Who We Are
The Blue Ridge Center is a collaboration between concerned students, faculty, alumni, and other members of the Charlottesville community who love UVA and want to see it be the best it can be.
Gerard Alexander
President
Gerard Alexander has taught at UVA since 1997 and has been a tenured professor in the Department of Politics since 2002. He’s a specialist in comparative politics, especially Western Europe. In addition to academic writing, he has published articles in the New York Times, the Washington Post, National Review, and other publications.
Jacob Conrod
Jacob is a 2024-2025 Trinity Fellow who will be working at the Blue Ridge Center for the 2024-2025 school year. He is a 2024 graduate of The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he studied History and Philosophy, graduating with High Honors in History. In his free time, Jacob enjoys reading, writing, and the great outdoors.
jacobconrod800@gmail.com
Stephanie Merrick
Director
Stephanie Merrick lives in Crozet, Virginia, with her husband and three children. Prior to joining the Blue Ridge Center, she spent twelve years as an editor at an online political news site. She graduated from the University of Michigan.
Mary Allison Anderson
Associate Director
Mary Allison hails from Birmingham, Alabama and is a 2022 graduate of Auburn University’s College of a Liberal Arts, where she studied History and English Literature. Mary Allison made her way to Grounds via her role as a research assistant for Professor Ken Elzinga.