Class Notes

Frank Garmon Jr. (Grad ’10, ’17) has published A Wonderful Career in Crime: Charles Cowlam’s Masquerades in the Civil War Era and Gilded Age, a book uncovering the shadow world of one of America’s most enigmatic and cunning criminals.

Charles Cowlam was in prison in Richmond, Virginia when the Civil War began. He was serving a ten-year sentence for mail robbery after he stole $4,000 from the mails while working as a post office clerk in Portsmouth. His trial took place on the second floor of the Norfolk City Hall, in what is now the MacArthur Memorial. Friends and family petitioned Abraham Lincoln on his behalf, noting that Cowlam was only nineteen years old when the thefts occurred. Lincoln agreed to pardon him on May 27, 1861.

Unfortunately for Cowlam the pardon from Lincoln arrived just over a month after Virginia had seceded from the Union. The governor of Virginia refused to recognize Lincoln’s authority, and Cowlam remained in prison for two more years until he convinced the President of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis, to grant him a pardon.

Cowlam is the only person known to have received pardons from both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. He possessed an extraordinary ability to blend into new surroundings. He spent much of his life on the move, and he changed his name almost as frequently as he changed his story. One contemporary newspaper noted that Cowlam “has as many aliases as there are letters in the alphabet.”

When the war ended Cowlam conned his way into working as a detective investigating Lincoln’s assassination. He later parlayed this investigative experience into jobs with the Internal Revenue Service and for the British government in Ireland. In each case his employment as a detective was short lived, and his shady past always seemed to catch up with him.

Upon returning to the United States Cowlam set his sights on a political career. He convinced President Ulysses S. Grant to appoint him U.S. marshal for the northern district of Florida shortly after arriving in the state in 1872. Grant rescinded the appointment after nearly every local Republican wrote to Washington complaining that Cowlam was a fraud.

Cowlam then launched a congressional campaign on his own. He printed deceptive broadsides designed to trick voters into thinking that he had the support of a major party. Behind the scenes he worked to manipulate the selection of county election commissioners in a last-ditch effort to steal the election. The plan failed when Cowlam received only ninety-two votes across the state.

With his frauds in Florida exposed, Cowlam moved to New York where he started a fake secret society designed to appeal to urban workingmen. He spent his evenings flirting with wealthy eligible bachelorettes, neglecting to mention that he was already married. In short time he became a serial bigamist. The newspapers reported that Cowlam had married half a dozen women in a span of six month, each time disappearing with their money.

Cowlam left New York in the spring of 1874 and spent the next twelve years on the run. He reappeared in the summer of 1886 in Dayton, Ohio. This time he claimed to be a Union colonel who suffered from dementia. He could not remember his own name, where he had fought, or who he had served with, but he was certain that he was a Union colonel. The local papers described him as appearing “about forty years of age” with the initials “C.C.” tattooed on his forearm. After a three-month investigation the War Department discovered his true identity and revealed that he had never fought in the Union army.

Published by Louisian State University Press, A Wonderful Career in Crime sheds light on Cowlam’s remarkable exploits, a true story reminiscent of Catch Me If You Can. It is a must-read for anyone interested in deception, fraud, and ambition in American history.

Garmon Jr. is an assistant professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University.

Email: frank.garmon@cnu.edu

Tresa Chambers (Col ’89 CM) has launched Mawu Greetings, a line of culturally inclusive greeting cards and stationery derived from her vision to live in a world where there are no more starving artists. She is especially focused on elevating the personal and collective economies of Black and Brown artists. Mawu Greetings will feature designs from those artists and will provide a chance for customers to learn more about the artists by producing and hosting virtual and in-person events to connect more deeply with the artists’ brands and works and to be a part of a community with a shared vision.

As a brand marketer and publishing strategist, Chambers has been working with authors, artists, and thought leaders in nonprofit, tech, and higher education. She launched her own business nearly two years ago providing consulting services.

She is seeking new small business customers who are aligned with her vision of social enterprise, as well as collaboration and sponsorship of events. She continues to support authors via a weekly virtual event on LinkedIn, “About My Book Business,” which is available for replay on YouTube, and is seeking guests for the next season. She welcomes calls or emails from authors and publishing experts among UVA alumni.

Justin Humphreys (Col ’01) wrote LIFE. Hollywood, a two-volume coffee table book set, which will be published by Taschen internationally this summer. LIFE. Hollywood is a collection of classic Hollywood photos from the archives of LIFE magazine with captions and linking essays by Humphreys.

David Landin (Col ’68, Law ’72 CM) was honored by the Virginia Bar Association with a resolution recognizing his work on behalf of his alma mater, the University of Virginia, alongside his work on behalf of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello as a trustee and over five decades of service to the profession, including as president of The Virginia Bar Association, The Virginia Law Foundation and The Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, but, importantly, for his chairmanship of the VBA Committee on Special Issues of National and State Importance, which he chaired for almost half of its being since its founding in 1974, “…in gratitude and recognition for these services and for exemplifying the ideals of the citizen lawyer and Virginian.”

The resolution was adopted by the board of governors at the ABA’s annual meeting in January in Williamsburg on behalf of “…The Virginia Bar Association’s members, and on behalf of colleagues throughout this Commonwealth…”, then read at the black-tie banquet.

Landin appeared on the cover of The Virginia Lawyer in the February issue, in recognition of the 50^th Anniversary of The Virginia Law Foundation, which he led as president in 1987-88. He is shown with Judge Roger Gregory, 2024 Jefferson Medalist in Law; and Justice Jane Marum Roush (Law ’81 CM), immediate past president of the VLF.

Kamran Kowsari (Engr ’20) and Masoud Bashiri (Engr ’20) have founded UniversityCube, a social network platform for students and faculty designed to prioritize educational content and foster a supportive online environment conducive to learning and scholarly engagement. Unlike entertainment-focused social networks that can detract from academic focus, UniversityCube is a dedicated space for academic peers to connect, collaborate, and share knowledge. Created by students, for students, it aims to bridge gaps in academic connectivity and empower users to make informed decisions about their educational paths.

Key features include:

• Comprehensive university and course discovery worldwide.
• AI-powered tools like Ash, an assistant for writing assistance.
• Robust collaboration tools for students and educators.
• Opportunities to publish and share academic articles.
• Access to a global network of over 350,000 faculty and educators.

By leveraging AI and behavior analysis, UniversityCube helps prospective students connect with peers and professionals in their desired fields, ensuring they have the insights needed to choose their majors wisely and minimize regrets later on. It offers a unique platform where students, educators, and creators can thrive together, sharing knowledge and building meaningful connections that enrich their academic and creative pursuits.

Oscar R. Aylor (Col ‘62 CM) was honored by Appalachian State University in April with a lecture hall named in his honor in the ASU College of Health Sciences.  His career in health services management and policy included several senior hospital executive positions and university faculty appointments, including App State where he was the inaugural director of an undergraduate major in healthcare management from 1972 to 1981 in the university’s college of business.  This major has more than 1,500 alumni since its beginning, many of whom have had very successful careers of their own.  Aylor retired in 2018 and lives near Charlottesville, where he continues to serve as a member of the Hospital Ethics Committee at UVA Health. 

Susan Shapiro (Col ’10 CM) and husband Zach Shapiro (Eng ’09 CM) welcomed their second child and first baby girl Selma Finette on March 28, 2024, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Ed Offley (Col ’69) has been named Naval History magazine’s “2023 Author of the Year” by the U.S. Naval Institute for a series of articles on the Battle of the Atlantic, the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada, and a profile of a 100-year-old World War II battleship sailor.

Harry L. Thomas (Col ’76 CM) was inducted into the Arlington (Virginia) County Sports Hall of Fame in October 2022. He was inducted into the Washington-Liberty High School Sports Hall of Fame in January 2019. Thomas was co-captain of the UVA baseball team in 1976, was a second-team All-ACC pitcher in 1974, and made the All-ACC Academic team in 1974, 1975 and 1976. Thomas is still co-holder of the ACC record for strikeouts in a game, with 19 in 1974.

For the past 48 years, Thomas has been an agent and wealth management advisor for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. His son John Thomas (Col ’00) also pitched for the UVA baseball team.

John Warley (Law ’70 CM) was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by The Citadel on May 4, 2024, in recognition of his contribution to The Citadel War Memorial. Warley composed both the inscription that greets visitors to the Memorial as well as the narrative history of the college etched into the walls. He is also the author of a history of the school, Stand Forever, Yielding Never, The Citadel in the 21st Century.

Hayden Saunier (Col ’79 CM) has published her sixth collection of poetry, Wheel, out June 12 from Terrapin Books. Saunier’s work has been awarded a Pushcart Prize, Rattle Poetry Prize, Pablo Neruda Prize, and has been published in journals such as Beloit Poetry Journal, diode, Pedestal, Plume, RHR, Thrush, and VQR, and featured on Poetry Daily, Verse Daily, and The Writers Almanac. 

About Wheel, John Timpane writes,

“It’s a tight collection governed by theme and voice, but also by powerful formal means, especially repeated music and imagery, marked out in something like sonata form by those four “Wheels,” as sameness, otherness, repetition, singularity, and how and why whirl and interequilibrate. Gorgeous. This is the work of a poet at full throttle, full voice, persuading us to join her, farmer, actress, wife, child, adult, past, present, desirer/desired, wonderer, as she stands in winter suit of hand-me-downs amid a storm of beauty, loss, and bright abundance, feet in rubber boots, wheeled round, firmly grounded in chastening, gladdening splendor.”

Patricia A. Steenberg Leonard (Col ’88 CM) has been elected to the executive committee of the board of directors for the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.  The Armory Art Center provides art classes for artists of all ages and abilities, and is a premier space for exhibitions, art salons, lectures, and special events.  The Armory also provides healing arts programs, such as BraveHeARTS, which promotes the rehabilitation of military service veterans through the visual arts, and the Art of the Phoenix, which serves teens and young adults who have experienced past trauma by encouraging creative expression paired with arts therapy.  The board of directors is an all-volunteer board that supports and advances the mission of the Armory Art Center. Leonard has served on the board since 2021.

Lori Spiller (Educ ’99, ’20) has retired after 35 years of teaching in Hanover County, Virginia. Spiller served as a special education teacher for 14 years and, after completing her master’s degree in reading education at UVA, as a reading specialist for the past 21 years. She’s thankful to UVA for the program that guided the majority of her teaching career. Her plans for retirement include a beach home and a part-time job in a library or bookstore.

Sara Shukla (Col ’02, Educ ’06) has published her debut novel, Pink Whales, a story about marriage, secrets, escape, and deceptively tidy little lives. Sharp-witted and funny, it explores the complexities of a marriage amidst change, modern parenting, and the desire to fit in, no matter how old you are, and sometimes, no matter the cost.

Charlie is already feeling adrift when she relocates to an exclusive town in coastal New England with her mysteriously distant husband, Dev, and their young twins in tow. She hopes the move will recharge her stalled marriage, and she wants her kids to feel like they belong, even if she’s clearly a fish out of water herself. In a strange new world where summer is a verb and both the harbor and the partygoers are awash in a dizzying constellation of pinks and pastels, she’s never felt so confounded or alone. She’ll need more than a preppy handbook to find her way.

Then a trio of power moms―imposing, beautiful, and monogrammed―comes to the rescue, and Charlie clings to their attention like a life raft. As Dev pulls further away, Charlie dives into her newfound friends’ circle of yacht clubs, rivalries, and bizarre theme parties, hoping to find her sea legs. She even dares to cozy up to a hot, barefoot, and aggressively flirty local. But if she’s running from her problems at home, where exactly is she escaping to? Charlie is beginning to wonder. This ridiculous new normal―and her desire to be part of it―might just eat her alive.

Shukla is an editor for WBUR’s Cognoscenti, in Boston. You can find her writing at WBUR as well as the Los Angeles Review of Books, McSweeneys, and elsewhere. An alum of GrubStreet’s Novel Incubator, she lives in Massachusetts with her family.

Published by Little A, Pink Whales is on sale June 4.

“A satisfying romp through a New England enclave that’s not nearly as idyllic as it seems.”

―Kirkus Reviews

 “My house is a mess and my laundry piled to the ceiling, and it’s all Sara Shukla’s fault! I couldn’t put it down. PINK WHALES lets you go places you’re not invited, drink more than you should, and escape to the beach on nearly every page—what’s not to like?”

―Christine Simon, author of Patron Saint of Second Chances

“Pink Whales is a deep and delightful modern rom-com full of meaningful twists on love, redemption, family, and the meaning of home. A perfect read for the beach…or the yacht club.”

―Byron Lane, author of A Star Is Bored and Big Gay Wedding

“Pink Whales is a can’t-miss coastal romp where Charlie navigates the choppy waters of her new preppy town on a quest to save her marriage and bring her family together. I loved every page. Shukla has a gift for writing humor that hits deep while also exposing truth and the raw emotion that makes the story both relatable and unforgettable.”

―Rachel Barenbaum, author of Atomic Anna and A Bend in the Stars

“Sara Shukla’s Pink Whales is an equal parts hilarious and heartfelt portrait of class anxiety and late coming of age. With her irresistible dialogue and perfectly skewered characters, Shukla swept me into the seaside town of Rumford and all its preppy, pesky privilege. I loved reading this utterly delightful debut!” ―Liv Stratman, author of Cheat Day

Richard E. McDorman (Col ’94, Educ ’24 CM)) was awarded the degree of Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in English as a Second Language from the UVA School of Education and Human Development on May 19, almost 30 years to the day after his first degree from the University, a B.A. in Linguistics, with Highest Distinction, awarded in May 1994. The Ed.S. is McDorman’s fourth academic degree, along with an M.A. in Linguistics (University of Chicago) and an M.L.S. in Ancient Studies (University of Miami) in addition to graduate certificates in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Penn State), Spanish to English Translation (New York University), and General Translation (New York University).

McDorman serves as the chief academic officer of Language On Schools, a position he has held since 2016. He also works as a specialized contractor for the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation and is an independent translator, certified by the American Translators Association for translation from Spanish into English. Originally from Beckley, West Virginia, McDorman has lived in Miami since 1999.