Joan Saab, who currently serves as Susan B. Anthony Professor of Art History and executive vice provost of academic affairs at the University of Rochester, will become executive vice president for academic affairs and provost of the University of Richmond, effective July 1.

Saab is an experienced administrator and distinguished art history and visual culture scholar with more than 20 years of academic and leadership appointments at Rochester, where she is also currently serving as interim dean of the faculty of Arts, Sciences, & Engineering.

“Dr. Saab’s passions and expertise as a scholar and administrator align with our own institutional priorities,” said University of Richmond President Kevin F. Hallock. “At her core, she believes in advancing educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds, which echoes our commitments to academic excellence, access and affordability, and belonging.”

“The provost plays an essential role in ensuring continued academic excellence and innovation, and we are very pleased to welcome Dr. Saab to the University community in this role,” said R. Lewis Boggs, Board of Trustees rector. “We look forward to her leadership as we continue to pursue ambitious aspirations for our institution and the students we serve.”

In her time at Rochester, Saab has also served as director of the graduate program in Visual and Cultural Studies and chair of the Department of Art and Art History. Her areas of teaching and research include 19th- and 20th-century American visual cultural studies, American cultural history, public culture and community studies, and sensory history.

“I have long been impressed by the University of Richmond and look forward to working with the exceptional faculty, students, and staff to further strengthen the school’s sense of intellectual community and advance the academic mission,” said Saab. “Richmond’s commitment to creating a holistic and inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive mirrors my own core values. I am extremely excited to join the web.”

The recipient of numerous teaching, research, and grant awards, Saab’s accomplishments include funding from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Getty Research Center at UCLA, as well as a University of Rochester Provost’s Research Grant. Her first book, For the Millions: American Art and Culture Between the Wars, was the inaugural volume in the “Arts and Intellectual Life in Modern America series,” published by the University of Pennsylvania Press.

Her most recent book, Objects of Vision: Making Sense of What We See, is part of the “Studies in Sensory History Series” at Pennsylvania State University Press. She is the author of the interactive, digital book project Searching for Siqueiros, written on the digital publishing platform Scalar, and the lead editor for the Wiley Blackwell Companion to Visual Culture. She is currently completing a manuscript tentatively entitled, Tales From the Crypt: Vincent Price and American Visual Culture. She is a sought-after scholar and presenter for invited talks, symposia, and conferences.

Saab earned her undergraduate degree in English and art history from Tufts University, her master’s in American Civilization with a concentration on material culture and museum studies from The George Washington University, and her Ph.D. in American Studies at New York University.

Saab will succeed executive vice president and provost Jeff Legro, who announced he would be stepping down at the end of this academic year having served in the role since 2017. Legro, an international relations scholar, will remain at UR as a full-time member of the faculty.

Karin Castillo-Rose, principal of Henrico High School, has been awarded the 2022-23 REB Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership. The Community Foundation and the REB Foundation present the award to four principals annually — one each from the school divisions of Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover counties and one from the city of Richmond. Castillo-Rose was surprised with the news Tuesday afternoon at a pep rally in the school’s gym, attended by her family and Henrico County Public Schools leaders.

Castillo-Rose will receive a $10,000 cash grant and an additional $20,000 for school projects. She plans to use the bulk of her funding for projects that support students’ mental, social and emotional well-being. The grant will fund student grief support groups; classes in social and emotional learning; a labyrinth garden and a “Warrior Farm” flower and vegetable garden, both to promote mindfulness; yoga classes; and outdoor recreation and socialization spaces.

Kevin Schatz, principal of Colonial Trail Elementary School, was runner-up for the award. He will receive a $10,000 grant to build a cricket practice facility accessible to students of varying abilities, including students who use wheelchairs. The facility at Colonial Trail will serve as the centerpiece of a new cricket league for students with disabilities. Cricket is a popular sport in the community served by the school.

The REB award recognizes principals who go beyond the day-to-day demands of their jobs to create an exceptional educational environment. The award stresses management and communication skills, and the ability to inspire, encourage and advocate for the school. Nominees must have served as principal at their school for at least three years.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Castillo-Rose told the crowd Tuesday. “Thank you to the students, because it is your student voice that pushes me every day to think outside the box. [Thank you] for advocating for yourselves. Thank you to the staff and sponsors who listen to the students and push me to push further, and for making sure that it is all about the students, all the time, every day. Behold the green and gold!”

Castillo-Rose has been principal at the school since 2015, after serving as assistant principal from 2012-15. Before that she was an administrative intern and teacher at Varina High School and a teacher with New York City Public Schools. She served in the U.S. Army before embarking on a career in public education. Originally from New York City, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston University, a master’s from Mercy College in New York and an education specialist degree from the University of Virginia. She is currently a doctoral student at Virginia Tech.

Schatz became principal of Colonial Trail in 2018. Before that he served as associate principal at Shady Grove, Charles Johnson and Nuckols Farm elementary schools. He began his career as a teacher at Nuckols Farm when the school opened in 1997. Schatz is originally from Denver and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder.c

“This is a testament to the school, the school community and everybody involved,” Schatz said. “Everybody’s focus is on belonging, but more importantly, trying to find opportunities for those students and those families who are furthest from opportunity. That’s what we do every single day, and I’m so proud.”

UR alums and longtime generous benefactors Carole and Marcus Weinstein will donate $25 million to the University of Richmond to support a center focused on student learning. This is the second-largest single gift in the University’s history. The Carole and Marcus Weinstein Learning Center will be located in Boatwright Memorial Library.

This gift will enable the University to create a collaborative, state-of-the-art center that co-locates, integrates, and expands services that support academic achievement for students, including effective speaking, writing, and peer tutoring. The new center will also include advanced quantitative support and other resources for students in every stage of their educational journey.

“We are excited by the way the University’s Boatwright Library will accommodate the next generation of students,” said Carole and Marcus Weinstein. “We remember spending hours poring over the library’s card catalog to do further research for papers we were writing. The new Learning Center will use the library’s centralized space to offer cutting-edge practices and support new skills students need now and into the future.”

Among numerous contributions to campus, the Weinstein family’s gifts have supported scholarships, faculty chairs, international education, well-being, and chaplaincy programs, as well as the creation of the Carole Weinstein International Center, the Weinstein Center for Recreation, and Weinstein Hall. Marcus Weinstein recently received the Paragon Medal, the University’s highest honor, in recognition of his decades of support for students and the University’s academic mission.

“We are deeply grateful to the Weinsteins for their steadfast support,” said University of Richmond President Kevin F. Hallock. “They continually lead by example in showing the transformative power of philanthropy at UR.”

“Our family and faith have encouraged us to make the world a better place,” the Weinsteins said. “We hope others will be inspired by our example to make a difference in whatever way they can. The happy surprise is that not only will they do good, but it will also make them feel good.”

“The commitment and dedication of generations of Spiders have helped to make UR what it is today,” said Martha E. Callaghan, vice president for Advancement. “This important milestone in our upward trajectory amplifies our academic excellence and helps ensure our students thrive in and outside of the classroom.”

The planning process for this new center is underway.