Washington College

Washington College Announces New Partnership for Campus Dining Services

May 7, 2022 by Washington College News Service 1 Comment

Family-owned and operated AVI Foodsystems has been announced as Washington College’s new culinary and hospitality partner, taking over management of all food services on campus beginning July 1. This includes full management of all dining options on campus, plus the catering division for special events.

Their vision for a revamped Hodson Culinary Center includes a large variety of venues ranging from traditional meat and veggie options to plant-based and clean foods. Specialty concepts include Trattoria (pizzas made daily from scratch), Homestyles (comfort foods), The Carvery (wraps and sandwiches), Nutribar (fresh salad ingredients), Roots (plant-based), Clarity (clean, allergy-free foods), and the Bake Shoppe for homemade desserts. They also envision an Exhibition Kitchen that would feature guest chefs, dietitians, and others and showcase campus, cultural and holiday events and well as menu innovations.

AVI has a from-scratch culinary philosophy, preparing foods from scratch and sourcing fresh ingredients locally in order to create authentic flavor profiles. They tailor menu plans to the audience as well, factoring in dietary requirements and other preferences.

“We fully understand the critical and integral role a great campus dining program plays in building and nurturing student relationships, friendships and exposure to new cultures and cuisines,” said Vince Lombardi, Executive Vice President for AVI’s Education Division. “We will work diligently to honor your history and traditions, adopt current team members as new members of the AVI family and provide a fresh, from-scratch culinary program that delights students, faculty and staff.”

While specific hours of service are still under review, AVI is prepared to offer serving hours that reflect class times, lifestyles, and events on campus. The company has initially proposed extending hours to 8 PM each weekday and to 7 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as a monthly “First Friday” event with a late-night dining experience that runs through midnight.

AVI is further committed to involving students in real-time feedback and opportunities to participate in menu development, citing a willingness to continuously adapt menus to better meet the needs of the campus. The company is also committed to sustainable food and environmental practices and intends to be an active, engaged member of the Washington College community in driving sustainable actions and practices.

All current Dining Services staff will be offered the opportunity to transition onto the AVI team, in positions that maintain or improve their current wages and honor their years of service. They will be joined by additional candidates to form an expanded management team under AVI leadership. AVI will also offer a student employment program that offers above-average wages for students.

AVI is the largest family-owned foodservice company, and the 8^th largest overall, in the United States. Currently they partner with more than 50 colleges and universities under their education division.

Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning is Requesting Course Proposals

April 30, 2022 by WC-ALL 1 Comment

If you have expertise and are passionate about a topic that you would like to share with others, WC-ALL would love to hear from you. Course proposals are now being accepted for the fall 2022 semester. Monday, May 16, is the deadline for submissions.

Two sessions are offered. Session 1 runs from August 28-October 7. Session 2 runs from October 16-December 2. Courses typically take place over a 6-week period. However, options are available for four and five-week courses.

The Course Proposal Form is available online at www.washcoll.edu/people_departments/offices/wc-all/propose-a-course.php. It can also be downloaded and emailed to wc_all@washcoll.edu or printed out and mailed to WC-ALL, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD. Upon receipt of the proposal, a form, Planning a WC-All Class, will be sent. It provides information on the types of support that is offered to instructors.

For more information contact Jeff Coomer, WC-ALL Curriculum Chair at jeffcoomer@gmail.com. You may also contact Sandy Brown, Program Administrator, at wc_all@washcoll.edu or call 410-778-7221.

WC-ALL is all about the joy of learning. Indeed, it is also about the joy of teaching too.

Washington College Invests $20 Million in Campus Improvements

April 29, 2022 by Washington College News Service Leave a Comment

Washington College has announced a $20 million investment in campus improvements, largely focusing on enhancing the residential student experience. This long-term initiative kicks off with major renovations in numerous residence halls, but will also include energy services upgrades and a new dining services agreement.

The starting point for this important initiative is full-scale renovations to two of the campuses most iconic residence halls– Reid Hall and Minta Martin. This initial project marks just the first phase of a larger plan to overhaul housing facilities on campus. The College is also moving ahead with an energy conservation project that will reduce both costs and the overall carbon footprint.

Reid Hall

“Our students have been telling us what needed priority attention, and we have been listening carefully,” said Mike Sosulski, President of Washington College. “Safe and comfortable housing is a critical component of the residential experience and we are moving swiftly to make positive changes.”

Updates in Minta Martin include fully renovated bathrooms, new flooring and lighting throughout, interior painting, and updated HVAC systems that will significantly improve air quality. The basement lounge area will also be refreshed with new furniture. A kitchen is being installed as well.

Reid Hall will get the same overhaul as Minta Martin, plus new windows and a new roof. Work in Reid is already underway.

Renovations in Minta Martin – primarily a first-year residence hall — will start as soon as all students have departed at the end of the term. All work is scheduled to be completed by early August, just in time to welcome the incoming Class of 2026.

Other residence halls slated for upgrades include East, Middle and West Halls. Work in those buildings is set to begin in the Fall of 2022 and will include the same general scope of work as Reid and Minta Martin.

These improvements to student living spaces are largely made possible through a new Energy-as-a-Service agreement (EaaS)with FESCO Energy. The result of this innovative partnership is the implementation of a campus wide energy infrastructure modernization project that will yield energy, water, carbon, and cost savings. Approximately 50% of the project funds will be used to enhance the student experience by rehabilitating the energy systems in Reid and Minta Martin, significantly improving the air quality in those locations. The balance of the campus-wide planned improvements focus on energy and environmental sustainability and operational improvements, and include lighting updates, interior and exterior water fixture improvements, new windows and replacement roofs, among others.

The campus-wide energy project with FESCO is expected to begin in April 2022 and to be completed by May 2023, though the HVAC work in Minta and Reid will be completed by the fall.

The College will also soon announce changes within Dining Services, which will include increased options to satisfy the full spectrum of dietary needs and preferences, expanded service hours and facility upgrades.

Founded in 1782, Washington College is the tenth oldest college in the nation and the first chartered under the new Republic. With an emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning in the arts and sciences, and more than 40 multidisciplinary areas of study, the College is home to nationally recognized academic centers in the environment, history, and writing. Learn more at washcoll.edu.

Honorable Joseph M. Getty ’74 Tapped as 2022 Commencement Speaker

April 22, 2022 by Washington College News Service Leave a Comment

Honorable Joseph M. Getty

On Sunday, May 22, the Honorable Joseph M. Getty, Court of Appeals of Maryland will serve as the keynote speaker for the 239th commencement exercises at Washington College. Getty, who recently served as Chief Judge of Maryland’s highest court, is a 1974 Washington College graduate.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized and asked to participate in the 2022 commencement from my alma mater,” said former Chief Judge Joseph M. Getty. “I look forward to speaking to the College’s newest alumni on the importance of being involved in community engagement and public service, no matter where you live or what career you decide to pursue. The graduates of Washington College today will be our leaders tomorrow and will shape our future.”

Upon receiving his undergraduate degree in American Studies, Getty initially began a career in the field of historic preservation. He furthered his higher education by receiving a Master of Arts in American Civilization at the George Washington University. At the age of 40, he shifted to a career in law while attending the University of Maryland School of Law.

Getty’s resume of public service includes being elected as a legislator in the Maryland House of Delegates and, later, as a State Senator representing Maryland’s 5th District. He served twice in the executive branch as a policy advisor to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., and Chief Legislative Officer for Gov. Larry Hogan. In 2016, he was appointed to the Court of Appeals of Maryland and ultimately served as Chief Judge from September 2021 to April 2022.

“Judge Getty’s path of public service in all three branches of Maryland state government exemplifies the ideals of citizen leadership that are the very foundation of a liberal arts education”, said Mike Sosulski, President of Washington College. “The success he has earned on this unorthodox path is inspiring, as is his commitment to pursuing a life of purpose and passion.”

An honorary Doctor of Laws degree will be conferred upon Getty during the 2022 commencement ceremony.

Approximately 300 Washington College students are expected to receive their degrees this year.

A Full Slate of Arbor Day Activities Set, in Celebration of the College’s Arboretum and Tree Campus USA Recognition

April 15, 2022 by Washington College News Service Leave a Comment

Washington College is celebrating the 150^th anniversary of the founding of Arbor Day with a full slate of activities that highlight some of the institution’s own environmentally-focused initiatives, including the revitalization of the Virginia Gent Decker Arboretum, and the College’s 3^rd year of Tree Campus USA Higher Education recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Set for Friday, April 29^th, the activities include a tree planting ceremony, the dedication of a new sign for the Arboretum, guided tours of flowering tree trails in the Arboretum, the investiture of Kathleen M. Verville, Ph.D. into the Alonzo G. and Virginia G. Decker Chair in the Natural Sciences, and the conferral of an Honorary Doctor of Science degree upon Dean Norton, Director of Horticulture at Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. Norton will be delivering a major address as well.

Several of these activities were due to be celebrated in 2020 but were postponed due to the pandemic.

The detailed schedule for the day is as follows:

11:30 AM: Tree Planting Ceremony (Martha Washington Square)

The tree is a tulip poplar, a descendant of one planted by George Washington at Mount Vernon and has been gifted to the College by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union. Dean Norton, Director of Horticulture at Mount Vernon, will give an address titled “The Beauty of the Trees and the Richness of the Land” and then students from the First-Year Seminar “Consider the Tree” will offer short readings.

The tree planting will commemorate Washington College’s designation as a Tree Campus USA Higher Ed., which was first awarded in 2020. Further underscoring the campus’ commitment to sustainability, the tree will be nourished with soil generated at the Campus Garden, in collaboration with the Compost Team.

12:00 Noon: Unveiling and Dedication of Arboretum Sign (Clifton M. Miller Library Terrace)

The Arboretum’s new sign will be dedicated. It was produced by staff member Brian Palmer, Director, Digital Media Services, using wood from a campus tree. The handmade sign showcases the Arboretum logo and highlights the importance of Second Life Initiative, repurposing lumber from fallen trees on campus & the community.

Arboretum interns will offer remarks on the process of tagging trees and creating digital story maps as part of the revitalized Arboretum experience. Following the dedication there will be a scavenger hunt, and tree-themed activities for all ages & Arboretum Guided Tours.

4:30 PM: Arbor Day Celebration Ceremony (Hynson Lounge, Hodson Hall)

The ceremony highlights include the investiture of Kathleen M. Verville, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology as holder of the Alonzo G. and Virginia G. Decker Chair in the Natural Sciences, and the conferral of the Honorary Doctor of Science degree upon Jeffrey Dean Norton. Following the degree ceremony, Norton will deliver the keynote address, titled, “’I Am Conscious of a Defective Education’ The Resilient George Washington.”

An invitation-only dinner honoring Drs. Verville and Norton will close out the day-long celebration.

About The Center for Environment & Society

The Center for Environment & Society serves as a bridge between Washington College and the rich natural and human resources of the region. In a world with increasing environmental and related social problems, CES is focused on preparing Washington College graduates to help solve the most pressing of these problems through innovative curriculum, real-world experiences, training in cutting-edge technologies, and new ways of thinking.

The New Face of the College’s Public Archaeology Lab

April 13, 2022 by Washington College News Service Leave a Comment

Building on the success of over two decades, Washington College’s Public Archaeology Laboratory is making some changes, including getting a new name – the Past Is Present Archaeology Lab. Established in 1999 with funding from the Maryland Historical Trust, the Lab was designed to support the Sociology/Anthropology Department’s new offering of archaeology courses, to sponsor regional archaeology projects on the Eastern Shore, and to engage students and the public in exploring the past. Its projects have ranged in time from the Paleoindian period, stretching back 12,000 years, to the more recent past, and covered the length of the Eastern Shore, from Cecil County down to Somerset County. Students and faculty in the Lab have used sonar to search for shipwrecks on the Chester River, investigated the Dorchester County farm on which Harriet Tubman grew up, excavated 17^th and 18^th century sites in Chestertown and the surrounding counties, and used Geographic Information Systems to develop an archaeological predictive model for site locations in the Upper Shore – and that’s just a few of the many projects completed over the last 23 years.

“The number of students who started their professional path in the Public Archaeology Lab is astonishing, and this is an exciting new chapter in that story, said Michael Chiarappa, the College’s Director of Natural & Cultual Resource Initiatives. “Applied work to understand and save our past provides critical skills to our students, while the melding of cultural and natural resource management will help to forge alliances that are long overdue.”

In 2017, the Archaeology Lab moved from the ground floor of the Custom House to its current location at 210 S. Cross Street. From those downtown locations, its impact locally has been profound, hosting 11,000 visitors and school groups, working with almost 300 community volunteers, and mentoring 174 undergraduate interns in archaeology. The success of the program helped in the growth of archaeology and anthropology at the College, allowing Anthropology to branch off as its own department. Its capabilities in terrestrial and marine archaeology, along with the power of geospatial analysis, are unusual for any small liberal arts college. With that success came the hiring of additional archaeologists and the construction of new teaching spaces on campus. It is this successful growth that has prompted these exciting new changes and the birth of a new initiative at the Center for Environment & Society (CES).

The new Past Is Present Initiative is based on the premise that to understand where we are headed, we need to understand where we have been. It explores the rich historical, cultural, and natural resources of the Eastern Shore to interpret the past, understand the present, and prepare for the future. The initiative is overseen by Dr. Michael Chiarappa, a nationally respected environmental historian who joined the CES team last September to become the inaugural director of Cultural and Natural Resource Initiatives. The position was funded with a $2.5 million endowment (including $1.25 million from the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund) to focus on environmental archaeology, cultural resource management and the linkages between heritage and natural resources.

The Department of Anthropology will continue to take on summer field schools in archaeology. This allows the Past Is Present Archaeology Lab, under the continued supervision of archaeologist Elizabeth Seidel, to pivot to do more consulting, contract archaeology, and focus on environmental archaeology. The latter orientation is in keeping with the program’s connection to the College’s Center for Environment & Society. Additionally, the program will build support for tourism as a regional economic engine by promoting the incredible historical, cultural, and natural resources of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. This new trajectory will bring many exciting opportunities for student and community involvement, both in the field and at the lab. Seidel says, “We’re very proud of what we have accomplished since 1999 and are so excited to broaden our focus. Providing hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for our students who are interested in archaeology, history, and the environment will continue to be a major theme as we move forward. Of course, community members are always welcome to participate in our projects in the field or the lab.”

Stop by the Past Is Present Archaeology Lab at 210 S. Cross Street in Chestertown learn about the exciting projects going on and to find out how you can get involved. The PIP Archaeology Lab will be open for First Friday on May 5^th from 5-7pm. You can find out more at https://www.washcoll.edu/learn-by-doing/ces/archaeology-lab.php .

WC-ALL Announces its Upcoming Learn-at-Lunch

April 6, 2022 by WC-ALL Leave a Comment

As Earth Day approaches let us consider what ecological issues we are facing. What better way is there to do this than to learn about and listen to ecopoetry. The theme for the April 20^th Learn-At-Lunch is “Six Poems That Can Save the World” presented by award winning, and ever popular local favorite Meredith Hadaway. She will demonstrate how powerful messages of connection, hope and resilience can fuel our hearts, change our minds, and maybe even save our planet!

Along with students in her Ecopoetry Workshop, Hadaway is exploring ways in which the arts, especially poetry, can facilitate attention, awareness and healing in an era of planetary peril. Through close readings of poems by Wendell Berry, Mary Oliver, and others Hadaway will demonstrate how powerful messages of connection, hope and resilience can fuel our hearts, change our minds, and maybe even save our planet.

An award-winning poet, Hadaway has performed her own poetry in literary venues across the U.S. and in Ireland, where she combined poetry with Celtic harp. Her three published collections include At the Narrows, winner of the 2015 Delmarva Book Award for Creative Writing, The River is a Reason, and Fishing Secrets of the Dead. Hadaway has received a Maryland Individ[1]ual Artist Award, fellowships from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, multiple Pushcart Nominations, and the “Green Mantle” from the Rachel Carson Landmark Alliance. She holds an MFA in Poetry from Vermont College of Fine Arts and an MA in Psychology from Washington College. Hadaway is a certified therapeutic musician as well as a lecturer and teacher. She is currently the Sophie Kerr Writer-in-Residence at Washington College, where she formerly served as VP for College Relations and Marketing.

A buffet lunch will be served at noon followed by the presentation at Washington College’s Hodson Hall. The fee for members is $25 and for non- members $30. The deadline for reservations is Thursday, April 14.

To make a reservation contact the WC-ALL office at 410-778-7221 and then send a check made out to WC-ALL and mail it to 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620.

Professor Serena Zabin Free Lecture in Hynson Lounge March 29

March 16, 2022 by Washington College News Service Leave a Comment

Offering an account of the Boston Massacre that yields “fresh understandings of the cause of liberty and its consequences” and “startling revelations”, Professor Serena Zabin, a professor of American History at Carleton College, is scheduled to deliver a guest lecture at Washington College that provides a compelling new slant on this well-known American Revolutionary event.

Set for Tuesday, March 29 at 4:30 PM in the Hynson Lounge, this lecture is part of the Washington College History Department’s Guy F. Goodfellow Memorial Lecture series. The event is free of charge and open to the public.

Professor Serena Zabin

Zabin’s lecture will draw from her recently published book, titled “The Boston Massacre: A Family History.” The story of the Boston Massacre—when on a late winter evening in 1770, British soldiers shot five local men to death—is familiar to generations. But from the very beginning, many accounts have obscured a fascinating truth, which is that the Massacre arose from conflicts that were as personal as they were political.

Zabin’s work uses original sources and lively stories to illuminate this tale, following British troops as they are dispatched from Ireland to Boston in 1768 to subdue the increasingly rebellious colonists. Zabin’s account reveals a forgotten world hidden in plain sight: the many regimental wives and children who accompanied these armies. We see these families jostling with Bostonians for living space, finding common cause in the search for a lost child, trading barbs and sharing baptisms. Becoming, in other words, neighbors. When soldiers shot unarmed citizens in the street, it was these intensely human, now broken bonds that fueled what quickly became a bitterly fought American Revolution.

About Serena Zabin

SERENA ZABIN is a professor of history and chair of the history department at Carleton College. She is the author of Dangerous Economies: Status and Commerce in Imperial New York and The New York Conspiracy Trials of 1741: Daniel Horsmanden’s Journal of the Proceedings. She is also the codesigner of a serious video game about the Boston Massacre, Witness to the Revolution.

About Washington College

Founded in 1782, Washington College is the tenth oldest college in the nation and the first chartered under the new Republic. It enrolls approximately 1,200 undergraduates from more than 35 states and a dozen nations. With an emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning in the arts and sciences, and more than 40 multidisciplinary areas of study, the College is home to nationally recognized academic centers in the environment, history, and writing. Learn more at washcoll.edu.

WC-ALL Announces Second Learn-at-Lunch in March

March 1, 2022 by WC-ALL Leave a Comment

For those who have become ever more concerned about America’s growing income inequality, WC-ALL’s March 24^th Learn-at-Lunch will give insight into this crisis. Hear from James B. Steele, co-author of “Discussing America: What Went Wrong? The Crisis Deepens.”

In 1992 James Steele and Donald Barlett, both Philadelphia Inquirer reporters, wrote a series of articles that documented how actions taken by Washington and Wall Street were systematically dismantling America’s middle class. This series was expanded into a book which explained why most Americans were losing ground financially. The original book has been updated, now titled “America: What Went Wrong? The Crisis Deepens.” It shows how the destructive trends previously identified have reached crisis proportions and lays out what must be done to restore the American Dream.

James B. Steele is one of America’s most acclaimed journalists, winning virtually every major national reporting award including two Pulitzer Prizes and two National Magazine Awards for work at The Philadelphia Inquirer, TIME, and Vanity Fair. He and Donald Barlett have co-authored nine books, two of which were New York Times bestsellers. He has taught and lectured at major universities and has appeared on many national news programs to discuss his work.

The Learn-at-Lunch features a buffet lunch served at noon, followed by the presentation by James Steele at Washington College’s Hodson Hall. The fee for members is $25 and for non-members $30. The deadline for reservations is Thursday, March 17.

To make a reservation send a check made out to WC-ALL to 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620. Contact the WC-ALL office at 410-778-7221 with any questions.

Dr. Alisha Knight Named as Incoming Associate Provost of Diversity and Inclusion and Senior Equity Officer at WC

February 10, 2022 by Washington College News Service 1 Comment

Washington College has named Dr. Alisha Knight as the incoming Associate Provost of Diversity and Inclusion and Senior Equity Officer, a new role that will officially begin on July 1.

Alisha Knight, Ph.D.

This inaugural position will help to shape and implement the College’s strategic plan for diversity, equity and inclusion. Some of the key priorities that will fall under Knight’s area of influence and responsibility include recruiting, developing, and retaining diverse faculty and staff within Academic Affairs; leading the effort to foster an inclusive learning environment for all students; and guiding and supporting – through collaboration with partners in other departments — the implementation of the campus-wide strategic plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“Dr. Knight is a brilliant and highly respected member of our campus community and someone who has already been actively engaged in this important work,” said Michael Sosulski, President of Washington College. “Tapping someone to officially lead our institution’s efforts around diversity and inclusion is a major step forward for the College.”

Knight, a Professor of English and American Studies specializing in African American literature and print culture at the turn of the 20^th Century, will officially assume her new role as of July 1. As Associate Provost, Knight will report directly to the Provost and will be a member of the Senior Staff. As the Senior Equity Officer, she will also meet regularly with the President. In addition to assuming these new responsibilities starting in July, she will continue to teach one course per semester starting with the 2022-23 academic year.

“I applaud Provost Harvey and President Sosulski for taking this bold step of establishing a strategic diversity leadership position at the College, and I am honored to serve as our inaugural Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion,” said Knight. “I’m committed to helping the college advance its strategic diversity agenda and to serving as a partner and resource for the campus community.”

While this position is situated within Academic Affairs, Knight will work closely with the College’s next Director of Intercultural Affairs – a critical role within Student Affairs. Dr. Knight is participating on the search committee for the Director role. In addition, she is meeting with a range of campus constituents throughout the spring. Provost Harvey notes that Dr. Knight’s spring “incoming” status empowers her to quickly gain insight and become a strategic leader on diversity, equity, access, and inclusion.

“I’m delighted that the whole college will now benefit from Alisha’s acuity, urgency, empathy, and impact,” said Harvey. “In a faculty of extraordinary individuals, Alisha is one of our most talented and passionate faculty leaders. Her vision of education has always integrated the full student experience and she will now bring that integrative vision of education to the whole college.”

Finalizing a senior-level position that is dedicated to DEI initiatives was identified as a top priority at the institution, and naming Knight to this post is the culmination of a careful review and thoughtful analysis around what structure was the best fit for Washington College. “It was important that we shape this role in a way that would allow Alisha to step in right away and deepen her engagement, while still staying connected to our core focus on teaching and learning,” said Sosulski. “Ultimately, architecting the role this way was just right for both her and for the College and we are incredibly excited about what we will accomplish under Alisha’s leadership.”

Knight is the 2020 recipient of the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the 2020 Cromwell Award for Innovation in Teaching. She is a 1993 graduate of Spelman College, and from there went on to earn advanced degrees from Rutgers University (M.A. in 1995) and Drew University (M.Phil in 2001, Ph.D. in 2004).

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