Curriculum

• Presented by Dr. Price Blair

“It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet…”

For over 200 years, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has endured as a popular myth, exploring themes of creation, responsibility, and the boundaries of scientific ambition. But how did Mary Shelley’s tumultuous life — including her experiences with love, loss, and intellectual radicalism — inspire and shape her story? This presentation will explore the intersection between Mary Shelley’s personal life and travels and her groundbreaking work of science fiction. The session will also preview a unique “study abroad” experience that will be available to Life @ Lynchburg members!

Dr. Price Blair: Dr. Blair is an Associate Professor in the University of Lynchburg’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and the Westover Honors Program Assistant Director, joining the faculty in 2010. He earned his BA in both Chemistry and Classics from Washington and Lee University and his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics from Boston University School of Medicine before continuing post-doctoral research at Harvard Medical School. Today, Dr. Blair teaches courses in various subjects, including a Westover Honors colloquium on Frankenstein and the Science of Synthetic Life. He has led multiple study abroad trips to Italy, England, Scotland, and Germany to study the history of anatomy and medicine, as well as Frankenstein. Dr. Blair’s current research interests include studying the local history of grave robbing and body snatching for medical education.

• Presented by Paula Youra

The lives of Elliot and Rosel Schewel were woven together generations before they met. For more than a century, they and their family have uniquely contributed to the political and social fabric of America and the civic construct of Central Virginia through religion, politics, and service. The Schewels were the quintessential husband and wife team. The trajectory of their combined and individual lives seems always on course. At the same time, the road to their success as public advocates for fairness and justice for all takes several interesting turns. Living in Lynchburg offered its own sets of challenges. Mrs. Schewel found herself an outcast for voicing opposition to segregation and supporting the Equal Rights Amendment. At the same time, Senator Schewel wrestled with the political will of the Moral Majority and The Reverend Jerry Falwell himself.

Paula Youra: Paula Youra, Ph.D., is a professor of Communication Studies, Director of the Center for Professional Communication, and Debate Team coach at the University of Lynchburg. She graduated from Sacramento State University, the University of California at Davis, and Pennsylvania State University. She has authored books on political and public communication and regularly presents research at national and international conferences. As a business communication consultant, Dr. Youra offers professional communication seminars to help professionals communicate confidently and successfully.

• Presented by Brian E. Crim

As World War II came to a close, US military intelligence prioritized capturing the Third Reich’s so-called “wonder weapons” and the scientists who built them. Project Paperclip arranged to transfer 1,600 German scientists and technicians to the US for long-term exploitation in America’s defense and space programs. This lecture explains the reasons why the US initiated Project Paperclip, the internal debates over the program’s efficacy, and its controversial legacy.

Brian E. Crim: Brian E. Crim is the John Franklin East Distinguished Chair in the Humanities and chair of the Department of History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies at the University of Lynchburg. He teaches courses in modern European history, the Holocaust, military history, intelligence analysis, and historical methodology. A former intelligence analyst, Crim co-created Lynchburg’s Intelligence Studies major. He has written numerous publications about German military history and edited the memoir of Walter Jessel, a German-Jewish emigre who served as an intelligence officer in the US Army and returned to his native Frankfurt during the occupation period. Crim is currently writing a book about author John le Carré entitled A Most Angry Man: John le Carré and the War on Terror.

• Presented by Joy Neumeyer

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has accelerated the country’s authoritarian turn—and presented its citizens with stark choices about whether and how to go along with official ideology. This presentation will explore different dimensions of politics and culture in Russia today and what dissent looks like in a country where it is forbidden.

Joy Neumeyer: Joy Neumeyer is a journalist and historian of Russia and Eastern Europe. She received a PhD in History from the University of California, Berkeley. She was a Fulbright Fellow in Russia and a Max Weber Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. She has also worked as a reporter in Moscow and Warsaw. Her writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Nation, Foreign Policy, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, New Left Review, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Guardian. She authorizes A Survivor’s Education: Women, Violence, and the Stories We Don’t Tell (PublicAffairs, 2024).

• Presented by Richard W. Loving

The nuclear industry was still in its infancy when Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) started construction of the first privately financed nuclear facility in the U.S on the site of the former Mt. Athos plantation just outside Lynchburg, a decision with a profound impact on Central Virginia, as well as the entire global nuclear industry. This session is a story of advancing nuclear technology from the ocean’s depths to the far reaches of space. It is also a story of dedicated people of diverse backgrounds, varied skills, and education with a “can do” attitude that built the business from the ground up and the legacy that continues to drive future generations.

Richard W. Loving: Richard W. Loving retired in 2023 as the senior vice president and chief administrative officer for BWX Technologies, Inc., where he was responsible for overseeing human resource management, communications, security, and environmental health & safety functions. His 43-year career spans manufacturing, energy, and government operations. He began his career at B&W in Lynchburg and progressed through various positions in safety, security, community/government relations, and human resources at multiple B&W/BWXT facilities in the U.S. A Lynchburg native, Mr. Loving is active with numerous non-profit/civic organizations and is the author of the children’s book Goodnight Lynchburg, highlighting historical sites in the city.

• Presented by Marc Schewel

This session explores the partnership between Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald and the resulting success of Sears-Roebuck. That success made Rosenwald a wealthy man who used his wealth to support various philanthropic causes. He partnered with educator Booker T. Washington to address the stark racial inequality in educational opportunities, financing the building of thousands of schools, primarily in the South. Of the 382 Rosenwald schools built in Virginia, Mr. Schewel will focus on two schools in our area and ongoing efforts to restore and repurpose those buildings.

Marc Schewel: Marc Schewel is a native of Lynchburg and a graduate of E.C. Glass High School and Washington and Lee University. Except for a brief teaching tenure at Appomattox High School, he has spent his adult life working at Schewel Furniture Company, where he currently serves as President. Marc is actively involved in numerous community service activities, including roles with the Lynchburg Jewish Community Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia, and the United Way of Central Virginia, among many others. He is also the recipient of several awards recognizing his contributions to the community, including the NCCJ Humanitarian Award and the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce George Taylor Stewart Award.

• Presented by Robert Lipscomb ’89

Following President Kennedy’s statement to a joint session of Congress in May 1961, NASA and the nation began the long process of landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade. On July 20, 1969, this goal was met with the successful landing of Apollo 11’s Eagle at Tranquility Base. Although Apollo 11 is the best-known of the Apollo-era space missions, NASA conducted 14 other flights that included five additional moon landings, a manned space station, and the first-ever joint USA and Soviet Union space flight. This presentation will review the missions, the men, and the machines that made this program one of history’s most extraordinary accomplishments.

Robert Lipscomb: Robert Lipscomb is a 1989 graduate of Lynchburg College (now the University of Lynchburg) with a degree in Education. He pursued a career in public safety and retired in January 2023. A lifelong student of history, Robert has pursued this interest both professionally and personally, authoring a book on the history of the Lynchburg Fire Department and documenting its line-of-duty deaths. Robert enjoys restoring antique automobiles, researching family genealogy, and building scale models. He currently serves on local nonprofit boards and advisory committees, including the LIFE@Lynchburg Curriculum Committee.

• Presented by Brooke Marcy

This presentation will provide insight into the process of creating an art exhibition, beginning with the initial idea and concluding with the final exhibition. Visuals from current and past exhibitions will be used to discuss the selection of artists and themes, the criteria for choosing artworks, and Ms. Marcy’s approach to curation based on color and rhythm. The session will also cover the logistics of handling and hanging artwork, creating informative panels and labels, and packing and transporting art.

Brooke Marcy: Brooke Marcy’s passion for art began in childhood and continued throughout her education. She studied at Hamilton College, the Art Students League in New York, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and George Mason University, where she earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA). Brooke served as the Curator at Riverviews Artspace and taught art at Randolph College and George Mason University. She also gained valuable experience working at the Museum of Modern Art and Art Capital Group in New York City. Currently, she is the Director of the Daura Museum of Art at the University of Lynchburg, where she also teaches drawing and printmaking. An accomplished oil painter, she has exhibited her work nationally and internationally.

• Presented by Dana Ballard

Meet with Curtain Call, the University of Lynchburg’s musical theatre ensemble. Enjoy their music and see how students gain various performance experiences while reaching out and representing the university in the community.

Dana Ballard: Dana Ballard is the musical director for Curtain Call, the University of Lynchburg’s musical theatre ensemble. She holds a BA in piano performance from Northwestern University and an MA in Choral Conducting from the University of Lynchburg. On staff in the theatre and music department at the University, she accompanies vocal and instrumental students and professors in the music department. She is the collaborative pianist with the Opera Workshop. She teaches musical theatre courses in the theatre department, directs musical performances, and assists with the performing arts scholarship competition. She has collaborated with various Lynchburg area theatre groups, including the Academy Center of the Arts and university and high school productions. She is also the organist and choirmaster at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Forest.

The annual Student Scholar Showcase allows students to present their research, analytical, creative, or experiential learning projects to the campus community.