Professor of Biological Sciences Alan Griffith (left), junior environmental science major Jillian Rosenquist (center), and Chief of Police Michael Hall (right), teamed up to map blue light phones across UMW and enhance campus safety—a project that paved the way for an internship on Capitol Hill for Rosenquist. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.
Campus safety is always on the mind of University of Mary Washington Chief of Police Michael Hall, and now, thanks to a partnership with faculty and a student researcher, there’s a map to support it.
The project began with a chance encounter between Hall and Professor of Biological Sciences Alan Griffith, who had previously mapped trees across campus. Together, they wondered if the same technology could be used to plot a key aspect of UMW’s emergency phone system: the glowing blue lights that offer a one-touch connection to university police.
Griffith knew just the student to bring it to life—Jillian Rosenquist, a junior environmental science major pursuing a geographic information systems (GIS) certificate. Together, the trio visualized a blueprint for campus safety. “Campus safety is a shared responsibility between students, police and the community,” Hall said. “This project was community policing at its finest.”
Mary Washington’s emergency phone system includes nearly 90 blue light phones mounted to poles or bases at exterior locations across campus, such as along sidewalks and walkways, in parking lots and near buildings. Mapping their locations helps improve efficiency and reduce redundancy, or, as Hall explains, “identifies where there may be too many blue lights or where they may be too close together or too far apart.”
Griffith said the project ensures accessibility for everyone on campus and helps the UMW Department of Police and Public Safety monitor operations and maintenance. “When GIS-based emergency phone maps are used to their potential, the UMW campus is a safer place,” Griffith said.
Read more about UMW trio working together to map out a safer campus. This story was written by University Communications Intern, Sarah Moon.
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