Author: Brynn Boyer

On Saturday, October 22, local law enforcement officers will join members of the public at Run with the Law, a 5K race to benefit Special Olympics Virginia. The race is the debut event of the Virginia Law Enforcement Torch Run, a statewide effort to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics Virginia.

The 5K will start at 8 a.m. at the Anderson Center and will be followed by a one-mile “fun run.” The course will go through the Mary Washington campus and the surrounding neighborhoods, ending on Campus Walk. Registration is $25 through October 16 and $30 the day of the race. For more information or to register, visit http://torchrunva.com/View/Page/Calendar_70 or contact Carrie Dyer at cdyer@specialolympicsva.org or (804) 726-3023.

Congratulations to Christina Eggenberger, director of service in student affairs, who has been selected as an Excellent Eagle Employee by the Staff Advisory Council. To thank her for such a wonderful job, Christina will have a reserved parking spot of her choosing through Monday, October 31.

“It’s nice to be recognized for your hard work, no matter what form it comes in,” Christina said.

Here is what one of Christina’s co-workers said about her:

“Christina is an extraordinary example of how great employees care for not only our UMW community but the world. As the Director of Service, Her tireless dedication to the students is only surpassed by her passion for community service, leadership, and sustainability.  Christina has continually provided assistance, planning, and leadership to programs and campaigns such as D.O.T. and Day of Caring. These essential programs benefit our institution, community, and world.  Her presence is felt throughout University initiatives as she quietly works hard to provide a quality well rounded student experience within the department of Student Affairs. Lending a hand when illness struck a fellow employee, volunteering her time to teach Student Success Seminars, and always having an eagle spirit are just a few reasons why Christina an Excellent Eagle Employee!”

This year, community outreach and resources (COAR) and community service are in their own office. “We are excited for what it will do for our ability to grow,” Christina said.

To nominate someone who you believe is an Excellent Eagle Employee, just send an email to Dre Anthes (aanthes@umw.edu) with Excellent Eagle Employee in the Subject Line.  In your email, be sure to include the person’s name, department, work location (with the most convenient parking lot), and of course, the reason why you believe they should be recognized.  Please spread the word to other employees about this wonderful opportunity to recognize a co-worker(s).

Charles Shields, associate director of Great Lives, will give the lecture “How to Make a Big Research and Writing Project Totally Manageable” on Tuesday, October 11. The lecture, sponsored by UMW Writing Centers, will focus on how to organize large academic projects and will take place at 10 a.m. in Lee Hall, Room 412. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Gwen Hale at (540) 654-1036.

Following the release of his biography of Kurt Vonnegut on November 8— “And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut, A Life” (Henry Holt & Co.) —Shields will participate in a number of literary events.

The Library of Virginia will host a book launch at the Library of Virginia at noon on Tuesday, November 8. The launch will include a reception and book signing. UMW faculty and staff are invited to attend and light lunch refreshments will be served.

Shields also will appear at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Md., on Saturday, November 12 at 7:30 p.m.; the Griffin Book Shop in Fredericksburg at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 17; the Miami Book Fair International on November 19-20; Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, November 22 at 7:00 p.m.; McNally Jackson Booksellers in Soho, N.Y., on Wednesday, November 30 hosting a panel on biography; the CUNY Graduate Center and the Center of Biography in New York for a panel discussion about biography, hosted by jazz critic and biographer, Gary Giddins on Wednesday, December 7; and Fountain Books in Richmond on Friday, December 9 at 12:30 p.m.

Curious about sustainability? Join local experts and learn about recycling, composting, plastics in the environment, use of native grasses, stormwater effects and proper planting at Sustainability Day at UMW on Saturday, October 8. The activities will run from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Jefferson Square and are free and open to the public.

Bring your questions and unidentified pests to the Plant and Insect Clinic offered by Master Gardeners and the Stafford County Extension agent.

At 10:30 a.m., UMW staff will demonstrate dividing perennials, spring flowering bulbs and proper tree planting, followed by a presentation by  volunteers from Tree Fredericksburg at noon.

Sponsors include the University of Mary Washington, Friends of the Rappahannock, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Rappahannock Group Sierra Club, Master Gardener Association of the Central Rappahannock Area, the Rappahannock Regional Solid Waste Management Board and the UMW Ecology Club.

For more information, contact Joni Wilson at (540) 654-2088 or jwilson@umw.edu.

Ranjit Singh, associate professor of political science and international affairs, will deliver the keynote address opening a two-day workshop titled “Conflict, Collapsed States, and Social Movements in the Contemporary Middle East and Asia,” which will be held in Kyoto on October 8.

The workshop is jointly organized by Kyoto University’s Center for Islamic Area Studies, the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and an organization called Humanosphere. Singh’s address, “Reflections on the Arab Spring,” focuses on the recent popular uprising in Bahrain, and recalls a period, twenty years ago, when he worked as a ghostwriter for a member of that country’s ruling family. His address provides a glimpse into the life of a now-prominent Bahraini minister and the inner workings of the monarchy. It will appear in the workshop’s published proceedings.

Singh will deliver the same talk a few days later to another audience at Tokyo University. At the Kyoto workshop, he will also formally comment on the research papers on Middle East topics delivered by Japanese MA and Ph.D. students. Kyoto and Tokyo Universities are sponsoring the week-long trip.