A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
President Troy Paino
University of Mary Washington President Troy D. Paino has been named to the Virginia Business “Power 500” list for 2025–26, which recognizes the Commonwealth’s most influential leaders in business, government, politics and education. The annual list, now in its sixth year, highlights leaders across 21 industry categories. Paino is featured in the education section as one of 24 leaders that are recognized.
Professor of Education Melissa Wells
College of Education Professor Melissa Wells and former faculty Courtney Clayton received the Virginia Open Educational Resource (OER) Impact Award for their text, Foundations of American Education: A Critical Lens.
Created in 2025, the award recognizes outstanding OER in Higher Education that have had a significant impact in Virginia classrooms. Since publication in 2021, the free online textbook has had over 190,000 visitors and over 430,000 page views. UMW education professors Janine Davis, Teresa Coffman, Christy Irish and Melissa Jenkins also made contributions to the text.
The Department of Psychological Science Graduate-in-Residence Melissa McTernan ’10
The Department of Psychological Science has named Melissa McTernan ’10 its 2025 Graduate-in-Residence. A psychology major at Mary Washington, McTernan went on to earn a Ph.D. in quantitative psychology from the University of California, Davis.
Now manager of research statistics and senior research statistician at Boston College, she supports faculty and students across disciplines in advanced data analysis. Her research interests include quantitative psychology, longitudinal data analysis, multilevel modeling and psychometrics. She has co-authored numerous articles in top journals on topics ranging from pediatric mental health to workplace injury and resilience.
McTernan will return to campus next week to share her expertise with current students and faculty, lead class visits and discussions, and give a public lecture. Details on the lecture include:
Established in 1995, the Graduate-in-Residence program brings accomplished alumni back to UMW to discuss their career paths and professional insights. McTernan’s visit offers psychology majors and the broader UMW community the opportunity to hear from an alumna whose career demonstrates the many ways psychology can be applied in research, teaching and public health.
Associate Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds
Associate Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds has authored an op-ed for Cardinal News titled “Virginia has one of the highest utility disconnection rates in the nation. The data center boom will make things worse.” Bonds highlights research from the Energy Justice Lab at Indiana University showing Dominion Energy disconnected 339,000 households from electrical service in Virginia for nonpayment in 2024, while Appalachian Power disconnected another 43,000 customers. Among the 23 states reporting data, Virginia had the highest disconnection rate. Bonds argues that the rise of energy-intensive data centers will worsen energy insecurity, leaving many families struggling. Read the op-ed in Cardinal News.
Director of First Year Admissions Sarah Lindberg
Sarah Lindberg ’08 found her way back to Mary Washington to guide the next generation of Eagles as Director of First-Year Admission. “Seeing and helping [students] walk through that process keeps me coming to work every day,” she said.
For Sarah, supporting students at such a pivotal time is what makes her role so meaningful. Hear her story in this episode of the PS: I Love U(MW) social media series. See all the PS: I Love U(MW) episodes on @marywash Instagram.
Each year, through the presentation of three awards, the University of Mary Washington recognizes staff members who provide exemplary service to the University. These staff members are nominated by other members of the University community. This year’s award winners will be announced at the Fall Luncheon – save the date for Tuesday, Oct. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cedric Rucker University Center, Chandler Ballroom.
Charles Coleman Memorial Service Award: Charles Coleman was an employee of 29 years who demonstrated pride, dedication, and loyalty throughout his many years of service. This award was established in honor of his memory and exemplary service and has been recently endowed by President Paino, Cabinet, and campus leadership. All classified and hourly employees with at least five years of continuous employment are eligible for the award; all employees are invited to nominate any of their colleagues who meet the eligibility requirement.
Larry Atkins Awards: The University Staff Council recognizes UMW employees who are the unsung heroes of our offices. Larry Atkins was one of the first employees to receive the U.S.C. “We Couldn’t Do it Without You Award,” which has since been renamed in his memory. Any administrative/professional faculty, wage, and/or classified employee may be nominated. Please see the nomination criteria at the attached link. Three UMW staff members will be selected (one from each of the above classifications).
Richard V. and Rosemary A. Hurley Presidential Commendation: The intent of this award is to honor Mr. and Mrs. Hurley, who consistently demonstrated a desire to recognize and reward outstanding service of University employees, and who had led by example in their work at Mary Washington. The benefactors of the award are Elmer and Marceline Weatherly Morris, Class of 1950. Eligibility for this award is open to UMW employees, with preference for administrative/professional faculty members.
Nominations for the Coleman, Atkins, and Hurley awards close at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025.
See the list of all past award recipients.
For questions on nomination processes, please contact Lauren Bass regarding the Atkins awards or Terri Arthur regarding the Coleman and Hurley awards.
Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication and Digital Studies Anand Rao
Stefan Bauschard of Union College and adjunct instructor for this fall’s UMW course DGST 301N: AI in Society
The University of Mary Washington’s commitment to preparing students for an AI-driven world has gained international recognition. Anand Rao, professor of communication and director of UMW’s new Center for AI and the Liberal Arts, has co-authored a groundbreaking AI Literacy Module now available in all Oxford Insight courses from Oxford University Press (OUP).
The module was developed by Rao along with Stefan Bauschard of Union College and adjunct instructor for this Fall’s UMW course DGST 301N: AI in Society. The module responds to one of higher education’s most pressing questions: how can students learn to engage critically and ethically with generative AI? The interactive module includes short explainer videos, assessments, and course-specific activities that teach students the fundamentals of generative AI, academic integrity, effective prompting, and critical thinking. It is designed to help students not only navigate AI tools in their coursework but also apply those skills throughout their education and future careers.
The AI Literacy Module is available as an optional add-on in Oxford Insight’s all-in-one courseware and can be introduced at the start of the semester or prior to AI-related assignments. It provides a foundation for students across disciplines to understand and apply AI responsibly.
More information about the module can be found on Oxford University Press’s blog under “AI Literacy Module Arrives in Oxford Insight to Guide Students & Instructors.”
Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth was quoted in an NBC 4 article titled “Spanberger, Earle-Sears contrast messaging in ads as race for Virginia governor nears.” In the article, Farnsworth analyzed shifting campaign strategies, noting that economic concerns are no longer the primary GOP focus. “What you see with the Republican message right now is a very powerful pivot away from the economy, focusing instead on the cultural issues that worked well for Glenn Youngkin four years ago,” he said. Read the full article at NBC 4 and MSN.
Other media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Labor Days past: When politics leapt from summer doldrums to its fall stretch run (Virginia Mercury; Yahoo News)
“So much has changed in Virginia politics over the last 25 years, and those changes all work against events like Buena Vista,” said Stephen Farnsworth, political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. “For the dwindling Richmond press corps, it’s a very expensive proposition to make the trek. For the candidates, it’s not clear there’s a lot of value in going if there’s no coverage,” said Farnsworth who, before his 32 years as a professor, reported for the Kansas City Star. Read article at Virginia Mercury and Yahoo News.
U.S. National Guard troops start carrying weapons in Washington (CTV News Canada)
“I think this is clearly an effort to dominate the political environment,” said Stephen Farnsworth. Read article at CTV News Canada.
Poll: Spanberger ahead, Earle-Sears closes gap (DC News Now; MSN)
Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is a professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. Dr. Farnsworth reacts to Earle-Sears closing the gap and how each candidate should move forward with less than 100 days in the race. “Part of this has to do with Republicans coming together,” said Stephen Farnsworth. Read article at DC News Now and MSN.
Virginia’s top Senate Democrat wants to cover Trump cuts with weed tax revenue (WHRO; WVTF)
University of Mary Washington Political Science Professor Stephen Farnsworth said funding gaps include forthcoming rate hikes for those on Affordable Care Act healthcare plans and hits to tax revenue from federal layoffs. “Virginia is going to have to figure out how to generate significant additional cash to compensate for the economic challenges that come from President Trump’s policies,” he said. Read article at WHRO and WVTF.
Latest polling shows Spanberger leading Earle-Sears, LG/AG races within the margin of error (MSN)
“The numbers seem about where one might expect. This is a significant headwind for Republicans this election cycle,” University of Mary Washington Professor Stephen Farnsworth told 8News. Farnsworth said, although Spanberger’s seven-point lead is considerably smaller than her 17-point lead in May, it’s actually Republicans who should be worried. Read article at MSN.