Killers and Cults: Leadership Gone Awry
Students learn that conventional leaders and malevolent leaders often use similar means to achieve very different ends.
The Jepson Update
From the Dean
Dear Friends of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies,
As many of you may know, I am a runner. Two weekends ago, I ran a 25-kilometer, 2500-feet-elevation trail race near Roanoke, Virginia. The race was challenging, requiring training, focus, and determination. But the euphoria I felt as I crossed the finish line made it all worthwhile. As I sprint toward the finish line of our 2024–25 year, now only a few weeks away, I feel a similar euphoria. What a terrific year we’ve had!
A highlight of our spring semester was the Jepson Research Symposium, where 14 students presented their research on topics including labor activism, segregation in the city of Richmond, media depictions of murder and morality, and more. A few weeks later, the excitement was palpable when we celebrated our 94 Class of 2025 graduates at Commencement on May 11.
Some recent graduates have accepted jobs with organizations such as CVS Health, Ernst & Young, Bloomberg, and Teach for America. Others are headed to top-tier graduate schools, including the University of Oxford, Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University. I couldn’t be prouder.
In the last four months, our faculty published three books, Drs. Julian Hayter and Christopher von Rueden were promoted to full professors, and the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia presented Dr. Terry Price with an Outstanding Faculty Award.
Our alumni go above and beyond to support the school’s mission to educate the next generation of leaders. Their extraordinary generosity was evident during UR Here Giving Day, April 9–10, when the Jepson School Dean’s Impact Fund raised the most money among the five schools’ funds. Another proud moment came during Reunion Weekend, when three of the four alumnae recognized at the awards breakfast were Jepson graduates. You’ll read about these and other remarkable alums in this issue of the Jepson Update.
And so, as I approach the finish line of another school year, I feel exhilaration for a race well run and anticipation for the next race to come. Perhaps most importantly, I feel gratitude for the many students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends who ensure the Jepson School sets the pace!
With my sincerest thanks and best wishes,
Sandra J. Peart
Dean and E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor in Leadership Studies
President, Jepson Scholars Foundation
In the big leagues
Buffalo Bills assistant offensive line coach Austin Gund, ’15, and Texas Rangers baseball operations and pro scouting assistant Matt Dacey, ’18, shared their experiences working with NFL and MBL teams. The two were on campus to kick off the Jepson Student Government Association’s inaugural alumni-in-leadership event.
Alumnae honored for their civic and professional contributions
Two nonprofit leaders, a restaurateur, and a human rights advocate received awards during Reunion Weekend. Three of the four honorees are Jepson School graduates.
The world of beauty
When Julee Wilson, ’04, joined Cosmopolitan in April 2020, she became the magazine’s first African American beauty director. In that role, she helped shape the narrative of the beauty industry past its previously limited scope of coverage. She currently works with the magazine as a beauty editor-at-large.
Driving financing
With a $76 billion auto loans division, Capital One Financial Corporation is the largest auto-loan company in the U.S. aside from auto manufacturers’ own loan departments. Hunter Allen, ’06, vice president of product and go-to-market for Capital One Auto, helps the company stay on top by overseeing the development and marketing of software product bundles designed to help car dealers optimize their sales.
Honoring a legacy
Brenda McDowell has watched the lightbulbs go on in the heads of McDowell Institute Student Fellows as they read and debate texts written by ancient and modern thinkers and historians. That is why she generously established an endowed fund to support in perpetuity the mission of the Gary L. McDowell Institute, named in honor of her late husband and esteemed Jepson School professor.
UR Here attracts the most donors and dollars ever
During the University of Richmond’s annual 36-hour fundraising campaign, the Jepson School led the way, with its Dean’s Impact Fund raising the most dollars of any school fund. Funds raised by the Jepson School support student research, travel to conferences and academic competitions, class field trips, faculty fellowships, and Gary L. McDowell Institute programming. Thank you for your generosity!
Homecoming: Oct. 17–19
Mark your calendars now for Homecoming, Oct. 17–19, 2025! We hope to see many of you back on campus reconnecting at pre-game events and tailgates and cheering on Spiders Football.
School Stories
Black Masks, a play about self-discovery
Senior embraces creative self-expression by writing and directing play.
Investing in sustainability
A summer internship introduced senior Courtney Simpson to a career in sustainable investing. A return offer ensured she can continue to pursue her newfound interest.
Better living through city planning
Aspiring city planner Lay’la Harmon seeks solutions to environmental disparities.
A deep dive into leadership issues
Seven Jepson students and three 2024 graduates presented research at conferences in Los Angeles, Denver, and Richmond last month.
Grant News
University of Richmond Jepson School of Leadership Studies Awarded $150K Grant for Ethics Education
The University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies has been awarded $150,000 from the Richard D. Donchian Foundation to continue and expand the Jepson School’s multifaceted ethics education initiatives.
Resources
Contact Us
Jepson School of Leadership Studies
221 Richmond Way
University of Richmond, VA 23173
General Information:
Phone: (804) 289-8008
Fax: (804) 287-6062
Email: jepson@richmond.edu