Randolph professor named archaeologist of the year

A statewide organization of archaeologists has recognized a Randolph professor as the Virginia Professional Archaeologist of the Year for 2013.

Lori Lee, the Ainsworth Visiting Professor of American Culture, received the award for her years of research at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, where she has helped discover, document, and analyze the lives of slaves who lived on the plantation.

The Archaeological Society of Virginia (ASV) attempted to present the award to Lee at its annual meeting last year, but she was not present due to family commitments. When the organization notified her of the award, she was out of the country. She finally received the award in the mail recently.

“It was a great honor to be selected for this award,” Lee said, adding that her membership in ASV has helped her grow as an archaeologist. “I am very proud of this award and the social relationships and exciting collaborative work projects that resulted in receiving it.”

In addition to the honor of receiving the award, Lee was delighted that she was nominated by a professional archaeologist who was once a student in one of Lee’s archaeological field schools at Poplar Forest. “It was very meaningful to be nominated by someone who I worked with in an educational environment who has gone on to pursue a career in archaeology,” Lee said.

Faculty, students honored during opening convocation

During opening convocation on Tuesday, the College paused to honor several faculty members and two students for outstanding achievements.

Mara Amster, an English professor, received the Gillie A. Larew Distinguished Teaching Award, which is named for a former student who returned to teach mathematics at the College for 46 years. This is the College’s oldest award for faculty.

Doug Shedd, the Catherine Ehrman Thoresen `23 and William E. Thoresen Professor of Biology, was honored with the Katherine Graves Davidson Award, which recognizes a member of the full-time faculty member who has been outstanding in bringing distinction to the College.

The Katherine Graves Davidson Scholarship award, which recognizes outstanding research, was awarded to Beth Schwartz, the Catherine E. and William E. Thoresen Chair in Social Sciences and assistant dean of the College. This award recognizes the importance of faculty research, scholarship, and achievement.

The Phi Beta Kappa Book Award is presented annually to the student with the highest grade point average following his or her sophomore year. This year, the award was given to two students with perfect grade point averages: Grace Gardiner ‘15 and Hart Gillespie ‘15.

Randolph President Bradley W. Bateman also took a moment to recognize Paula Wallace, associate dean of the College, who started her tenure at the College exactly 40 years ago. He credited Wallace with the development of the Randolph Plan, an advising program that guides students to the classes and co-curricular activities that will help them reach their goals. “It is in our advising that we truly offer something unique,” Bateman said.