The construction of the expanded parking lot is projected to finish in October. Currently the parking area in front of the Physical Plant is closed. Staff and visitors to the Physical Plant may park in the east (loading dock side) parking lot and enter the building via the back lot during business hours. Athletics access to the locker room and physical therapy area is around the west side of the building around the construction fence, up the jogging trail from Softball. Until the project is complete week-day parking by students and coaches will be at the north end of the soccer fields, closest to Hanover Street. Contact Rob Johnston at rjohnst2@umw.edu if you have questions.
Wilson Comments on Survivors of Mass Shootings
Laura Wilson, assistant professor of psychology
Assistant Professor of Psychological Science Laura Wilson continues to provide insight about the psychological effects of mass shootings to national media. She was recently interviewed on Brinkwire.com in an article titled “‘National anxiety’ about mass shootings following massacres in El Paso and Dayton.”
“The narrative we hear in these impacted communities is, ‘I never thought it would happen here,’ and so I think that gets people thinking, ‘Well then, that can happen to me too,'” Wilson said, adding, “The immediate aftermath is the greatest level of risk for that type of reaction and then we tend to see it decrease over time.” Read more.
Rettinger Comments on Cheating in Higher Ed in USA Today
David Rettinger, associate professor of Psychological Science
David Rettinger, associate professor of psychological science and director of academic programs at the University of Mary Washington, was recently interviewed by USA Today in an article titled, “Students are still using tech to cheat on exams, but things are getting more advanced.” “Technology presents new ways for students to do things that they’ve always been doing, which is avoid doing the work themselves,” said Rettinger, president of the International Center for Academic Integrity. “Forever, students would go to a book and copy things for a paper. Copy and paste plagiarism is as old as reading and writing, but now it’s so much easier. You don’t even have to leave your desk to do that. The bar has gotten much lower.” Read more.
President Paino: UMW Fosters Connections, Community
Mary Washington President Troy Paino spoke with faculty and staff during the All-UMW Assembly. The University is gearing up to welcome a new class of students. Photo by Norm Shafer.
What makes Mary Washington shine in Virginia’s intensely competitive higher-education environment? According to President Troy Paino, it’s connections and a sense of community. He delivered that message at his All-UMW Assembly on Friday, where he shared accomplishments, updates and reflections with a roomful of faculty and staff, as the campus prepares to welcome a new and diverse class of students this week.
In a world where news headlines show that human bonds are increasingly frayed, Paino told the crowd in Dodd Auditorium, Mary Washington is “a place where transformative relationships are formed.” He pointed to studies that show college graduates attribute their future success to three factors: mentorship experiences, opportunities to apply learning outside the classroom and a strong sense of community. That’s precisely what UMW offers, Paino said. Read more.
Gallagher Receives Topher Bill Service Award
Jackie Gallagher, associate professor of geography, is this year’s Topher Bill Service Award recipient.
Jackie Gallagher, associate professor of geography at the University of Mary Washington, has been recognized with the J. Christopher (Topher) Bill Outstanding Faculty Service Award for her contributions to UMW and her involvement and leadership in the greater community. The award was presented at the University’s opening faculty meeting on Monday, August 19.
Announcing the award, Parrish Waters, chair of the Sabbaticals, Fellowships and Faculty Awards Committee and assistant professor of biology, said Gallagher has shown a remarkable dedication to UMW students and faculty as well as the Fredericksburg community.
“[Dr. Gallagher] has worked for years to establish meaningful relationships with local K-12 schools that introduce students and educators to the tools and curriculum of her discipline and foster intellectual excitement for this material. Her engagement in community service extends beyond the classroom, as she applies her scientific knowledge of water, weather and climate to improve and enhance local natural resources.” Read more.
UMW Welcomes Class of 2023
Move-In Day 2019. Photo by Suzanne Rossi.
For eagles, building a nest is a bonding activity. The same could be said for the 900-plus first-year students who on Wednesday made the University of Mary Washington their home.
Move-In Day 2019.
Residence halls opened their doors to the Class of 2023, who arrived with parents, siblings, pets and armloads of bedding and clothes, as well as furniture, mini-fridges, laptops and shower caddies. They immediately began making connections with fellow students, and President Troy Paino and wife Kelly, who – along with UMW staff – were on hand to help with the hauling. The freshmen strategically placed personal mementos and Mary Washington gear around their rooms, to remind them of the people who gave them their wings and those who’ll help them take flight.
Devlin Comments on Segregation in National Parks
Assistant Professor of History Erin Devlin
Erin Devlin, assistant professor of history and American studies, was interviewed recently on the National Parks Traveler podcast. She discussed her research into sites in national parks in Virginia that were associated with segregation during the first half of the 20th century. She initially looked at all of the parks in Virginia before 1964, and then focused specifically on six case study parks, including Shenandoah National Park, Colonial National Park in Tidewater, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Parks, Prince William Forest Park, and George Washington National Birthplace Monument. “Any park that was established before 1945, you should presume that the facilities there were segregated,” she said. “This is a history we can find imprinted across the Parks Service landscape.”
Richardson Column in The Free Lance-Star
College of Business Dean Lynne Richardson
College of Business Dean Lynne Richardson’s weekly column in The Free Lance-Star discusses change and taking risks. Read BEING UNCOMFORTABLE:
YOU’VE probably heard “do one thing every day that scares you” at some point in your life. I think about this phrase a lot. It’s really hard to do something that creates discomfort every single day, but you can certainly occasionally get out of your comfort zone.
Like many, I’m not a huge fan of heights. As a kid, we would visit Vulcan, a statue in Birmingham, Ala., near my hometown. After climbing what seemed like thousands of steps, you ended up on a circular landing where you could walk around the statue. There was only a 3-foot-high fence around the landing. I would press my back against Vulcan and inch my way around the statue. I did not want to get close to the edge and look down.
Campus Recreation, Dining Team Up with Katora for Fitness Center Event
Cardio exercise boosts your heart rate, burns fat and calories, and helps fight fatigue. So does coffee. Research has shown that enjoying a cup of joe before your workout can pack an even bigger punch.
That’s why Cardio & Katora is coming to the fitness center on Friday, Aug. 23, from noon to 2 p.m. Sponsored by Campus Recreation, Katora Café and Dining Services, the event gives the UMW community the opportunity to take the fitness center’s new fleet of state-of-the-art cardio machines for a spin – or a sprint – while sampling Katora’s healthy drinks and snacks. The popular Fredericksburg coffeehouse will soon open a new location across from the Hurley Convergence Center in the space previously occupied by Blackstone Coffee.
Get Healthy! Get Your UMW Weight Watchers Discount
Lose weight and save money! Sign up for Weight Watchers at wellness.weightwatchers.com, enter Commonwealth of Virginia Employer ID: 63569 and follow the instructions. Employees enrolled in a state health plan are eligible for the WW discounted pricing.
Attend a WW Workshop at the University of Mary Washington every Thursday at 12:15 p.m. in the Hurley Convergence Center, Room 111, or contact Julie Coates at jcoates@umw.edu.
AUGUST 2019 WhyWW_FLYER University of Mary Washington – Fredericksburg .._