Wills Named Kenneth Asbury Professor of History

Brian S. Wills has been named the Kenneth Asbury Professor of History at The University of Virginia's College at Wise in recognition of his accomplishments as a scholar, teacher, and leader.

A member of the UVA-Wise faculty since 1992, Wills is the 2000 recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Award presented by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. He also received the UVA-Wise Outstanding Teaching Award in 1998 and the Outstanding Research Award in 1995.

A nationally recognized Civil War historian, Wills is the author of two books, The War Hits Home: The Civil War in Southeastern Virginia and A Battle From the Start: The Life of Nathan Bedford Forrest, along with numerous scholarly articles, essays, and book reviews. Additionally, he is a weekly columnist for the Kingsport Times-News. Wills' latest work is a history of UVA-Wise, set to be released in 2004 in time for the College's fiftieth anniversary celebration.

Wills currently chairs the College's Faculty Senate, a position he held previously from 1997 until 1999. He chaired the UVA-Wise Department of History and Philosophy from 1997 until 2002.

The Kenneth Asbury Professorship in History was made possible by a significant gift from the late Lelia Maude Richmond and many other friends. The professorship is named for Kenneth Asbury, one of the famed "three Wise men" who helped establish the College in 1954. A member of the College's governing board since its inception, Asbury has given a lifetime of dedicated service to UVA-Wise and Southwest Virginia.

For more information, contact the Office of College Relations at 276-328-0130.