Alumni College Descriptions

THURSDAY, JUNE

Session 1 • 10:00 – 11:15 a.m.

1

Biodiversity of the UMW Campus: Our Beautiful Trees (Walking Tour), Alan B. Griffith, Ph.D., professor of biology

The first thing many people notice at UMW is the beauty of campus and its variety of trees. Beginning in 2015, biology students assisted in developing a “tree map” to document our landscape. Join me on a walk through campus highlighting some of the trees that contribute to its natural beauty.

It Takes a Village: Insight into the Governance of UMW, Jeffrey McClurken ’94, Ph.D., professor and UMW chief of staff and clerk of the Board of Visitors

Mary Washington has been fortunate enough to be led by President Troy Paino since 2016. Who hired Dr. Paino? Who decides whether to raise tuition or renovate a building or approve new programs? Attend this session to learn about the roles that the governing board, the president, the Cabinet, faculty and staff, and the legislative and executive branches of the commonwealth of Virginia play in the governance of our public University.

Three Masterpieces from UMW's Rare Book Room, Antonio Barrenechea, Ph.D., professor of English, M.C. Lang Fellow, Rare Book School at the University of Virginia

Hear a brief history of UMW's rare book room from its 1960s origins in Trinkle Hall (now James Farmer Hall) to its move to Simpson Library in the 1980s. In the process, Dr. Barrenechea highlights three book treasures and discusses their provenance and place within the collection.

This history links alumni, book connoisseurs, professors, librarians, and local bibliophiles. Meet in the Farmer Hall Rotunda. Space is strictly limited to 15 people. Call 540-654-1011 or email alumni@umw.edu to register for this particular session.

Session 2 • 2 – 3:15 p.m.

Mary 101, Michelle Hamilton, manager of the Mary Washington House

Your alma mater is named after her, but how much do you really know about Mary Washington? Hop on a special trolley and head to the home of Mary Washington in Downtown Fredericksburg to hear directly from an expert and take a tour of the home.

Impact of Fungal Strains on Spotted

Lanternfly, Josephine Antwi, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive species of insect that was discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since spread to multiple eastern states. Here in Virginia, the SLF damages native plants and trees, including grapevines, hops, fruits and vegetables, and others that are important to our economy. Research suggests that a native fungus called beauveria bassiana can help control the SLF population. I will discuss ongoing research at UMW examining how beauveria bassiana might be used in the fight against the SLF.

Alumni College

Descriptions

Financing Life: Tips and Tricks to Make the Most of Your Retirement, Ben Maxwell ’05, AAMS®, ChFC®, financial advisor, Edward Jones

Jan Clarke, assistant vice president of gift planning at UMW

With over 50 years of combined experience, two experts in financial planning will provide ideas and methods to best utilize your retirement income and savings. No sales pitches or asks for donations—just helpful information that can save you money.

FRIDAY, JUNE 2

Session 3 • 9:30 – 10:45 a.m.

Biodiversity of the UMW Campus: Our Beautiful Trees (Walking Tour), Alan B. Griffith, Ph.D., professor of biology

See description on page 14.

BEYOND GENIUS: A Journey through the Characteristics and Legacies of Transformative Minds., Bulent Atalay, Ph.D., professor emeritus of physics, author, and artist

What happens when the objective, scientific part of the mind intersects with the subjective, artistic part? Learn how combining disparate passions can lead to amazing results.

Understanding the patterns of creativity will provide an entirely new appreciation of the work of transformative geniuses—and perhaps that of others, too.

Teaching With and Through the Arts: Arts

Integration in Action, Melissa Wells, Ph.D., assistant professor, College of Education

How can the arts be used to enrich contentarea learning across grade levels? Come learn about basic principles of arts integration and how they can be applied in various educational settings. We will engage in some arts integration activities, too.

Session 4 • 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Pieces of History: Scrapbooks from UMW

Archives, Angie Kemp ’11, interim head of Special Collections & University Archives

Take a virtual tour of the scrapbook collection housed in UMW’s libraries. Angie White Kemp ’11, interim head of Special Collections and University

Archives, will share moments captured by alumni throughout Mary Washington’s 113-year history. Get a glimpse into life as a student in different decades, and see how traditions, clubs, and the campus have changed over the years. Learn how UMW’s Digital Archiving Lab preserves these precious photos and documents for generations to come.

Killing Cancer with Heartburn Medications,

Randall Reif, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry

Can we cure cancer with heartburn medicine?

Current research in UMW’s chemistry department is studying the use of proton pump inhibitors (heartburn medications) to induce cell death in cancer cells. The aim of this project is to determine how the cancer cells are dying and which drugs are the most effective. I will share the current progress of the project, which could open the door to novel cancer treatments in the future.