Esther Yook, director of the Speaking Center and the Korean Program, received the Top Paper Award at the National Communication Association in November 2011 for her manuscript “Communication Centers and Retention in Higher Education: Is There a Link?”
She also co-presented a short course on establishing communication centers and chaired a Korean American Communication Association session on challenges for Korean American scholars in academia.
This year there are more than 1,700 children whose parents requested Christmas assistance from the Fredericksburg Salvation Army, an all-time high. UMW Circle K International is helping the Salvation Army with the Third Annual Toy and Book Drive. CKI is collecting toys and books for children of all ages to help bring a brighter holiday to disadvantaged children, and would love the support of UMW faculty and staff.
There will be boxes around campus following Thanksgiving Break, including one in the UMW Bookstore, Library, and one in front of Student Activities in Seacobeck Hall. All toys and books must be donated by Thursday, December 8.
The James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library is pleased to announce the hiring of Mr. Jarod Kearney as curator following a national search that yielded more than 100 applicants. Kearney was curator of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum from 2007 to 2011. He also has held curatorial and administrative posts with the Rye Historical Society and Hallockville Museum Farm and Folklife Center, both in New York, and the Greensboro Historical Museum in North Carolina. In addition to extensive experience with exhibits and collections management, Kearney has a strong background in museum education and theater.
The James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library is the largest repository in the country of artifacts and documents related to the fifth president of the United States. The museum is a National Historic Landmark owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia and administered by the University of Mary Washington.
UMW students, faculty, and staff took time to sign the Spirit Rock Tuesday, November 15, in recognition of National Philanthropy Day. Sponsored by the UMW Student Philanthropy Council and the Office of Advancement, the event showcased the many ways in which private gifts enhance the Mary Washington experience.
Students placed gift tags in front of buildings, benches, and other physical features to highlight the impact of private donations. 
Signs with specific giving statistics told the story behind scholarships and other private gifts from alumni, parents, and friends.
National Philanthropy Day is hosted around the world as a way for charities and nonprofit organizations to show appreciation for the gifts they receive throughout the year. For more information about the UMW Student Philanthropy Council, contact the Office of Advancement at umwgift@umw.edu or 540/654-1024.
The University of Mary Washington Small Business Development Center announced a partnership with Rappahannock Community College to provide an educational program to Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula micro-entrepreneurs. The partnership is one of 10 recognized nationwide.
The program, Hewlett Packard Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (HP-LIFE), will include the computer and software technologies necessary to provide ongoing training. Training sessions will be offered beginning in February 2012 at Rappahannock Community College’s Kilmarnock campus and at the UMW Small Business Development Center’s Warsaw office.
For information about the partnership, read the news release from Tuesday, Nov. 15.
