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College updatesBlake Chair in the History of Christianity receives anonymous endowment Blake Chair in the History of Christianity receives
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Dr. William E. Blake Jr.
and Miriam |
This spring, an anonymous donor surprised William E. Blake Jr., Ph.D,and his wife, Miriam, by establishing an endowed chair in their honor. Blake created and taught the first history of Christianity course at VCU in the fall of 1977. In the ensuing years, the course’s scope and popularity grew because of Blake’s passion for the impact that Christianity has had in world history.
The William E. and Miriam S. Blake Chair in the History of Christianity will provide support for scholarly activity of the designated professor and will serve as a perpetual tribute to Blake’s devotion to the scholarly study of Christianity. Blake said he and his wife couldn’t be more honored and grateful for this opportunity.
Bishop Walter F. Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies
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Bishop Walter F. Sullivan |
Through the generosity of alumni, friends and members of the Richmond community, the College takes pride in announcing the newly endowed Bishop Walter F. Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies. The Catholic studies chair is named in honor of Sullivan, who headed the Diocesan Church of Richmond from 1974 to 2003.
As the fall approaches, the search committee will begin identifying finalists for the chair. The Sullivan Chair will be distinguished as a teacher and a scholar, with a strong grounding in Catholic theology. The chair will be expected to exemplify the spirit of Sullivan to reflect his broad ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, and to demonstrate his concern for social justice. The chair will engage our diverse Richmond community through a variety of means such as lectures, conferences and publications.
Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Program graduates first class
The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs degree in homeland security and emergency preparedness is the first of its kind in the nation. On May 20, 2006, the first four students in this program received their Bachelor of Arts degrees. Having begun their journey in 2002, Avery Church, Brian Downer, Amanda Turner and James Yassine now will venture into a world in need of their knowledge and leadership.
The program in homeland security was established in 2002. Bill Newmann, associate professor and director of undergraduate programs for the Wilder School, and his wife Judyth Twigg, associate professor of political science, created the program based on the ideals of “The National Strategy for Homeland Security”, signed by President George W. Bush in 2002.
There are now 20 undergraduate students enrolled in the program.
Accreditation for forensic science
At its January 2006 meeting, the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences awarded full accreditation for a term of five years to the Master of Science in Forensic Science program at VCU. This is an outstanding recognition of the exceptional quality of the Department of Forensic Science’s graduate students, its full- and part-time faculty, staff and dean’s office, and its partnership with the Virginia Department of Forensic Science and many others in educating future forensic scientists.
Department of Psychology garners $4.5 million in grants from the CDC
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Dr. Albert Farrell |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is funding eight National Academic Centers of Excellence on Youth Violence Prevention, and one of those centers is in the VCU Department of Psychology.
The Clark-Hill Institute at VCU will serve as a national model for the prevention of youth violence. Centers are expected to collaborate with health scientists, social scientists and the affected communities. Funding is provided for an initial period of five years ($860,000 per year) with a possibility of renewal for a total of 10 years.The institute combines elements of two existing centers: the Department of Psychology’s Center for Promotion of Positive Youth Development, directed by Dr. Albert Farrell, and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Youth Violence in Pediatrics, directed by Dr. Robert Cohen. VCU psychology, psychiatry, and epidemiology and community health faculty involved with the new center include: Robert Cohen, Ph.D., associate director; Kevin Allison, Ph.D., director of community mobilization; Wendy Kliewer, Ph.D., director of training and mentoring; Saba Masho, M.D., director of community surveillance; Aleta Meyer, Ph.D., research faculty; Terri Sullivan, Ph.D., research faculty; Torey Edmonds, community liaison; and Anne Greene, director of operations.