More than 1,000 new students arrived on campus in August, joining the University of Mary Washington from 27 states and seven foreign countries. The newcomers include about 870 freshmen and 300 transfer students. More than 20 percent identify themselves as racial or ethnic minorities. About two-thirds are women. … [Read more...]
Great Lives Lives!
November 18, 2014 by
The Chappell Lecture Series, Great Lives, will feature subjects as diverse as Confucius, Al Capone, and Shirley Temple, from January through April 2015. All lectures are at 7:30 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall. Admission is free. Jan. 15: Alfred Hitchcock, by Thomas Leitch, co-editor of A Companion to Alfred Hitchcock Jan. 20: The Explorers, by Martin Dugard, author of The Explorers: A Story of Fearless Outcasts, Blundering Geniuses, and Impossible Success Jan. 22: Mathew Brady, by Robert Wilson, author of Mathew Brady: Portraits of a Nation Jan. 27: John F. Kennedy, by Larry Sabato, author of The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy Feb. 3: Duke Ellington, by John Hasse, author of Beyond Category: The Life and Genius of Duke Ellington Feb. 5: Robert Ripley, by Neal Thompson, author of A Curious Man: The Strange and Brilliant Life of Robert “Believe It or Not!” Ripley Feb. 10: Winnie … [Read more...]
Arts on Campus
November 18, 2014 by
A selection of upcoming shows and exhibits at UMW UMW Philharmonic Orchestra Concerts at 7:30 p.m., Dodd Auditorium 540/654-1324 philharmonic.umw.edu Holiday Pops: Home for the Holidays Dec. 4 and 5 Celebrity Series Michael Feinstein: The Sinatra Project March 14, 2015 Classical Dance Party: The Richmond Ballet April 24, 2015 Ridderhof Martin Gallery umwgalleries.org 540/654-1013 J.W. Fike: Photographic Survey of the Wild Edible Botanicals of the North American Continent Jan. 15-March 1, 2015 Lily Cox-Richard: The Stand A series of compellingly beautiful and ghostly plasters March 18-May 3, 2015 UMW Theatre 540/654-1111 cas.umw.edu/theatre Sing-Along Sound of Music 2 and 7 p.m., Dodd Auditorium Dec. 6 The Drunken City by Adam Bock Klein Theatre Feb. 12-22, 2015 Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde Klein Theatre April 9-19, 2015 … [Read more...]
Film Exec Advises “Change and Innovate”
November 18, 2014 by
NBC Universal executive Daniel Wolfe ’84 came from California to spend two fall days on campus as the University of Mary Washington’s 2014-15 executive-in-residence. In October, Wolfe spoke with students and community leaders about the business of moviemaking, a subject he knows well. As executive vice president of NBC Universal’s Worldwide Creative Operations, he oversees a staff of more than 100 who provide marketing support for Universal productions. At UMW, he urged audience members to be innovative in their businesses and careers. “Maintaining the status quo is not a strategy,” he said. Businesses can either hold onto their success model until it becomes irrelevant or continuously look to change and innovate. “The biggest thing is: Are we listening to our consumer? The ability to ask questions, the ability to let your guard down and say ‘let me ask what would be a better way to do this’ is so important for any business and for any individual to keep growing,” Wolfe … [Read more...]
Former Rector Honored
November 18, 2014 by
Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Pamela J. White ’74 has been named Maryland’s Robert M. Bell Judge of the Year for 2014. The award is given by the Maryland Access to Justice Commission, which recognizes people and programs that help Marylanders gain access to courts or obtain legal representation in civil matters. According to a commission press release, White “has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving access to justice for all Marylanders.” As president of the Maryland State Bar Association, White “exercised extraordinary leadership” to support rule changes governing attorneys’ pro bono work, the release said. She has overseen the court’s Civil Alternative Dispute Resolution Program since 2009, has served as the pro bono committee liaison for the Circuit Court bench for the past six years, and remains actively engaged on the local pro bono committee. White is a former member and rector of the University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors. … [Read more...]
’41 Grad Still Fearless
November 18, 2014 by
Lois Loehr Brown ’41 couldn’t have articulated exactly what she felt the spring she graduated from Mary Washington. But she would carry the buoyant feeling with her when she interviewed for – and landed – her first teaching job in Middlesex County, Virginia, that autumn. Brown possessed it when, after moving to Detroit with her young family after World War II, she was required to take a speech class so the locals could understand her. And she carried it with her on solo travels all over the world – including East Africa, Israel, China, and the Soviet Union. “I didn’t realize at the time, but when I came out of Mary Washington, I felt confidence,” said Brown, 95, a longtime class agent who lives in Annandale, Virginia. The great-granddaughter of Prussian immigrants and the granddaughter of a Confederate soldier, Brown grew up in the shadow of Robert E. Lee’s bronze likeness in Richmond. She headed to Fredericksburg in the fall of 1937 to pursue a degree in physical … [Read more...]
Book by UMW Faculty
November 18, 2014 by
Balancing the Big Stuff: Finding Happiness in Work, Family, and Life Miriam Liss, professor of psychology, and Holly Schiffrin, associate professor of psychology The authors “have penned the definitive book on work-life balance − an elegant blend of engaging stories, illuminating examples, and cutting-edge empirical evidence,” wrote Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The Myths of Happiness and The How of Happiness. – Rowman & Littlefield, August 2014 … [Read more...]
Princess Moss: Teachers’ Advocate
November 17, 2014 by
In 1979, Princess Moss ’83 was just another bright-eyed freshman at then-Mary Washington College who suddenly felt like a small fish in a very big pond. Moss was following in the footsteps of sister Hazel Moss Putty ’73, one of the first African-Americans to attend the college. More than 30 years later, Moss made some history of her own when she was elected secretary-treasurer of the National Education Association (NEA). Although money was tight, Moss’ parents always had big plans for their daughters. Their father drove school buses and taxis in Fredericksburg for a living, often driving Mary Washington students to and from campus. “He knew that if he ever had girls, he hoped they would go there,” Moss said. His dreams - and hers - came true when she enrolled in the college to study music. Moss credits Mary Washington with giving her strong leadership and communication skills. “The goals and ideals that Mary Washington tries to instill in its students tremendously helped me in … [Read more...]
Study Abroad Sparked Love
November 16, 2014 by
On a blue-sky August morning, Flora Chung Takoshima and Akiyuki Takoshima ’05 maneuvered two little girls and a paraphernalia-laden stroller along Campus Walk. Yua, 11 months old, gurgled and grinned in her parents’ arms. Four-year-old Yuki romped on the green grass and took in every sight – especially the Palmieri Plaza fountain. The Takoshimas had traveled from their home in Kariya, Aichi, Japan, to visit friends and see the campus where Flora and Akiyuki met a decade earlier. Back home, Flora is a full-time mom and Aki a software engineer for an automotive company. On campus, the family posed for portraits by Heather Spring Sieck ’96 and J.P. Sieck ’95, who own Sieck Photography in Fredericksburg. The Takoshimas’ friend Steve Mauro ’04, who roomed with Aki a decade ago, shot video. Aki, a native of Sapporo, Japan, earned a degree from the Chitose Institute of Science and Technology but decided to pursue a second bachelor’s degree in the United States. He chose Mary … [Read more...]
Former Eagle Finds Niche Promoting NFL Jaguars
November 15, 2014 by
It’s easy to imagine Tad Dickman ’12 in his dorm room after a long day of classes and basketball practice as a University of Mary Washington undergrad, fighting exhaustion to finish a term paper and wondering: When am I ever going to do this in the “real world”? Now, those term papers must seem like tapping a text message compared to the 150-page dossier Dickman compiles weekly as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ public relations coordinator. Just two years after earning a degree in business administration, Dickman finds himself feeding football fans’ - and the media’s - insatiable appetite for information. A four-year starter on the Eagles’ basketball team, Dickman knew he wanted to pursue a career in athletics. Interning abroad after his junior year, he fell in love with PR while working in Sydney for Australia’s National Basketball League. After graduation, he interned with Major League Soccer’s D.C. United before getting an internship with the National Football League's New York … [Read more...]