President Richard V. Hurley never lost sight of his goal for UMW: That it be one of the nation’s premier public liberal arts and sciences universities. His term in office began just as the country emerged from a shattering economic recession, a time when public funds for higher education dwindled. College students and their parents were also affected, with fewer resources to channel toward tuition and expenses. The five-year, $50 million Mary Washington First campaign is vital to the future of UMW, helping students and faculty stretch to their fullest potential. Money raised allows the university to do things it otherwise couldn’t: Extend more scholarships, endow more professorships, and enhance research and internship opportunities. As of mid-March, more than $47.5 million had been raised with more than three months remaining in the campaign. All of these help UMW attract high-caliber students and faculty, and position itself to keep improving well into the future. You’ll read … [Read more...]
Second Act
Amphitheatre project will bring life back to campus icon
One of the tangible signs of the success of the Mary Washington First campaign is the amphitheatre renovation and improvement project. The $3 million effort was supported by Donald B. and Josephine McPherson Heslep ’56, who pledged $1.25 million, Robert S. and Alice Andrews Jepson ’64, who pledged $1 million, and other generous donors. These architectural plans show the stage restored to its 1953 appearance, when the grove was a center of campus life. The seating will mimic an earlier era – about 1923 – in harmony with the wooded site and national preservation standards. New, accessible pathways of stabilized granite and aggregate will blend with the natural setting. The site will be lighted by a combination of inconspicuous path lighting fixtures and standard campus lampposts. A level aisle across the center of the seating area will allow wheelchair access. Terraces of groundcover along the seating area will be available for picnicking and small group meetings. Concrete benches will … [Read more...]