Kenny Rogers Joins Philharmonic to Delight Celebrity Series Fans

UMW benefited from a rained-out Kenny Rogers concert. The country music great was scheduled to play an outdoor gig in Fredericksburg last September. At the last minute, it was called off due to rain. Organizers vowed to honor all tickets, and they took advantage of a great new Fredericksburg venue – the University’s William M. Anderson Center. The concert was rescheduled for seven months later. On April 21, both the UMW Philharmonic and the Anderson Center showed off their attributes when Kenny Rogers joined the UMW William M. Anderson Celebrity Series. The evening began with the 85-member ensemble playing a set of patriotic tunes, concluding with Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA. Then Rogers, who at 73 is as engaging as ever, entertained the crowd of nearly 2,000 with one-liners and familiar hits, including The Gambler, Lucille, Islands in the Stream, Lady, and We’ve Got Tonight, most of them to the philharmonic’s rich accompaniment. The 2013 Celebrity Concert will … [Read more...]

Interim Provost Comes Aboard

This spring Ian D.C. Newbould, who holds a doctorate in history from the University of Manchester, was named interim provost of the University of Mary Washington. Most recently, he served as president of Richmond, the American International University in London, U.K., from 2008 to 2011. Newbould joined UMW April 16 and will serve through the 2012-2013 academic year as the chief academic officer overseeing faculty matters and academic programs, planning, and budgets. Working with deans and faculty, the provost leads major university initiatives in teaching, research, and creative activities and has responsibility for all university educational and academic policies. Newbould’s career in higher education spans more than 30 years and includes presidencies at three institutions. President Richard V. Hurley described Newbould as “an accomplished educator and administrator whose breadth of experience and international expertise will help bolster our academic programs and commitment … [Read more...]

Service Keeps UMW on U.S. President’s Honor Roll

Thanks to the volunteer efforts of the more than 500 students in UMW’s Community Outreach and Resources (COAR), the University made the (U.S.) President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the third year in a row. The distinction recognizes colleges and universities for engaging students, faculty, and staff in volunteer efforts that have a significant effect on the surrounding community. COAR members donated nearly 7,000 hours of work and made an economic impact of more than $145,000 for Fredericksburg-area agencies, schools, and hospitals during the 2010-2011 academic year. UMW COAR works outside the community, too. During spring break in March, it sent 51 students to Wilmington and Avery County, N.C., and to Cookeville, Tenn., to work with Habitat for Humanity. The Community Service Honor Roll award is presented by the Corporation for National and Community Service in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban … [Read more...]

Foreign Affairs Essay Ranks High at Naval Academy Conference

International affairs major Callie Kyhl ’12 was named first runner-up for best civilian paper in the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference (NAFAC) national essay contest. Her winning paper was titled U.S.-China Competition in the South China Sea: A U.S. “Eclipsed” or “Resurgent.” Jack Kramer, UMW distinguished professor of political science and international affairs, worked with Kyhl on the semester-long independent study for which she wrote the essay. “This is a truly outstanding and very well-deserved achievement on Callie’s part,” Kramer said. “It is also a testimonial to the outstanding education Callie has received at UMW, where faculty and students routinely work closely together.” Kyhl is a paralegal for Livesay & Myers in Manassas, Va., and she once held a seat on the Remington Town Council. A member of Phi Beta Kappa and the UMW Pre-Law Society, she hopes to complete Virginia’s Law Reader Program and become a licensed attorney. Held in April, NAFAC is the … [Read more...]

Hotel Rising

UMW Foundation’s five-story Hyatt Place hotel project will be the first to benefit from the Virginia Tourism Development Financing project, announced in June by Gov. Bob McDonnell. Construction began in July on the building situated between Giant Food and the Eagle Village Executive Offices. The 66,500-square-foot hotel will include 93 rooms or suites, conference rooms, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. The City of Fredericksburg and Fredericksburg Economic Development Authority are supporting partners in the hotel, which should open by fall 2013. … [Read more...]

Pros Share Real-World Lessons

Business leader Thomas P. Nerney and education leader Princess Moss ’83 each spent a day in residence at the University of Mary Washington this spring semester. Nerney, UMW 2012 Executive- in-Residence, believes business is about putting the heart first, keeping a clear focus on the people in the organization, and emphasizing company culture. The chair, president, and chief executive officer of United States Liability Insurance Group spoke to nearly 100 regional business leaders and community members on March 23 at the Executive-in-Residence event. The College of Business and the Division of Advancement and University Relations coordinate the program, which was established in 1989. Moss, UMW 2012 Educator-in- Residence, is on the front lines fighting for today’s teachers. The one-time member of the UMW Board of Visitors discussed this struggle in May at the second annual Educator-in-Residence event, sponsored by the UMW College of Education. Moss, who serves as president … [Read more...]

Governor Welcomes Monroe to Executive Mansion

Two centuries after he signed legislation to have the Virginia Executive Mansion built, James Monroe has received a formal invitation to the home of the state’s governor. A near life-size portrait of the fifth United States president, on loan from UMW’s James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library and attributed to American neoclassical painter Rembrandt Peale, was unveiled in the mansion’s State Dining Room on June 21. It will remain on view there for two years in celebration of the 2013 bicentennial of the building’s construction. Installed in February in the oval- shaped dining room, the three- quarter-length portrait and its large gold frame have considerable heft. The piece was carefully transported and installed by art handlers from Ely Inc. and staff members from the Executive Mansion and the Library of Virginia. James Monroe Museum Curator Jarod Kearney and Director Scott Harris also were on hand for the installation. Once the portrait was in place, Harris said, “first … [Read more...]

New Director Takes the Lead in UMW Athletics

Ken Tyler dreams big. UMW’s new athletic director wants to make Mary Washington one of the top 25 NCAA Division III programs in the country. Tyler, former director of athletics at West Virginia Wesleyan College, comes from a school with the largest athletic program in that state. He succeeds a UMW legend, Edward Hegmann, who retired in July after serving the University for 36 years. At a press conference in May announcing Tyler’s selection, the new athletic director conceded that he had big shoes to fill. Tyler described Hegmann as “the architect of UMW athletics.” “Mary Washington’s outstanding academic reputation, combined with its strong and broad-based athletic program, makes this one of the best small-college positions in the country,” Tyler said. Present at the news conference were several of his former athletes as well as two teammates and lifelong friends from his time as a student at the College of William and Mary, where he played on the men’s basketball team. At … [Read more...]

Three Alumni Named to UMW Board

In June, the office of Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell named three new members to the University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors. The recent appointees are Tara C. Corrigall ’82 of Virginia Beach, Theresa Young Crawley ’77 of Fredericksburg, and Mark S. Ingrao ’81 of Falls Church, Va. Corrigall, a financial adviser and certified investment management analyst, is director of advisory and brokerage services at the Virginia Beach branch of the global firm UBS. She is a member of the boards of directors of the Central Business District Association of Virginia Beach and the YWCA of South Hampton Roads. A longtime UMW President’s Council donor, Corrigall is on the President’s Council Committee, having served as the group’s first chair. She was a member of the UMW Alumni Association Board of Directors beginning in 1992 and served as president from 1998 through the end of her tenure in 2000. She also is a class news agent for UMW Magazine. Crawley, a dentist and avid community … [Read more...]

Give It Your Best Shot!

Mary Washington’s first major art exhibit opened in 1956 in conjunction with the inauguration of Grellet C. Simpson as chancellor. Organized by Professor of Art Emeritus Julien Binford and featuring 50 works from New York dealers, the show became an annual event. Art students were asked to study – and sometimes copy – the works on display, and the début exhibit sparked the tradition of student participation in mounting the show. Do you recognize this young art student who posed with a painting outside Melchers Hall in 1958? If you know this student, please leave a comment below or send an email with Get the Picture in the subject line to ntrenis@umw.edu. The Spring 2012 edition of Get the Picture featured a photo of a student working at a bulky computer terminal in Combs Hall in the ’80s. UMW Magazine asked readers to help match a name to the “mustachioed user.” Cheryl Little Sutton ’87 wrote to identify the student as William “Bill” R. Waller ’84 and said she had … [Read more...]