UMW President Troy D. Paino covered the past, present and future during a state-of-the university address this week. The start-of-semester assembly focused on building a “sense of community and common purpose” across Mary Washington’s three campuses. [Read more…]

White House Correspondent and CNN political analyst April Ryan will deliver the keynote address during UMW’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. Ryan will present her talk on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. in the University Center’s Chandler Ballroom.

An acclaimed journalist who heads up the Washington, D.C., bureau of American Urban Radio Networks (AURN), Ryan is a longtime correspondent on Capitol Hill, having served as a reporter there since 1997.

“I just realized Saturday will mark 21 years at the White House!” she tweeted yesterday.

During that time, Ryan has covered the presidential administrations of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. She’s gained recent attention for her rocky rapport with President Trump and former press secretary Sean Spicer, both of whom have balked at her tough questions in defense of minorities.

Dubbed “one of America’s most successful black journalists” by Newsweek, Ryan is among a handful of African-American press correspondents in the White House, where she’s the only black female reporter covering urban issues. She’s one of just three African-Americans to serve on the board of the 100-plus-year-old White House Correspondents’ Association.

“We are delighted and honored to welcome Ms. Ryan to UMW,” said Director of Multicultural Affairs Marion Sanford. “We look forward to her sharing her experiences, both in journalism and as a person, and her perspectives on civil rights, social justice and race relations.”

Ryan is the author of two books, The Presidency in Black and White: My Up-Close View of Three Presidents and Race in America, which was nominated for a 2016 NAACP Image Award, and At Mama’s Knee: Mothers and Race in Black and White, which examines race relations through the lessons mothers pass on to their children. She reaches millions through AURN and through her blog, Fabric of America, devoted to the issues and stories of minorities in the United States.

“April Ryan is a true trailblazer and truth seeker,” said Sarah Glover, president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), which named Ryan 2017 Journalist of the Year, crediting her with “unusual insight into the racial sensitivities, issues and political struggles of our nation’s last three presidents.”

Her keynote address, sponsored by the Office of the President, is among several events set to take place during UMW’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, which is hosted by the James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC).

• MLK Jr. Kids Day, which takes place Sunday, Jan. 14, from 3 to 5 p.m., at Fredericksburg’s James Monroe High School, features games, activities and crafts, and is sponsored by the Fredericksburg Area Partnership for Academic Excellence.

• Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise Discussion & Documentary takes place Monday, Jan. 22, at 6:30 p.m., in the University Center’s Colonnade Room.

• MLK Jr. Day of Service, set for Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the University Center’s Chandler Ballroom, offers opportunities for students to give back to the community in honor of Dr. King, through service projects donated to Fredericksburg-area agencies. A discussion about servant leadership and social change, along with continental breakfast and lunch, are included.

“Especially on the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination,” Sanford said, “it’s important to reflect not only on the issues of his time but also on how we’ve progressed and the challenges our nation still faces today.”

All MLK Day events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Registration is required for some events and is available online at MyUMW. For more information, contact the JFMC at 540-654-1044 or umwjfmc@gmail.com.

Once again, college selective guide publications have recognized the University of Mary Washington among the nation’s best colleges, ranking the University for exceptional value, low student debt and superior academic programs.

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine named UMW to its list of the 300 Best College Values for 2018. The University also was rated among the publication’s top 100 best value public colleges.

“Our rankings, which weigh affordability alongside academic quality, are a great resource for students and their parents when sorting through college choices,” said Mark Solheim, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. “We start with a universe of nearly 1,200 schools and trim the list using measures of academic quality. We then rank the schools based on cost and financial aid data. All 300 schools on our list are worth a look.”

In addition, a study by The Student Loan Report has ranked the University as No. 5 in Virginia with the lowest student debt per graduate. Mary Washington was highlighted for leaving its graduates with low levels of student loan debt. The report draws from Peterson’s Financial Aid dataset, covering the most recent student debt data from the Class of 2016.

In yet another ranking, the college resource guide Schools.com rated UMW’s English program as No. 3 in the country. Only the English programs at Marlboro College in Vermont and Truman State University in Missouri were ranked higher. Schools.com scores each school using multiple factors, including affordability, flexibility and student success. To view the ranking, go to http://www.schools.com/programs/english.

UMW’s English program isn’t the only academic program to receive kudos. Last fall, College Factual/USA Today recognized Mary Washington’s English program among the nation’s top 15 percent and UMW’s geography program in the nation’s top 10 percent, No. 1 in the Southeastern region.

In addition, SmartAsset, a data-analysis firm specializing in personal finance, ranked UMW as one of the best colleges for the money. The firm recognized Virginia as the No. 1 state for providing college value and listed UMW among the top 10 best value colleges in the state.

For the nationwide study of four-year colleges and universities, SmartAsset evaluated five factors, including tuition, student-living costs, scholarship and grant offerings, retention rate and starting salaries for new graduates.

UMW’s Department of Geography received high marks at the annual Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers (SEDAAG) conference. The event, held last month in Starkville, Mississippi, showcases research from across the region. [Read more…]

Do you have children attending a Fredericksburg City School?

Do you have a friend who works for Fredericksburg City Schools?

You won’t want to miss Fredericksburg City Schools Night presented by Home Team Grill.

FREE ADMISSION for Fredericksburg students and employees!

Join us on Saturday, Dec. 9, for a UMW Basketball doubleheader against Salisbury at Rosner Arena!

Fun halftime contests and free giveaways for fans!

Women’s Tipoff  1 p.m.  –   Men’s Tipoff 3 p.m.

UMW Basketball Tickets

$20 Vocelli Pizza VIP Courtside Seats

$10 Arena Chair Seats (behind team benches)

$5 General Admission Bench Seating

And don’t forget! FREE Admission for UMW Faculty, Staff and Students (must have Eagle One ID)

For schedules, scores and more, visit www.umweagles.com.

The pep rally-style event marked the beginning of Mary Washington’s 2017-2018 basketball season, drawing hundreds of Fredericksburg-area sports fans to the Anderson Center’s Rosner Arena to #RockTheRoz. Hosted by UMW Athletics and presented by Chick-Fil-A and radio station 99.3 The Vibe, Eagle Madness delivered high-energy performances, contests and prizes.

UMW’s dance, cheer and step teams lit up the court, while a deejay worked the turntable. Sharpshooters from both the men’s and women’s basketball teams competed for the three-point championship. And Mary Washington faculty and staff won bragging rights in a head-to-head contest against a randomly selected group of students.

Children showed up in full force, with a dunk contest for the soon-to-be stars of the court and opportunities to meet and snap photos with UMW’s Division 3 players.

The Office of University Relations would like to thank everyone who came out to be part of the Fox 5 event on campus last Friday, Oct. 20. The Washington, D.C., television station featured the University of Mary Washington in its “College Tour” series, filming live on Ball Circle, with morning show anchors Annie Yu and Kevin McCarthy from 7 to 11 a.m.

Special thanks to featured guests President Troy D. Paino, Professor of Historic Preservation Michael Spencer, Professor of Art and Art History Rosemary Jesionowski, Instructional Technology Specialist Lee Skallerup Bessette, Athletic Director Ken Tyler and our very own “Campus Hero,” longtime UMW employee Grace Anne Braxton – who were interviewed on camera.

Special thanks, too, to the Department of Theatre and Dance, and Dining Services, and Sammy D. Eagle and the UMW cheerleaders, who were with us all morning long.

But the pre-Homecoming broadcast could not have worked without help from the students (both Devils and Goats) and staff, faculty and administrators, club members and athletes who showed up to show off their Mary Washington spirit. Go, Eagles!

View photos and watch video clips from Fox 5’s “College Tour” stop at the University of Mary Washington.