Plus, NASA Pact Rockets Astrophysics, A Home for the Humanities and More
Plus, NASA Pact Rockets Astrophysics, A Home for the Humanities and More
CCAS Spotlight Happy Holidays

December 2021

Dean Wahlbeck video
In a video message to the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences community, Dean Paul Wahlbeck wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday season. 
Leigh Payne
Miss Rhode Island Leigh Payne, BA ’21, will compete for the 100th Miss America title this month. She credits her CCAS studies for her success in the professional world and the pageant stage. 
Image of a gamma-ray burst
A new agreement with NASA will propel faculty and students from the GW Astrophysics Group to new heights in space exploration science, expanding on expertise in areas such as gamma-ray bursts (illustrated above).
Shaina Adams and Takae Tsujioka
Shaina Adams (left), a senior at Woodrow Wilson High School and a student in Professor Takae Tsujioka's (right) Japanese language class at GW, won the high school division at the seventh annual J.LIVE Talk Japanese speech contest. 
Sharon Lambert and Elizabeth Vaquera
An interdisciplinary research team that includes Psychology’s Sharon Lambert (right) and Cisneros Institute Director Elizabeth Vaquera (left) received a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study immigrant- and pandemic-related adversities on Latino/a adolescents. 
Paul Wahlbeck and Adelina Voutchkova-Kostal
CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck spoke with Associate Professor of Chemistry Adelina Voutchkova-Kostal about creating a more sustainable future through the design of safer, eco-friendly chemicals.
Lynn Westwater
In its second year, the interdisciplinary GW Humanities Center, co-directed by Italian’s Lynn Westwater (above), brings together faculty and students for collaborations that showcase CCAS expertise in the humanities’ disciplines. 
Janet Steele
Media and Public Affairs’ Janet Steele was named the recipient of a Fulbright Award for the third time in her career. She will research new models of international media assistance at the University of Belgrade in Serbia. 
Irene Oh and Rollie Lal
Religion Chair Irene Oh (right) partnered with International Affairs’ Rollie Lal (left) to launch the Global Affairs and Religion Network (GARNET), a University Seminar that hosts events and discussions groups for students and faculty on the links between religion and global events. 

Noteworthy

We note with regret the passing of Constance Kibler, BA ’72, BA ’86, a CCAS alumna and devoted staff member in the Department of English. Connie, who retired last year from her position as the department’s operations manager after nearly 50 years of service, was beloved by all who knew her.
Luciana Borio, BS ’92, MD ’96, (Psychology) and Tom Cortese, BA ’02, (Philosophy) were named to Business Insider’s list of 100 People Transforming Business.

Alexa F. Dectis, BA ’15, (Communication); Rosemary Kalonaros, BA ’14, (Dramatic Literature, English); Remi Anne M. Yamamoto, BA ’14, (Political Science); Jonquel Orthea-Theresa Jones, BA ’19, (Criminal Justice); and Alayna B. Treene, BA ’16, (Journalism & Mass Communication) were named to the 2022 Forbes “30 Under 30” list.

Ingrid Wicker McCree, BA ’89, (Criminal Justice) was named to Sports Illustrated’s list of 100 Influential Black Women in Sports and profiled in the article “The Trailblazing Path of North Carolina Central University’s Ingrid Wicker McCree.” 

New Books

Campus Events
Support Columbian College
Twitter Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
Subscribe to our email list.