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.