Dear UMW Community,
We are excited to welcome you back to campus for another year of learning, exploring, and celebrating personal and professional endeavors and accomplishments. And, to our new students, faculty, and staff, I extend a whole-hearted, sincere welcome to you – the newest members of our diverse, supportive community. I’m looking forward to meeting you over the coming months.
Many of you have been working through the summer, and we’ve accomplished so much! From the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Summer Institute (AHSSSI), which offered students five weeks to research, collaborate, and practice possible professions, to the 10-week Summer Science Institute, now named for Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59, which showcased scientific research across disciplines, to the recent service projects and explorations of NEST and the Honors Program City as Text, we expanded our boundaries and knowledge, connecting to communities and learning from one another. We closed the books on another successful fundraising year, and we joined the world in cheering for the Olympics, including a few of our own alumni working behind the scenes. We also hosted the annual Summer Enrichment Program for high school students, giving them a glimpse of the college experience, and of course, we welcomed our newest students through orientation sessions and the Student Enrichment Program. We are so glad you are here!
Earlier this month, we welcomed students to a new high school experience on our Stafford Campus, with the opening of the Academy of Technology and Innovation at the University of Mary Washington (ATI-UMW). This one-of-a-kind public high school focuses on computer and data science, teaching excellence, and career readiness for up to 100 ninth graders from partner school districts. This professional development school model will also utilize the expertise of UMW professors and create formative teaching experiences for UMW students within the College of Education, supporting lifelong learning and intellectual growth.
In addition, UMW unveiled five markers on campus as part of the Fredericksburg Civil Rights Trail, a collective project with the City of Fredericksburg. These five new markers tell pieces of Mary Washington’s story, highlighting students, individuals, and historical occurrences following the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ‘60s. The Fredericksburg trail became part of the national U.S. Civil Rights Trail this past February. I encourage you to visit the markers at Combs Hall, Ball Circle, and Monroe Hall, where James L. Farmer, Jr., the late civil rights icon and Freedom Rides leader, taught Mary Washington students the history of civil rights for more than a decade.
Campus construction once again stretched across campus this summer, but with fewer disruptions overall. The fourth and final phase of the Underground Utility Project concluded this month. This comprehensive project will have replaced more than 5,000 linear feet of waterlines and steam pipes throughout the campus, enhancing heating and hot water for buildings. Renovations and repair work continue on a variety of buildings such as water damage and HVAC repairs in George Washington Hall, water damage and roof rafter repairs in Monroe Hall, and reupholstering projects and structural repairs in Simpson Library. Maintenance and repair work on Goolrick Pool will conclude later this fall. Thanks to many of our faculty, staff, and students who have been so dedicated over the summer months preparing our campus for this fall semester. More information about ongoing construction and renovations projects is available on our website.
And, thanks to the dedicated work of our landscape and grounds crew and others who have planned and planted seeds for our beautiful campus over the years, UMW has been named a Tree Campus nine years in a row. Our Comprehensive Campus and Building Planning Committee is preparing to share with campus a draft of a 10-year plan for UMW facilities and spaces, one that will acknowledge the University’s evolution and address the optimization of our physical facilities and resources.
On a national scale, UMW continues to receive recognition as a premier public liberal arts and sciences university, showcasing academic excellence, as well as a campus connected to a city that offers opportunities for internships and service learning. Money Magazine recognized UMW among the “Best Colleges in America” based on quality, affordability, and the future earning potential of our students. Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025 included UMW on its annual list of the “best and most interesting” out of 300 universities and colleges in the United States. UMW is also included on its short list of inexpensive public colleges and universities.
Our application is open for the next class of UMW students, and we encourage you to share it with friends and family. As you know, applying early can offer the greatest benefits, with extra time to get to know our campus and community and the best chances for scholarships. Students who complete a “Taking Flight” interview as part of their application process will also be considered for a $1,000 to $2,000 scholarship, and you can share the code “UMWFAM” so they’ll have an application waiver for the Common App too. Our first Admissions Open House is just around the corner on September 21.
We also have plenty planned for the fall semester. New students, you can expect to participate in meaningful and wonderful traditions, from Honor Convocation to the President’s Ice Cream Social at Brompton to Eagle Gathering on Ball Circle. UMW faculty and staff have spent countless hours and invested much care and thought into planning programs to welcome you to campus as the newest members of our community. And, as you begin to get acclimated to UMW, I encourage you to ask questions, participate in events, and try new things.
Returning faculty, staff, and students, this is an exciting time of year, offering a fresh start, as well as an opportunity to dive into studies, continue progress on your research projects, and to explore internships, study abroad trips, leadership opportunities, and more. We’ll have opportunities for constructive dialogue, educational programs, speakers and debates led by our centers, and an emphasis on civic engagement during this election season. It’s important for all of us to understand our responsibilities and seek to understand one another.
As we begin to settle into the new semester, I encourage you to practice mindfulness and self-care and keep in mind our many wonderful campus resources, including the Talley Center for Counseling Services, the Speaking and Writing Center, the Gwen Hale Resource Center, and more. Should you seek more support, remember that TimelyCare is available for students and the Employee Assistance Program runs through our health plans. And, we are grateful for our UMW ASPIRE Values which are at the core of our campus community, keeping us focused on accountability, scholarship, personal and institutional integrity, inclusive excellence, respect and civility, and engagement.
By means of this monthly message, I’ll share news, updates and important announcements to keep you informed about the many things on which I am working. If there are topics or issues you would like for these messages to address, please submit suggestions to president@umw.edu.
Again, welcome to campus. There is much to look forward to this year!
Sincerely,
Troy Paino