About Us

O’Donovan Humanities Lecture

The O’Donovan Humanities Lecture is an annual event, featuring scholars and artists from around the country, which aims to instill a deeper appreciation of the importance of the humanities in everyday life. Named after the first Headmistress of Oakcrest, Pat O'Donovan—who opened Oakcrest in 1976 with 22 girls in Washington, D.C.—the lecture honors her legacy as a gifted teacher who could convey to students the joy of learning. Oakcrest hopes to spread this joy to others in the community through this annual lecture.

Thank you for joining us for the 9th Annual O'Donovan Humanities Lecture featuring:

Henry Wingate
Classically Trained Artists and their Impact on Culture and Society

Classically Trained Artists and their Impact on Culture and Society

with Henry Wingate

Henry Wingate is an award-winning, traditional oil painter with a studio in Madison, Virginia. Trained in the Boston School tradition of painting, Mr. Wingate’s work primarily features portraits, landscapes and still-lives. Mr. Wingate has a history of working with Oakcrest. In 2021, Oakcrest School dedicated an original 8 ft by 9 ft oil on canvas painting of the Nativity by Mr. Wingate, displayed on the wall behind the altar in the Oakcrest Chapel. He also painted the portrait of long-time Oakcrest benefactor Debbie Duffy, which hangs in the school lobby.