Student Leaders’ Event ‘ASPIRES’ to Celebrate Community Values 

From the moment University of Mary Washington students become Eagles, they’re guided by a set of values called “ASPIRE.”

The acronym, which stands for traits like accountability, respect and engagement, is so key to UMW, thought junior and Student Government Association (SGA) Vice President Jaylyn Long, that the values – and students’ commitment to them – could use a little refreshing. Her solution, ASPIRE Week, a six-day celebration representing each attribute, débuted this spring. Packed with educational opportunities, tabling events, banner signings and more, the week and its themes allowed other campus organizations to integrate their own functions into each day.

“I really enjoyed the support from campus partners,” said Long, now the newly elected SGA president. “It created a deeper connection among student leaders.”

Here’s how she spelled out the week.

Accountability Day (Monday, April 10) focused on holding oneself accountable for actions and promoting the transparency of campus leadership. Associate Professor of Finance and University Faculty Council member Rachel Graefe-Anderson’s opening remarks encouraged students to share their thoughts, ideas and concerns with professors. Also that day, SGA and the UMW Administration hosted a joint forum on the budget and tuition setting, presented by President Paino and Vice President for Administration and Finance Craig Erwin.

Scholarship Day (Tuesday, April 11) brought UMW’s annual Majors Fair to Palmieri Plaza and its bubbling fountain, where department representatives answered questions from students interested in certain areas of study, internships and other opportunities.

Pugh watches as UMW President Troy Paino signs the ‘Accountability’ banner on the first day of ASPIRE Week in 2022. Photo by Sam Cahill.

Scholarship Day, which represents the ‘S’ in ‘ASPIRE,’ brought the Majors Fair to Palmieri Plaza last year. Studio art is one of many areas of study from which UMW students may choose. Photo by Sam Cahill.

Professors of Geography (foreground) Farhang Rouhani (left) and Steve Hanna watch while students (from left) Kaleb Dunlap, Elisa Luckabaugh, Colin Uhry and Devin Thigpen play a game revolving around concentrations within the geography major during last year’s ASPIRE Week. Photo by Sam Cahill.

Jenny Wolfe encourages participation on Scholarship Day during last year’s ASPIRE Week. Photo by Sam Cahill.

Personal and Institutional Integrity Day (Wednesday, April 12) shined a light on the Honor Council and Student Conduct Review Board. UMW community members were invited to recommit to personal and institutional integrity by signing a banner, another common theme throughout the week. The banners were then displayed in the Cedric Rucker University Center.

Inclusive Excellence Day (Thursday, April 13) brought campus organizations that promote inclusivity – such as the Latino Student Association and Brothers of a New Direction – to the Cedric Rucker University Center. University Dining created a lunch menu featuring dishes highlighting team members’ cultural heritage. The evening showcased the annual Eagle Awards, as well as a ceremony welcoming incoming student leaders to SGA and Class Council.

UMW students Ryan Meek and Kaylah Lightfoot participate last year on ASPIRE Week’s Personal and Institutional Integrity Day, which reacquainted students with the Honor Council’s process of dealing with student conduct. Photo by Sam Cahill.

UMW student Knox McKinley addresses a group of volunteers about to participate in a community-service event on Engagement Day. Photo by Kaira Otero.

Newly admitted UMW students received yard signs during the season’s last Destination UMW event, which fell on Engagement Day. Photo by Sam Cahill.

From left to right, UMW students Camille Lamey, Brooke Abrash and Gabriela Valle show off the effects of their participation in a gardening community service project during Engagement Day. Photo by Kaira Otero.

Respect and Civility Day (Friday, April 14) relied on social media campaigns, topped off by the popular “Respect” lip-sync video. “We decided to just go for it,” said ASPIRE Week Subcommittee Chair Shauna Kaplan. “We thought it would be a great way to engage different people on campus.”

Engagement Day (Saturday, April 15) focused on community service projects led by Community Outreach and Resources (COAR), as well as the season’s last Destination UMW event for admitted students.

Long’s idea for ASPIRE Week began taking shape last year during a Multicultural Leadership Council meeting, where concerns were expressed that the University’s new branded marketing campaign could overshadow its values. “I wanted to prove to students that [the brand] and ‘ASPIRE’ do not have to compete,” she said. “They can coexist.”

She hopes ASPIRE Week will continue and grow, as does Associate Provost for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Shavonne Shorter, who helped implement the event.

“My hope is that this continues to be an annual tradition here at UMW,” Shorter said, “as we ‘ASPIRE’ to be our best selves every day.”