January 20, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

UMW Dining Services has BBQ Recipe Published in Magazine

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UMW Dining Service's BBQ Pork Parfait was featured in Food Management magazine.

UMW Dining Service’s BBQ Pork Parfait was featured in Food Management magazine.

UMW Dining Service’s summer is certainly getting off to a great start! First UMW’s catering team was voted “Best of the Burg” in the contest sponsored by The Free Lance-Star!  Now Food Management Magazine has featured the team’s BBQ Pork Parfait in their segment on State Fair-inspired cuisine!  This dish was part of the prize-winning menu created by UMW’s culinary team for last year’s Chefs’ Fare competition, and it’s still winning recognition! Read more. 

Stommel and Burtis Interviewed on Critical Digital Pedagogy

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Executive Director of the Division of Teaching and Learning Technologies Jesse Stommel and Digital Knowledge Center Director Martha Burtis participated in EdSurge Live, a monthly online town hall about the future of education, presented by EdSurge Higher Education. In a discussion called “What is Critical Digital Pedagogy, and Why does Higher Ed need it,” Stommel and Burtis discussed the downsides of using letter grades and other relevant topics. Read more.

Farnsworth Interviewed in The New York Times, The Washington Post and NPR

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Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science

Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science

Political Science Professor Stephen Farnsworth has been quoted in several current national news stories, including the following:

After Another Mass Shooting, Another Virginia Governor Tries to Change Gun Laws (The New York Times);

Gov. Ralph Northam will convene special session of Virginia legislature to take up gun control (The Washington Post)

What Impact Could the Special Session Have in November? (NPR.org)

Va. candidate backed by Democratic Socialists draws attacks from Senate Minority Leader Richard Saslaw (The Washington Post)

Done With Dominion, Some Dems Spurn All Corporate Dollars (WCVE)

Facing challenger from his right, Republican Sen. Emmett Hanger fights to hold the center (Roanoke.com)

Mueller Breaks Silence (CTV News Channel)

Senate budget writers to their “Trump country” constituents: “Drop dead” (The Progressive Pulse).

Mary Washington Athletics Sweeps CAC Awards

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From left to right, Interim Athletic Director Patrick Catullo, UMW President Troy Paino and Vice President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair accept Mary Washington’s Capital Athletic Conference awards this morning. Eagles teams swept the top three spots for the 2018-19 season. Photo by Clint Often.

From left to right, Interim Athletic Director Patrick Catullo, UMW President Troy Paino and Vice President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair accept Mary Washington’s Capital Athletic Conference awards this morning. Eagles teams swept the top three spots for the 2018-19 season. Photo by Clint Often.

University of Mary Washington’s Division III athletes scored big in this season’s Capital Athletic Conference competition. Landing in a trio of top spots for the 2018-19 season, Eagles raked in the most points in both the men’s and women’s all-sports Commissioner’s Cup contests, as well as in the overall category.

Interim Athletic Director Patrick Catullo, Vice President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair and President Troy Paino accepted the awards at a CAC meeting at UMW this morning.

“What an honor for UMW Athletics,” Catullo said. “Knowing how hard our student-athletes, coaches and staff work, along with the incredible support from across campus, I feel particular pride in these all-conference accomplishments. A big congrats to all!” Read more.

Jensen Receives Historic Preservation Award

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Beate Jensen, cultural resource manager at Gari Melchers Home and Studio.

Beate Jensen, cultural resource manager at Gari Melchers Home and Studio.

Beate Jensen, cultural resource manager for Gari Melchers Home and Studio, received the Annual Historic Preservation Award by the Stafford County Historical Commission on May 21, 2019, for her exemplary efforts to restore, safeguard and interpret the grounds at Gari Melchers Home and Studio. Joanna Catron, assistant director and curator of GMHS, read the following tribute to her colleague at an awards presentation before the Board of Supervisors:

If today the storied structures and grounds that comprise the 18th-century property known as Belmont are perceived as unusually authentic, well-maintained and a delight to the senses, it is due in large part to the expert care and dedication given to it for the last 20 years by Cultural Resource Manager Beate Jensen and the staff who serve under her direction. From the first, it has been Ms. Jensen’s ambition to provide a faithful representation of the 27-acre site coinciding with the period of Gari and Corinne Melchers’ residence there for the edification and enjoyment of visitors and future generations. Under her stewardship, and in partnership with the Garden Club of Virginia and other organizations, public and private, Beate has safeguarded the historic integrity of the property, developed and implemented a prioritized plan for practical and appropriate restoration where needed, and provided engaging educational and interpretive experiences. 

Beate extensively researched the history of the property and its site design for restoration and improvements to the historic smokehouse, horse stable and cow barn; to gates, fences, stone walls, piers, stairs and walkways; to garden ornaments and other man-made features; and to historic planting beds, roses and trees. She also supervises a maintenance program of tree pruning, feeding and disease prevention, and created a wildlife habitat.  She oversaw design and installation of outdoor lighting, new roofs for dependencies and upgrades to lightning protection of buildings and historic trees.

With the assistance of student interns and university colleagues, Beate began a long-term effort to catalog and map all natural and man-made grounds collections at Belmont. She authored the first comprehensive history of the 1790 house and a guide to dinosaur prints on the property, and has been an advocate for African American history in Stafford County through preservation and interpretation of the Fannie Roots House.  She is a frequent speaker on historic gardens and preservation matters and regularly represents Gari Melchers Home and Studio at professional conferences.

Gately performs with James Monroe H.S. Jazz Band

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Department of Music faculty member Doug Gately recently performed with the James Monroe High School Band.

Department of Music faculty member Doug Gately recently performed with the James Monroe High School Band.

Department of Music faculty member Doug Gately was recently a featured guest soloist with the James Monroe High School Jazz Band performance held May 21 at James Monroe High School. The UMW Department of Music is committed to its community outreach program, supporting the Arts and Education in our community.

Cooperman Discusses the Decline of GOP Women in State Legislatures

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Associate Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman

Associate Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman

Associate Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman was interviewed for an article in Governing examining the decline of Republican women in state legislatures after the 2018 midterms. Cooperman said that both Republicans and Democrats have historically struggled on gender representation, but while liberal groups have made an effort to support female Democratic candidates, there are few organizations that are committed to recruiting and supporting GOP women running for office. The article also mentions Cooperman’s research on party donor contributions that she did with Melody Crowder-Meyer, a professor at Davidson College. According to the article, “their research found that 72 percent of Republican donors ‘never heard of’ five conservative women PACs, but only 7 percent of Democrats said the same about liberal women PACs. And while 2 percent of Republican donors said they actively support the group of conservative women PACs, 36 percent of Democratic donors support liberal women PACs.” Read more.

Club Carnival Registration Now Open

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Departments are invited to register for Fall Club Carnival, which will be held on Wednesday, August 28 from 5-7pm on Ball Circle. Students are encouraged to attend Club Carnival to learn how to get involved and it’s a great way for clubs and departments to interact with and recruit students.

Please complete this registration form by Friday, August 16. You will be provided a table and you will be notified in advance of your table number.

Please email sae@umw.edu with questions.

Grothe Quoted in Article on New Sea Levels Study

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Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe was quoted in an article in Meaww.com on a new study that predicts that global sea levels will rise by more than 2 meters – or 6.6 feet – by the end of the 21st century if emissions continue unchecked. Experts have said this will be catastrophic and that major cities such as New York City and Shanghai would be submerged, displacing approximately 187 million people. The study showed that sea levels will rise much faster than earlier estimates because of the rapid rate that ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are melting. Grothe said, “This new estimate is astonishing, which is about twice as high as what we previously thought. It would displace millions of more people living in low-lying coastal regions.” Read more.