Category Archives: Professional Notes

Farnsworth Delivers Online Lecture on the Trump Presidency

Farnsworth Delivers Online Lecture on the Trump Presidency Professor Emeritus of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth recently delivered an online lecture, “Domestic and International Policy Challenges During the Second Trump Presidency,” to students at the Universidad Anáhuac in Puebla, Mexico.   Media mentions for Farnsworth include: Maryland’s 5th Congressional District race features one of the country’s most crowded fields (WUSA9) “In many ways it comes down to two or three candidates who have generated some level of recognition from endorsement, from support from financial backers or from something that they did like being a hero of January 6,” said Stephen Farnsworth. Voters should expect party politics in this nonpartisan school board race (The Baltimore Banner) “School board elections in Montgomery County and nationally are increasingly taking on partisan coloration, even if party labels are not used,” University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth said.
While it seems no one left Richmond Monday happy, University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth said any deal is better than no deal for the Democratic trifecta currently leading the Commonwealth.
Farnsworth said Spanberger appears to be caught between different audiences. “The governor’s current battle is really to persuade Virginians to support her over the Democratic majority of the Senate,” he said.
Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is a Political Science Professor at the University of Mary Washington. He says voters decide how they feel about it. “What is happening in this race happens in a lot of congressional races around the country. People who are connected will bring a lot of money to the table. Voters may find that acceptable. It’s legal. Voters may not find it acceptable. It’s up to them to decide,” said Dr. Farnsworth.
  The post Farnsworth Delivers Online Lecture on the Trump Presidency appeared first on EagleEye.

Dr. Farnsworth’s International Programs

J. William Fulbright Distinguished Scholar in Humanities and Social Sciences: Poland

J. William Fulbright Faculty Research Chair in Public Policy: Canada

J. William Fulbright Faculty Specialist: Malaysia

U.S. State Department International Lectures: Poland, Malaysia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Canada, India, Armenia, Ukraine, the Philippines

International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) Media Training Seminars: Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia

International University Lectures and Research Conferences: Poland, Germany, Norway, Canada, Switzerland

National Democratic Institute International Election Monitoring: Cambodia

Washington Lectures for International Audiences: Cyprus, Australia, India, Canada, Norway, Malaysia, Moldova, Zambia, Yemen, China, Sierra Leone, Germany, Egypt, the Palestinian Territories, Algeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Panama, Ukraine.

Other International Travel: Czech Republic, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Ecuador, United Kingdom, France, Mexico

Farnsworth Featured in Column by Fredericksburg Free Press

Farnsworth Featured in Column by Fredericksburg Free Press Professor Emeritus of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth was featured by the Fredericksburg Free Press in a column titled, "Thank you to the professor who has been taking my calls for almost 30 years." Columnist Jonathan Hunley begins the article by writing, "No more faculty meetings, and no more papers to grade. But we’ll still get to hear his thoughts on politics on TV and radio, and read his comments on this website. That’s my two-sentence upbeat conclusion about the retirement of Stephen J. Farnsworth from the University of Mary Washington after three decades in higher education.”  Read the column in the Fredericksburg Free Press.    The post Farnsworth Featured in Column by Fredericksburg Free Press appeared first on EagleEye.

Farnsworth Featured by The Guardian, ABC, MSN & More

Farnsworth Featured by The Guardian, ABC, MSN & More Professor Emeritus of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth was featured by The Guardian, ABC News, Spectrum News and other outlets in features about late night programming. Farnsworth is a co-author of Late Night With Trump: Political Humor and the American Presidency and other books on politics. He was quoted by Spectrum News, saying, "One of the rules of life is not to mess with success, but this is exactly what CBS is doing with late night.” Learn more from Spectrum News. The post Farnsworth Featured by The Guardian, ABC, MSN & More appeared first on EagleEye.

UMW Announces 2026 Faculty Emeriti

At the end of each spring semester, UMW faculty gather to approve the graduates and recognize colleagues who are retiring from their dedicated service. Departmental tributes chronicle their time in classrooms and labs, with committees and in communities, and as leaders in undergraduate research and in their areas of study. In spring 2026, the University of Mary Washington recognized seven faculty emeriti.

  • Ana G. Chichester, Professor Emerita of Spanish
  • Stephen J. Farnsworth, Professor Emeritus of Political Science
  • Alan B. Griffith, Professor Emeritus of Biology
  • Janusz Konieczny, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics
  • J. Larry Lehman, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics
  • Joseph W. Nicholas, Associate Professor Emeritus of Geography
  • Grant R. Woodwell, Professor Emeritus of Geology

Together, the 2026 faculty emeriti represent the very best of UMW’s academic mission – collective decades of curiosity, rigor, mentorship and unwavering dedication to students. Read more about the 2026 Faculty Emeriti.

Farnsworth Featured in Newsweek, Virginia Business & More

UMW Political Science professor Stephen Farnsworth (Photo by Norm Shafer).

Professor Emeritus of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth was featured by Newsweek in an article titled, “Democrats Dealt Major Blow as Virginia Supreme Court Tosses New Map.” It is a “significant setback” for Democrats, Farnsworth told Newsweek. “The hope for the Democrats had been that Virginia could counter Republican gains in Ohio, Missouri and North Carolina and now that’s not going to happen,” he said. “Democrats are still probably likely to pick up one or two seats with the old map but nowhere near the net gain of four with the new lines.” Read more in Newsweek.

Other recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:

Va. Gov. Spanberger still has dozens of bills to consider (The Virginian-Pilot; The Free Lance-Star)
“The governor has sent her message,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, after word leaked that Spanberger plans to veto the collective bargaining and class-action lawsuit bills. “Now, the question is how loud that message is going to be. Maybe it’s a preview of coming attractions, or this message will be sufficient.” Read more in the Free Lance-Star.

Virginia Democrats balk at proposal to retire state Supreme Court (Virginia Business)
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington, said, “The idea of mandatory retirement in your 50s for a judge seems ridiculous. “Democrats wisely abandoned this idea almost immediately,” Farnsworth added. “That strikes most people as pretty unreasonable, and Democrats would pay a high price if they tried to employ this approach.” Read more in Virginia Business.

Democrats defend Maine Senate candidate’s controversial history (Fox News)
“What we are seeing here is the question of a democratic redefinition,” said Stephen Farnsworth. View more from Fox News.

Trump rejecting Iran’s latest deal poses a ‘serious threat’: political analyst (CTV News Canada)
“Well, it does seem that both the Iranians and the Americans are convinced that time is on their side, said Stephen Farnsworth. View more from CTV News.

Virginia Democrats appeal to US Supreme Court and consider wiping out their own (The Washington Examiner)
“The decision is going to be made by the Supreme Court about whether or not they are going to be new lines in Virginia,” said Stephen Farnsworth. View more from The Washington Examiner.