Journalist and author Kristen Green ’95 will share the story of enslaved woman Mary Lumpkin as part of UMW’s Great Lives Lecture Series on Feb. 8.

An archaeological dig revealed the remnants of a notorious slave jail in Richmond. The groundbreaking discovery led journalist and Mary Washington graduate Kristen Green ’95 to use different tools to unearth information about Mary Lumpkin, a formerly enslaved woman who began her family’s quest for freedom on that site.

Green, an award-winning reporter and author, utilized the writing, critical thinking and rigorous research skills she honed through her college journalism courses to piece together a riveting portrait in her 2022 book, The Devil’s Half Acre (the jail’s nickname). Documents, deeds, death certificates and more weave a tale of a woman all but erased from the American narrative.

“We know figures like Harriet Tubman, but most enslaved women didn’t try to escape because they wouldn’t have left their children behind,” Green said. “Instead, Mary Lumpkin used her agency … to secure an education and freedom for her children, nearly a decade prior to the Civil War.”

Green will shed light on Lumpkin’s story – including how she became known as the mother of Virginia Union University, one of the country’s oldest Historically Black Colleges and Universities – on Thursday, Feb. 8, for the William B. Crawley Great Lives Lecture Series. A part of UMW’s 2024 Black History Month Celebration, Mary Lumpkin: Enslaved Woman, Liberator will be held in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by LINKBANK, the lecture is open to the public and free of charge and will be posted online shortly after the event. Read more.

University of Mary Washington faculty and staff gathered on what turned out to be the first day of classes on Wednesday, Jan. 17, following the MLK holiday and a snow day. President Troy Paino led the semi-annual assembly, starting the spring semester with renewed energy.

From the Dodd Auditorium stage in George Washington Hall, Paino defended the value of higher education, particularly in the liberal arts; recounted challenges and successes from the previous year; and spoke of plans for the future.

He spent much time over the University’s two-week holiday break, he said, reflecting on Mary Washington’s core role, especially in the context of current events, in the United States and across the globe. Read more.

University of Mary Washington Associate Professor of Education Melissa Wells has received the prestigious 2024 Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

University of Mary Washington Associate Professor of Education Melissa Wells has received the prestigious 2024 Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

Since joining the faculty at UMW in 2017, Wells has made it her mission to foster connections among teaching, discovery, knowledge integration and service, inspiring students on campus and in their own classrooms.

She infuses her passions for equity, accessibility and inclusion into her teaching, scholarship and service within and beyond the College of Education. Her instruction includes undergraduate, graduate and professional development courses. She co-creates syllabus policies with students, crafts dynamic Canvas courses that students applaud and designs interactive learning opportunities providing first-hand experiences for future teachers. Students also appreciate the personalized feedback Wells provides on every assignment, something she honed as a K-12 educator herself.

“At every stage of my career, students like these have changed my identity as an educator. Because of them, I prioritize teaching with empathy, innovation, accessibility and authenticity,” Wells said in her personal statement. “I thrive when students bring their own stories, gifts and talents into spaces they share with me. In my teaching, I intentionally craft learning experiences that provide learners with choice, relevance and responsiveness.” Read more.

https://www.umw.edu/news/2023/12/11/umws-tuition-promise-extends-full-tuition-awards-for-qualifying-virginia-students/

The University of Mary Washington now offers a tuition promise for Pell-eligible Virginia students, closing any gap in tuition funding for in-state students who qualify for Federal Pell Grants.

Students who qualify for the program at the University of Mary Washington through Pell-eligibility as determined by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will receive direct financial assistance toward their undergraduate degree in the form of full tuition funding and are eligible for immediate, responsive assistance for short-term emergencies too, thanks to additional grant support, from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

The initiative opens the door to more students having access to a high-quality, affordable college experience, at a public liberal arts and sciences college with a mission of student success, from expert in-class instruction with faculty and industry experts (no teaching assistants) through experiences beyond the classroom, including study abroad, internships and undergraduate research.

“UMW has long been committed to student success from entry to completion and even life and career after graduation,” said UMW Provost Tim O’Donnell. “This grant energizes these efforts because it provides both the financial and human resources to help students stay on track to realizing their goals.” Read more.