Class Notes

Mary Trocchia Rasa graduated with a masters of library science degree from Clarion University in May.  She works for Harford County Public Library in Havre de Grace, Maryland.  She lives in Perryville, MD with husband Anthony and daughters Christina, 13 and Beth, 10.

Stephen Dawson graduated with his doctorate in strategic leadership in May 2018 after completing his master’s in business administration in 2014, earning both degrees while attending Regent University. He is now an Adjunct Professor with Regent in addition to serving as an Executive Strategy Consultant in his private practice since 2001.

Michael Cerami is doing well almost 25 years post MWC. He has been married for 20 years to Melissa Keyser Cerami (Mary Baldwin ‘94) and works for the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) working in sales and traveling globally in the military trade show industry. They have three children, 2 girls and a boy. Their oldest daughter is going to JMU in fall 2018, a daughter in high school and son in 8th grade. He hopes to see many of you at the 25th year reunion in 2019.  Reach him on Facebook or via email At mcerami23@gmail.com

Colette Epple, her husband David and daughter Hannah live in Cleveland, OH where Colette is a professor. Colette insists that “Cleveland Rocks!”   Fannie Davis Gray and family live in New Jersey, and they travel the world in their free time, avoiding political discussion in an effort to remain married. Karen Mesich James recently moved to Charleston, SC, where she is now working for Google’s data center, and Karen’s oldest, Abby, begins at Appalachian State Univ this fall.

As for me, I can’t believe our 25th reunion is coming up in June! I’m still down in Austin Texas, but I’m planning to make the trip and hope to see lots of familiar faces there.

Deborah Shelton, Class of 1994, was promoted to the Benefits Specialist for Manassas City Public Schools Virginia in November 2018.

Communications Specialist Kelly J. Barnes wrote that she is working for the US Army Corps of Engineers, “(but yet using my Art History degree to promote ‘art / creative’ skills that I learned at Mary Washington to develop more than just a photography exhibit.) This is one that has MEANING beyond the beauty of the images.”  Let’s inspire change!!”

She included the following profile about her involvement on ‘Women, Water, and Wells’ photography exhibit (photos by Mr. Gil Garcetti):

USA Today Profiles IWR Employee for Promoting Water Availability Issues via Photography Exhibit

 Kelly J. Barnes 

Intergovernmental & Communications Program Specialist

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Institute for Water Resources

Kelly J. Barnes has been an Intergovernmental and Communications Program Specialist with the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Institute for Water Resources (IWR) since 2006.  Ms. Barnes was recently featured in the USA Today special edition USACE 2018 for her work on the ‘Women, Water, and Wells’ photography exhibit (photos by Mr. Gil Garcetti) which “helps publicize the need for preserving the world’s most valuable resource: water.”  As an art history major in college, she uses her creative skills to help the public understand why this is such a crucial issue.

“A photo can immediately command attention and capture the spirit of the issue,” stated Ms. Barnes.  “We hope that viewers will have an emotional response to the photos, which in turn will hopefully inspire change.  Water availability is an issue that affects our world, from Cape Town, South Africa, to Sacramento, California.  Access to clean drinking water is a huge issue for many populations, and what better way to bring this issue to the forefront than with strikingly beautiful photos.”