Winiarski awarded at Colloquy
Douglas Winiarski, professor of religion and American studies, received the 2026 Distinguished Educator Award from the University of Richmond at Colloquy.
Upcoming Courses
Congratulations to Priscila Ramirez, the 2026-27 Newman Civic Fellow
Congratulations to University of Richmond senior Priscila Ramirez, who has been named a 2026–27 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact! This national fellowship recognizes students who demonstrate exceptional leadership and a commitment to making a positive difference in their communities. A Bonner Scholar majoring in economics and American studies, Priscila has made service and youth empowerment a meaningful part of her Richmond experience. Read more about Priscila, Newman Civic Fellow in the Newsroom article linked here.
American Studies Senior Awards 2026
Sydney Hass, Lulu Hettleman, Amanda Reese and Zoey Van Peppen received awards of excellence for their contributions and accomplishments in the American Studies program. At an April celebration dinner, AMST board members celebrated these seniors with bright futures.
Student & Alumni Success
Mia Lazar (’24 graduate & alumni) with American Studies minor, traveled through the U.S. enhancing and expanding, Documerica, an environmental website. Supported by UR’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program and financial award by Virginia Humanities Rapid Grant, Lazar collaborated with Lauren Tilton, Associate Professor of Digital Humanities. Learn more.
Experiential Learning
In American Studies, students explore U. S. culture and society, developing an international lens. Small classroom discussion seminars and hands-on learning broaden understanding of America in a global context through museum art visits, field site work, and more.Upcoming Events
Greetings from the Richmond Exhibit
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On the first day of class, the American Studies Capstone Seminar, taught by Nicole Sackley, associate professor of history and American studies, gathered at UR Downtown and walked to The Valentine, just five blocks away. -
Students explored the This is Richmond, Virginia exhibition at The Valentine with Meg Hughes, curator of archives. -
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At the Virginia Historical Society, the class met with Paige Newman, associate archivist for collections processing, to learn about their archives. -
At the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Assistant Curator of American Art Christopher Oliver, ’04, led a tour of the exhibition The Likeness of Labor. The class viewed photographs that were not included — a great lesson in curatorial practice. -
Each student played a critical role in the development and installation of the exhibition. Caroline Weber, ’16, puts up the labels in the Wilton Companies Gallery at UR Downtown. -
Greetings from Richmond, Virginia: Visitors through the Centuries includes 26 visitors — from Black Hawk to Lizzie Armitstead — spanning three centuries. Each student told the story of two visitors. -
The exhibition features vintage postcards that celebrate Richmond as a city of history, leisure, and commerce - themes in the exhibition - and show what visitors were writing home about. Guests can take a postcard and share using #GreetingsFromRichmond. -
The students, Nicole Sackley, and Alexandra Byrum, UR Downtown educational programming coordinator, gather at UR Downtown for the RVA First Fridays exhibition opening. Nearly 100 students, faculty, staff, and community members were in attendance. -
Karolina Castro, ’16, answers questions as a friend explores guidebooks from Boatwright Library’s Special Collections. The exhibition also features Richmond tourism videos from 1955, 1977, and 2012 and tourist iteneraries from 1850, 1910, 1963, and 2016. -
“Richmond — capital of the Cavaliers — a city that is mellow and yet modern, where the rustle of the past may still be heard amid the bustle of the present,” stated the 1937 publication, A Tour of Historic Richmond, one of five quotations that were chosen -
Guests explore 19th and early 20th century visitors to Richmond below the words of Theodore Roosevelt, “I am captivated with it all; I am tempted to stay here.” (1905).
Faculty Highlights
Erkulwater awarded at Colloquy
Jennifer Erkulwater, professor of political science, received the 2026 Distinguished Scholarship Award from the University of Richmond at Colloquy.
Díaz and Herrera’s latest film featured in ICA Richmond program
Alicia Díaz, associate professor of dance, and Patricia Herrera, professor of theatre, presented two new short films at New Spiritualities: Film as Ritual at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU. The program recognized their collaborative project, ruinas/ruins, developed through long-term artistic research at the abandoned sugar mill in Central Aguirre, Puerto Rico. Díaz and Herrera collaborated previously on an award-winning dance film.
Díaz explores creative practice as research that prompts new questions
Alicia Díaz, associate professor of dance, reflects on the MAPA dance project in “Excavando juntas en el paraíso,” in categoría cinco. The collaborative performance took place in the ruins of the Cine Paradise, a former movie theater in downtown Río Piedras, Puerto Rico.
Feature Stories
UR Now: UNIVERSITY NEWS
Peace Corps ranks University of Richmond among the top 10 volunteer-producing colleges and universities
Spiders are working for peace around the world.
UR Now: STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Students gain a global perspective through the University of Richmond EnCompass program
Students explore Chile, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
Student Scholars
Four Recent University of Richmond Graduates Receive Fulbright Grants
Four University of Richmond graduates have accepted Fulbright grants for the 2026–27 academic year.
UR Now: University News
Volunteers dig in for a more sustainable future at the University of Richmond
Students and other community members come together to plant a farmette in the Eco-Corridor.
Faculty in the News
Research News
In Tyringham woods, archaeology brings a vanished Shaker community back into view
Research by religious studies professor Doug Winiarski, classics and archeology professor Elizabeth Baughan, and Beth Zizzamia, director of the Spatial Analysis Lab, is featured.
Trump foreign policy looms over Team USA ahead of 2026 Winter Olympics
American studies professor Stephen Brauer, who is working on a book about sports writing, is quoted.
Creating Community Around the Class
Laura Browder, Tyler and Alice Haynes professor in American Studies, coauthored this piece.
Educating Individuals About Climate Change, One Game at a Time
Professor of Russian and global studies Yvonne Howell is quoted.
Contact Us
Mailing address:
American Studies Program
Millhiser Gym ROTC Office 17
367 College Road
University of Richmond, Virginia 23173
Phone: (804) 484-1471
Fax: (804) 484-1577
Program Coordinator: Stephen Brauer
Academic Administrative Coordinator: Elsie M. H. Hacker