Cristina Turdean, director of the Center for Historic Preservation, received Historic Fredericksburg Foundation’s highest honor in March for contributions to the city’s historic preservation. Turdean shares the Edward D. Alvey Jr. Education Award with Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge No. 4. Turdean, her students, and lodge officials have worked together for more than six years to catalog the lodge’s historic artifacts and collections. … [Read more...]
On Campus
National Teacher of the Year Urges Student-First Focus
Children need to feel safe, understood, and loved to succeed in the classroom. That’s the message 2019 National Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson delivered in late January at UMW’s Dodd Auditorium. About 200 people attended Robinson’s talk, including aspiring teachers from UMW’s College of Education and working educators from the community. “It’s about relationships,” said Robinson, who teaches history at the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center’s Virgie Binford Education Center. “It’s about touching their hearts and making them want to change.” Robinson believes teachers must meet students’ basic social and emotional needs before tackling academics. He urged educators to get to know their students, empathize with them, and consider the students’ interests and experiences as human beings. “Every day, everything I do is viewed through a lens of equity,” Robinson said at UMW. “I believe that all students can learn, and it’s everybody’s job to help teach the children.” … [Read more...]
UMW Again Steps Up for Peace Corps
For the 12th consecutive year, UMW was a top producer of Peace Corps volunteers among colleges and universities with fewer than 5,000 students. Until the pandemic forced the Peace Corps to evacuate its volunteers from their posts, a dozen graduates were serving worldwide, placing UMW at No. 7 on the top-producer list for its size. A total of 270 alumni have joined the Peace Corps since its 1961 inception. “Mary Washington’s culture of service keeps fueling students’ interest in continuing their commitment to populations served by the Peace Corps,” said Jose Sainz, director of UMW’s Center for International Education. “It pushes their boundaries and offers many opportunities for them to become better global citizens.” … [Read more...]
UMW Ranks High, Puts Low Strain on Billfold
Mary Washington is among the top eight public and private colleges and universities in Virginia, according to a survey by the personal finance website Wallet Hub. UMW’s strong statewide and overall finish means it is among the nation’s top-performing schools with the lowest possible costs. The study measured performance in seven key areas – student selectivity, cost and financing, faculty resources, campus safety, campus experience, educational outcomes, and career outcomes. Among the survey’s Virginia institutions – including the University of Virginia, the College of William and Mary, the University of Richmond, Virginia Tech, and VMI – UMW ranked third in the “educational outcomes” category and fourth in safety. … [Read more...]