A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
If you’re looking for a misplaced water bottle, book or other mysteriously missing item, you might want to check out the “lost & found” display at Simpson library. It’s a collection of items left at the library that have been cleverly displayed as an art “exhibit.” If you can’t find something…. you might want to check it out!
A “Gallery of the Forgotten” display at Simpson Library!
The following message is from New Student Programs and from the Summer Enrichment Program:
UMW Colleagues,
Save the dates this summer to join us in welcoming high school students and our newest Eagles to campus for overnight experiences during orientation sessions and the weeklong Summer Enrichment Program. We appreciate your participation!
Orientation sessions are open to newly enrolled students, see calendar:
Transfer Orientation:
First-Year Orientation:
The Summer Enrichment Program for rising 10th through 12th graders will be July 13-19, 2025, with many faculty members leading courses during the week. Students of UMW faculty/staff or UMW alumni may receive a $100 discount. Registration is open through March 21.
If you have any questions, contact Lillian Lester at llester@umw.edu for orientation information and Elizabeth Johnson-Young at ejohnso6@umw.edu for the Summer Enrichment Program.
Assistant Professor-Special Education Melissa Jenkins
Melissa Jenkins, assistant professor and director of special education programs in the College of Education, and Rachel Bowman, assistant professor in the College of Education were awarded $24,680 through VDOE for their grant titled “Community of Practice Support for Provisionally Licensed Special Educators.” This grant will provide tuition support for provisionally licensed special educators in the COE.
Jenkins also presented at the Council for Exceptional Children’s Teacher Education Division Conference recently in Pittsburgh. She served on an invited panel titled: SSEPC Symposium: Leadership in Small Special Education Programs and presented an interactive session titled Forging Ahead: Empowering Educators to Move Beyond One-Teach, One Support.
Assistant Professor Rachel Bowman
Bowman also presented at the Council for Exceptional Children’s Teacher Education Division Conference in Pittsburgh. She led a session titled Special Educators’ Insights on Essential Mentoring Components.
Dear State Employees:
The Employee Financial Wellness Program continues to provide resources to help you achieve financial independence as your financial wellness remains a priority in 2025! Please check out February’s financial wellness newsletter and the new items below to learn more about the financial education offerings and resources.
Virginia Retirement System (VRS). Take the Stress Out of Tax Prep. Does the thought of completing your tax forms cause you to break out in a cold sweat? Before you tackle this annual chore, take a deep breath and read Getting Started with Filing Your Taxes for tips to guide you through the process. Just log into your myVRS account and select Financial Wellness.
Virginia Credit Union. All About That Money Tuesdays. There’s nothing more romantic than..talking about your finances? Getting on the same page money-wise with your partner will help set the strong groundwork for your relationship, helping you reach your combined goals faster. Grab your favorite beverage and make a night of it with your partner! Watch this video with Sabrina Guerin, Sr., Financial Educator from Virginia Credit Union to plan your next money move as a couple. Then, on February 18. – join Sabrina virtual at 7p.m. for “Game Night”, to test your knowledge from your financial date night session with a fun interactive game night focused on your finances. Grab your favorite beverage, your partner and make this a date night to remember! Join Game Night on February 18 here. Couples with the highest score will be rewarded dinner for two to celebrate your win!
Banzai is back and with more chances to win! Virginia Credit Union is thrilled to offer an interactive took, designed to empower you on your journey to financial confidence. Februarys’ module is on Budgeting & Taxes! As you progress through the activities for the month of February, you will have the chance to win cash and other giveaways. Most importantly, the intent is to provide you with the peace of mind that comes with financial literacy and preparedness. Learn more here.
Virginia Employee Discounts Marketplace. Ready for Spring? The holiday season has come and gone, and now it’s your time to re-discover what the employee discount marketplace is all about! Find exclusive savings and discounts on upcoming live shows, movie tickets, free access to the Virginia Museum of Natural History, mortgage discounts, and so much more here!
Employee Assistance Program. All health plans offered to state employees and their dependents have employee assistance programs (EAPs). Included are up to four sessions at no charge for such services as mental health, alcohol or drug abuse assessment, child or elder care, grief counseling and legal or financial services. Learn more here.
Virginia Department of Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Division. Have you checked to see if you’re missing out on money? TRS offers a user friendly website and the secure document upload feature, making claiming your funds quicker than ever before! Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, stocks and dividends, insurance proceeds, refunds, and more. Visit the free search site to check your name and start the claims process. Search for missing money here.
Employee Financial Wellness Fairs. Coming in March & September 2025. Stay tuned for more details.
Thank you,
Employee Financial Wellness Program
Professor of Political Science and Director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently presented a keynote lecture, “The U.S. Media and Political Systems,” to a group of journalists from India who were participating in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program in Washington. The journalists were participating in a two-week program that focused on learning about the U.S. political system.
In addition, other recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Late-night TV hosts double down on anti-Trump (The Hill; MSN.com)
“One would expect that a wider range of comedic targets would be appealing from a marketing perspective, but there has been an intense focus on Donald Trump since he first went down that escalator in Trump Tower 10 years ago,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington and co-author of “Late Night with Trump: Political Humor and the American Presidency.”
https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5116986-late-night-tv-trump-kimmel-colbert-me/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/late-night-tv-hosts-double-down-on-anti-trump/ar-AA1yaTXO
Join us online for our next Mary Talk!
Register here for this Mary Talk; the link to the live streaming session will be in the confirmation email you receive.
Can’t watch live? Register anyway, and you can use the link to watch the recording at a later time.
RESCHEDULED due to inclement weather: The Feb. 13 Great Lives Series on John Lewis
NEW DATE: Tuesday, Apr. 1
7:30 p.m. Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
Lecture by Ray Arsenault. For six decades, John Robert Lewis (1940-2020) was a towering figure in the U.S. civil rights movement. Renowned for his integrity, courage, and commitment to “good trouble,” Lewis’s activism began in rural Alabama and extended through his work as a Freedom Rider, leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and champion of voting rights. Lewis later served as the “conscience of Congress,” advocating for racial justice, immigration reform, LGBTQ rights, and national health care.
Great Lives Director Scott Harris
Great Lives Director Scott Harris previewed the 2025 William B. Crawley Lecture Series on News Talk 1230 WFVA’s Town Talk. The Great Lives Lecture Series are presented most Tuesdays and Thursdays Jan. 21 thru March 20 at Dodd Auditorium. It’s free! Listen to the episode.
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson
Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson was quoted by ZDFheute in Germany in a feature story entitled “What do Trump’s military decrees mean?” The article states, “There are currently around 100,000 US soldiers stationed in Europe. Trump plans to withdraw 20,000 of them, which will bring troop levels back to the level before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, political scientist Jason Davidson tells ZDFheute.” Read the article.
Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus Bill Crawley
Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus Bill Crawley’s “History on the Hill” column appeared in The Free Lance-Star this week, entitled “James Farmer: From Civil Rights Icon to Revered Professor.” In the column he discusses how one of the acknowledged leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, “Big Jim” Farmer quickly became, both literally and figuratively, a towering figure on campus. Read the article.