One of Hannah Stottlemyer’s most memorable moments at the University of Mary Washington came on a Global Medical Brigades trip to treat underserved communities in Panama. There, she put her majors in biomedical sciences and Spanish into practice when she extracted a patient’s tooth and watched his sudden relief.
Having this experience as an undergraduate was possible because she earned an Alvey Scholarship, she said, providing her with full tuition, fees, and room and board. “I feel such gratitude toward my donor,” said Stottlemyer, a Mary Washington senior who plans to apply to dental school this spring. “She achieved success and decided to selflessly invest in UMW students to ensure they also have opportunities to succeed.”
At the Celebration of Giving, Stottlemyer shared her story, honoring her late donor, Irene Piscopo Rodgers, who passed away in July 2022. The 1959 alumna left the University a transformational $30 million estate gift for undergraduate STEM research and to establish four new Alvey Scholarships for out-of-state students, in addition to the eight she created in her lifetime. This year’s event, held Dec. 6 at UMW’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center, focused on the tremendous impact that Rodgers and other alumnae in the sciences have made at Mary Washington by prioritizing the University in their philanthropic giving over the years.
“They overcame obstacles at a time when there were few women in STEM, found success in their fields and gave back to their alma mater so students could follow their dreams and change the world,” said Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement Katie Turcotte, who shared highlights from the past fundraising year and thanked those who donated in 2023.
2023 marked the most successful fundraising year in Mary Washington’s 115-year history, she told the 200-plus guests in attendance, who contributed toward the $21.3 million raised in donations and pledges over the past year in support of UMW students, faculty and programs. “Through your philanthropy, your volunteerism and your engagement, you have given so much back to the University, and our students see that and are inspired by each of you.”