The String Queens

Join us for the String Queens in concert at UMW on 12/1/23, at 7:30 p.m., in Dodd Auditorium! Hosted by Continuing and Professional Studies and the Music Department. Praised for its authentic, soulful, and orchestral sound, The String Queens (TSQ) is a dynamic trio that creates stimulating musical experiences that inspire diverse audiences to love, hope, feel, and imagine! With an array of repertoire spanning from the Baroque era to the Jazz Age to today’s Billboard Hot 100 Chart, TSQ performs versatile programs that take listeners on a rousing musical journey through time and a multitude of musical genres. Admission is free! Register here.

All speaker presentations will be in the Weatherly Wing of Seacobeck Hall (Room 145) Wednesdays, 5:00 – 5:45 p.m

September 20th- Pathways to DifferentCareers in K-12 Education, DR. ANN BUECHE (AND TEAM) Chief Student Support Officer, Stafford County Public Schools: Hear how Dr. Bueche and members of her team believe they can influence positive change in education by providing exceptional support to faculty & staff…all with students in mind

October 4th- “My Oddball Journey of Computer Science Careers,” EILEEN MALICK Computer Science Instructor; Code RVA Regional High School: Learn how Eileen Malick has used software applications, mobile phone apps, robotics, and more to teach students and create connections for STEM careers!

October 18th- A Leader’s Recipe for Educational Success DR. SARAH CALVERIC Superintendent; Caroline County Public Schools: She has been called the “Michael Jordan of educational leadership, AND was named the regional Superintendent of the Year by the VA Association of School Superintendents.

November 1st- “Teaching is Magic: Community, Identity, &Crafting a Career You Can Love” VICTORIA PARENT English Teacher; Chesterfield County Public Schools: Find out how this UMW alum (’17 & ’18) is always on the go – from travel, to research, to working as an educator in resident with the NY Public Library, earning her National Board Certification & being teacher of the year finalist!

College of Education Fall Speaker Series

GSMA Kick-Off Event

Monday, October 23  | 4 PM to 6PM |  In front of Lee Hall

(Rain Location:  Chandler Ballroom, Cedric Rucker University Center)

Kick off PRISM’s annual celebration and join members and friends of PRISM to enjoy some delicious food (including mac ‘n cheese, fried rice, etc.), play games, get familiar with PRISM, and get pumped for the awesome events scheduled for this celebration!

Rainbow Night

Tuesday, October 24 | 5 PM | Dining at the Top Of The Cedric Rucker University Center

Cost with Campus Meal Plan: 1 meal swipe. For other prices, please check the University Dining website at https://umw.sodexomyway.com/.

University Dining, in partnership with PRISM, will be hosting “Rainbow Night” in the Restaurants at the Top of the CRUC (4th floor), from 5 pm to 8 pm. The event will feature a delicious array of rainbow cakes, cookies, and sherbet, and members of PRISM will be on hand to tell guests about their group and the programs they have planned for the GSMA celebration and the coming year. For additional information please e-mail Dining@UMW.edu.

Gender and Sexual Minorities and Allies (GSMA) Cultural Celebration Major Speaker: Dr. Siohban Cooke

Wednesday, October 25  |  7 PM  | Digital Auditorium, Hurley Convergence Center

Dr. Siobhán Cooke is an Associate Professor and Course Director for Scientific Foundations of Medicine – Human Anatomy and Fundamentals of Human Anatomy. Dr. Cooke earned her BA in Anthropology and Music from Barnard College and her MPhil and PhD from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She is a nationally recognized authority on masticatory functional morphology, dental morphology, and Neotropical mammalian evolution with a focus on primates. She directs paleontological field work in Colombia and in the Dominican Republic, which has been supported by the Leakey Foundation, National Geographic, and the Niarchos Foundation. Her current National Science Foundation supported research project examines patterns of niche partitioning in endemic Caribbean rodents as a case study for understanding adaptative radiations on islands and patterns of extinction and resilience. Dr. Cooke also enjoys raising carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes and looking at birds.

PRISM, Possum, and Puppies: Who Let the Dogs Out?

Thursday, October 26 | 11:30 AM – 1:30PM | Patio Area, Cedric Rucker University Center

Join us and meet a possum in front of Lee Hall, and pet the therapy dogs on the CRUC patio!

PRISM Prom 

Saturday, October 28  | 8 PM |  Chandler Ballroom, Cedric Rucker University Center

Admission Fee: $2 for the UMW Community, $3 for the General Public 

Join us for our annual PRISM Prom in the (indoor) forest! Dress up in your foresty magical best, and come enjoy dancing, food, and drinks at this enchanted event!

Dear Colleagues,

The open enrollment period for Tuition Reimbursement (courses outside of UMW)  for courses starting January 1, 2024 – June 30, 2024, begins today, Monday, October 2, and will end on Monday, October 23, 2023. Please note: the Cabinet agreed to expand the Tuition Reimbursement Program to include certificate programs.  However, any and all courses associated with the certificate program must be credit-bearing.

The complete policy and procedures are posted online; some important and key provisions are listed below. You may contact Denise Frye at dfrye2@umw.edu with any questions.

Program Purpose:

Eligible employees enrolled in a degree seeking program or enrolled in a credit-bearing certificate program at other accredited institutions of higher education will be provided with tuition reimbursement up to a specified amount for courses after completion of the course and submission of proof of grade.

Eligibility:

This policy applies to classified, wage, administrative professional faculty, and other non-faculty part-time employees. Graduate Assistants who are required to be enrolled in UMW graduate programs are not eligible for this program. Eligible employees must be continuously employed by the University for a minimum of one year prior to their application for reimbursement and job performance must be satisfactory or at the “contributor” level.  Tuition up to the approved amount will be reimbursed upon receipt of proof of completion of approved courses.  Employees who receive tuition reimbursement must remain employed at the University of Mary Washington during the term of the courses taken and for one year after receipt of tuition reimbursement for those courses(s) or be subject to terms for repayment as described in the written agreement.

Important Information to Know:

• A Tuition Reimbursement Request form is required to be submitted to Human Resources during open enrollment for courses starting January 2024 through June 2024. The link to the form is below and forms may be scanned to jhudgins@umw.edu or delivered to Human Resources, attention Janet Hudgins.
• The Finance office will notify the employee the Tuition Reimbursement Request Form has been approved within 2 weeks of the enrollment timeframe closing and request the following:

           a) Proof of enrollment in a degree granting program

b) Schedule of the institution’s fees

c) Proof of payment

• The assistance awarded will then be reimbursed to the employee upon submission of evidence of course completion with a minimum grade of “C” or “PASS” if a Pass/Fail course.  Submission of grade must be within 30 days of semester end.  Reimbursement will be issued within 10 business days of grade submission to the Finance Office.

Thank you,

Denise M. Frye
Benefits Manager
Office of Human Resources

UMW Tree Festival
October 19th, 1:00 PM-3:00 PM | Jefferson Square
Join the Office of Sustainability on Jefferson Square, Thursday, Oct. 19th for UMW’s annual Tree Festival! Speak to local environmental organizations, student green clubs and climb UMW’s amazing trees! Interested in tabling during the event? Email sustainability@umw.edu.

UMW’s contractor for fire systems (Convergint) will be completing inspections and performing routine maintenance of the systems in all buildings on the Fredericksburg, Stafford and Dahlgren Campuses, starting this first week of October. The work is expected to continue through the end of November.

The starting schedule is posted online at https://students.umw.edu/safety/fire-safety-inspection/, and we’ll share updates there. Signs will be placed on the entrances of each building the night prior to the inspection and testing to indicate when the work will take place.

For academic and administrative buildings, work will occur in the early morning, prior to classes and business hours and will typically take place between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. You may hear one short ring of the alarm when the inspection is complete, as it is part of the required test.

In residence halls, work will take place after 9 a.m. and the contractor will be accompanied by a staff member. Again, you may hear one ring of the alarm as the test wraps up in a building.

If you have any questions, please contact Director of Emergency Management and Safety Brandy Ellard at bellard@umw.edu.

Campus Dining and the UMW Athletic Department are co-sponsoring Sodexo’s annual “Stop Hunger” food drive from October 23^rd – November 1^st. We hope to get a broad campus and community participation in this food drive, so that we can help our campus pantry, the Gwen Hale Resource Center, as well as the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank get the resources they need to feed hundreds experiencing food insecurity. Here are some items they like to keep in stock:

·         Mac n’ Cheese
·         Canned Fruit
·         Rice
·         Instant Potatoes
·         Canned Vegetables
·         Dehydrated Milk
·         Dry or Canned Beans
·         Canned Meat
·         Pasta & Sauce
·         Hot or Cold Cereals

Courtesy of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, there will be collection bins for each team and support staff group located on the main level of Goolrick Hall throughout these dates. Please consider helping out where you can!