Office Hours: Professor George Gilliam

Office Hours

Professor George Gilliam

By Chelsea Marcelin


Another Professor who teaches in the College of Arts and Sciences is Professor George Gilliam. Professor Gilliam teaches in the Corcoran Department of History here at U.Va. and has been teaching at the University for 12 years now! Aside from history, Professor Gilliam likes NASCAR. In fact, In 1989 he published the “definitive” book on NASCAR. He says, "That is far from the craziest thing I done in my life!"

Want to learn more about Professor Gilliam? Let’s hear what he has to say about his experiences as a professor at UVA:

How you became involved in your field:

“I was born! Everyone who is born has history; I decided to explore my own history, and the historical context into which I was born. I practiced law for almost 30 years before returning to the University of Virginia to study, and to teach, history."

Favorite thing about UVa:

"The very bright and curious students, and the outstanding faculty. "

Funny Story/Memory from a class:

"About five years ago, a student appeared at my office hours in about the 3rd week of class and announced, “I’m not getting it.” When he told me he wanted to “get it,” I suggested that we meet for one hour every week so I could review his lecture notes ad then we’d discuss the readings. By Thanksgiving, he proudly told me that he discussed all of our sessions with his girl friend, and that she thought he had “become a history buff.” He ended up doing fine in my course, became a history major, and graduated with his class. I considered that a victory not only for him but for the history department."

Want to take a class with Professor Gilliam? He is well known in the College and history department for teaching the American History survey, seminars in Southern Progressivism, History of Virginia until 1865, and the sequential course the History of Virginia 1860-2010. He even began a new class this summer called Viewing the South, which examines the changing way the American South has been depicted in films and short stories over the last 100 years! Check him out!!

Office Hours: Stanley Stepanic

Office Hours

Professor Stanley Stepanic

By Chelsea Marcelin


The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest school at the University of Virginia, so there are a vast range of classes and Professors that teach in the College! One very popular professor in the College is Professor Stanley Stepanic. Professor Stepanic works in the Slavic department and he has been with the University for 9 years now! Professor Stepanic achieved national fame form a young age, actually, when he discovered a mastodon tooth in his parents yard! He says, "The primary reason was that the news refused to correct their mistake that a $50 find was not worth $100,000.  Once the bigger number got out there, I was all over the place.  To this day I will occasionally have people who say, "hey, weren't you that kid that...did you sell it?"  The answer is no, unless I ever need $50."

Want to learn more about Professor Stepanic? Let’s hear what she has to say about his experiences as a professor at UVA:

How you became involved in your field:

“Personal interest in Eastern Europe and the occult."

Favorite thing about UVa:

" The wonderful, classic campus."

Funny Story/Memory from a class:

"I remember when I was a TA, it was during Halloween.  My students convinced me to dress up as a Ghostbuster, and they were to dress up as ghosts (two of them), run through the classroom, and then I was to 'bust' them.  That day I was merely a fool!"

Want to take a class with Professor Stepanic? He is well known in the College for teaching 2nd-Year Russian, and his most popular class Dracula!

Office Hours: Professor Archie Holmes

Office Hours

Professor Archie Holmes

By Chelsea Marcelin


Professor Archie Holmes is a professor in the Engineering School here at the University, specifically in the SEAS/Electrical and Computer Engineering programs. He has been with the University for 7.5 years now! When he isn't hanging around the E-School, Professor Holmes spends him time navigating his way around the kitchen! When he has the time, he loves to cook!

Want to learn more about Professor Holmes? Let’s hear what she has to say about his experiences as a professor at UVA:

How you became involved in your field:

“The way I tell the story, I was “tricked” into my field.  In 8^thgrade, I was introduced to an early portable computer that was the size of a briefcase.  I was fascinated.  My father told me that only engineers got to work with computers (which, to be fair, was probably true at the time), so that was the path I set for myself.  Turns out that a number of courses and summer internship later, I know that this was the best choice for me."

Favorite thing about UVa:

"A strong engineering school that is housed in a university with a strong liberal arts tradition"

Funny Story/Memory from a class:

"On the first day of class each year, my class and I have a discussion about expectation.  Clearly I have some for them, but I feel that it is important for us to also have a discussion about what they expect of me and that I live up to that (assuming that the expectation is reasonable).  Without fail, I get the request that I make them laugh each class (hard to do in an engineering classroom sometimes).  We always have a discussion about what qualifies.  For me, I want it to be my wry sense of humor, but the students want it to be much more formal (i.e., an obviously funny joke).  One day I will meet this expectation!"

Want to take a class with Professor Holmes? He is well known in the E-School for teaching Introduction to Engineering and Introductory Circuit Analysis! Check him out!!!

Office Hours: Professor Tina Brashers

Office Hours

Professor Tina Brashers

By Chelsea Marcelin

Valentina Brashers is a professor that hails from the Nursing and Medical program here at U.Va. Professor Brashers has been with the University for a whopping 26 years! - working for 4 years part time and then moving into a full time faculty member for the past 22 years. Outside of the classroom, she is a fly-fishing fanatic! The license plate on her tundra even reads: "Ryr Fishn".

Want to learn more about Professor Brashers? Let’s hear what she has to say about her experiences as a professor at UVA:

How you became involved in your field:

“I went to medical school because I was interested in science. I completed a research/clinical pulmonary fellowship that involved teaching - fell in love with teaching and found the opportunity to teach in the School of Nursing (pathophysiology and immunology) part time while still in private practice. Teaching grew into a full time job. I am now the founding Co-Director of the University of Virginia Center for Academic Strategic Partnerships for Interprofessional Research and Education (Center for ASPIRE) focused on training medical and nursing students, faculty, and clinicians in providing high-quality collaborative team-based patient care."

Favorite thing about UVa:

"The Students!!!!!!!!"

Funny Story/Memory from a class:

“Too many to count and no time to type any out and do them justice......Only brief but repetitively funny thing I can say here is: Students at all levels are incredibly smart across the board - able to ace really hard exams and take care of complex patients, but an average of 10-15% per exam are entirely incapable of putting their correct computing IDs on an examination. Even though I talk VERY slowly while giving instructions and write it on the board, I still get SS#s, zip codes, telephone numbers, and other wierd things...  I even once wrote MY email address on the board saying "See, this is my computing ID - it is the part before the @ in the email address - put yours on the exam" and had 3 students put MY computing ID on their exams... sigh... ” 

Want to take a class with Professor Brashers? She teaches tons of classes here at U.Va. including Pathology and Clinical Management I and II, RN-BSN Pathophysiology, Advanced (Masters) Pathophysiology, Immunocompetence in Vulnerable Populations (in the January Term), and a Transition Course for the Medical School. Check her out!!!

Office Hours: Professor Natasha Foutz

Office Hours

Professor Natasha Foutz

By Chelsea Marcelin

Natasha Foutz is a well known professor in the famous McIntire School of Commerce here at UVA. She has been with the University for 6 years now! Fun fact about Professor Foutz, If students work hard, she rewards them with an invitation to her ping pong challenge - few can beat her!

Want to learn more about Professor Foutz? Let’s hear what she has to say about her experiences as a professor at UVA:

How you became involved in your field:

“I became intrigued by consumer psychology and firm competitive strategy while in college studying Economics. Then I pursued advanced studies on Marketing, which perfectly combines the two, at Cornell University. Besides passionate about teaching and my students, I focus on addressing unique marketing challenges facing the media and entertainment industries in my research."

Favorite thing about UVa:

“Taking students out to lunches"

Funny Story/Memory from a class:

“As an ice-breaker on the first day of our I.C.E. class, the co-teaching faculty team invited the students to guess which description of a first-ever job belongs to which faculty. When asked why one particular description matches me, one student answered “because Professor Foutz appears conservative.” So I found a skydiving image online, artfully replaced the head shot with my own, and showed to them in the second class. The picture appeared so real that instantly, I became known as the “non-conservative, daring professor!” Of course, I revealed the truth in exchange for long-lasting laughs, and devoted my entire semester to show them that I am indeed a crazily fun professor.” 

Want to take a class with Professor Foutz? She teaches I.C.E. (Integrated Core Experience) – Core Marketing Management (3^rd year core); and Entertainment Marketing (4^th year elective) in the McIntire School of Commerce. Check her out!!!