Roger Barrus, Professor of Government & Foreign Affairs
Dr. Roger Barrus is retiring after 41 years of teaching at Hampden-Sydney. While teaching at Mary Baldwin University, he attended a conference in Richmond, where he had the opportunity to meet several faculty members from Hampden-Sydney, including former college president Josiah Bunting III. The positive interactions and the College's reputation left a lasting impression on him, leading him to join the faculty at Hampden-Sydney in 1982.
Throughout his time at the College, Dr. Barrus has been actively involved on various committees, including multiple stints on the Academic Affairs Committee from the 1980s to the 2010s—even having the honor of chairing the committee—and one term on the Faculty Affairs Committee.
Through his tenure at H-SC, Dr. Barrus taught and influenced nearly 4,100 students. He says he had a particular fondness for teaching The Constitution & Foreign Affairs (GVFA 342), a course that inspired him. He also enjoyed American Foreign Policy (GVFA 242), American Political Thought (GVFA 201), and Medieval Political Philosophy (GVFA 412). Dr. Barrus will deeply miss the joy of teaching and the process of learning new material.
As he bids farewell, Dr. Barrus reflects on cherished moments with colleagues and students, including special memories of engaging with students during football games. He fondly refers to these interactions as "the combination of everything that defines the Hampden-Sydney community." Dr. Barrus encourages his colleagues to continue working together and advises students to give their best efforts as they journey through college and learn about life.
Dr. Barrus has no plans to slow down. He intends to complete a book he has been writing on Dante's Inferno and several academic papers. Additionally, he looks forward to traveling to various places and keeping busy with his yard work. Retirement will be a new chapter in his life, filled with exciting endeavors.
Daniel Weese, Professor of Psychology
Dr. Daniel Weese is retiring after 34 years of teaching at Hampden-Sydney. Throughout his career, Dr. Weese has always enjoyed laboratory research. Prior to joining Hampden-Sydney, he taught at a liberal arts college in Georgia, where he conducted laboratory research at a nearby psychiatric hospital as a behavioral neuroscientist. Dr. Weese was aware of Hampden-Sydney's academic reputation and emphasis on laboratory research from his time as a faculty member at Emory & Henry College. Impressed by the college's commitment to research, he applied to Hampden-Sydney and was hired in 1989.
While at Hampden-Sydney, Dr. Weese has actively engaged in various aspects of the College's community. He served as chair of the psychology department for three terms and contributed to multiple committees including Faculty Affairs, Budget-Audit, Academic Affairs, Appeals, Professional Development, Student Affairs, and Assessment. Additionally, he chaired three out of six faculty search committees for the psychology department and participated in five search committees for biologists.
Dr. Weese's dedication extends beyond academics. He has been the Psychology Club sponsor and actively supported the tennis team. Moreover, he has gained recognition for his sessions called "Wednesday Wisdom with Weese," which he plans to continue as he moves into retirement.
Dr. Weese says he has cherished the opportunity to work with students, believing in the power of "opening their eyes" to the wonders of the physical world. His goal has always been to challenge students to think differently about themselves, all while developing personal connections through humor. This passion for student growth culminated in his favorite course, Behavioral Neuroscience (PSYC 301), and its accompanying laboratory (PSYC 351).
Dr. Weese has consistently advised students to explore the world and embrace multiple perspectives. He has emphasized the significance of finding personal passions and continually seeking fulfillment. While he will deeply miss the rewarding interactions he has had with his students, Dr. Weese has an array of other activities to keep him engaged. He plans to continue playing and coaching tennis, contributing to Habitat for Humanity as a committee member, displaying his beloved 1972 Datsun 240Z, and exploring the world.
James Janowski, Elliott Professor of Philosophy
Dr. James Janowski is retiring after 28 years of teaching at Hampden-Sydney. An associate professor of philosophy, Dr. Janowski has taught at Hampden-Sydney since receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1995.
Dr. Janowski’s teaching interests include aesthetics, theoretical and applied ethics, and social-political philosophy. Throughout his tenure at the College, he conducted various philosophy courses, spanning from ethics to applied philosophy, and taught rhetoric and freshman seminar courses. His dedication extended beyond the classroom, actively participating in numerous committees, such as the Warren W. Hobbie Program in Business and Professional Ethics, Philosophy Department Search Committee, Fine Arts Department Search Committee, Student Appeals, Animal Care, Grievance, and Student Affairs. He also served as a faculty advisor to the Hampden-Sydney College Philosophy Club from 2018 to 2020 and co-director of the Hampden-Sydney College Ethics Bowl Team from 2004 to 2012.
Moreover, his scholarship has taken him across the globe, with appearances in the United States, Canada, Germany, Brazil, and Bhutan. One of these presentations took place in October 2016 in Washington, D.C., where Dr. Janowski was invited to speak about the "feasibility, desirability, and ethics" of reconstruction. During this symposium, Dr. Janowski highlighted the intriguing possibilities that digital technologies offer in response to acts of iconoclasm and vandalism and how they can help preserve cultural heritage.
Thompson Professor of Philosophy Marc Hight fondly remembers Dr. Janowski as an “excellent colleague and a passionate, dedicated educator, who has an uncanny ability to engage and provoke his students into being reflective, improved thinkers.” Hight admires Dr. Janowski as a friend and jovial person who embodies the ideals of a thoughtful and careful philosopher. The many students who have benefited from his expertise and careful detail will long survive him.
Warner Winborne ’88, Associate Professor of Government & Foreign Affairs
Dr. Warner Winborne ’88 is retiring after 24 years of teaching at Hampden-Sydney. A graduate of the class of 1988, Dr. Winborne returned to his alma mater in 1999 as a visiting professor. After holding that position for three years, he became a tenured professor.
Throughout his tenure as a beloved faculty member on the Hill, Dr. Winborne has actively contributed to the improvement of the College by serving on numerous committees: Student Affairs; Academic Affairs; Executive Committee of the Faculty; Admissions, International Studies; Student Court Appeals, Grievance; Advisory Board of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest; and ad hoc committees for student course evaluations, campus safety, and faculty workload. In addition to his academic commitments, Dr. Winborne dedicated his time to the Hampden-Sydney Volunteer Fire Department, serving as department secretary, line officer, and chief. He also acted as the faculty advisor to the Young Democrats from 1999 to 2007; the faculty advisor to Chi Phi from 2010 to 2023; and holds an honorary membership in the Union-Philanthropic Society (UPLS), where he served as acting senior critic from 2021 to 2022.
Reflecting on his time on the Hill, Dr. Winborne cherishes the memories he made. He recalls being awarded the Senior Class Prize, something that he found to be deeply moving. He enjoyed the experience of watching students learn and comprehend information, saying, “The light goes on behind their eyes, and they understand not only the information, but its relevance.” Dr. Winborne, who loves learning himself, cites Beginning to 1500 CE (WCUL 101) as his favorite class, stating that he would learn something new every time he taught it.
After living on campus for 20 years, Dr. Winborne will miss the camaraderie of his colleagues, friends, and neighbors, as well as the blackboards in Morton Hall. Looking ahead, he and his wife will move to El Combate, in the southwest corner of Puerto Rico, where they expect to enjoy retirement by pursuing many interests.