SelfGuided WalkingTour
Welcome to the University of Mary Washington! We are happy to have you with us and hope this selfguided tour pamphlet, along with our Campus Map, will be helpful as you tour our beautiful campus.
The tour begins in front of Lee Hall. LEE HALL is home to the Barnes & Noble bookstore, a comprehensive one-stop student services center, the EagleOne Center, the Health Center, and the Office of Admissions. Students and visitors can purchase books, supplies, snacks, drinks, UMW accessories, and other items in the bookstore.
As you exit Lee Hall turn left on campus walk to James Farmer Hall. JAMES FARMER HALL houses the departments of Mathematics; Education; Computer Science; and Classics, Philosophy, and Religion. The Leidecker Center for Asian Studies is also located in this building.
Once again on campus walk, on the left and set back from the main walkway is MARYE HOUSE. This houses the Office of Residence Life, where you will find the Dean of Student Life. As you approach the traffic circle, the University main administration building, GEORGE WASHINGTON HALL, will be to your right. Often called simply “GW, ” it is here that students find the President’s Office and other administrative offices. Also located in GW is Dodd Auditorium, the largest formal gathering place on campus. Students may find themselves gathering here to receive their class rings, to see their friends perform, travel the red carpet to the UMW Film Festival, or catch a concert or Great Lives speaker.
George Washington Hall
The Carmen Culpeper Chappell Centennial Campanile, in the center of the traffic circle, towers beside GW. The 88-foot-tall bell tower is a distinctive landmark for the campus and a symbol for the University’s Centennial Celebration.
RANDOLPH and MASON halls are twin co-ed buildings, and house first-year (Randolph) and upper-class (Mason) students. Both underwent a renovation in 2011. With Randolph Hall and Mason Hall on your left and the campanile behind you, you will see a road leading down a hill to your left and three buildings arranged around a large field to your right. Down the hill are two co-ed residence halls, RUSSELL, and MARSHALL. The three halls to your right are, left-to-right,
BUSHNELL, JEFFERSON, and COMBS.
Bushnell and Jefferson are both co-ed upper-class residence halls.
Randolph and Mason Halls
George Washington Hall
Lee Hall
COMBS HALL is now home to the departments of English and Linguistics; Modern Languages and Literatures; and Historic Preservation. The Center for Historic Preservation is located in Combs. The Modern Languages and Literatures department offers courses in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese.
Backtrack along Campus Walk and see WESTMORELAND HALL set back from Campus Walk on your left. It is just past GW. A co-ed first-year residence hall, Westmoreland’s beautiful architecture and its spacious front lawn make it popular with first-year students.
Back on Campus Walk continue toward Lee Hall. Directly across from Lee Hall is a spacious lawn called BALL CIRCLE. The heart of campus, Ball Circle is the home to Commencement, Devil-Goat Day, Club Carnival, the Multicultural Fair, and dozens of planned events. But every day, you’ll find students gathered there for conversation, relaxation, and pick-up games of Frisbee.
The CEDRIC RUCKER UNIVERSITY CENTER opened in fall 2015 and is home to the James Farmer Multicultural Center, the Center for Community Engagement, the Office of Student Activities and Engagement, the Center for Career and Professional Development, Panera Bread, and the top floor is the main dining hall on campus.
Still on Campus Walk, on the left is VIRGINIA HALL. The first-year residence hall was recently renovated and reopened in fall 2021.
Continuing along Campus Walk, as you pass Virginia Hall,you arrive in PALMIERI PLAZA, located directly between the three oldest buildings on campus: Virginia, Willard, and Monroe halls. University Center
Students commonly gather between classes at the fountain in the plaza, and on warm days, students have been known to mistake the fountain for a swimming pool. MONROE HALL underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation that was completed in summer 2011. Monroe houses numerous departments: American Studies, History, Political Science, International Affairs, Economics, Geography, and Sociology and Anthropology.
WILLARD was renovated and opened in spring 2020 for first-year students. The $19.3 million renovation salvaged brick walls, maple hardwood floors, ornate iron banisters, molding and trim, and original skylight shafts, along with parts of the building’s open floorplan.
Behind Willard Hall is MERCER HALL which underwent a renovation and reopened in fall 2016 and is home to Psychological Science. The building features computer laboratories suitable for general student use as well as specialized labs for work in cognition, sensation and perception, and physiological psychology. Facilities also include an animal laboratory complete with a vivarium, surgery, shop, and computerized experimental controls; a computerized video laboratory for studying social, developmental, and group processes; a number of rooms and a variety of equipment suitable for conducting experiments with human subjects; facilities for psychological testing; an eye-tracking lab; and computerized physiographs for use in experimental and clinical applications.
Ball Circle
Cedric Rucker University Center
Monroe Hall
Follow Campus Walk past the fountain and down the hill toward the WOODARD HALL. Woodard Hall originally served as the campus’s student center, but was re-purposed to address a shortage of learning, meeting, and administrative space A two-story addition was featured in the building’s updated design, as well as a new entrance and outdoor spaces The updated facility includes a variety of classrooms, including tiered and lecture formats, computer labs, student lounge, collaborative breakout spaces, as well as administrative and support spaces It is now home to our AACSB accredited College of Busines, the post office, as well as Vocelli Pizza which offers fresh hand-tossed pizzas, wings and more, and The Market which offers Hissho Sushi prepared fresh each weekday and a variety of sandwiches, snacks, and beverages that you can “grab & go. ” Majors in Business include business administration, accounting, marketing, and international business.
Exiting Woodard Hall onto Campus Walk, turn right. As you walk to the next building (Simpson Library, on your left), you will note a yellow call box on the left of the walk. These call boxes, numbering nearly 70, are located all over campus. Lit up at night by their bright blue lights, the call boxes put students in direct contact with Campus Police.
SIMPSON LIBRARY houses more than 367,000 books, receives 1,000 different periodicals each month, and has access to over 100 databases and 76,000 electronic books. Students have easy access to everything from Archaeology Today to Zoology Tomorrow. Three floors worth of comfortable chairs, private study rooms, and our famous “tree houses” provide students personal or group study space. University of Mary Washington students also have computer access to the resources of dozens of other institutions through the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA). VIVA’s members include the libraries of the 39 state-assisted colleges and universities (on 55 campuses) within the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition, 33 of Virginia’s private nonprofit colleges and universities participate as full members, where possible.
Turning left out of Simpson Library will take you to the north end of campus. To the left is Katora Cafe and it offers sustainably sourced, locally roasted coffees, organic loose-leaf teas, and a plant-forward vegetarian and wellness-centered menu that includes gluten-free selections.
To your right is the HURLEY CONVERGENCE CENTER, commonly reffered to as the HCC. The HCC opened in fall 2012 and features open, flexible gathering spaces where a variety of Kator technology, information and teaching resources will converge. The HCC is home to Communication and Digital Studies major as well as the Speaking Center, the Writing Center, the Digital Knowledge Center, and the Digital Auditorium. It also connects to the Simpson Library on the 3rd floor. This center also features a 3D green screen production studio, a vocal recording booth, media editing lab, and the IT Help Desk.
Turning right out of the HCC you will see the Jepson Science Center on the left. The buildings in front of you at the end of Campus Walk are the Fitness Center and Goolrick Hall, home to the popular pool and gymnasium. The other building is ARRINGTON HALL, an upper-class co-ed residence hall.
Woodard Hall
Katora Cafe
Hurley Convergence Center
JEPSON SCIENCE CENTER recently underwent a renovation and expansion and provided the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth and Environmental Science) with several new seminar and classroom spaces. In addition to the new building spaces, several significant new scientific instruments have also been added. These include a new laser system in physics and a nuclear magnetic resonance instrument in chemistry. Earth and Environmental Sciences has added a walk-in cold room to store field samples and access to a loading dock area that makes it easier to load and unload the department’s research boat.
GOOLRICK HALL is home to the swimming pool that is open to all students and the weight room that is equipped with modern weightlifting equipment. In addition to these features, students will find indoor basketball and volleyball courts, locker rooms, and dance studios. The multi-million-dollar cardiovascular FITNESS CENTER offers a 20,000-square-foot facility and is equipped with state-of-theart fitness equipment. Behind the Fitness Center is the ANDERSON CENTER which offers an exciting venue for basketball and volleyball as well as major concerts and performers. Cross the pedestrian bridge and you will find UMW’s newest residential community.
EAGLE LANDING home to sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students, opened in fall 2010. Student residents can select \either academic-year or calendar-year contracts, and Eagle Landing remains open during all break periods. The two bedroom, two bathroom apartments feature loftable beds, stainless-steel appliances, and granite countertops.
Head back down Campus Walk, and just past the library you will see a brick path leading up a hill to your right. The path leads directly to the FINE ARTS COMPLEX, which is actually three interconnected buildings: duPont, Melchers, and Pollard halls. As you leave the path and enter a covered walkway, you will be next to MELCHERS HALL, which houses the Studio Art and Art History departments. Students have access to studios in which to paint, draw, develop photographs, sculpt, and more.
DUPONT HALL, the central building, contains the Department of Theatre and Dance. Students may act in one of the numerous plays and musicals that are performed in Klein Theatre or Studio 115, located in duPont. Klein features four main stage productions a year. Auditions are open to majors and nonmajors alike.
The final building in the fine arts complex, POLLARD HALL houses the Music Department. Students pursuing a major in music learn about the history of a variety of musical styles, from opera to jazz, and have at their disposal dozens of performance courses. Pollard provides students with individual practice rooms as well as a state-of-the-art recital room with theater seating.
Exit via the front of duPont Hall, and take an immediate left to approach RIDDERHOF MARTIN GALLERY which houses traveling art exhibits as well as the University’s extensive collection. A working gallery, here students receive hands-on experience with cataloging, exhibiting, and restoration. Past the gallery is Seacobeck Hall.
SEACOBECK HALL underwent a renovation and reopened in spring 2022 and is the home to the College of Education. It will include flexible classrooms, informal collaboration and learning spaces, and event and meeting spaces.
Jepson Science Center
Anderson Center
Eagle Landing
By now you have nearly circled the campus The namesake of the Ball Circle, BALL HALL, from which Ball Circle gets its name, is an upper-class all female residence hall located directly across from Virginia Hall Ball Hall joins to two other residence halls, MADISON, a gender-neutral building which borders campus walk and CUSTIS, a mixed (first year and upperclass) female-only building
Thank you for taking the time to explore our campus Students, faculty, and parents often comment on its special beauty, and we hope that you now understand in part why the members of the UMW community are so enam-ored with their school Please feel free to look into any of the academic buildings and to drop by the Admissions Office to have your questions answered
You may want to stop by THE BATTLEGROUND, the outdoor athletic complex which includes fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, and softball; a synthetic 800-meter track; a baseball stadium; 12 lighted outdoor tennis courts; and the UMW indoor TENNIS CENTER. Reach The Battleground Complex by exiting the main gate and turning left on College Avenue Follow College Avenue across William Street to the stone wall, turn right on Hanover Street, and then turn left into the parking lot
Tennis Center
Additionally, you’re welcome to stop by the CAMPUS RECREATION FIELD. This is the home to many of our Eagle Sport Club programs and plays host to all outdoor Intramural Sports competitions on campus The facility is also used for open recreation, campus special events, as well as some intercollegiate team training sessions The state-of-the-art ATurf surface allows practices and competition to take place in virtually any type of weather, and the Musco Advanced Lighting system enables play to continue into the evening and in overcast conditions.
Campus Recreation Field
The Campus Recreation Field complex includes:
• 1 full-size main field or 2 full-size recreational fields for Intramural and Sport Club use
• 2 Intramural, Club Softball and 1 Baseball diamond
• Portable spectator bleachers and Player benches
Feel free to also take a look at our interactive video viewbooks at https://umw.university-tour.com/homepage.php.
Sign up to receive more information at https://admissions.umw.edu/register/moreinfo.
Tennis Center
Campus Recreation Field