The Science Museum of Virginia is offering state employees a discounted membership

The Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) has partnered with the Commonwealth to offer state employees membership to the Science Museum of Virginia — the biggest discount offered to any group all year.

To recognize and thank employees for their service to the Commonwealth, the Science Museum of Virginia is offering 30% off  Supernova (most popular) and Galaxy memberships for state employees. The discount is good for new memberships or renewals, but must be done in person by showing your state employee ID at Guest Services August 1-31.

Check out the Science Museum of Virginia website or learn more about the state employee appreciation offer for membership.

Nominations for the Coleman, Atkins, and Hurley awards are open through 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7 to honor staff members who provide exemplary service to the University. This year’s award winners will be announced at the Fall Luncheon – save the date for Tuesday, Oct. 13, 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. 

See the list of all past award recipients.

For questions on nomination processes, please contact Edward Gray regarding the Atkins awards or Terri Arthur regarding the Coleman and Hurley awards. 

Start your morning with meaningful conversation, fresh perspectives, and connections that energize your professional journey. The Women’s Leadership Colloquium Coffee Talk this August will be on Affirming Your Genius.

Anyone is welcome to join Tuesday, August 11 from 8 to 9 a.m. at 718 Venue on 718 Caroline Street in Fredericksburg. This session is focused on the fastest growing assessment for understanding yourself and your team, exploring what energizes you, where you do your best thinking, and how affirming your natural genius can change how you work and lead.

The speaker is Janel Donohue, a leadership facilitator, podcaster, speaker and nonprofit executive. Learn more about the session and register to attend.

UMW continues to make progress on our campus-wide initiative to strengthen our digital presence and ensure that our digital spaces are accessible and welcoming for all.

We now have a Canvas course which all staff and faculty can access entitled “Introduction to Digital Accessibility.” This course introduces key concepts of digital accessibility and explores how they show up in your everyday work, including Word Docs, PowerPoints, and Outlook email. The self-paced course is available online and will provide foundational knowledge and some practical context.

Register or log-in to Canvas to start the course, which is also linked below:
https://canvas.umw.edu/enroll/NBF7XK

Please contact t2access@umw.edu with any questions.

Jane Neale Anderson

It is with sadness that we share the passing of Jane Neale Anderson, age 84, who graciously supported the Mary Washington community for over two decades as the wife of former President William M. Anderson. She passed away peacefully on July 8 surrounded by the love of her family and dear friends.

Jane was born in 1942, in Heathsville, Virginia, and graduated from Hollins College, where she cultivated a lifelong appreciation for learning, the arts and meaningful friendships. She later married Anderson, embarking on a partnership marked by love, dedication and shared purpose. For 26 years, she faithfully walked beside Bill as he served as President of UMW, creating a welcoming home for countless students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends. Her kindness, generosity and genuine interest in others left a lasting impression on all who knew her.

For more information, please see the full obituary online.