December 26, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

UMW to Commemorate Veterans Day, Nov. 11

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On Monday, Nov. 11, UMW’s Association of Student Veterans (ASV) and the Army ROTC will observe Veterans Day.  The Army ROTC, under the command of cadet Jeremy Hillberry, will raise the flag at George Washington Hall at 8 a.m. and at Mary Washington Hospital at 5 p.m. The ASV will hold a remembrance event on Ball Circle from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday with free food and an opportunity to meet with campus vets and leave messages of support.

A recently released survey of UMW students shows nearly 350 students (7.3 percent of the student body) are either veterans or children or spouses using military benefits.

“We created the survey to gain a more accurate picture of the number of veteran students, their demographics and needs so that we can make recommendations for changes in services available, and also to help raise awareness as to the number of veterans, and the nature of their unique situation at UMW,” said Daniel Nelson, staff counselor in the Counseling and Psychological Services Center.

The major concerns that students reported on the survey were consistent with what other institutions have reported, namely a concern with work/life balance, the need for a sense of community, and the need for well-defined policies about deployment.

For more information about the survey, contact Nelson at dnelson@umw.edu.

COAR Gift Box Drive Benefits HeadStart

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COAR Gift Box Drive 2012Every year, COAR holds a gift box drive to benefit children in the HeadStart Program. Students, faculty, staff and community members can fill a shoebox with the following items:

  • a toothbrush or toothpaste
  • hat, scarf, mittens/gloves
  • books, coloring books
  • small toys and crayons/markers

The boxes should not include any food, religious items, or any items that are not safe for 3 to 5 year olds.

This year’s drive started this week and will continue through Monday, Dec. 2. COAR hopes to fill nearly 350 boxes this year.

Those who would like to contribute items toward the drive, but who are unable to fill an entire box can drop off individual items to COAR. Community members can drop their boxes and donations off at the COAR office, located underneath Seacobeck Hall in the Center for Honor, Leadership and Service office. If you have any questions or concerns, contact COAR at coarumw@gmail.com  or at 540-654-1802.

Procurement Services Receives Statewide Award

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Members of UMW's procurement team pose with their Supplier Diversity Pacesetter Award.

Members of UMW’s procurement team pose with their Supplier Diversity Pacesetter Award.

On Monday, October 28, UMW Procurement Services received the Supplier Diversity Pacesetter Award during the Governor’s 2013 Supplier Diversity Awards Program.  The award was presented by Ida McPherson, director of the Department of Minority Business Enterprise, in conjunction with the Commonwealth of Virginia Procurement Forum.

The award highlights the achievements of a division or agency that has developed or engaged in an initiative during the previous fiscal year. The initiative demonstrated greater awareness of the agency’s commitment to the SWaM program, involved key leadership in the division or agency as a whole, and created a better understanding of programs in the agency that had not been fully highlighted previously. It is the goal of this award to recognize individuals who took the personal initiative to develop a program involving their agency that communicated a far greater understanding of the agency’s procurement process and commitment to the SWaM program.

While still in the early stages of a viable supplier diversity program, UMW is approaching the supplier diversity with a targeted focus.  During the past year, Procurement Services:

  • Co-hosted a “How to Do Business” workshop for local businesses
  • Established an improved workflow for contractors to report subcontractor SWaM utilization
  • Participated in the Virginia Department of Business Assistance workshop in Winchester, Va.
  • Collaborated with the Small Business Development Center to promote their “Fast Track” program to expedite state registration/eligibility process to be certified
  • Attended training at DMBE and hosted a visit from DMBE
  • Attended the first state-wide Supplier Diversity Advocate Institute
  • Selected a UMW student intern to assist in the creation of a Supplier Diversity program
  • Expanded reporting efforts
  • All formal solicitations include an endorsement letter from UMW VP&CFO that support utilization of small, woman-owned, minority and disadvantaged businesses
  • Received support from the UMW Capital Outlay Department identifying SWaM targets with Contractors

Submitted by Erma Baker, Assistant Vice President for Business Services and CPO

Rep. Wittman Visits American Government Class

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Rep. Rob Wittman (right) addresses students in Professor Abby Jones' class.

Rep. Rob Wittman (right) addresses students in Professor Abby Jones’ class.

On Election Day, UMW students had the opportunity to hear from a member of Congress firsthand. Rep. Rob Wittman, who represents Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, visited Professor Abby Jones’ American government class.

Wittman,  who was re-elected for his third full term in the House of Representatives in 2012, spoke to students about topics ranging from the government shutdown to immigration reform to education, and answered students’ questions for nearly an hour.

Professor Stephen Farnsworth in the Center for Leadership and Media Studies arranged the visit.