Graduate Student Coordinator

Rebecca Barry is a second-year M.A. student in English at the University of Virginia. She studies explorations of spirituality and empathy in science fiction, speculative fiction, and Afrofuturism, with emphasis on the works of Ocatvia Butler and W. E. B. Du Bois. Prior to attending UVA, she was a teacher for seven years, including time in Shanghai, Brussels, and Connecticut. As Humanities Week Graduate Coordinator, she is enthusiastic about connecting students with their passions outside of the classroom, and raising awareness of how changes in society affect the way we relate to one another. ​

Co-Chair

​Tori Custer is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Virginia majoring in Foreign Affairs and Media Studies. During her time at the University, she has worked with UVA Sustainability, IM-Rec, Cavalier Daily, and Forge. She is currently a digital marketing intern for Hard Yards LLC, a product management company in Arlington. In her free time, Tori enjoys writing, reading, gardening, and gaming. She was originally attracted to Humanities Week because of her desire to connect people and bring happiness to her community, especially after the challenges the University has seen in the past few years. Tori has always had a passion for people and the stories they have to tell and is excited to continue to bring the UVA community together in appreciating what it means to be human.

Co-Chair

​Maryann Xue is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Virginia majoring in English and Psychology and minoring in History. She is a professional development co-chair for Undergraduate Women in Law, a culture co-chair for Taiwanese Student Association, and a research assistant for Motivate Lab. Having an interest in journalism, she was previously a news editor for The Cavalier Daily and held internships at C-VILLE Weekly and the South China Morning Post. As Humanities Week co-chair, she hopes to find new and creative ways to bring students together across disciplines through holding events that both raise awareness of the critical issues we face — and remind us of our shared humanity.

Past Humanities Week Chairs

Humanities Week 2020-22 Chair

Michael Spalthoff is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia (CLAS ‘22) and majored in English with a minor in Public Policy. At UVA, Michael heavily invested his time in various arts organizations, playing on the drumline in the Cavalier Marching Band, singing a cappella with Hoos in the Stairwell, performing in Department and student-led musical productions, and founding UVA’s only barbershop quartet group, the Barbers of C’ville. As Humanities Week Co-Chair from 2020-2022, Michael worked to incorporate more arts organizations into the week-long celebration of the Humanities. Most notably, in partnership with Broadway Talks Back at the University of Virginia, Humanities Week brought Maiya Quansah-Breed of the Original West-End cast of Six: The Musical, as well as Tony Award-winning actress Alice Ripley of Next to Normal. Having navigated through a pandemic, Michael is excited to pass the torch and see what exciting new student programming awaits future Humanities Weeks at UVA.

Undergraduate Volunteers:

Michael Spalthoff
Betsy Bass
Gabrielle Brinkman
Tori Custer
India Glover
Mary Margaret Lea
Adalyn Mall
Olivia Paulsson
Anna Rogers
John Shim
Alexandra Tran
Maryann Xue
Caroline Weston

Humanities Week Graduate Staff:
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Isabelle Ostertag
Tom Williams
Rebecca Barry
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