Troy D. Paino
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 times we are enduring. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered our lifestyles and our outlooks. But it has not changed what we at Mary Washington hold dear: people.
I can think of no better way to stay connected with all of you during this time of social distancing than to send you this beautiful issue of UMW Magazine devoted to the legacy of our beloved Dr. James Farmer Jr. While we try to escape the threat of the pandemic, it is good to remember how this civil rights icon and former UMW professor rushed into unimaginable danger in the pursuit of equal rights and social justice for all. In fact, a celebration of Dr. Farmer’s legacy reminds us to find meaning and purpose as we cope with the fragilities of being human.
Americans have become increasingly detached from one another, and that divide has become more pronounced during this pandemic. Now, more than ever, we need to emulate Dr. Farmer and ask ourselves important moral questions: What is my responsibility to others? How am I to treat the least among us?
I am grateful to lead an institution whose mission it is to prepare students to make connections and to build the communities that give our lives meaning. My hope is that our sacrifice in the name of social distancing will spur a revival of community and an awareness of our responsibilities to one another. Throughout it all, Dr. Farmer’s life and lessons continue to enrich and inspire us.
We hope this magazine provides you with a break from the discouraging news around us. Please take courage and know that this, too, shall pass. And as you read, I hope you will remember that it comes to you from a place that, like Dr. Farmer, seeks to pursue the things that truly matter.
Sincerely,
Troy D. Paino
President