Dear UMW Family and Friends: In mid-March, COVID-19 made its way to Virginia. Universities are particularly vulnerable to the threat, given the close communion and quarters we share around the clock. The commonwealth and our UMW administration instituted immediate measures to protect this community. We sent students home, launched remote learning, and canceled all activities and events, including commencement and Reunion Weekend. We also suspended publication of this celebratory edition until we could better assess the situation. With May’s sense of renewal, we believe our community is hungry for positive news, and we decided to proceed. This publication reminds us of the strength, resilience, and collaborative spirit of the Mary Washington community. It’s also a snapshot of campus life just before COVID-19 changed everything – a time when students, faculty, and staff still gathered together to learn, teach, have fun, and celebrate all things Mary Washington. What strange … [Read more...]
Museum Communicator Named a Top Richmonder Under 40
As director of communications for the Valentine Museum in Richmond, Virginia, Eric Steigleder ’10 helps area residents better understand the region, its history, and one another. Through its museum exhibitions, well-tended collections, history tours, and public programs, the Valentine brings people together for conversations that aren’t always easy. “From a history perspective it can be difficult enough to talk about some of these complicated stories,” Steigleder told Richmond’s Style Magazine last year. “But it’s even more important to talk about them in a way that helps us address the issues of today.” The magazine recognized Steigleder – who majored in history at Mary Washington – as one of its Top 40 Under 40 in 2019. … [Read more...]