UMW’s ASPIRE Week returns the week of April 15, 2024, to celebrate campus community values. ASPIRE stands for six values – one highlighted each day of the week – demonstrating the University of Mary Washington’s dedication to providing a diverse, accepting and supportive environment that holds all of its members to the highest standards of conduct, scholarship, integrity, inclusiveness, respect and engagement.
For Student Government Association President Jaylyn Long ’24, who started ASPIRE Week her junior year as SGA vice president, it’s also about putting those values into practice, something students do in their classes and activities.
“To me, ASPIRE Week is about celebrating, but also reimagining, the way we think about and approach community values,” Long said. “It’s a week to remind us that we’re all a part of a wonderful community where we all equally invest and contribute to the community values that reflect and represent who we are as humans, students, staff, faculty and community members. ASPIRE Week is about reminding us that we all matter and belong in this community but also that we have a duty and responsibility to remind and help others see that they matter and belong here, too.”
The week kicks off by celebrating Accountability, with representatives from around campus who have accountability at the core of their mission. Featured participants will include UMW Police, the Student Conduct Review Board, Eagles in Recovery, Residence Life and Housing, the Center for Prevention and Education, and will include refreshments. The event takes place in the Cedric Rucker University Center living rooms from noon to 2 p.m. on Monday, April 15.
The second day on Scholarship will showcase the annual Majors Fair from noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, where current students can explore academic programs by visiting departments tabling in a central location. This event will be held outdoors in Palmieri Plaza, with a back-up rain date of April 18.
Tuesday afternoon also features a listening session from One Small Step, a program by StoryCorps, nationally broadcast on NPR and shared through a podcast, animated shorts, digital platforms and best-selling books. The nine conversations recorded at UMW in fall 2023 for the One Small Step program include students, faculty, staff and community members. Join in the listening session on Tuesday, April 16, from 3 to 5 p.m., to be among the first to hear the conversations, which aspire not to debate politics but to learn who we are as people. In other words, it fosters learning and understanding, and contributes to UMW’s rich tradition of scholarship. Audio recordings of each interview will be archived at the Library of Congress.
Wednesday is Personal and Institutional Integrity Day. Several campus offices, academic services and student organizations will come together in the Hurley Convergence Center lobby from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, to share how they serve the community. Discover the resources of the Digital Knowledge Center, Speaking & Writing Center, Simpson Library, and Peer Academic Consultants and Tutors, and learn more about the Honor Council at this event.
Thursday is all about Inclusive Excellence. The Multicultural Leadership Council; Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Center for International Education; and campus partners will table starting at noon in the Cedric Rucker University Center. In partnership with University Dining, lunch at the Top of the Cedric Rucker University Center will feature dishes from dining team members’ cultural heritage. This day will also be the Multicultural Experience (ME) Day for admitted students, and current students will end the day with the annual Eagle Awards.
Friday will focus on Respect and Civility, with outdoor activities centralized around the fountain on Palmieri Plaza. Created as a field day for kindness, the two hours from noon to 2 p.m. will include ways to have fun and show kindness from the ground up.
Engagement leads into the weekend on Saturday, April 20, with a collaboration with Community Outreach and Resources (COAR) for Engage with the Earth Day. Volunteer opportunities will take place across campus. The day will culminate with a celebration on the Cedric Rucker University patio. It is also Destination UMW, a time for admitted students to experience campus. The Alumni Association Board of Directors also meets that day, extending the celebration and engagement through life after Mary Washington.
“I am just so proud of SGA President Jaylyn Long and the members of the Student Government Association for all of their hard work on our newest campus tradition,” said Associate Provost for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Shavonne Shorter. “Their enthusiasm to celebrate our community values is a strong testament to their love for UMW. I hope that everyone will come out to celebrate alongside them.”
Each day, members of the campus community can sign a banner, which will be displayed in the Cedric Rucker University Center through the week.
For more information, see the calendar of events listing.
