The University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors has bestowed emeritus status on two administrative faculty members for spring 2024. Gari Melchers Home and Studio Assistant Director and Curator Joanna Catron and Simpson Library Head of Special Collections and University Archives Carolyn Parsons were honored for their commitment to the University and to their respective professions.
Joanna Catron
Joanna Catron graduated from Mary Washington College in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in art history. She received a master’s degree in art history and museum operations from The George Washington University in 1982. She was hired as assistant director and curator of Gari Melchers Home and Studio in May 1983 and retired in September 2023 after 40 years of service to UMW.
Through her commitment to the study and interpretation of the life, times and legacy of Gari Melchers, Catron increased awareness and appreciation of a notable American artist and enhanced the University’s artistic and cultural programming. She ensured that Gari Melchers Home and Studio followed best professional practices in the acquisition, care and exhibition of works of art by Melchers and other artists, producing numerous permanent and special exhibits, scholarly publications and public programs.
Her unparalleled knowledge of Melchers in relation to American art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries served as an invaluable resource to students, faculty, researchers and collectors, and to thousands of museum visitors. Her diligent administration of operations at Gari Melchers Home and Studio illustrates the highest ideals and values of the University and of the museum profession.
Carolyn Parsons
A 1983 historic preservation graduate and third-generation alumna, Carolyn Parson’s passion for and commitment to Mary Washington and to history only grew as she built her career in librarianship. Beginning at the Library of Virginia as the picture collection librarian, she arrived back at her alma mater in 1995 to work as a reference librarian in Simpson Library. In 2003, she began working in UMW Special Collections, where her talents as both archivist and rare books librarian became invaluable for decades to come.
Over her nearly 30 years of service to UMW, Parsons led and participated in several initiatives that enhanced both the student experience and the institution’s profile. She began the first Special Collections internship program in 2005, providing compassionate mentorship to dozens of students and opening a pathway for them to explore cultural heritage work. Many pursued their own successful careers in libraries, archives and museums after graduating from UMW.
Parsons also made important and longstanding connections with the alumni community, developing interactive programming for Reunion Weekends that both showcased the breadth of UMW’s Special Collections and invited alumni to contribute their pieces to the story. Additionally, she coordinated many exhibits in the library to ensure that the greater campus and Fredericksburg community became aware of UMW’s unique and historic holdings.
Her forward-thinking approach to archival collections assisted in establishing UMW as a pioneer in digital scholarship and preservation. As a member of the Centennial Projects Committee in 2008, she helped implement the library’s first large-scale digitization project. She oversaw the opening of UMW’s Digital Archiving Lab in 2016, managed a grant-funded digitization project to preserve campus blueprints and facilitated the implementation of several critical library systems dedicated to digital preservation and public access. She retired in 2023 as the interim university librarian.
UMW also bestowed emeritus status this semester on seven members of the teaching faculty and celebrated the recipients of the annual Faculty Leadership Award and the Anderson Distinguished Professor Award. Read the story.
