Washington College will host the 239^th Commencement Exercises on the Campus Green beginning at 10:30 AM on Sunday, May 22, conferring degrees upon 247 graduates in front of family, friends and loved ones.

The Honorable Joseph M. Getty ’74 will deliver the keynote address. Getty, a Washington College alum, most recently served as Chief Judge of Maryland’s highest court and will speak to graduates about the importance of community engagement and public service.

Zairel Luna (Centereach, NY) was selected as the Senior Class speaker. She is an International Studies major, and has been heavily involved with a number of organizations during her time as a student. This includes serving as the Secretary for the Class of 2022, Secretary of Service and Community Relations for the SGA, a member of the newly created Latinx Student Union, a member of the Student Events Board, Community Service Chair for Cleopatra’s Sisters and a member of the Model United Nations team. Following a planned gap year, Luna intends to apply to law school in pursuit of a career in immigration law.

The highlight of the ceremony is the public conferral of Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees on the 2022 Washington College graduates. Michael J. Sosulski, President, will officially confer the degrees earned and Interim Provost and Dean Michael Harvey will individually present each graduate.

Harvey will also present the College’s faculty and student awards, as well as the senior honors and prizes. These include the Alumni Association’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Jane Huston Goodfellow Memorial Prize, the Sophie Kerr Prize and the George Washington Medal and Award, among others.

This week there are also numerous events and celebrations leading up to Commencement, to include a Senior Beach Bash at Conquest Beach, the Senior Class Awards Luncheon (May 20 at Noon on the Miller Library Terrace), and the announcement of the Sophie Kerr Prize (May 20 at 7:30 PM in Hotchkiss Recital Hall), which can be viewed here. The finalists for this prestigious prize were recently announced – read the full story here.

Over the past few weeks, the College has been sharing the voices and accomplishments of members of the Class of 2022 through a series of Senior Spotlights. These stories can be viewed here.

The outdoor ceremony is open to all. In the case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the Johnson Fitness Center and a ticket will be required for entry. A livestream of commencement will also be available here beginning at 10:25 a.m.

This year also marks the return of Alumni Weekend to the festivities. Special events for alums include a Chester River tour on the Callinectes, a Writers’ Union Alumni Reading at the Lit House, and a cocktail party where alums have the opportunity to welcome the Class of 2022 into the community.

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

Washington College has named Ed Patrick to the position of Vice President for Finance and Administration. Patrick, a successful finance executive with strong higher education experience comes to Washington College from St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh, NC where he has served as VP of Finance & Operations since 2018.

In this role, Patrick will be a close partner to President Sosulski in advancing Washington College’s strategic priorities and objectives, working in unison with other College officers, and reflecting and extending the collaborative and supportive spirit of the entire College. The President and senior staff will look to him provide the leadership, vision and entrepreneurial financial thinking for prudent resource management and allocation in support of institutional planning and resource growth.

Serving as the chief business officer for Washington College, Patrick will provide strategic and operational leadership for the institution’s financial, information, and physical resources. He will be responsible for an institutional budget of approximately $55 million and will direct the College’s capital renewal program and land development opportunities, provide coordination and oversight of the management of the College’s endowment and its property and liability insurance and risk management portfolio, and provide functional oversight of non-financial business operations (information technology) and auxiliary enterprises (dining services, bookstore, and summer conferences).

Patrick’s accomplishments within the higher education space include leading strategic initiatives to retain SACSCOC (Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges) accreditation for two separate universities; investing nearly $2 million in technology infrastructure improvements by utilizing CARES Act funding; and collaborating with Academic and Student Affairs teams to develop and implement student retention initiatives that included investments in advising, tutors, technology, training and facilities that resulted in a 40% improvement in the retention rate.

Before joining St. Augustine’s University, Patrick spent five years as a SACSCOC Financial Consultant for Silver & Associates Universities & Colleges. Over the course of his career, he also held leadership roles in Finance & Management with South Carolina State University, Paine College, Clark Atlanta University and the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.

“As a focused and passionate strategist, I am excited to help advance the long-term goals and core mission of Washington College,” said Patrick, whose background includes budgeting and forecasting, business modeling, internal control structure, facilities management, technology and innovation, auxiliary management, cash and investment management, collaborative decision-making at the executive level, and change management.

Patrick is also the proud father of two children who are both currently attending different universities, adding an even deeper level of understanding around the challenges and sacrifices required to pursue a degree in higher education.

“Ed’s strong proven competencies in financial analysis and planning, process improvement, budgeting and cost control and team-building mesh incredibly well with what the College needs as we look ahead to the next chapter,” said Mike Sosulski, President. “But when we look beyond his successful career and list of accomplishments, it is his passion for adding value to our community and his collaborative approach that really gave him the nod as our candidate. He will undoubtedly become a strong and vocal advocate for advancing our mission with a student-first mindset.”

Patrick earned his Bachelor’s of Science in General Studies from Northwestern University, and went on to receive an MS in Accounting from DePaul University in Chicago. He also completed Chemical Officer Basic Course & Military Police Advance Training while with the Department of the Army out of Fort McClellan.

He will officially begin his tenure with Washington College on January 24. Patrick will be joined in the Office of Finance & Administration by another new staff member – Director of Facilities, Stan Yeakel. Yeakel was previously the Director of Physical Plant Services at Fairhaven, a continuing care retirement community in Sykesville, MD. He brings extensive experience in working with capital projects, maintenance, engineering, security, energy management and housekeeping services.

Story link: https://www.washcoll.edu/live/news/ed-patrick-release.php

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 1,100 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.

Mia Bay

The beautiful waterfront, the historic buildings and monuments, and the friendly people. These are just a few of Mia Bay’s favorite things about Chestertown, her home away from home until May 2022. As the 2021-22 Patrick Henry History Fellow at Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, she is spending the academic year in residence while working on her newest book project—African American ideas about Thomas Jefferson from the American Revolution through the post-emancipation era. In her work, Bay hopes to use African American discussions of Jefferson to present connections between early Black struggles for freedom and civil rights and African American claims on American nationalism and citizenship.

This fall, during a virtual event that featured an in-depth conversation about her work, Bay shared how she arrived at the idea for her latest book about Jefferson.

“I’ve been interested in African American ideas about Thomas Jefferson since I wrote my doctoral dissertation, which became my first book on African American ideas about white people,” she said. “And in researching that book, I was surprised by how often they [African Americans] were talking about someone like Jefferson.”

Bay also reflected on how residing in Chestertown—and inside an 18th century house—is affecting her work while in residence for the year. “When I was working on this project before, I lived briefly on the borders of Monticello in a very old house, near the Jefferson Library, and I felt like I was in the middle of it. And now, once again, I feel that I’m back in that world, and I think it’s useful,” she said. “Chestertown’s evidence of history is fascinating. The monument to white Confederate and Union soldiers and then a second monument to Black soldiers that fought for the Union—all these different, competing histories. I think it will influence me. I think it will be a really good place to be.”

Bay currently holds the Roy F. and Jeannette P. Nichols Chair in American History at the University of Pennsylvania and was previously professor of history at Rutgers University. She has been the author or editor of seven books, most recently Traveling Black: A Story of Race and Resistance, which was published earlier this year by Harvard University Press. In the book, Bay explores when, how, and why racial transportation restrictions took shape and depicts what it was like for so many to live within those restrictions. A review in the New York Times called it “superb history” and praised the author for her elegant storytelling and seamless narration, while Henry Louis Gates, Jr., wrote that it was certain to become the new standard work on an important but often forgotten chapter of American history.

This spring, Bay will bring her professorial talents to the Starr Center as she leads and mentors a team of Washington College student interns.

“Mia Bay is one of the nation’s most important contemporary voices on African American history and culture,” said Adam Goodheart, the Starr Center’s Hodson Trust-Griswold Director. “Her work speaks to our nation’s present as well as its past. We’re honored to support her, and particularly excited that Washington College’s students have the opportunity to learn from such an accomplished scholar, writer, and teacher.”

The Patrick Henry History Fellowship is cosponsored by Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience and the Rose O’Neill Literary House. A full-time, residential fellowship, it supports outstanding work on American history by both scholars and non-academics with an emphasis on America’s founding era and/or the nation’s founding ideas. The fellowship was established and permanently endowed in 2008 with a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as support from the Nuttle family, descendants of the Revolutionary patriot Patrick Henry. For a list of past recipients, visit: starrcenter.washcoll.edu.

About the Starr Center

Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience explores the American experience in all its diversity and complexity, seeks creative approaches to illuminating the past, and inspires thoughtful conversation informed by history. Through educational programs, scholarship and public outreach, the Starr Center bridges the divide between the academic realm and the broader world, while offering dynamic hands-on opportunities to Washington College undergraduates from a wide range of majors. More information can be found at starrcenter.washcoll.edu.

About Washington College

Founded in 1782, Washington College is the tenth-oldest college in the nation and the first one chartered after American independence. It enrolls approximately 1,250 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.

Washington College has been awarded $1.25 Million in matching funds through the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative (MIE), matched by private donors, for a $2.5 million endowment supporting a Chair for the Natural & Cultural Resource Initiatives under the college’s Center for Environment & Society. This professorship is part of the college’s new Past is Present initiative, which focuses on environmental archaeology, cultural resource management and the linkages between heritage and natural resources.

“This is an important step forward in protecting and managing the remarkable natural and cultural resources with which our region is so blessed,” said Jon Seidel, the director of Washington College’s Center for Environment & Society. “There is a logical, but often unrecognized, alliance between those of us who work in these fields, and this position will build ties and strengthen our collective efforts.”

The Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative (MEI) is a state program created to spur basic and applied research in scientific and technical fields at colleges and universities. The funds awarded through MEI are a match to private funds raised by the institutions themselves.

A total of $21.2 million was awarded to eight colleges and universities throughout Maryland including Washington College, Johns Hopkins, Morgan State, Goucher, Hood, University of Maryland, College Park; and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

The Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative was created by the General Assembly during the 2014 legislative session and has provided $64.9 million in funding to leverage $71.2 million in private donations. The funding can be used to pay salaries of newly endowed department chairs, staff, and support personnel in designated scientific and technical fields of study; fund related research fellowships for graduate and undergraduate students; and purchase lab equipment and other basic infrastructure and equipment.

“Ecotourism and heritage tourism in particular are powerful economic engines for the Eastern Shore, and we look forward to enhancing the opportunities for communities to benefit from this potential,” Seidel said.