Dear UMW Community,
The fall festivities are all around us this week, with today’s Harvest Festival hosted by UMW Dining to this weekend’s Homecoming. We are excited to welcome alumni back to campus and cheer on the Eagles, through all our endeavors.
Last week, we had the pleasure of celebrating our remarkable staff and faculty during our Annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon featuring a wonderful lunch, award announcements, and raffle prizes. Congratulations to Peter Catlin, Kenny Horning, Shannon Petska, Marion Sanford, and Laura Temple for being recognized for their dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm which make a profound difference in our community. They set a terrific example, and we are most grateful for their contributions.
We also marked a milestone in raising $1 million toward the Beyond the Classroom Endowment (BtC), a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) initiative. Many alumni, family members, students, faculty, and staff contribute to this initiative, which supports student experiences, including study abroad, internships, independent research, travel to academic conferences, and more. We’ve also expanded student experiences through the College of Education, which recently announced a $1.3 million four-year grant by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to establish a Call Me MISTER Program (CMM), supporting first-year and transfer, Pell-eligible students who enroll in teacher education programs, increasing the pool of available teachers from a broader more diverse background. Justin Wilkes, UMW’s Director of Student Transition, Access and Retention Services (STARS), will lead the program. In addition, UMW offers the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, funded by a $1.4 million five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, in partnership with Germanna Community College, to recruit, train, and retain future teachers of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in secondary schools considered high-need.
Partnerships extend our programs and pathways for undergraduate students to pursue graduate degrees as well. UMW’s College of Business has signed a partnership agreement with the University of Virginia that helps accelerate grads’ paths to a master’s degree in accounting from UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce. And tomorrow, Oct. 25, we will be joined here in Fredericksburg by colleagues from George Mason University at a signing ceremony for the UMW-Accelerate Mason initiative. This partnership will make it possible to build pathways from UMW’s undergraduate degrees to graduate degrees at Mason, reducing the time and cost for students seeking credentials beyond the bachelor’s degree. Learn more about graduate pathways, including the requirements and scholarship opportunities, on our website, or learn how you can complete a graduate program in business or education at UMW.
We are also proud to announce that UMW ranked 91 out of 511 colleges and universities throughout the world in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2025 Edition. Schools are selected as a result of administrator and student survey results based on their exceptional programs, policies, and practices related to sustainability and the environment. The beauty of our campus is noticed by many – our community, our neighbors, and visitors. But it doesn’t just magically happen. Rather, it takes tremendous work and dedication by many of our Facilities Services crews. We are so appreciative of their contributions to ensuring we have such a wonderful place to work and live.
That work and expertise extend into the community and through our employer partners. Earlier this week, UMW hosted and was selected to compete in the second collegiate innovation challenge sponsored by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) at the UMW Dahlgren Campus in King George. This year’s challenge focused on developing innovative solutions against cyber threats, and the UMW team placed 4th in this national competition.
This week we celebrate Virginia College Application Week, an annual event spanning the state that offers expert tips and the opportunity to apply for free. Our UMW campus community can share the code “UMWFAM” for an application waiver for the Common App and invite prospective students to tune into Tip Tuesday @marywashadmissions on Instagram for more advice throughout the application process. We appreciate our dedicated staff in Admissions and Financial Aid for guiding students and their families through the application process and connecting with our next class of students.
We also recognize our many amazing transfer students as a part of National Transfer Student Week this week with free coffee, a free t-shirt, a trip to Reclaim Arcade, and more. Transfer students are such an integral part of our community, bringing a unique perspective to the classroom, sharing their work and personal experiences, and enhancing conversations.
Coming up, we’ll have more events and opportunities for conversations and civic engagement as Election Day nears. I encourage you to check the events calendar for upcoming talks including the James Farmer Multicultural Center Cultural Awareness Series, the Khatib Program in Religion and Dialogue, and our annual Phi Beta Kappa visiting scholar. In November, we’ll celebrate the 30th year of the Women’s Leadership Colloquium and share more information about Day on Democracy, with student-led information tables and activities. Thanks to UMW Votes for steadfast encouragement to become actively involved in the election process through civic and public service opportunities, as well as to vote before or on the day of the General Election, Tuesday, Nov. 5.
As we fill our calendars this month, I hope you’ll also take a moment to appreciate all that we’ve accomplished so far this semester, whether that’s completing mid-terms or celebrating a successful performance. There’s still time to get tickets for UMW Theatre, go to an art exhibit or music concerts, take in the season with old and new Halloween-themed activities, or find ways to reconnect with friends at Homecoming this weekend or throughout the fall.
Sincerely,
Troy Paino