On Campus

Less than a year into his tenure, Troy Paino knows what it’s like to be the new guy at Mary Washington. Now the 10th president is sharing his discoveries to help incoming students get to know what to expect of UMW life. The New Guy video series follows Paino as he explores campus and historic Fredericksburg, travels on Amtrak with an alumna, and visits Washington, D.C. The president joined Grace May ’16 on the train to D.C., where she was an intern at the Library of Congress. While in the nation’s capital, the New Guy visited the  happening H Street corridor, where Erik Bruner-Yang ’07 welcomed him to Maketto Cambodian-style marketplace and restaurant. Bruner-Yang took Paino into the kitchen to toss a wok full of noodles, then served them up to fellow alumni Marion Blakey ’70 and Dan Steen ’84, who remembered what it was like to be newcomers at Mary Washington back in the day. Another video finds the president in Fredericksburg with student Nikki Ferrell ’18, captain of the UMW … [Read more...]

The New Guy was inaugurated April 21, just as this edition of UMW Magazine went to press. Troy D. Paino was installed as the 10th president of University of Mary Washington in a formal ceremony held in Dodd Auditorium, followed by a celebration in the University Center. Find out more about the inauguration. Or follow #CelebrateUMW on social media. … [Read more...]

The University of Mary Washington is again one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright students, as announced recently in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Four UMW alumnae are currently traveling, teaching, and researching abroad thanks to the prestigious, competitive grants. Anna Boland ’16 teaches in Niedersachsen, Germany; Lauren Bortfeld ’15 teaches in Argentina; Lisa Johnson ’15 teaches in La Rioja, Spain; and Luci Coleman ’16 conducts research in Cape Town, South Africa. A fifth alumna, Cara Wimberley ’15, had been awarded a Fulbright to teach in Turkey, but Fulbright canceled that program after a coup attempt in that country last summer. Associate Professor of History Nabil Al-Tikriti and Associate Professor of Biology Dianne Baker are co-advisers for UMW’s Fulbright program. Since 2006, UMW has had 17 Fulbright students. … [Read more...]

The University of Mary Washington held its single largest day of fundraising ever on March 14, Mary Wash Giving Day. The event raised $217,255 in gifts and gift commitments from 1,090 donors. The total included $80,655 to the Fund for Mary Washington, to be used for such purposes as programs and events, unexpected student needs, career services, faculty programs, university publications, and areas of greatest need. Other donation categories were arts and culture, UMW athletics, colleges and libraries, the Amphitheatre Challenge, scholarships, the President’s Impact Fund, and the senior class gift. “The Mary Washington community near and far came together to give back in a big way,” President Troy D. Paino said in a video appreciation to donors. “Thanks to your generosity, we’ll be able to strengthen our tradition of excellence and meet students’ needs.” A ceremonial Founders Day bell-ringing went as planned despite winter weather that forced cancellation of classes. The Carmen … [Read more...]

A former president of the University of Richmond and a civilian leader for the Department of the Navy are the guest speakers at the University of Mary Washington’s 2017 commencement ceremonies. Edward Ayers, president emeritus of the University of Richmond, will speak at the undergraduate ceremony Saturday, May 13, on Ball Circle. Ayers, UR’s president from 2007 to 2015, is a historian of the American South and the author of several books. His The Promise of the New South: Life After Reconstruction was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2013. A pioneer in digital history, Ayers is co-editor of the Atlas of the Historical Geography of the United States at the University of Richmond’s digital scholarship lab and is a co-host of BackStory With the American History Guys, a nationally syndicated radio show and podcast. John D. Burrow, a deputy assistant secretary of the Navy, will give the graduate address … [Read more...]

A proposal for monitoring blue crab populations in the Chesapeake Bay region earned UMW’s Amanda Gambale ’19 a $1,500 innovation award from environmental consulting firm Marstel-Day. Gambale received the Innovation in Environmental Stewardship award at the firm’s annual Green Gala in December 2016. The award aims to encourage development of unique solutions to seemingly intractable environmental problems. Gambale, who studies biology, will work on her project with guidance from a Marstel-Day adviser and will present her findings at the project’s conclusion. She will test her hypothesis that invasive catfish are a cause of declining blue crab populations, and that removing the non-native fish will aid in the blue crab’s recovery. “Receiving this award really meant the world to me, because it gives me the opportunity to show everyone how passionate I am not only about my career field, but about these creatures as well,” Gambale said. “We’re looking forward to seeing where this … [Read more...]

A new agreement with the Peace Corps will give UMW students an edge in the competitive volunteer initiative. Beginning fall 2017, Mary Washington will offer the Peace Corps Prep certificate program. The four-year initiative helps students develop skills critical to the success of Peace Corps volunteers. Completing the program won’t guarantee acceptance to the corps, but it will give Mary Washington students a boost. The prep program enhances UMW’s already strong Peace Corps ties. For the 13th year, the Peace Corps has ranked the University of Mary Washington among the nation’s top-producing colleges for alumni serving as volunteers. The rankings are based on the size of each school’s student body. UMW ranks No. 2 among small schools or institutions, with 13 alumni currently volunteering worldwide. Volunteer Sarah Schrock ’15, who is teaching English and environmental education in Paraguay, points out that Peace Corps participants gain as much from the experience as they give. She’s … [Read more...]

The Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition has selected Makerspaces in Schools, developed by Professor of Education George Meadows, as one of its 2017 Programs That Work. The nonprofit education coalition honored Meadows at a Feb. 15 reception at the Library of Virginia in Richmond. With initial funding from a Shirley Van Epps Waple ’52 professional development fellowship in 2013, Meadows introduced the innovative 3D printing program in area elementary and middle school classrooms. The program has helped schools in Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Prince William counties to develop makerspaces, and it has led to similar efforts in the city of Richmond and the Northern Neck. Meadows, who has taught at UMW for the past two decades, has been at the forefront of teaching students about science and technology in creative ways. With colleagues from the university’s Division of Teaching and Learning Technologies and the Simpson Library, he was among the first to introduce 3D printing … [Read more...]

In 1993, Mary Washington received an extraordinary gift from an extraordinary benefactor, the New York painter Alfred Levitt. It included more than 3,000 works of art from his personal collection. These included works not only by Levitt, but also by his dear friend Margaret Sutton ’26. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in studio art from Mary Washington, Sutton moved to New York City where she met Levitt and his wife, Gertrude, a lawyer. The three lived together in a Greenwich Village apartment from 1939 until Gertrude Levitt died in 1983. Alfred Levitt and Sutton remained together there until Sutton’s death in 1990. The exhibit Margaret Sutton, Life and Art examines a rich moment in American art through Sutton’s work and long career. Most importantly, the exhibit represents what is best in the UMW Department of Art and Art History – students learning, creating, and contributing. Students in Professor of Art History Marjorie Och’s Laboratory in Museum Studies class are curating … [Read more...]

Do you have a box of college memorabilia stashed away somewhere? We hope you’ll bring it to reunion to share with fellow alumni and preserve for the future. During Reunion Weekend, UMW digital archivists will set up a scanning station at the University Center to preserve your college photos and papers as part of Mary Washington history. You can keep your originals or donate them to the University Archives, but either way you’ll contribute to the lasting record of a time and place that meant so much to you. The History Harvest table will also feature an exhibit of artifacts from the archives. The table will be open the afternoon of Friday, June 2, and the morning of Saturday, June 3. Reunion Weekend ends Sunday, June 4. Learn more online at www.alumni.umw.edu/reunionweekend. … [Read more...]