BLUR theater students improvise during the 2012 camp.

Sweet Briar College’s third annual Blue Ridge Summer Institute for Young Artists, known as BLUR, will be held June 16 through July 7 on its campus. This year, the camp has added music and technical theater to its repertoire of theater, creative writing and visual arts.

BLUR founder and director David Griffith, who teaches creative writing at Sweet Briar, is expecting the largest and most geographically diverse group yet — between 35 and 40 students from 16 states.

“We have students coming from every corner of the country,” he said. “That’s our goal at BLUR: bring as many distinct voices and visions to the artistic conversation as possible so that our sense of what is possible is enlarged.”

Launched in 2011, BLUR is a collaborative, three-week residential camp for high school students interested in the arts. It’s built on the founding principle of blurring the boundaries between art forms to imagine new ways of seeing, thinking and creating. While participants concentrate in one area, spending two-thirds of their day deeply immersed in their disciplines, the rest of the time they work collaboratively on projects in other mediums.

BLUR partners with Sweet Briar’s theater troupe-in-residence, Endstation Theatre Company, and the adjacent Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA). In addition to having the opportunity to learn from the crew and cast, BLUR students will attend performances of all three plays in Endstation’s Blue Ridge Summer Theatre Festival, including Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” and “Cymbeline” and the musical “Violet.” They will also visit the VCCA to meet with artists from around the world.

More information about this year’s camp is here and at sbc.edu/blur. You can follow BLUR on Facebook at BLURatSBC, Twitter at blur_institute and on Tumblr at bluratsbc.

— Janika Carey

The workshop is aimed at K-12 teachers, as well as curators and docents from historical societies or museums. Registration is free for K-12 teachers and $25 for all other participants and includes a continental breakfast, lunch and coffee. Sessions will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Josey Dining Room in Prothro Hall. To register, visit the Tusculum Institute website at tusculum.sbc.edu. The registration deadline is June 12.

During the workshop, participants will view a short documentary on the struggle for equal education in Prince Edward County (“Mr. Stokes’ Mission”), hear from former students who helped integrate some of the first Virginian classrooms, and learn about resources available for teachers instructing their classes about integration. Lesson plans will be handed out to teachers, and the first 40 registrants will receive a complimentary DVD copy of “Mr. Stokes’ Mission” for use in the classroom. This workshop corresponds with the 50th anniversary of Sweet Briar College’s court battle to integrate, which required reinterpreting the will that founded the College in 1900.

Speakers include Ted Delaney, associate professor of history at Washington & Lee University, author and desegregation expert Betty Kilby Fisher, John T. Kneebone, associate professor and chair of the history department at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Tusculum Institute director Lynn Rainville, as well as Justin Reid, associate director of the Robert Russa Moton Museum in Farmville. The fully restored former Moton School once served students who played a significant role in protesting educational segregation. A panel and roundtable discussion will also include Farmville community members Edith Napier and Mary Rose, who helped integrate local schools.

For more information, contact Lynn Rainville at lrainville@sbc.edu or visit tusculum.sbc.edu/TeachingHistoricPlaces_2013.

— Janika Carey

Endstation’s 2012 Blue Ridge Summer Theatre Festival included Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors.”

Endstation Theatre Company has expanded its Blue Ridge Summer Theatre Festival beyond the campus of Sweet Briar College for the 2013 season. Two of three plays — Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” and “Cymbeline” — will also be performed at historic locations and theaters in downtown Lynchburg.

According to Endstation’s artistic director Geoffrey Kershner, it’s a “season of travel,” and that applies to the musical “Violet,” as well. The musical, he says, “tells the story of a young woman who travels across the country on a journey of self-discovery.”

The festival will open with “The Taming of the Shrew,” directed by Kershner, on Friday, May 31, with a special 10-performance engagement at the Renaissance Theatre in downtown Lynchburg until June 9. The downtown leg of the production is made possible with the support of the city of Lynchburg and a James River Arts and Culture District Project Grant. Audiences will enjoy a special pre- and post-show 15-percent discount to the locally owned restaurants Dish and Bull Branch.

The second leg of “The Taming of the Shrew” will be performed outdoors on the grounds of Sweet Briar College from June 15 to July 7. During the Sweet Briar performances, audiences are encouraged to bring blankets and picnic at dusk while enjoying wine and beer made available by local vineyards and breweries.

While Endstation has taken its troupe off campus only once before, transplanting Shakespeare into a (more) modern context is a recurring theme. Last year, Macbeth found himself in the midst of the Civil War; this year, the company’s take on “The Taming of the Shrew” is inspired by the historic vaudeville theaters that existed in downtown Lynchburg at the turn of the century. In “Cymbeline,” the second play of the summer, a troupe of Depression-era actors bring Shakespeare’s fairytale world to life with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and “Violet: the Musical” is set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement.

Directed by Walter Kmiec, “Cymbeline” will be performed on the grounds of Sweet Briar College from June 14 to July 14, followed by a Central Virginia historical tour July 19 to 21 — at Old City Cemetery on July 19, Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest on July 20, and concluding with a special family event at Presbyterian Homes and Family Services on July 21. The family night will include study guides for children and ice cream for the whole family.

Last year’s production of “Macbeth” was staged in the dell below Guion Science Center.

The only ‘stationary’ play of the festival, “Violet” will be performed at Sweet Briar’s Babcock Fine Arts Center June 28 to July 14. Directed by Chad Larabee, it features lyrics by Brian Crawley, music by Jeannine Tesori and is based on the book “The Ugliest Pilgrim” by Doris Betts. “Violet” follows the emotional transformation of a young woman scarred by her father in an accident. She sets off on a bus journey from her small North Carolina town in the Blue Ridge Mountains to Oklahoma, in hopes that a televangelist can heal her scar.

“[Violet] explores faith, racism, self-worth and acceptance of that which we can never change,” Larabee says.

The musical was one of the most acclaimed off-Broadway shows in the 1990s, astounding critics and audiences with its inventive score of gospel, rock, country and rhythm and blues.

General admission tickets for each performance are $15 for adults and $7 for students. Premium tickets are $22 for adults and $15 for students. An all-access, premium-seating pass for unlimited performances is available for $90 per person. For more information and a complete schedule, and to purchase tickets, please visit endstationtheatre.org or call (434) 826-0391.

— Janika Carey

Exploring both the universal and particular experiences of children and teenagers who came of age during a time of war, “That Mad Game” features 17 essays by authors from around the world, including up-and-coming Middle Eastern writers Qais Akbar Omar and Aria Minu-Sepehr. Omar’s memoir about growing up in Kabul, “A Fort of Nine Towers” (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux), was released in April. “We Heard the Heavens Then” (Simon and Schuster), Minu-Sepehr’s memoir about growing up in Iran during the Revolution, was released in 2012.

Other writers include Elisabeth Breslav, who survived Holland’s Hunger Winter during World War II; Marnie Mueller, born to white parents in one of California’s Japanese internment camps; and Fito Avitia, who writes from the frontlines of the cartel war in Juárez, Mexico. Griffith’s essay “Symphony No. 1: In Memoriam Dresden, 1945” appears last in the collection.

In February, Griffith had the chance to meet fellow contributors at the Associated Writing Programs Conference in Boston, where he participated in a reading and discussion of the essays.

“That Mad Game” was compiled by J.L. Powers, editor of “Labor Pains and Birth Stories” and author of two young adult novels, most recently “This Thing Called the Future,” an alternative fantasy set in post-apartheid South Africa. Powers began collecting essays on children and war while pregnant with her first child.

“The experience was both painful and uplifting, not unlike giving birth,” Powers said according to Amazon. “The most memorable aspect of these essays is their stark portrayal of both survival and hope in the midst of incredible suffering.”

See the full list of Notable Books awardees here.

— Janika Carey

She is one of 15 advancement professionals chosen from a large pool of candidates.

“This honor is a wonderful recognition for the successful efforts of Sweet Briar to build a culture of philanthropy involving alumnae, parents, students, faculty, staff and friends of the College,” McCrory said.

“It’s a reflection of the outstanding efforts of alumnae and development staff and volunteers … I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve the advancement profession — a profession that I am passionate about. It’s also a privilege to serve the CASE organization that has mentored me so well over my own career, and, through the commission, to interact with an extraordinary group of professionals, colleagues and friends.”

McCrory joined Sweet Briar College almost 13 years ago, holding a variety of development positions before becoming vice president in 2006. She previously worked in development at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and New England College. Beginning her career in advertising and public relations, McCrory earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Southern Methodist University and a master’s in English from UNC-Greensboro.

McCrory has volunteered for a number of organizations, including Girl Scouts of the USA, serving as a board chair, national delegate, cookie mom, fundraiser and speaker. In 2007, she received the Athena Award from the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce, recognizing her as a professional woman who demonstrates excellence, creativity and initiative in her business profession, improves the quality of life for others in the community, and who helps other women realize their full leadership potential.

McCrory has been a speaker and workshop leader at various professional conferences, including the Virginia Community Colleges Chancellor’s Annual Planning Retreat, Virginia Senior Leadership Seminar for Women in Higher Education, CASE and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

— Janika Carey

Among the selected students are rising juniors Ashley Baker and Fumin Li, who just completed Pannell Scholarships, as well as Dolores Gallagher, Moriah Donaldson and Amy Kvien; rising seniors Kaitlyn Cartwright, Rebecca Dalley, Anna Donko, Katlyn Fleming and Lilian Tauber; and soon-to-be graduate Jennifer Gray.

“This is a bigger group of students than we have had in a while,” said Julie Hemstreet, who organizes the program. “We also had a bigger and much more competitive pool of applicants than we have had in many years.”

Under the supervision of a faculty member, each student will conduct independent research on a topic of her choice. The eight-week, on-campus program offers participants a exceptional academic experience by providing the opportunity for intensely focused research, a one-on-one working relationship with a faculty mentor, and weekly meetings and presentations by both professors and students highlighting their ongoing research.

For more information about the program, email jhemstreet@sbc.edu.

Projects:

Ashley Baker ’15
Faculty sponsor: Rob Granger (Chemistry)
With an understanding of photosynthesis, Baker will replicate it using organometallic catalysts (molecules that contain both carbon and metal atoms).

Kaitlyn Cartwright ’14
Faculty sponsor: Abraham Yousef (Chemistry)
An important aspect of anticancer research is the development of compounds that possess selectivity to cancer cells and the ability to avoid resistance from cancer cells. Cartwright will synthesize a novel organic compound containing a phenanthroline scaffold that will allow for binding to platinum and a 3(2H)-furanone core. The compound will later be tested against various cancer cells, both with and without platinum. The project will serve as the beginning of her Honors thesis work.

Katlyn Fleming ’14
Faculty sponsor: Abraham Yousef (Chemistry)
Fleming’s research project involves a novel organic compound containing a phenanthroline scaffold designed to bind to platinum. While platinum-containing compounds are known to be effective against cancer cells, not all compounds are equally effective, and some cancer cells can develop resistance to currently known drugs. The target compound will be synthesized this summer and later tested against various cancer cells, both with and without platinum. Fleming will continue her research in her senior Honors thesis.

Rebecca Dalley ’14
Faculty sponsor: Janet Steven (Biology)
Using clonal growth in plants, Dalley will investigate the age of interrupted ferns (Osmunda claytoniana L.). Interrupted fern rhizomes grow at a slow rate of about a quarter inch per year. With the use of DNA markers and measurements taken during sampling, Dalley will determine the approximate age and illuminate the history of the current forest undergrowth.

Moriah Donaldson ’15
Faculty sponsor: Scott Pierce (Engineering)
Donaldson’s project aims to help develop a new treatment for phantom limb pain, a syndrome affecting 80 percent of amputees. She’ll create a realistic, computer-based simulation of hands as they perform grasping and pointing motions. Her two main goals are constructing a complete kinematic model of a hand in motion, and using a solid modeling library to create dimensionally correct models.

Anna Donko ’14
Faculty sponsor: Pamela DeWeese (Modern languages and literatures)
Through her research, Donko aims to demonstrate how Ramón del Valle-Inclán’s theatrical concept of “Esperpento” molded his creation of the fictitious, dictatorial world in his masterpiece, “Tirano Banderas,” a novel depicting the fall of a cruel South American dictator.

Fumin Li ’15
Faculty sponsor: Bethany Brinkman (Engineering)
Using AutoCAD, Li will create a virtual model of Sweet Briar House that people can visit online.

Dolores Gallagher ’15
Faculty sponsor: Bryce Walker (Classics, philosophy and religion)
During her project, Gallagher will study medicine in ancient Greece, particularly its relationship to Greek culture. She will also look at the Hippocratic oath and its influence on doctors at the time and today.

Jennifer Gray ’13
Faculty sponsors: Lynn Laufenberg (History) and Eric Casey (Classics)
Through a comparative historical study, Gray hopes to understand how the perception of women with political power evolved between the 5th century B.C. and the 6th century A.D.

Amy Kvien ’15
Faculty sponsor: Sherry Forbes (Economics)
Kvien’s research project seeks to understand the effect of the recent financial regulations in response to the Great Recession on the structure of the financial services industry.

Lilian Tauber ’14
Faculty sponsor: Lynn Laufenberg (History)
In her research, Tauber will investigate the Arab Spring and its impact on the emergence or expansion of political and human rights in the countries involved. Among other things, she will explore whether U.S. interests in the region have had an impact on this process. Tauber hopes to shed light on it through a comparative, historical investigation into discernible U.S. influence in two case studies (Egypt and Morocco), focusing on the integration of political rights into government institutions in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Professor Horwege welcomes Suri Xia ’15 (left) and Olivia Fagan ’15 as the newest members of Delta Phi Alpha.

On Tuesday, May 7, Sweet Briar College’s Lambda Eta Chapter of the Delta Phi Alpha German Honor Society initiated two new members. The ceremony took place during a dinner at Main Street Eatery in Lynchburg.

The society welcomed sophomores Suri Xia and Olivia Fagan. Professor of German Ronald Horwege conducted the ceremony, which was also attended by John Reynolds, national secretary-treasurer of Delta Phi Alpha, as well as Alyssa Sarminento ’15 and Sixtine Abrial ’15, who were initiated last year, Stacey Karmen ’15, German assistant Carola Haese and Horwege’s wife, Sandra.

Delta Phi Alpha was founded at Wofford College in 1927 and now has more than 236 chapters throughout the United States. Sweet Briar College received its charter in 2001. Professor Horwege is presently serving as national president of the society.

The purpose of the society is stated in its charter: “The National German Honor Society, Delta Phi Alpha, seeks to recognize excellence in the study of German and to provide an incentive for higher scholarship. The Society aims to promote the study of the German language, literature and civilization and endeavors to emphasize those aspects of German life and culture which are of universal value and which contribute to man’s eternal search for peace and truth.”

Alyson Booth ’13 on her horse Dom, who spent three years at Sweet Briar. “I like to think he has earned his undergrad degree also,” says mom Debbie.

“Alyson has gained so much from her time at Sweet Briar, it feels right to give back and make sure that Sweet Briar can continue to provide students competitive programs and resources,” says Bill, who made a career in point-of-sales marketing and retired after working for Coinstar during its startup phase. “[She] has benefited from the generosity of those who came before her, so getting involved and contributing to the Annual Fund is our way of giving back.”

This month, Alyson is graduating with a B.S. in biology and a minor in chemistry. She’s already been accepted to the veterinary program at Ohio State University, where she’ll start in the fall.

Alyson’s journey began during her junior year in high school. As a participant in the College Bound riding program in Gainesville, Fla., she met Sweet Briar riding director Mimi Wroten, who told her everything about the College’s equestrian program. After a campus visit, Alyson was ready to disqualify all other colleges from her wish list.

“Alyson’s passion is horses,” Debbie says, adding that her daughter has been riding since she enrolled her in a spring break riding camp in elementary school.

“When it came time to choose a college, she wanted to attend a school that would provide her the opportunity to continue riding.”

Sweet Briar was the only school Alyson applied to — despite her initial aversion to the idea of attending a women’s college.

“I remember suggesting Sweet Briar to her when she was a sophomore in high school,” says Bill, who had visited the campus when he was a student at Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania.

Natalie (left), Bill, Alyson and Debbie Booth at Alyson’s high school graduation.

“I had a fraternity brother whose girlfriend attended Sweet Briar. They got in a fight and he convinced me to ride with him to visit her over a weekend. … If someone had said to me back then, ‘Someday, you will have a daughter and she will attend Sweet Briar with her horse,’ I would have told them they were crazy.”

While growing up just 30 miles apart in the Pittsburgh area, the Booths didn’t meet until they were both working for the same supermarket vendor, but in different cities. A corporate training program in California brought them together.

Two children and many years later, Debbie continues to work in marketing, now for the personalized digital media company Catalina, where she has been for 19 years. Last summer, Becca Davidson ’13 interned at Catalina and stayed with the Booths while Alyson was away with “Vets in the Wild” in South Africa.

“We had done this once before with a UVa student who was a friend of Aly’s sister Natalie, so we were totally open to doing it again when one of Aly’s friends expressed an interest in exploring a career in human resources,” Debbie says. “Aly suggested she reach out to me. After speaking with her, I encouraged her to send me her resume and I sponsored her candidacy for the Catalina Summer Internship Program. When she was accepted, we invited her to stay with us for the summer.”

Debbie hopes more parents will open their homes — and internship opportunities — to Sweet Briar students.

“Many parents may be able to offer a similar opportunity and just have not thought about it. It’s a rewarding experience for the student and for the host family.”

Alyson, in turn, has benefited from the generosity of many Sweet Briar parents in Virginia, who took her in during holidays when she couldn’t make it home.

To Debbie, “that says a lot about the SBC parent community.”

Through their involvement on the Parent Steering Committee, the Booths have connected with many other Sweet Briar families, and every time, they find a lot in common.

“In all my encounters, the parents have shared similar, positive SBC experiences and consistently place a deep value on the women’s college education and experience,” Debbie says.

Alyson during the “Vets in the Wild” program in South Africa last summer.

Both Bill and Debbie know that Sweet Briar was the right choice for Alyson.

“The family atmosphere, the collaboration and support of the professors and the support of alumnae are all examples of what makes Sweet Briar such a special place,” Debbie explains. “Aly was appropriately challenged and supported by professors [who] believed in her and provided her strong advice and guidance.”

They’re especially grateful for the many opportunities Alyson was offered in preparation for vet school. The summer between her freshman and sophomore years, she interned at a Sweet Briar alumna’s small animal practice in the Lynchburg area, and her pre-vet and senior research advisor, biology professor John Morrissey, encouraged her to participate in the “Vets in the Wild” program. Each opportunity has brought Alyson one step closer to fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian.

For as long as the Booths can remember, “Aly was bound and determined to get into vet school,” Debbie says. “She was accepted at five schools — three abroad and two in the U.S. … We are thrilled and truly blessed.”

But it’s not just about academics. Alyson has grown on a personal level, as well, something Bill is keenly aware of.

“Alyson has flourished. Her self-confidence has grown, she has a deeper understanding of who she is; she is more independent, she speaks up. She’s developed gumption. She has also has taken [the] initiative to try new things, such as participating in cross country. I have seen her become a leader rather than a follower.

“Last but not least, she has developed deep friendships that will last forever.”

Alyson, for her part, is glad she made the choice to attend Sweet Briar. That her parents have been there to support her every step of the way means a lot, she says.

“It was important to me because they got to be a part of my college experience in positive ways, other than just helping me pay for school.”

— Janika Carey

“I am proud to represent our state on the Republican National Committee and look forward to working with all of the members,” she said in a press release by the Maryland Republican Party.

“Thank you for the support and trust of the Maryland Republican State Central Committee. It is going to take the same energy and passion our members showed this election as we take on the Democrats for the 2014 elections. I plan to lead the efforts to improve our grassroots organization, raise money to support our candidates and communicate our vision directly with the voters.”

Waterman was elected to the Republican Central Committee of Queen Anne’s County in 2006 and re-elected in 2010, serving as a member, treasurer, vice chairman and chairman. She has also served on several committees for the Maryland Republican Party, including Credentials, Resolutions, Voter Registration, Chairman’s Ad Hoc Voting Committee and Bylaws.

Prior to her election as first vice chair of the Maryland Republican Party, Waterman served on the National Federation of Republican Women’s Membership Committee. She was elected first vice president of the Maryland Federation of Republican Women (MFRW), having served previously as a regional chair and club president for the federation. She remains active on the MFRW.

A non-competitive ‘fun run,’ this race is the culmination of the region’s Girls on the Run spring program. Central Virginian girls ages 8 to 13 have been training for 10 to 12 weeks in preparation for this event, which recognizes and celebrates their efforts.

Saturday’s event will also include runners from the spring 2006 team, said Central Virginia council director, Mary Hansen. The girls, who are now graduating high school or entering their senior year, will assist with the opening ceremony, and eight of them will participate in the race.

“We thought it would be fun to introduce them to the younger girls,” Hansen said.

Among them are Girls on the Run junior coaches Meghann Hansen, for the R.S. Payne Elementary School team, and Jessica Winters, who is in charge of Madison Heights.

The Lynchburg-based Girls on the Run council has already held three races at Sweet Briar since the two women’s organizations announced a partnership in August 2011 — one in the fall of 2011, one last spring and a third race this past fall. As in November, the picturesque route will take runners from the old train station through campus and along the Dairy Loop, winding its way past the riding center and through the woods.

Sweet Briar is a proud supporter of Girls on the Run’s mission, which is “to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident” and to “educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.” Girls on the Run also provides opportunities for Sweet Briar students to volunteer, mentor the younger girls and share some of the benefits they’ve experienced in an all-women’s educational environment.

Dozens of volunteers, including Sweet Briar students and employees, will help with course setup, work pre-race activities such as the happy hair table, or serve as running buddies for the 280 registered girls as they tackle the challenging 5K course.

For more information, visit girlsontherunva.org or call (434) 607-2024.