrative Coordinator, Weinstein Learning Center
ADVANCEMENT
Brennan Straits
Assistant Director of Regional and Young Graduate Engagement, Alumni Relations
ATHLETICS
Mike Cummings Assistant Coach, Football
Jerry Taylor Assistant Coach, Football
BUSINESS AFFAIRS
CAMPUS OPERATIONS
Barry Cover Cook II, Heilman Dining Center
Garrett Eagleton
Chef Production Manager, Heilman Dining Center
Clifton Hocker
Utility Associate, Heilman Dining Center
Justin Lamb
Floater Manager, Heilman Dining Center
Berkley Miller Executive Director, Facilities Operations
Katie Noonkester Floater Manager, Heilman Dining Center
Claire Rogers Administrative Coordinator, Facilities
HUMAN RESOURCES
Angeline Gardner Events Coordinator
ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
Destiny Colbert
Recruitment Administrative Coordinator, Undergraduate Admission
INFORMATION SERVICES
Bhavya Sah Identity and Access Management Architect
PLANNING AND POLICY
Melissa Hartz
Executive Director, Office of Institutional Effectiveness
STUDENT DEVELOPMENT
Jasmine Eisele Testing Center Proctor, Disability Services
Kaley Gileau Administrative Coordinator, Westhampton College
Silvia Yudice Operations Coordinator, Well-Being Center
RETIREMENTS
32 YEARS
CINDY MCGUIRE Westhampton College
28 YEARS
JOHN DOUGLASS Law School faculty
SCOTT JOHNSON Arts & Sciences faculty (Rhetoric and Communication Studies)
22 YEARS
RAY WIMBUSH Catering
20 YEARS
BERT ASHE Arts & Sciences faculty (English)
DENISE JONES Human Resources
PHILIP JOSEPH Chemistry
19 YEARS
RANDOLPH JEFFERSON Heilman Dining Center
11 YEARS
KARYN KUHN Biology
Business Affairs Award Winners
The annual Business Affairs Awards recognize individuals or teams who excel in the performance of their duties, promote teamwork, inspire excellence in others, and consistently reflect the values of the Business Affairs division — inclusivity, cooperation, and collaboration; working together for the good of the whole; working in an open and accountable manner; and being innovative.
Campus Race to Zero Waste — GameDay Football Zero Waste Touchdown Challenge team
Residential buildings washer and dryer replacement team
MAURICIO LOPEZ Rethink Waste Supervisor
ROB ANDREJEWSKI Director of Sustainability
MARK BEATTY Assistant Director, Facilities Operations
WES HART One Card Services Assistant Manager
ALISON MCCORMICK Director of Purchasing
KIRSTEN MCKINNEY Director of Marketing for Campus Operations
Individual Winners
JACOB SEQUEIRA Rethink Waste Representative
MICHAEL CARPENTER Event Technician University Facilities
ASHLEY HERRING Executive Assistant Spider Management
MAURA MCLAIN Dining Services Training Manager Heilman Dining Center
JONATHAN WILLIAMS Event Manager Events, Conferences and Support Services
410 Westhampton Way
University of Richmond, VA 23173
Run, Spiders! Run!
We welcome your input.
Send your story ideas or comments to spiderinsider @richmond.edu.
MAY
May 5, 9–11 a.m.
University Faculty Meeting
Tyler Haynes Commons, Alice Haynes Room
May 10–11
Commencement
May 14, 8:30–10:30 a.m.
Spiders in the Know
Modlin Center for the Arts, Camp Concert Hall
May 22, 3–4:30 p.m.
SummUR Sounds
Millhiser Green
May 26
Memorial Day
May 30–June 1
Reunion
JUNE
June 19
Juneteenth
JULY
July 4
Independence Day
AUGUST
Aug. 20, 2 p.m. Colloquy
Modlin Center for the Arts, Alice Jepson Theatre
Aug. 25 First Day of Undergraduate Fall Classes
SEPTEMBER Sept. 1 Labor Day
Sept. 6
Preview Richmond Open house for prospective students and their families
Sept 26–27
Access Richmond
Overnight introduction to UR for underrepresented prospective students
Sept. 26–28
Family Weekend
USAC
The University Staff Advisory Council represents the needs of staff to senior administration and works to make the University of Richmond an employer of choice.
Meetings*
May 13
June 10
July 8
Aug. 12 Sept. 9 1–3 p.m.
Visit usac.richmond. edu for meeting locations.
FACULTY SENATE
The University of Richmond Faculty Senate represents the faculty in the University’s governance process on matters that impact the University or affect more than one school.
Visit facultysenate. richmond.edu for meeting locations.
*Unless otherwise noted, meetings are open to all faculty and staff.
Bryn Taylor, associate University chaplain (left), and students, most of whom serve on the Kairos leadership team, cheer on runners and walkers during the third annual Spider Dash 5K in February.