April 20, 2024

Honor Council President Finds Moral of the Story at Mary Washington

When University of Mary Washington senior Hannah Lee bought her first pair of scrubs at the start of her college career, she couldn’t have known that – wash after wash – she’d be pulling them on four years later, for the same volunteer job.

“Being able to provide care for people who are unable to access it was something that touched my heart,” said Lee, a biochemistry major who donates her time at a free clinic.

As her moral compass synced with her medical work, it clicked on campus, too. She joined the Honor Council, trumpeting UMW values and rising to the role of president this year. Her drive took a similar direction in the classroom, where she discovered the sociological side of healthcare, added a practical ethics minor to her course load and gained early admission to med school through the Honors Program.

Her capstone project – a study of how people’s health affects their propensity to do the right thing – brings together her passions, she said. “It’s really a culmination of everything I’ve learned at Mary Washington so far.” Read more.

Student Leader Election Results Are In!

We are excited to announce results from the 2024-2025 campus wide election! Please welcome in your newest student leaders:

Student Government Association

President: Will Thompson

Vice President: Shadwick Yoder

Senate Vice President: Amira Said

2025 Senators: Sophia Elliot, Nahjah Wilson, Martina Pugh

2026 Senators: Bethanie Hackett, Katherine Armstrong, Josiah Schlechty

2027 Senators: Caleb Dahllof, Lucy Whealton, Allie Davis, Cameron Golitz

Class Council

2025 President: Shadwick Yoder

2025 Vice President: Nahjah Wilson

2025 Treasurer: Marion Robinson

2025 Promotions Director: Madison Van Buren

2026 President: Torres

2026 Vice President: Christopher Walker

2026 Treasurer: Amira Said

2026 Promotions Director: Ashley Lam

2027 President: Brenna Pope

2027 Vice President: Allie Davis

2027 Treasurer: Sophia Heinbach

2027 Promotions Director: Cameron Golitz

Honor Council

President: Adam McAninley

2025 Members: Lordina Agyekum, Emma Goehner

2026 Members: Josiah Schlechty, Katie VanHouten, Mallory Thompson, Adelaide Gill

2027 Members: Maggie Winters, Frankie Wulf, Abby Powers

Student Conduct Review Board

President: Lucas Anderson

Vice President: Brooke Martin

2025 Members: Bridget Zagrobelny, Phoebe Root, Katie Heyn

2026 Members: Josiah Schlechty, Erin Roy, Larry Almariento

2027 Members: Allie Davis, Cameron Golitz

Finance Committee

Members: Will Thompson, Christopher Anderson, Genevieve Benton, Allison Garcia Aguirre, Frankie Wulf, Josiah Schlechty, Sophia Elliot

Division III Week and Flip the Field

It’s Division III Week, and we’re thrilled to celebrate the incredible impact of our student-athletes on campus and in the surrounding community.
Division III Week runs from April 1-7, and we want YOU to join the festivities! Participate in ‘Flip the Field’ from April 1-4 – an immersive experience where the script is flipped. Our student-athletes become the coaches, and you get a chance to learn a sport you’ve always been curious about. Staff and students all across the Mary Washington campus are invited to come and learn. ⚽ Don’t worry, no prior knowledge or athletic abilities are needed. This is your chance to get out, have some fun, and learn something new!
You can find the schedule of events here: https://shawnhumphrey.com/flip-the-field/
To learn how you can get involved, check out @umw_saac. We hope to see you supporting our Division III athletes. GO EAGLES! #GETDIRTYGOWASH

UMW Faculty Members Receive VIVA Open Grant Awards

A trio of UMW faculty members has received VIVA Open Grants for adopting, adapting and creating open and affordable course materials from the Virtual Library of Virginia that can be made available to students at little or no cost. These grants work to save students money on expensive textbooks and help professors enhance the knowledge and learning experiences they’re able to offer through their courses.

College of Business Assistant Professor Samira Fallah, Professor of Computer Science Stephen Davies and Associate Professor of Communication Adria Goldman received 2023 awards that together represent more than $72,000 in student cost avoidance throughout a five-year period.

“Congratulations to these professors!” University Librarian Amy Filiatreau said in an email to UMW teaching faculty. “Thanks to all who strive to make educational materials more open and affordable for our students and other researchers.”

VIVA grants support a range of possibilities, Filiatreau said, from adopting existing open educational resources (OER) to creating new materials, like the five open-source textbooks Davies has penned himself to make “knowledge freely available,” he said.

The VIVA Open Adopt Grant program provides support for the time it takes to integrate existing open or no-cost materials into a syllabus and to ensure that the results of those efforts are available to Virginia educators. Statewide, the 2023 awards have an anticipated student cost avoidance of nearly one-and-a-half million dollars and the power to impact more than 16,000 students.

Below, the winning UMW faculty members share their thoughts on the value of VIVA resources and why they pursued funding:

College of Business Assistant Professor Samira Fallah

College of Business Assistant Professor Samira Fallah

College of Business Assistant Professor Samira Fallah
Resource to be adopted: OpenStax Principles of Management
Course in which it will be used: MGMT301: Principles of Management
Five-year student cost avoidance: $49,700
Students impacted over five years: 700

Q: How do you feel this resource adds value to the Principles of Management course?
A: First and foremost, it contributes to the improvement of my students’ learning experience. When students are required to purchase costly textbooks, instructors often feel obligated to assign activities available within these books. Unfortunately, many of the activities integrated into Principles of Management textbooks tend to rely on short-answer or multiple-choice questions, which are not conducive to optimal learning of class concepts, especially in a course with a significant practical aspect like Principles of Management. The high cost of textbooks often restricts my flexibility in incorporating more innovative content such as cases or simulations, which, though often not free, play a crucial role in delivering an effective learning experience for my students. Using an OER resource facilitates incorporations of more practical material in my course.

Second, it helps students financially. Typically, students enrolled in my Principles classes are sophomores and juniors, many of whom are still without substantial income. Even those who have part-time jobs often earn modest wages. By offering them access to textbooks at no cost, my intention is to alleviate some financial strain from students, providing them with the opportunity to concentrate more on learning the course content.

Q: What made you decide to pursue the grant?
A: In addition to the benefits of OER that I previously mentioned, I believe that the adoption of OER is in alignment with the fundamental mission of COB and UMW. As an AACSB-accredited college, we have a commitment to delivering pedagogy that creates a meaningful societal impact. Moreover, serving as a public liberal arts institution, our foremost dedication lies in the pursuit of teaching excellence and we uphold the principle of Inclusive Excellence, with a commitment to ensuring that every member of our community has equal access to opportunities for participation and the essential resources required for achieving success. I believe adoption of OER is poised to promote equitable access to educational materials, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and accessible learning environment for my students. Consequently, I have made the decision to transition to OER in my Principles of Management course. Because of the valuable opportunity and support provided by the VIVA Open Adopt grant to facilitate this switch, I applied for it.

Q: What are your thoughts on being named a grant recipient?
A: I am sincerely honored and deeply grateful to have been named a recipient of this grant, which enables me to be a part of its significant impact on students’ equitable access to essential learning materials.

Professor of Computer Science Stephen Davies

Professor of Computer Science Stephen Davies

Professor of Computer Science Stephen Davies
Resource to be adopted: Database Design – 2nd Edition
Course in which it will be used: CPSC/DATA 350: Applications of Databases
Five-year student cost avoidance: $14,998
Students impacted over 5 Years: 250

Q: How do you feel this resource adds value to the Applications of Databases course?
A: Databases is a rapidly developing field, with new innovations (and paradigms, and technologies) being introduced all the time. There really isn’t a good, stable textbook for my needs in that class, where we cover everything from the relational model to more recent, NoSQL databases. I’ll be cobbling together two sources for the fall; one is the open-source textbook by Adrienne Watt (for the first half of the course) and the other is an open-source book that I’m currently writing, to be used in the second half.

Q: What made you decide to pursue the grant?
A: I saw it advertised by the UMW Library folks and it sounded like a good idea.

Q: What are your thoughts on being named a grant recipient?
A: I think it’s great! Textbooks are generally way too expensive. I think that as far as possible, knowledge should be made freely available, which is why I’ve written five open-source textbooks myself, which I and others at UMW use in our classes.

Associate Professor of Communication Adria Goldman

Associate Professor of Communication Adria Goldman

Associate Professor of Communication Adria Goldman
Resource to be adopted: Communication in the Real World
Course in which it will be used: COMM 340: Introduction to Communication and Rhetoric
Five-year student cost avoidance: $7,750
Students impacted over five years: 125

Q: How do you feel this resource adds value to the Introduction to Communication and Rhetoric course?
A: The text, Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies, will provide students with a clear overview of human communication. The adaptable nature of the text allows me to thread in material that is especially relevant and interesting to our students. The free text will couple nicely with the online academic research from the library that we use in the course. With the resources combined, students will be able to successfully complete the course without purchasing a textbook. They will also be able to keep the materials and revisit them as needed.

Q: What made you decide to pursue the grant?
A: I am growing more and more passionate about OERs. Textbooks are so expensive, and I would like to be able to eliminate that cost for students, when possible. When a colleague shared their experiences with the grant, I was intrigued to apply and use the time and resources to revamp my COMM 340: Introduction to Communication and Rhetoric course.

Q: What are your thoughts on being named a grant recipient?
A: What an honor! I am also excited to join my fellow recipients in reducing the cost of course resources for students.

Fleming Named ACPA Diamond Honoree

Dave Fleming, Assistant Dean of Residence Life and Housing and Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs

Dave Fleming, American College Personnel Association, Diamond Honoree, Class of 2024

The Diamond Honoree Program, established in 1999, is a way for those that care about students – and the research, scholarship, and programs that promote student development and success – to help advance our association’s efforts. Diamond Honorees are “Championed” by dedicated individuals who recognize their specific contributions and choose to raise funds in honor of each Diamond Honoree’s outstanding and sustained commitment to higher education through student affairs and student development. Those funds are then utilized to help sustain the ACPA Foundation in its support of the research, scholarship, and programs that advance our field as a whole.

Within ACPA, Dave has served on the Mid-level Community of Practice directorate, as NextGen faculty, and as a member of the Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Employment in Higher Education. He attributes much of his professional approach and success to the transformative experience of the Donna M. Bourassa Mid-Level Management Institute. Read more.

Conversations With the President Session, April 3

Dear UMW Faculty and Staff,

President Paino invites you to join him at a Conversations with the President session, offering an informal opportunity to share insights and engage in candid discussions that are aligned with our community values and in support of making University of Mary Washington the best it can be.  Occasionally, the sessions may focus on a particular issue facing us or may include other leaders who represent areas critical to institutional progress.

The following sessions is the final one being offered for this semester:

  • Wednesday, April 3         3:30-4:30 p.m., HCC Digital Auditorium

Thank you.

Office of the President

UMW Police and Public Safety Now Located in Eagle Village

The following message is from the Office of Police and Public Safety:

Campus Community,

UMW Police & Public Safety Offices moved to Eagle Village prior to winter break. The main office and customer services are now located at 1127 Emancipation Highway in the retail space next to the main entrance for executive offices. Additional offices are located on the second floor.

In addition to visiting the office in person, the campus community can also reach UMW Police & Public Safety via phone. The numbers remain unchanged: on-campus emergency number 540-654-4444 and non-emergency number 540-654-1025. UMW’s police station, now located at 1127 Emancipation Highway, will continue to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Short-term parking, accessible spaces and vendor parking are available at the new location.

You can also find many resources online on the safety resources page, sign up for the Guardian app, or make sure your information is correct to receive UMW Alerts. Check the safety resources page for important safety reminders.

UMW’s emergency alert system, called UMW Alerts for short, notifies the campus community of emergency situations, as well as weather watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service. Students, faculty, and staff are automatically enrolled in UMW Alerts with contact information registered with the University, including UMW email address and cell phone number. The University adds new members weekly, but you can update your information at any time following the directions on the emergency alerts information page.

By downloading the Guardian app, free of charge, as part of UMW Alerts, you’ll also have one-touch connection to UMW police or 911, be able to discreetly send a text or digital image during an emergency, and share your location if at risk.

You can also report a concern about a student at any time. If you see or experience anything of concern, no matter how seemingly insignificant, report it via the online reporting system or by calling UMW Police at 540-654-1025 (non-emergency) or 540-654-4444 (emergency). Intervention is the key to prevention. Central to successful threat assessment and management is sharing information and concerns. Our team of trained faculty and staff members reviews information on a regular basis and as concerns arise.

You can refresh your preparedness by accessing resources online and reviewing information for an active shooter response, with a reminder of the Run, Hide or Fight rule for these situations.

As we start the spring semester, we appreciate your attention to these updates. At UMW, many staff and faculty are focused and trained on campus safety and well-being, and there are also ways in which you can be prepared individually, including being aware of your surroundings, reporting issues when you see something (no matter how seemingly insignificant), and making sure you receive timely updates as they are issued.

Contact Chief of Police Michael Hall with questions at mhall2@umw.edu or call the non-emergency number 540-654-1025 for general information.

Upcoming Cultural Events

Drippin’ in Finesse: From the 80s to 00s Dance SessionThursday, Feb. 22 | 5 p.m. | Colonnade Room, Cedric Rucker University Center
This dance session will explore iconic hip-hop moves and dance crazes from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. The instructor will lead participants through some moves and then compile them into a fun, easy combination towards the end. Participants are welcome to dress in throwback wear from those decades and eras.

Black History Month: African DinnerThursday, February 22 | 5 p.m. | Dining at the Top of the CRUC, Cedric Rucker University Center
Cost with Campus Meal Plan is one meal swipe or $14.10 Flex. The cost for EagleOne or credit card purchase is $15.20 plus tax. $7 for faculty/staff.

Step ShowSaturday, Feb. 24 | 7 p.m. | Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
Join area step teams from high schools, regional colleges and universities as they engage in a high-energy, entertaining competition. For cost information, please contact the James Farmer Multicultural Center.

TICKET SALESDay of Step ShowUMW IDs: $5 at the doorGreek Organization Members: $5 at the doorGeneral Public: $10 at the door (Note: Debit/Credit Cards Not Accepted)Methods of Payment: Cash, Eagle One Card, Cash App, Pay Pal, Venmo, or Zelle

Advanced tickets sales will be available through Feb. 22 only.
The tickets costs are:UMW IDs: $3 (Limit 4)General Public: $8
You may purchase them in the 2nd floor lobby of the Cedric Rucker University Center on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2-5 p.m.Methods of Payment: Cash, Eagle One Card, Cash App, Pay Pal, Venmo, or Zelle

Great Lives Series: Martin Luther King Jr.Tuesday, Feb. 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Dodd Auditorium, George Washington HallIn hallowing Martin Luther King Jr., we have hollowed him. We have replaced his radical vision for justice with a romantic image of a man who stands for little more than love and peace. For the past seven years, Jonathan Eig has traveled across the country, meeting the people who knew King personally, recording their stories, and learning about the real MLK — the complicated one, the flawed one, the radical one, the one we really need in today’s bitter, divided world. If we listen to the real King, he can still teach us: –Yes, it’s possible to be a radical and win the support of the mainstream and the political establishment. –A flawed man can live his by the high moral standards and devote himself to the common good. –It is possible to engage in dialogue (and even love) our enemies. –Income inequality is not a requirement of capitalism. Though we live in an age cynicism, of division, King believed we would get to the Promised Land. If we listen to his words, if we embrace his message, and if we accept his contradictions, we might get there yet.

Black History Month: Special Event Wrap Up DinnerThursday, Feb. 29 | 5 p.m. | Dining at the Top of the CRUC, Cedric Rucker University CenterCost with Campus Meal Plan is one meal swipe or $14.10 Flex. The cost for EagleOne or credit card purchase is $15.20 plus tax.

Women’s Basic Necessities DriveMarch 1 – 31 | DONATION LOCATION: James Farmer Multicultural Center
Co-sponsored by UMW NAACP College Chapter, Women of Color, and the Latino Student AssociationUMW NAACP CC, Women of Color, and the Latino Student Association are sponsoring a month-long drive with a local non-profit organization aiming to collect basic resources for women in the greater Fredericksburg area. We are asking for your donations for basic necessities including: food, clothes, and feminine hygiene projects. All donations will be given to the Empowehouse, a local shelter and resource for victims of domestic violence.

Women’s Basic Necessities DriveMarch 1 – 31 | DONATION LOCATION: James Farmer Multicultural Center
Co-sponsored by UMW NAACP College Chapter, Women of Color, and the Latino Student AssociationUMW NAACP CC, Women of Color, and the Latino Student Association are sponsoring a month-long drive with a local non-profit organization aiming to collect basic resources for women in the greater Fredericksburg area. We are asking for your donations for basic necessities including: food, clothes, and feminine hygiene projects. All donations will be given to the Empowehouse, a local shelter and resource for victims of domestic violence.

2024 Women’s History Month Celebration March 2024Celebrate Women’s History Month by joining us for these events all throughout February!

Former CNN Exec, Psychology Alumna Shares Lessons on Banishing Burnout

Lisa Greene ’91, who majored in psychology at Mary Washington, presented ‘Not This: A Tale of Burnout’ on Thursday, Feb., 1. Green is UMW’s current Psychology Graduate-in-Residence.

Lisa Greene ’91, who majored in psychology at Mary Washington, presented ‘Not This: A Tale of Burnout’ on Thursday, Feb., 1. Green is UMW’s current Psychology Graduate-in-Residence.

In lead human resources roles at corporate giants like CNN Worldwide and Warner Bros. Discovery, Mary Washington alumna Lisa Greene ’91 learned to anticipate crises and help teams of thousands maneuver through them

She also learned a thing or two about burnout.

“We all experience stress; there’s no way you can avoid stress,” said Greene, who points in particular to 2020, when she saw CNN through an election year and a pandemic. “Burnout is something much more chronic, where you’re really out of alignment with what you truly want to be doing. It starts to wear you down.”

Now the head of her own Connecticut-based company, Lisa Greene Consulting LLC, she’s back on track, using lessons she learned as a psychology major at Mary Washington to do more of the work she loves – executive coaching and short-term consulting. She’ll share her story tomorrow when she returns to her alma mater as the 2023-24 Psychology Graduate-in-Residence. Her talk, a free public lecture called “Not This: A Tale of Burnout” – originally scheduled for last fall – will take place on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 4 p.m., in the Hurley Convergence Center Digital Auditorium.

“It starts with awareness and really taking the time to understand how you’re feeling and why you’re feeling that way,” said Greene, who during her UMW visit will also present about her human resources work to classes and speak to students interested in pursuing related careers. “If a college student could learn early on to be mindful of some of the ways I got to that point, they might be able to avoid getting there in their own careers.” Read more.

 

Upcoming Multicultural Events

Speaking Truth to Power: Art and Performance ShowcaseFriday, January 26 | 6 p.m. | The Underground, Lee Hall

Art, music, dance, and spoken word performances will honor Dr. King and others who have led the fight for human rights and social justice.

MLK Jr. Day of Service | Saturday, January 27 | 1 pm – 3 pm |  Chandler Ballroom, Cedric Rucker University Center

Co-Sponsored by COARSign up to participate in the MLK Day of Service

Join your fellow students to celebrate MLK Day of Service by registering here. This event honors Dr. King’s vision with service projects for Fredericksburg-area agencies. Refreshments will be provided. Sign up to participate in the Day of Service at bit.ly/mlkumw2024.

2024 Black History Month Celebration – February 2024For centuries, African Americans have used the arts as a powerful medium for cultural expression, community resonance, and social critique. Each generation, within the African diaspora spanning from the Harlem Renaissance to present day, has transformed the globe through their numerous contributions in literature, fashion, film, theater, music, architecture, and language. Join the James Farmer Multicultural Center’s celebration and recognition of these memorable stories.

For more information, contact the James Farmer Multicultural Center at (540) 654-1044 or umwjfmc@gmail.com. You may also visit students.umw.edu/multicultural. Please email us at umwjfmc@gmail.com if you have any questions regarding disability-related accommodations.