April 24, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Alumna, COO Scales Cybersecurity Career

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Megan Carter Shepherd ’94 double majored in math and computer science while also breaking records for the Mary Washington swim team. She’s now the COO of SimVentions, an engineering services company in Stafford.

Megan Carter Shepherd ’94 double majored in math and computer science while also breaking records for the Mary Washington swim team. She’s now the COO of SimVentions, an engineering services company in Stafford.

Throughout her four-year college career, Megan Carter Shepherd ’94 broke records with the Mary Washington swim team, winning championships and earning a top spot in the Capital Athletic Conference.

“Cybersecurity wasn’t even something that was discussed when I first graduated,” Shepherd said of her field, which employs only about 20 percent women, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. “Now it’s at the forefront of everything.”

But Goolrick Pool wasn’t the only place she made a splash. Double majoring in math and computer science, Shepherd dove into numbers, equations and formulas – expertise she relies on in her new role as chief operating officer of SimVentions. The Stafford-based engineering services company counts the Navy, Marine Corps and NSWC Dahlgren as customers. Protecting clients’ data, assets and information is more important than ever, she said, since many organizations have shifted to telework due to COVID-19.

She encourages those beginning their careers to secure a cybersecurity certification, like the one UMW introduced last fall. She also recommends finding a mentor and establishing relationships with professors like the ones she found at Mary Washington. Read more.

Connections Steer Geography Grad Toward New Tech Job

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In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, 2020 grad James Fendley secured a job – a month before earning his degree – at a D.C.-based data analytics firm owned by Jonathan Steenberg ’14.

In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, 2020 grad James Fendley secured a job – a month before earning his degree – at a D.C.-based data analytics firm owned by Jonathan Steenberg ’14.

For his first virtual interview, James Fendley paired a freshly pressed shirt and tie with basketball shorts and asked his family for an hour of quiet. But the best preparation came from UMW’s Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD).

Throughout his final semester, the 2020 University of Mary Washington graduate scheduled regular phone calls with the Center’s career counselors, who are charged with guiding students and recent grads toward employment, even during COVID-19.

“With each appointment, my résumé improved,” Fendley said. “Seeing my progress kept me motivated and helped me stay on track.”

His perseverance paid off. A month before he earned his degree, Fendley secured a job at a D.C.-based data analytics firm owned by 2014 alum Jonathan Steenberg. They’re two in a long line of UMW geography majors hired right out of college, thanks to solid programs, strong connections between faculty and students, and an active alumni network. Often landing employment in D.C.’s tech corridor, graduates of the program are the highest paid in the nation for the field, according to College Factual, which also recently ranked Mary Washington’s geography department No. 1 in the Southeast. Read more.

Video Spotlights Theatre Students, Broadway Stars

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UMW students Oscar León (left), Genesis Simmons (center) and Hannah Chester (right) were thrilled for the opportunity to perform together again – albeit remotely – alongside Broadway stars and theatre students from other universities.

UMW students Oscar León (left), Genesis Simmons (center) and Hannah Chester (right) were thrilled for the opportunity to perform together again – albeit remotely – alongside Broadway stars and theatre students from other universities.

When UMW Theatre performed Adam Gwon’s musical Ordinary Days in February, students couldn’t anticipate that just weeks later, they’d yearn for rehearsals with castmates and performances in front of live audiences.

They also couldn’t have guessed they’d get to sing one of Gwon’s songs alongside Broadway stars.

Seven UMW Theatre students were selected to appear in a YouTube video featuring aspiring young thespians from schools across the country. Dubbed a “quarantune,” their version of “Get Me Outta Here”from Gwon’s musical String has already been viewed by thousands. Virtual projects like this, as well as Mary Washington’s recent Much Ado About Nothing Zoom production and reimagining of Dear Evan Hansen’s “Anybody Have a Map?” give theatre students the chance to hone in on their craft for the digital age. And the experiences allow them to connect and collaborate with peers and industry professionals during the lockdown.

“Opportunities to perform, even from far away, have helped me channel my emotions and feel less isolated,” said Riley Salazar, a rising UMW junior who starred in Ordinary Days, which she said prepared her to tackle Gwon’s complex melodies. Read more.

UMW to Graduate Class of 2020

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Class of 2020 graduate Camryn Molnar tosses her cap in front of Monroe Hall and the fountain. She’s among the 1,309 UMW graduates who will participate in commencement in the fall. The combined undergraduate and graduate ceremony is currently scheduled for October 24. Photo credit: dpan.visuals on Instagram.

Class of 2020 graduate Camryn Molnar tosses her cap in front of Monroe Hall and the fountain. She’s among the 1,309 UMW graduates who will participate in commencement in the fall. The combined undergraduate and graduate ceremony is currently scheduled for October 24. Photo credit: dpan.visuals on Instagram.

The University of Mary Washington will confer degrees upon a total of 1,309 students during its 109th commencement ceremony in the fall, rescheduled due to COVID-19. For the first time, the University will hold a combined ceremony for both undergraduate and graduate students, currently scheduled to take place on the Fredericksburg Campus’ Ball Circle on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The University will award five Master of Geospatial Analysis degrees, 35 Master of Business Administration degrees, 95 Master of Education degrees, 40 Master of Science in Elementary Education degrees, 455 Bachelor of Arts degrees, 550 Bachelor of Science degrees, 48 Bachelor of Liberal Studies degrees and 53 Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.

Candidates for degrees are listed as of April 15, 2020. Degree candidates are subject to final review. All degrees will be officially conferred on May 15, 2020. We regret any errors that may inadvertently appear in this listing. Read more.

 

Though we were unable to celebrate on Ball Circle this spring, we are proud to honor our remarkable Class of 2020 via this YouTube video, which conveys from various perspectives the traditions we hold dear.

 

 

UMW Professors Find Creative Ways to Teach Through COVID-19

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Assistant Music Professor Christopher Ryder (top, center) teaches conducting over Zoom. “I’ve been impressed by the students’ ability to adapt to very difficult circumstances,” said Ryder, who is among the UMW faculty who are now finding new and creative ways to teach remotely.

Assistant Music Professor Christopher Ryder (top, center) teaches conducting over Zoom. “I’ve been impressed by the students’ ability to adapt to very difficult circumstances,” said Ryder, who is among the UMW faculty who are now finding new and creative ways to teach remotely.

Teaching at Mary Washington looks a bit different lately. Andi Smith films YouTube videos with her children to demonstrate architectural principles. Zach Whalen uses cartoons to teach a digital studies lesson. Smita Jain Oxford holds Zoom office hours for business majors on her daily jog.

When the University moved to virtual classes last month due to the coronavirus pandemic, UMW faculty had to adapt quickly. Some already had experience with online instruction, while others became students themselves, seeking advice from tech-savvy colleagues – as well as the Digital Learning Center, Center for Teaching and UMW Libraries. Armed with a variety of technology tools, they’ve been finding creative and engaging ways to educate, support and stay connected to students through the end of the semester and beyond.

Students are facing multiple challenges as they complete their coursework, said Janine Davis, an associate professor in UMW’s College of Education. Dealing with limited internet access, caring for sick family members and serving in essential jobs are among their chief concerns, she said, and they’re also managing a wide range of emotions.

“We have to give students some space,” Davis said, “but also let them know we’re here and we want them to succeed and be healthy.” Read more.

Alumnus Shelters in Honduras to Save UMW-Born Nonprofit

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2007 alumnus Shin Fujiyama inaugurates a school built by his nonprofit, Students Helping Honduras, which he started at UMW. SHH has built 55 schools in the impoverished country, which is currently on lockdown. While much of his staff have been evacuated, Fujiyama stayed behind in Honduras to care for 24 orphaned children. Photo courtesy of SHH.

2007 alumnus Shin Fujiyama inaugurates a school built by his nonprofit, Students Helping Honduras, which he started at UMW. SHH has built 55 schools in the impoverished country, which is currently on lockdown. While much of his staff have been evacuated, Fujiyama stayed behind in Honduras to care for 24 orphaned children. Photo courtesy of SHH.

Phoning it in isn’t an option for Shin Fujiyama ’07. At UMW, he threw himself into every assignment, task and responsibility – from serving hungry students in Seacobeck to organizing a thousand-person walkathon.

Now, living in Honduras in the midst of a global pandemic, Fujiyama is focused on rescuing the nonprofit he started at Mary Washington, Students Helping Honduras (SHH). While his American and European staff were evacuated due to the coronavirus threat, Fujiyama stayed behind to care for 24 orphaned kids at a children’s home he founded. To keep his dream alive of building schools across the impoverished country, he is relying on support from former professors and fellow alumni.

“My conviction to see this through has always been strong,” said Fujiyama, who started SHH 14 years ago with sister Cosmo, then a student at William & Mary. Since graduation from UMW, he’s lived in Honduras and oversees the nonprofit, which has over 50 chapters nationwide and has seen thousands of volunteers over the years.

Then came COVID-19.

“There’s a chance Honduras will face food shortages, civil unrest and massive outbreaks of the virus,” he said. “We need to confront those challenges together.” Read more.

UMW Professor’s Online Initiative Attracts Tens of Thousands

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The University of Mary Washington is among countless educational institutions worldwide that have switched to virtual classes due to the coronavirus threat, or COVID-19. Suddenly, students are at home, and so are their teachers. The transition has been daunting for many professors, especially those who have never taught online.

Higher Ed Learning Collective But one UMW faculty member saw it as an opportunity.

College of Education Professor John Broome launched the Higher Ed Learning Collective (HELC), a grassroots, we’re-all-in-it-together kind of Facebook group for sharing high- and low-tech remote-teaching tools, sprinkled with a dose of self-care. He never imagined the Collective would gain traction across the globe in just a few weeks, morphing into a worldwide movement with over 24,000 members in more than 100 countries … and counting.

HELC already has introduced a website and YouTube channel, and dozens of universities, libraries and online learning sites are recommending the group, as is UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The Collective is creating a sense of community in a world that desperately needs one, and Broome hopes HELC will outlive the coronavirus pandemic, driving faculty to better address the diverse needs of students.

“Not everyone has access to good online or hybrid pedagogy,” said Broome, who – like so many fellow academics – was anxiously posting on social media. “We’re struggling as educators and as humans … so why not teach each other for free?” Read more.

UMW, Other Virginia Campuses Hold Virtual ‘Take Back the Night’

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Take Back the Night – an international event that aims to end sexual, relationship and domestic violence in all forms – has had many incarnations since its inception more than 35 years ago, from rallies, marches and performances, to runs, walks and biking events. Now, with the looming presence of COVID-19, the event went virtual for the first time ever. Take Back the Night for 2020 is Take Back the Net.

Held as an annual speak-out and candlelight vigil at Mary Washington for over two decades, the event brings together the University and Fredericksburg communities to share personal stories of resilience and recovery, stand up against sexual assault and gender-based violence, and let survivors know they are not alone.

Unable to assemble in person, UMW Eagles joined electronically with colleges and universities across the Commonwealth for Take Back the Net on Tuesday evening. Spearheaded by the Virginia Campus Task Force, this Zoom gathering featured survivors, advocates and allies, including several Mary Washington students and alumni. The event came as higher education institutions nationwide observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in April. Read more.

UMW Goes Global as Peace Corps Top Producer

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Teenage boys can be a handful, no matter which country or culture they come from.

Amal Hajjami (front row, far right), who graduated from UMW in 2019, is among the dozen Mary Washington alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps. The University was just named a Peace Corps Top Producer.

Amal Hajjami (front row, far right), who graduated from UMW in 2019, is among the dozen Mary Washington alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps. The University was just named a Peace Corps Top Producer.

Amal Hajjami learned that fact within her first few weeks of Peace Corps training in Morocco, when the 2019 alumna encountered a young man who refused to participate or follow the rules – when he even bothered to show up – but she wouldn’t give up on him.

“During training, we’re taught that we shouldn’t push these individuals away,” she said, “but instead, give them leadership responsibilities.” Soon the teen was stepping up and helping out. “He showed me that once you start encouraging people, the outcome will change.”

Hajjami is among a dozen Mary Washington graduates serving worldwide in the Peace Corps, to which the University of Mary Washington has once again been named a top contributor. UMW jumped to number seven – up from 15th last year – among small schools on the 2020 Top Volunteer-Producing Schools list, released this morning.

Securing this prestigious ranking is a longstanding tradition for the University, which has earned a spot on the list since 2005. For 12 consecutive years, UMW has been included among the top 25 colleges and universities with fewer than 5,000 students. A total of 270 alumni have joined the Peace Corps since its 1961 inception.

“Mary Washington’s culture of service keeps fueling students’ interest in continuing their commitment to populations served by the Peace Corps,” said José A. Sainz, director of UMW’s Center for International Education (CIE). “It pushes their boundaries and offers many opportunities for them to become better global citizens.” Read more.

UMW to ‘Come Together’ for Fourth Annual Mary Wash Giving Day

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UMW is asking alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends to “Come Together” and spread the word about the fourth annual Mary Wash Giving Day on March 19.

UMW is asking alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends to “Come Together” and spread the word about the fourth annual Mary Wash Giving Day on March 19.

The University of Mary Washington is asking alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends to “Come Together” for its fourth annual giving day on Thursday, March 19.

On Mary Wash Giving Day, donors can make gifts to benefit students and programs across the University from midnight to 11:59 p.m. at givingday.umw.edu. Challenges and matches funded by generous donors will be “unlocked” throughout the day, multiplying the impact of the gifts. The University has set a goal of 3,000 gifts and 1,000 new donors, topping last year’s record, when 870 donors made their first-ever gift to Mary Washington. Each gift made on March 19 will be tracked on dynamic leaderboards on the website, providing real-time updates on progress toward the participation goal.

This year’s theme celebrates how the University community comes together to deliver an outstanding liberal arts and sciences education to Mary Washington’s 4,000-plus students, while inspiring them to pay it forward for future generations of Eagles. Read more.

Download the Mary Wash Giving Day graphic to share on social with #MaryWashDay. To download, right click and choose “save image.”

Download the Mary Wash Giving Day graphic to share on social with #MaryWashDay. To download, right click and choose “save image.”