First it was Ed Ayers. Soon after he joined Encyclopedia Virginia‘s Editorial Advisory Board he was named the ninth president of the University of Richmond.
Then it was Sandy Treadway. On July 1, 2007 she became the Librarian of Virginia after unanimous appointment.
And we recently received more good news: yesterday Paul Levengood, another stalwart member of our Editorial Advisory Board, was unanimously elected to succeed Dr. Charles F. Bryan, Jr., as the fourteenth President and CEO of the Virginia Historical Society. Like the University of Richmond and the Library of Virginia, the Virginia Historical Society has been placed in great and capable hands.
Members of our Editorial Advisory Board contribute a lot of time and energy to Encyclopedia Virginia. They do not get paid (at least with money) and with the escalation of gas prices, their trips to Charlottesville for semi-annual meetings are, I am sure, becoming more and more difficult to swallow despite the catered lunch. But the people on our editorial board are true humanists. They will drive here despite the time it takes from the responsibilities of their day jobs and despite $4/gallon gas prices because they are interested in the ideas, the cultures, and the histories that create the motley fabric of Virginia. These are people who bring to the table an intellectual expertise, curiosity, and understanding that is making Encyclopedia Virginia an important educational resource and tool for exploring this fabric. And while I certainly wish I could say that the promotion of these dynamic individuals was a result of their connections to EV, I am grateful that these are the kinds of people involved in this project. Thanks to all of you and congratulations to Paul!
