Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, whom the The Washington Post called “the founding father of microlending,” met with Professor of Economics Shawn Humphrey and past and present students to honor the UMW team for their work in microfinance. They are shown here at the international conference of RESULTS, an organization dedicated to ending poverty. The UMW professor and his students have mobilized a microfinance movement through their Month of Microfinance initiative and established La Ceiba, a student-run microfinance institution, in Honduras. Yunus, a native of Bangladesh, has been recognized for his work on microlending with more than 100 international awards, including the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2006, the Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized Yunus’ “efforts to create economic and social development from below.” … [Read more...]
On Campus
UMW Boosts Job Prospects in the ´Burg
Fredericksburg is one of the best places in Virginia to get a job, and UMW helps make it that way. That’s according to financial literacy and consumer advocacy website NerdWallet.com, in its recently published “Best Places in Virginia for Job Seekers.” The NerdWallet study ranked Fredericksburg No. 7 based on a study that analyzed population growth, median household income, and local unemployment rate. “The University of Mary Washington focuses on developing the region’s economy with a Small Business Development Center to help local businesses grow and prosper and a UMW Entrepreneurs Club to encourage students to start and grow businesses,” said Annie Wang, analyst with NerdScholar, a NerdWallet subsidiary. … [Read more...]
Reinstating The Plan
A decade after breaking up, The Dismemberment Plan is back with a new album, a cross-country tour, and a recent appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Uncanney Valley – its cover photo shot at a Fredericksburg show – was released Oct. 15. The indie-rock band includes two UMW English majors, bassist Eric Axelson ’94 and lead guitarist Jason Caddell ’93, who met on the steps of Westmoreland Hall, as well as drummer Joe Easley and frontman Travis Morrison. Formed in 1993, The Plan picked up speed with their eclectic style, boundless energy, and fervent fan base. They spent a decade building momentum, touring with Pearl Jam, co-headlining with Death Cab for Cutie, and releasing four studio albums. Since The Plan’s 2003 breakup, they’ve performed periodic reunion shows, but this fall's release is their first album in 12 years. Rolling Stone previewed Uncanney Valley (the misspelling is intentional) in July, NPR streamed it in advance of its release date, and The Plan … [Read more...]
Learning in the Now
When Zakaria Kronemer strolls down Campus Walk, the UMW junior isn’t thinking about his upcoming exam or the conversation he just had. Instead, he focuses on his feet as each step pounds the brick walkway. He feels the air touching his hand as the wind blows and concentrates on his muscles as they work to move his legs. Kronemer practices living in the moment. It’s a lesson that he learned last summer as one of 40 students from around the world studying the Buddhist practices of meditation and tai chi in the mountains of eastern China at the Shengshou Temple. Back at UMW this fall, he found that his outlook on life had changed. Most significantly, the philosophy major has adjusted his view of everyday tasks. “Everything in the monastic life is a contemplative process,” said Kronemer, who traveled to China after receiving a scholarship from the Woodenfish Project, which educates emerging scholars on Chinese Buddhism. “That’s something that I’ve been trying to incorporate into … [Read more...]
B.S. in Nursing May Begin in 2014
A University of Mary Washington initiative could help close the gap between Virginia’s growing population and its number of college-educated nurses. Just a third of Virginia’s nurses hold bachelor’s degrees, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Nurse Supply Model. A new bachelor of science in nursing completion program at UMW could change that by allowing nurses with accredited associate degrees or nursing diplomas to earn bachelor’s degrees. The program, planned for fall 2014 pending approval by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, is made possible by a $25,000 grant from Mary Washington Hospital’s Community Benefit Fund. Those funds are “instrumental in developing this essential program to address the need for a highly educated nursing workforce,” said UMW President Richard V. Hurley. Courses will connect students with liberal arts perspectives on health care delivery and won’t require new labs or equipment, said UMW College of … [Read more...]