Year in Review 2021-22

investing in other people’s success and well-being is what really matters.

Those who live, work, teach, and learn here understand that

Greetings from President Paino

This past year we saw our beautiful campus spring back to life as students, alumni, faculty, and staff reconnected with each other and renewed traditions. We found much joy in the in-person moments, the opportunities to honor our history, and the generous investments in our future. This past year also offered an opportunity to reintroduce the University of Mary Washington and how it distinctively provides an education that matters. This publication, a Year in Review, is one way to do just that. In these pages you will get a glimpse of what goes on both inside and outside the classroom to prepare our students for careers and, even more importantly, for lives of purpose and meaning.

Kelly and I are privileged to have several dinners with students at Brompton every year. Each dinner leaves us inspired, hopeful, and grateful as we listen to the students’ Mary Washington experience. Their stories speak to the power of relationships formed and opportunities given to practically apply their liberal arts education to real-world problems and circumstances.

Our deep caring and commitment for one another served the Mary Washington community well during the pandemic. It also reminded me of what makes this place so special. Those who live, work, teach, and learn here understand that investing in other people’s success and well-being is what really matters.

As you read this report and learn more about the accomplishments of our amazing students, I promise this is only the beginning of more good news to come from the University of Mary Washington.

Left: President Troy Paino and wife Kelly spend the evening with students at their Brompton home.

Mary

Leading in the Public Liberal Arts and Sciences

At the University of Mary Washington, we know what it means to matter.

Whether you attended Mary Washington, or you are learning about us for the first time, we want you to know that we’re focused on what matters. It’s been our mission throughout our 115-year history. We’ve concentrated on keeping our student-to-faculty ratio low and offering small classes so students can really get to know and work closely with their professors and peers. It’s a pride point for our alums, who continue to rave about the impact faculty mentors had on their own lives and careers, long after they graduated. We intend to keep it that way for future generations of students and to continue to connect our students with meaningful opportunities.

Students can do it all at UMW: conduct research, live and study abroad, compete in NCAA Division III sports, engage in community service, explore their creativity, serve in leadership roles, and choose from over 150-plus student clubs and organizations. These experiences and encouragement prepare students to take giant leaps – intellectually, socially, and personally. By the time our students graduate from Mary Washington, they are ready to make an impact on the world.

Read more about the early selection agreement between UMW and The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Our Brand Promise

UMW aims to inspire meaningful inquiry that helps shape a complex world. You might have heard us say this before, but with a new brand, unveiled in fall 2021, we’re staking our claim to the distinctions that define who we are. If you haven’t been to campus in a while, we invite you to visit, to reconnect, and to see how this unconventional, absolutely friendly, be-yourself public liberal arts university in Fredericksburg, Virginia, is focused on education that matters. Hint: It all starts with the dynamic, smart, compassionate people you’ll meet in this publication.

Biochemistry and English double major Hannah Harris ’23 is working toward medical school through the early selection agreement with the UMW Honors program.

Our Community Values

Our values are the bedrock of the University of Mary Washington. Accountability. Scholarship. Personal and Institutional Integrity. Inclusive Excellence. Respect and Civility. Engagement. ASPIRE. They are our true north, defining the contours of the student experience and positioning our graduates as citizens of a complex and rapidly changing world. These values matter in the small but rich community that is Mary Washington. They shape our traditions, our practices, and the ways we teach, learn, and live.

Our National Reputation

This year, we requested that the Carnegie Classification categorize us among baccalaureate liberal arts and sciences institutions. This classification change means we will be listed among the national liberal arts schools in U.S. News & World Report. We’ll be in good company among our colleagues in the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and the nation’s military academies, which perennially top the list.

11th among public liberal arts colleges and 149th among national liberal arts colleges, public and private U.S. News & World Report, 2023

One of “The Best 388 Colleges”

The Princeton Review, 2023

76th among liberal arts colleges both public and private, and 71st for Best Bang for the Buck in the southeast Washington Monthly, 2023

Best Colleges for Student Voting Washington

Monthly, 2023

Among the 300 “best and most interesting” public and private colleges in the nation Fiske Guide to Colleges, 2023

Green Colleges

The Princeton Review College Guide, 2023

World-Class Graduates

Commencement Bounces Back to Ball Circle

Rain fell throughout Mary Washington’s 111 th Commencement, but rainbow umbrellas signaled bright skies ahead for the 1,163 undergraduate and graduate students whose degrees were conferred on May 7.

Back on Ball Circle, the ceremony featured familiar traditions that had been missed over the past three years: the procession down Campus Walk, the Eagle Pipe Band, the Alma Mater, and Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker posing for photos with grads while arranging their regalia.

The Class of 2022, along with faculty, friends, and families, listened to a series of speakers, including Sheila L. Shadmand ’95, a trailblazing lawyer and advocate for women in the Middle East. She urged the graduates to use their shared experience of living through a pandemic as a bridge to connect to others.

Read more about UMW’s 111th Commencement.

Associate Professor of Historic Preservation

Henry (left) received the Mary W. Pinschmidt Award for having had the greatest impact on the Class of 2022. Provost Tim O’Donnell presented Sally Burkley (top right) and Vanessa Fickes (bottom right) with the Colgate W. Darden Jr. Award for earning the highest GPA in the undergraduate program.

Christine

University of Mary Washington

Opportunities Discovered and Made

UMW Shines Spotlight on Service

During the last academic year, more than a quarter of the student body participated in service activities through UMW’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) and Community Outreach and Resources (COAR). That kind of commitment to giving back recently earned UMW a spot on Washington Monthly’s ranking of top public liberal arts institutions that contribute to the greater good.

Mary Washington students racked up more than 2,300 volunteer hours in the last year, according to CCE Director Sarah Dewees, taking part in service events like Into the Streets, MLK Day of Service, Alternative Service Breaks, and Good Neighbor Day. They spread mulch and weeded community gardens, sorted book donations, sewed scarves and blankets, picked up litter, helped build homes, ran blood drives, and more. Add in the student-athletics service requirement, and that total more than doubled, with an additional 2,500 hours helping local nonprofits including Fredericksburg SPCA and Micah Ecumenical Ministries.

Read more about Into the Streets.

Shin Fujiyama ’07, who founded the nonprofit Students Helping Honduras while he was a UMW student, perhaps said it best: “Service is in Mary Washington’s DNA.”

Students volunteer at Downtown Greens in Fredericksburg at the beginning of the fall semester as part of Into the Streets.

UMW Gives Student’s Bookmobile Project a Lift

At Mary Washington, Hollis Cobb ’23 discovered his drive. The English major combined his passions for reading and restoring old vehicles last year when he turned an ambulance into Bookmobile Fredericksburg. With the help of the UMW community and local organizations, he now promotes literacy locally at farmers’ markets, festivals, schools, retirement homes, and and on campus.

“It’s such a pleasure seeing smiles from children who are excited to read,” said Cobb, who works with a team of fellow students to keep the bus running. StartUpUMW, a student entrepreneurial program, helped him set up his nonprofit, while Mary Washington’s Center for Community Engagement connected him to volunteers and helped him collect donated reading materials. “It seems like the entire campus is supporting us.”

That includes President Paino, who praised Cobb’s ingenuity. “Tapping into one’s interests in the service of others is how Mary Washington students are making and will continue to make a positive difference in this world.”

More to the Story with the College of Education

StoryWalk(R), a partnership with Fredericksburg Parks, Recreation, and Events, brings books outside of the classroom to city paths. College of Education students and Assistant Professor Melissa Wells penned a publication last year for families to enjoy outdoors.

Read more about the Bookmobile Project.

more about this outdoor story.

Cedric Rucker Honored with University Center Naming

Since its construction in 2015, the central student building on campus has claimed its rightful spot on Ball Circle. But the four-story, 100,000-square-foot structure has felt even bigger since receiving its new name, the Cedric Rucker University Center, this summer.

“Today we are celebrating two giants,” Vice President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair said during the renaming ceremony in June. “One of the giants is behind me, the University Center. The second giant, of course, is Cedric Bernard Rucker.”

The event, held on the cusp of Rucker’s retirement as associate vice president and dean of student life, brought to fruition a February Board of Visitors (BOV) decision. The building dedicated to student success would bear the name of the man who has devoted his life to that goal.

City officials, faculty members, family, and friends stood on the steps of the Cedric Rucker University Center to honor his 33-year career as professor and dean, citing fierce principles, infectious enthusiasm, and, most of all, an unwavering concern for UMW students.

His own time as a student, beginning in 1977, was a swirl of clubs and activities. By graduation, Rucker was woven into Mary Washington’s fabric, the first African American male graduate to live in a residence hall. All the awards and appointments he has collected since then – even his big laugh and bowties – can’t define him. But on a breezy June day, 2021-22 BOV Rector Heather Mullins Crislip ’95 tried.

“Cedric Rucker has had an indelible impact on thousands of Mary Washington students and alumni,” she told the crowd. “He made us better people and inspired us to live lives that are authentic, pursue justice, and seek to deeply understand each other. I can think of no other person who perfectly defines the Mary Washington ideal.”

Read more about the naming celebration.

“He made us better people and inspired us to live lives that are authentic, pursue justice, and seek to deeply understand each other.”

Heather Mullins Crislip ’95

University of Mary Washington

Left: Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Emeritus Cedric Rucker ’81, poses for a photo with his family.

Right: President Paino and Dean Rucker cut the ribbon to dedicate the Cedric Rucker University Center.

Awards Honor Faculty Dedication to Student Success

Throughout the year, awards were bestowed on deserving University of Mary Washington faculty members for their dedication to their disciplines, enthusiasm in and out of the classroom, and commitment to the liberal arts and student success.

At the spring faculty meeting in April, Professor of Chemistry Kelli Slunt ’91 received the second annual Board of Visitors Faculty Leadership Award. Established in 2020, this award is designated for a faculty member who advances the mission of UMW by spearheading a major institutional initiative or program. Slunt directs the Honors Program.

Also at the April meeting, Professor of English Chris Foss received the Waple Faculty Professional Achievement Award. Established a decade ago as a gift from the estate of Shirley Van Epps Waple ’52, this honor is for faculty members who have served full time for at least seven years and made outstanding contributions to their scholarly or creative area of expertise.

At the fall faculty address in August, Professor of English Maya Mathur received the Grellet C. Simpson Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. This honor goes to a full-time faculty member, who – like Simpson, UMW’s fourth president – places an emphasis on quality teaching and the liberal arts.

Also at the fall address, Associate Professor of German Marcel Rotter won the J. Christopher “Topher” Bill Outstanding Faculty Service Award. Established in 2003 in honor of the late psychology professor, this award is for faculty members who have been teaching at least seven years and held substantial service roles.

And Assistant Professor of Physics Varun Makhija received the Alumni Association Outstanding Young Faculty Award for professors who have taught full time at Mary Washington for two to five years.

Kelli Slunt

Chris Foss

Maya Mathur

Marcel Rotter

Varun Makhija

Alums Name Classroom for Beloved Professor

Nearly a decade ago, Rob Strassheim ’96 and Sarah Gildersleeve Strassheim ’01 embarked on a fundraising campaign to name a classroom after a faculty member who made a tremendous impact on their lives and careers: Professor of Business Emeritus Galen deGraff.

Their efforts came to fruition last spring when the College of Business dedicated the Galen deGraff Classroom in Woodard Hall, made possible by generous gifts from alumni, friends, and former colleagues. The Strassheims also raised funds to create an endowed scholarship to help recruit outof-state students who plan to major in business.

Rob, who serves on UMW’s Board of Visitors, said he enjoyed watching his former professor offer business advice to current students at the dedication. “Seeing him teach again, in a classroom that now bears his name, made all the work worthwhile.”

Read more about the Strassheims’ tribute to deGraff.

Business Leaders Earn Alumni Awards

The 2021 College of Business Alumni Award winners include Candice Long ’94, inducted in into the Business Hall of Fame; Caroline Morris ’79, Melissa Schoeb ’90, and Jin Wong ’97, named Distinguished Business Alumni; and Ahmed Malik ’12, Drew Miller ’14, Kathryn Erwin-Meyer ’16, B-J Huff ’06, and Michael Walter ’12, earning Young Business Alumni awards.

Galen deGraff and Rob Strassheim visit the Galen deGraff Classroom in Woodard Hall.

Highlights

Moses Hutchison and Andrew Watson advanced to the NCAA national doubles tournament semifinals.

Kinsey Brooks won three first team All-America honors with top-eight performances at the NCAA swimming championships.

Men’s and women’s tennis won the Coast-to-Coast Conference championships.

Women’s swimming won the Metro Swimming Conference championship (the team’s 31st straight conference championship – 30 were in the Capital Athletic Conference).

Men’s tennis player Moses Hutchison won UMW Male Athlete of the Year.

Men’s soccer player Jacob Kautzman was named UMW Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Swimmer Kinsey Brooks was named UMW Female Athlete of the Year.

Swimmer Sally Burkley was named UMW Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

UMW Athletics Inducts 25th Hall of Fame Class

Five alums and one longtime staff member joined UMW Athletics’ Hall of Fame in 2022. The 25th class includes tennis standout Mitzi Kimball ’89, basketball great George Bunch ’99, multiple-time All-Americans in women’s lacrosse Briana Gervat ’02 and field hockey Brynn Maguire ’06, and dominating softball pitcher Kirsten Rowell ’09. Clint Often, who has served as sports information director since 1996 and witnessed some of the greatest sports moments in Mary Washington history, was also inducted at the ceremony that took place at Fred Nats Stadium.

From left to right: Mitzi Kimball ’89, Clint Often, George Bunch ’99, Kirsten Rowell ’09, Brynn Maguire ’06, and Briana Gervat ’02.

Recognizing Stellar Student Accomplishments

Cameron Washington ’23 received this year’s Citizenship Award for Diversity Leadership. With it, he’s charged with helping increase equity and inclusion on campus, creating opportunities for members of the Mary Washington community to learn about and appreciate one another’s differences, and championing the University’s ASPIRE values.

Washington, who grew up in Tappahannock and Richmond, is a communication and digital studies major who serves as president of Brothers of a New Direction, secretary of Voices of Praise, and student co-coordinator for the Diversity Peer Educators/Farmer Fellows program. He’s a member of the NAACP UMW chapter and a student aide in the James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC).

Read more about Cameron.

“He passionately and consistently works to enhance the experiences of student life at UMW, wherein all students feel welcome, celebrated, valued, and heard.”

JFMC Director Marion Sanford

Three recent UMW grads won Fulbright awards this year to work and study overseas.

They all signed up to teach English –Charlotte Kramer ’22 in Bulgaria; Mary Cheney ’21, M.Ed. ’22, in South Korea; and Theresa “Tess” Darroch ’20 in Taiwan.

They join the nearly 60 Fulbright finalists and semifinalists Mary Washington has produced throughout the years. The transformative U.S. governmentsponsored honor, among the world’s most highly regarded, aims to boost cultural connections around the globe.

Read more about the Fulbright winners.

Presidential Recognition

University of Mary Washington colleagues have long known how committed President Troy Paino is to the student experience – and to the faculty and staff who work day in and day out to make it the best it can be.

Now, student affairs professionals throughout the Southeastern United States are spreading the news. NASPA, the organization of student affairs administrators in higher education, recognized Paino with its Region III President’s Award for 2022 during a summer symposium in June.

In supporting Paino’s nomination for the recognition, UMW Vice

President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair emphasized the president’s compassionate approach to strategic planning and decision-making, pointing out, “He is, above all, a studentcentered leader.”

That’s not lost on the students themselves. Paino is known for his personal attention to their concerns and his commitment to understanding diverse perspectives – viewpoints he intentionally seeks during regular dinners with students at his residence, Brompton.

Read more about Pres. Paino’s recognition.

University of Mary

Left: Mary Cheney poses with UMW Associate Professor of Education John Broome. Top right: Charlotte Kramer. Bottom right: Tess Darroch poses in South Africa.

Alumni Make a Name for Themselves and Others Student-Designed Mural Honors

First Black Alumna

Dr. Venus Romance Jones.

It’s no wonder that Timbila Kabre ’22 said she had “fallen in love” while researching the late physician who was the first African American student to graduate from Mary Washington, in 1968.

The UMW community gathered in the Jepson Science Center in spring 2022 to honor Dr. Jones with the unveiling of a mural and digital site, which Kabre and her peers helped create as part of Professor and Chief of Staff Jeff McClurken’s Digital History course. The exhibit traces Dr. Jones’ life and barrier-breaking career as a neurologist, along with other trailblazing Black women in medicine.

Faculty and students from the visual arts, history, and the sciences worked in collaboration on the project, with input from the Campus Environment Committee and the Jones family.

Professor of Biological Sciences Andrew Dolby, one of the collaborators on the project, said, “We hope it inspires students, especially from underrepresented backgrounds, to establish careers in science and medicine.”

Read more about the mural project.

The family of Dr. Venus Jones and UMW students who worked on the display.

Student Research Gets a Boost Through Alumna’s Endowment

When Jerri Barden Perkins ’61 was a student, a “small scholarship” of $100 made a huge difference. Her chemistry degree led her to medical school and the National Institutes of Health, where she conducted trailblazing research into rheumatoid arthritis. She later served as an FDA medical officer, recommending approval of the first drug to treat AIDS patients.

Perkins is now helping students succeed through her own gifts to UMW. At the 2022 Summer Science Institute (SSI), seniors Ava Spencer and Kevin Leong received award funds through the John C. and Jerri Barden Perkins ’61 College of Arts and Sciences Student Research Endowment

Spencer, an environmental science major, presented research she conducted with Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe on how extreme heat has impacted Fredericksburg’s

Dr. Jerri Barden Perkins ’61

marginalized communities. Leong, a physics major, designed a solar-powered cellphone charging station for people without homes with Assistant Professor of Physics Desmond Villalba, using a 3D printer and programmed circuits.

“The liberal arts and sciences education students find at Mary Washington broadens their perspectives and prepares them for the real world,” Perkins said. “I hope this award inspires them to open their minds to possibilities in life.”

The 2022 SSI included 19 projects over the course of 10 weeks. The chance to publish collaboratively is one part of the appeal to student participants, who are generally asked by faculty to apply for specific SSI projects and receive a stipend for their work. Just as important is the chance to do meaningful, professional-quality work under scientifically rigorous conditions.

Read more about the Perkins Research Endowment.

“I hope this award inspires them to open their minds to possibilities in life.”

Jerri Perkins, MD, today and as a college junior in 1960.

University of Mary Washington

Beyond Classroomthe

Humanities Symposium Highlights Faculty-Student Research

Undergraduate research has long been a summer staple for Mary Washington math and science students. Now, UMW’s Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Summer Institute gives scholars in those fields the chance to get into the act.

Throughout June, students engaged in a variety of handson research projects with their faculty mentors. Psychology students did an eye-tracking investigation on the effects of mindful attention on memory, while political science majors explored women in Virginia’s General Assembly. Growing community gardens was a topic for students in the sociology department, linguistics students designed an inventory and database for writing systems, and theatre majors created a tabletop puppet performance. They later presented their findings, discussed works in progress, and reflected on how their experiences might enhance future academic and professional endeavors.

Several students noted that their institute experience helped them become more proficient in working with data and sharpened their ability to advocate and defend their work. They also gained a new appreciation for the interconnectedness of their disciplines and built working relationships with their faculty mentors.

Read more about the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Summer Institute.

Students Matias Esquivel and Ezra Hanning work on a writing systems inventory and database.

Grad Students Help Fill Area Teacher Shortage

UMW’s College of Education (COE) has launched a paid internship program to address the critical teaching shortage in local schools. So far it’s working – and so are the graduate students who are taking on full-time teaching positions, which have often led to permanent employment. Gaining hands-on experience while earning a paycheck, completing final requirements for their master’s degrees, and helping to fill a community need? That’s a plan that deserves an A+.

COE Director of Clinical Practice and Partnerships Kristina Peck worked with Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania public school officials to place qualified teachers in classrooms. And it’s paying off.

“We look forward to continuing this valuable opportunity to collaborate with the College of Education,” said Fredericksburg’s Superintendent Marci Catlett.

Read more about the internship program.

Marketing Class Puts Food Waste on the Menu

After Associate Professor of Marketing Kashef Majid watched a documentary on food waste, he was hungry to learn more – and knew his students would be, too. His new course, Alleviating Food Waste, explores the root causes of unused food – a multibillion-dollar problem in the United States –and the ways it can be remedied.

“Around 40 percent of all food in our country goes to waste,” said Majid, who gave a 2022 Mary Talk on the topic. His students document expired products at the Fredericksburg Food Co-op and create tasty dishes with soon-to-be discarded items. They also cooked up a marketing campaign for FoodE, a Fredericksburg area restaurant owned by Top Chef alum Joy Crump, to promote dishes featuring imperfect produce. “My students are challenged to think of innovative solutions for this problem that is very large, yet entirely solvable.”

Read more about Alleviating Food Waste

“I can’t say we’ve ever gone wrong with a UMW graduate.”

Fredericksburg’s Superintendent Marci Catlett

Chloe Wade, M.Ed. ’22, helps a student with an art project at Falmouth Elementary School in Stafford, Virginia.

University of Mary Washington

Seacobeck Serves Up New Home for College of Education

Aspiring teachers are getting a taste of all that Seacobeck Hall has to offer since its $24 million renovation. Now home to UMW’s College of Education (COE) and Office of Disability Resources, the building boasts customized classrooms, a curriculum lab, a greenroom-like “imaginarium,” and a state-of-the-art makerspace, focused on STREAM – science, technology, reading, engineering, art, and math.

Many original features of the 1930s building were preserved, including Corinthian columns, ornate crown molding, mammoth arched windows, and an elegant marble fireplace. Modern touches include an airy twostory forum at the building’s core – where the former dining hall’s kitchens once were – creating an open space for meetings, lectures, and classes. Groups can also gather in the Weatherly Wing, a 150-seat multipurpose auditorium, featuring a Steinway piano that was given to UMW by an anonymous donor.

Read more about the new home for College of Education.

“Good teachers make a difference. This building loudly proclaims that teaching matters.”

College of Education Dean Pete Kelly

Love Story Leads to Lasting Legacy as UMW Dedicates Weatherly Wing

Marceline “Marcy” Weatherly Morris ’50 and Elmer “Juney” Morris Jr. ’50 made a lifelong commitment to each other – and their beloved alma mater – when they fell in love 75 years ago.

She studied music, played in the band and the orchestra, was a marching band drum major, served as class president, and was elected May Queen. He was a sailor who attended Mary Washington – his mother’s alma mater – on the GI Bill. Married right after graduation, they began a multigenerational legacy family that includes children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren who attended Mary Washington.

The couple have made many generous gifts to the University over the years, including scholarships and the Morris Stage at the Heslep Amphitheatre. Their latest gift comes in the form of the Weatherly Wing. Honoring Marcy’s late parents, William Rupert and Lavon Gardner Weatherly, the elegant space was dedicated in November and will be used for music recitals, lectures, and other special events for UMW and the Fredericksburg community.

“I wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for their dedication and sacrifice,” said Marcy of her parents, who took out loans to pay her tuition and even encouraged the young couple to wait until after graduation to marry so Weatherly would be on Marcy’s diploma. “They would have been so proud that this beautiful room at our alma mater has their name on it.”

Read more about this elegant gathering space.

Abigail Reilly ’24, elementary education major, utilizes the curriculum lab (left page).

Educators and students in the two-story forum (above, top).

Music students practice in the Weatherly Wing’s auditorium (above, bottom).

Marcy and Juney Morris, Class of 1950, at the Weatherly Wing dedication ceremony (right).

Long-Awaited Reunion Brought Alums ‘Home’

Mary Washington welcomed over 1,300 alums back to campus in June for the Mother of All Reunions.

Celebrating classes that ended in 0, 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7, the weekend was filled with parties and picnics, lectures, campus tours, performances, art exhibits, class photos, family activities, and trolley excursions through Fredericksburg and to Carl’s for ice cream.

Alumni stayed in former residence halls, toured renovated buildings, and paid tribute to one of their own, as UMW renamed the University Center in honor of Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Emeritus Cedric Rucker ’81 upon his retirement. They swapped stories about splashing in the fountain, bench-sitting, and sledding on cafeteria trays. And they reflected on what sets their alma mater apart.

“I realized my four years here shaped my entire worldview,” said Barb Stuckey ’65. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without Mary Washington.”

Amber Tussing ’00

Read more about the Mother of All Reunions.

“When you can make friends across multiple generations, you know you come from a shared experience.”

Mary Washington Alumni Association Presents Annual Awards

Winners of the 2020, 2021, and 2022 Alumni Awards were recognized during Reunion Weekend in June.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award honors an alum who has made significant achievements and contributions to their profession and community and is recognized as a leader in their field. Recipients were Rich Cooper ’90 (2020), Kerri Barile ’94 (2021), and Patricia Atkinson ’08 (2022).

The Frances Liebenow Armstrong ’36 Service Award is presented to an alum for their longevity, as well as their consistency and breadth of service over a lifetime of dedication to UMW. Recipients were Rob Strassheim ’96 (2020), Florence Overley Ridderhof ’50 (2021), and Anne Robinson Hallerman ’77 (2022).

The Outstanding Young Alumnus Award recognizes an alum who graduated within the past 15 years and has distinguished themself by providing outstanding service to Mary Washington or contributions to their profession and community. Recipients were Rachael Wonderlin ’11 (2020), Chelsea Newnam Krieg ’14 (2021), and Alexandra Zelin ’11 (2022).

Mary Washington Community Gives Back

Mary Washington Breaks Giving Day Records

The entire Mary Washington community came together April 5 for the fifth annual Mary Wash Giving Day, a 24-hour fundraiser to support UMW students, faculty, and programs.

The total for 2022 broke all previous records, with $670,811 raised from donations by alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and friends for 122 areas across the University, including academic, arts, athletics, service, career, and cultural programs. More than $152,000 was raised for the Fund for Mary Washington, addressing the University’s most pressing needs.

Read more about the fifth annual Mary Wash Giving Day.

“It really highlights how broad interests are at Mary Washington. Our supporters can give anywhere their passion lies.”

Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14

University Partnerships Expand Experiences

Challenge Accepted

Picture robots navigating a maze as sonar sounds echo through the room, punctuated by eruptions of cheers. The initial Innovation Challenge @ Dahlgren, held in April 2022 at UMW’s Dahlgren campus, gave more than 70 high school students from across Virginia the chance to put their STEM knowledge to the test in front of a crowd of elected officials, school board members, business leaders, and other VIPs.

Fifteen teams from public, private, and governor’s schools showcased skills in Python coding, sensor integration, navigation, detection, and command and control to establish communication with an “EV3” robot on wheels.

“This is an opportunity to show how important these skills and capabilities are,” College of Business Lecturer John Burrow told the competitors. “Your goals are important to the nation, the region, and the community.”

A host of public and private industries made the event possible: UMW; the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division; the MITRE Corporation; and the Fredericksburg Regional Military Affairs Council. Organizers, who intend to include college students and small businesses, are planning a second challenge on March 31-April 1 at UMW’s Dahlgren Campus.

Read more about the Innovation Challenge @Dahlgren.

Going Global

Longstanding faculty-led study abroad programs once again booked tickets around the world in 2022, giving UMW students the chance to explore living and learning abroad.

Celebrating 20 years since its inception, UMW in Spain returned to Bilbao, where senior Julia May took a food culture course, toured one of the country’s oldest wineries, and visited a Spanish civil war museum devoted to the theme of peace. Traveling to a foreign country was an “enriching” experience, she said.

Senior Celide Verna, who took her first trip overseas through UMW in France, chose one word to describe her adventure abroad: “amazing.” She explored architecture, visited perfume factories, and dined oceanside.

Fellow Francophile Sarah Sklar said her UMW in Paris experience gave her plenty of practice speaking the language she has studied for years. “I was honestly amazed at how much my French improved within a month,” she said. “Being in Paris showed me how different language learning is when you’re immersed culturally as well.”

Read more about the return of UMW Study Abroad.

A group from last summer’s UMW in Spain trip poses with Center for International Education Director Jose Sainz at the top of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.

Grad Pathways

Whether it’s a fourth year of combined coursework or early admissions, UMW’s partnerships extend our educational value and provide pathways for students to access courses of study offered by other institutions.

The Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William & Mary: Master of Accounting and Master of Science in Business Analytics

George Mason University’s Volgenau School of Engineering: BS to MS in engineering

Virginia Tech: Master of Engineering in computer science

George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School: BA to JD program

The George Washington University School of Medicine: early medical school selection for UMW Honors students

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine: guaranteed admissions interview program

Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy: BS to PharmD

Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation: Students can work and study with Smithsonian scientists, Mason faculty, and conservation experts from around the world

The New England Center for Children: work (offered onsite by Northeastern University and Simmons College) and supervised practicum experiences at this state-of-the-art education and individualized treatment center for children with autism and other disabilities

International 4+1 Programs (students earn a graduate degree in one year after their bachelor’s):

• UMW-Bangor University, Wales, UK

• U MW-University of Reading, Reading, England, UK

• U MW-The American College of the Mediterranean, Aix-en-Provence, France

Germanna Community College and the University of Mary Washington have established a transfer program between Germanna’s College Everywhere program and UMW’s College of Business, which can be completed in as little as two and a half years.

Read more about UMW’s Special Programs.

Time-Honored Traditions

2022 marked the return of several uniquely UMW traditions, including the Multicultural Fair, which brought cuisine, crafts, and culture to Mary Washington for the first time in three years. Campus Walk was filled once again with the sounds of bluegrass, jazz, and Afro-Cuban beats, and the scents of tacos, gyros, and sweet treats. Vendors showcased their worldly wares, while students and community members enjoyed activities from around the globe.

Students also competed in Devil-Goat Day, a tradition dating to the 1920s, which was held virtually during the pandemic. Devils, who graduate in odd years, and Goats, who graduate in even years, ran

through obstacle courses, braved a mechanical bull, scaled climbing walls, and participated in a range of inflatable contests. In the end, Goats won the epic tug-of-war battle, but Devils raked in the most points for the ultimate win.

Commencement was back on Ball Circle, but before that, graduates were welcomed as alumni with the Senior Toast – returning for the first time in 25 years – at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center. President Paino lifted a glass to the Class of 2022, who later danced the night away at Grad Ball, held in the Anderson Center.

Maelyn Beitzel and Katie Warlick participate in tug of war at last year’s Devil-Goat Day (below).

August 2021

Virginia Hall reopened after $19 million in renovations (think paint, polish, and preservation plus central AC and an elevator).

September 2021

In-person theatre returned , with productions reflecting the collective pandemic-era conversation that revolved around society, culture, and politics.

October 2021

The Center for Prevention and Education amped up support of students with a $300,000 grant from the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women

November 2021

UMW students showed up at the polls , with accolades from prior years when 79% cast ballots according to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement.

James Farmer Hall was dedicated.

December 2021

UMW’s Debate Team zoomed to a first-place finish at the American Debate Association’s fall championship tournament.

February 2022

The Cedric Rucker University Center naming was announced.

March 2022

Esports joined the athletics roster as the third team sport.

April 2022

The Seacobeck transformation was dedicated , with the former dining hall becoming home to the College of Education and the Office of Disability Resources.

The Multicultural Fair returned after a two-year hiatus.

May 2022

The debut Innovation Challenge @ Dahlgren hosted a robotics competition.

Dancers and musicians perform on Campus Walk at the 32nd annual Multicultural Fair (below).

Center for Community Engagement Director Sarah Dewees and UMW students Ainsley Rucker and Amber Brown worked with UMW Votes to help students cast their ballots (above).

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“We’re so lucky to be able to act onstage together once again.”

UMW Theatre student, Mina Sollars ’23

U.S. Postage PAID University of Mary Washington 1301 College Avenue Fredericksburg, VA 22401-5300

There’s more to the story online. Read more at umw.edu/news or scan the QR code for the digital edition.