A combo of choirs will come together for Sunday’s Two Roads Diverged: Fall Choral Concert at the University of Mary Washington. UMW students, faculty and staff will pool their voices and musical talents with Fredericksburg-area community members and local high-schoolers for the performance on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m., in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium. Read more.
Summer Camp Gives High School Students a Glimpse of College Life
Rappahannock High School rising senior Shaniyah Lanier participates in ‘Kitchen Chemistry’ during UMW’s Summer Enrichment Program, as Professor of Chemistry Kelli Slunt looks on. The residential program gives high-schoolers a glimpse of college life. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.
Holding tight to a video camera aimed at his face, high school junior Simon Young became a blur of motion earlier this month, whirling on a whimsical stool in the University of Mary Washington’s Hurley Convergence Center. The experience and its result – a panoramic portrayal of Simon’s dizzying ride on the curious chair – was part of a lesson in virtual and augmented reality.
Billed as an exploration of science fact rather than science fiction, the class was one of several – from kitchen chemistry to computational physics – available to rising 10th- through 12th-graders who took part in UMW’s weeklong Summer Enrichment Program (SEP). Packed with immersive instruction and high-impact activities, the unique residential program creates a microcosm of college, giving teens a taste of how it feels to live and learn on campus.
“I wanted a snapshot of college life,” said Zack Roland, a senior at Stafford’s Mountain View High School. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.” Read more.
UMW, Germanna Partner on Fast-Track Business Major
UMW President Troy Paino and Germanna President Janet Gullickson sign an agreement creating a pathway between the two schools to put students on a fast track toward a business major. Photo by BC Photography.
The University of Mary Washington and Germanna Community College signed an agreement Monday that creates a fast track to earning college business degrees in the Fredericksburg region. The pathway program allows students to complete both an associate’s and a bachelor’s degree online in about two-and-a-half years, saving time and money.
The ultra-accelerated route provided by the two schools starts with Germanna’s “College Everywhere” program, which gives students the opportunity to earn a two-year associate’s degree remotely in just 12 months. Those who transfer to UMW can then finish the major in business administration, also online, within an additional 18 months.
That’s great news for Cheryll Mosley, a 32-year-old single mother of two from Stafford County who’s nearing completion of a one-year associate’s degree at Germanna. Next, she’ll transfer to Mary Washington’s AACSB-accredited College of Business. “I know what I want, and I know how to get there. This program has really helped me grow,” said Mosley, who plans to start her own business.
“This is all about the students,” said UMW President Troy Paino. “This is about removing obstacles, creating access and opportunities, lowering costs, accelerating time to degrees. All of those things are really going to make a difference, not only in the students’ lives but in our community.” Read more.
UMW Grads Win Fulbright Awards to Teach Overseas
UMW grads (from left) Theresa Darroch ’20, Mary Cheney ’21, M.Ed. ’22 and Charlotte Kramer ’22 are all winners of this year’s Fulbright Awards to work and study overseas.
Charlotte Kramer ’22 was still absorbing the first piece of news – that she’d received semifinalist status for a grant to live and work overseas – when a second email came through.
“I thought I was seeing things,” Kramer said of the message that upgraded her standing and meant she’d get to spend nearly a year in Bulgaria. “I think I understood, even if I couldn’t fully process, how life-changing that moment was.”
Kramer, who earned a degree in anthropology in May, is one of three recent University of Mary Washington grads to win a Fulbright award this year. The transformative U.S. government-sponsored honor, among the world’s most highly regarded, aims to boost cultural connections around the globe. But the journey for these alums – among the nearly 60 Fulbright finalists and semifinalists Mary Washington has produced throughout the years – began with the support and inspiration they found among faculty.
“They helped me navigate the whole process,” Kramer said of UMW’s Fulbright Advising Committee (FAC). Kramer will leave for Ruse, Bulgaria, later this year. Mary Cheney ’21, M.Ed. ’22, will head to South Korea and Theresa Darroch ’20 will go to Taiwan. Read more.
Mission Complete: Innovation Challenge @Dahlgren a Strong Win for STEM
From left, U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Virginia, and University of Mary Washington’s John Burrow watch as King George high-schoolers Samantha Jones, Susan Randall and Ashton Jones compete in the Innovation Challenge @Dahlgren. Back right are UMW Assistant Professor of Special Education Kevin Good and Dahlgren Campus Director Michael Hubbard. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)
Keegan Kearl tapped out calculations on his cellphone while Christopher Ashley and Rodrigo Alexander Veliz hunched over a laptop. All three, along with their Spotsylvania High School teammates, were intent on making a robot do their bidding.
The teens were among more than 70 students representing 12 districts – from Richmond to North Stafford, and throughout the Northern Neck – at last weekend’s début Innovation Challenge @Dahlgren, conceived as an annual event. Fredericksburg Christian School took home the top prize – $3,000, a ginormous trophy and a year’s worth of bragging rights – in the two-day robotics-style competition aimed at boosting STEM learning.
“This is an opportunity to show how important these skills and capabilities are,” University of Mary Washington College of Business Lecturer John Burrow told the competitors at the start of the contest, held at UMW’s Dahlgren Campus. “Your goals are important to the nation, the region and the community.” Read more.
Research & Creativity Symposium Spotlights Student Achievement
Senior Jasmine Villanueva presents “Mastering English and a Home Language: The Truth Behind English as a Second Language Instruction” during last week’s Research & Creativity Day Symposium. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.
Nearly 300 student presenters took part in the 16th annual University of Mary Washington Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium on Friday, the last day of classes.
Posters, oral presentations, creative writing – even an art exhibit and play – represented a year’s worth of work in science and math, education and business, history and foreign language, and everything in between. Students, faculty and staff, proud family members and friends gathered in the Hurley Convergence Center and other spaces throughout campus to share and discuss.
“It’s an opportunity for students to see our peers doing amazing work,” said senior Keegan Fredrick, a political science major. “It provides an avenue for students to share what we’ve been working on for all these months.” Read more.
Beloved UMW Tradition ‘Devil-Goat Day’ is Back!
UMW held its first in-person Devil-Goat Day since the pandemic. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.
A uniquely UMW tradition brought an electric vibe to campus yesterday, with the revival of Devil-Goat Day.
“It’s the first time back since the pandemic,” said senior Carleigh Rahn. “There’s a new energy.”
Music was pumping on Jefferson Square, where a sea of students dressed in red (Devils, who graduate in odd years) and green (Goats, who graduate in even years) gathered for a high-energy, full-spirit competition that dates back to the 1920s. The event, which had been held virtually for the past two years due to COVID, returned in-person. And students were ready!
“Seeing everyone out here, it’s just so euphoric,” said senior Arianna Rodriguez, whose class hadn’t been able to gather for the end-of-the-academic-year ritual since 2019. Read more.
Marketing Assignment Puts Immersive Learning on the Menu
The first episode of the ‘Shelby’s Sweets’ podcast, created by UMW student Shelby De Jong, features a tutorial on making mini-pumpkin pies. The YouTube video is part of a Podcast Kitchen assignment, giving marketing students real-world experience and a creation they can share with potential employers.
Something’s been cooking at the University of Mary Washington.
The Podclass Kitchen experience has marketing students whipping up their own online culinary productions and walking away with an appetite for more.
“It was basically like starting our own business, and we did it hands-on,” said UMW junior Florina Aliu, who launched Cook Boss on YouTube. The first episode walks viewers through the creation of a Margherita pizza made with stone-fired flatbread and her mother’s homemade mozzarella. “I learned a lot more actually doing it than just reading about it.”
The Podclass Kitchen curriculum management system takes students from theory to practice, as they complete a series of lessons on brand identity, marketing strategy and content creation. The final dish? A short video that’s the start of an actual podcast on the trendy topic of cooking, and a polished product they can share with prospective employers.
“It gives them direct experience with social media promotion,” said College of Business Professor Lance Gentry, who recently incorporated the educational interface into his Principles of Marketing course. “Some of them are really getting into it with professional quality output.” Read more.
Supporting STEM: Innovation Challenge @ Dahlgren Targets Critical Area Need
Washington & Lee High School Assistant Principal Wilfredo Hernandez (left) and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division’s Director of Academic Engagement Michael Clark discuss the parameters of the Innovation Challenge @ Dahlgren. Washington & Lee High School in Montross was the first to accept the challenge, designed to highlight the importance of STEM education.
“STEM” learning – science, technology, engineering and math – has been a priority for decades. But fewer young people in the U.S. are pursuing these subjects, and that puts the nation at risk.
The Innovation Challenge @ Dahlgren represents a powerful partnership set to take aim at this critical need in the Fredericksburg region. The robotics-style competition pits teams of high-schoolers against one another in a race of Python coding, sensor integration, navigation, detection, and command and control. Its début on Friday, April 29, and Saturday, April 30, features students from public, private and governor’s schools – from Richmond to Stafford and throughout the Northern Neck – and puts a spotlight on the need for STEM programs.
Held at the University of Mary Washington’s Dahlgren Campus, the event is presented by UMW; the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWC); MITRE Corporation; and the Fredericksburg Regional Military Affairs Council.
“This collaborative effort offers an amazing hands-on learning experience for area high school students, demonstrating UMW’s commitment to the regional economy and development of talent for in-demand STEM jobs,” said Mary Washington President Troy Paino.
Future leaders in everything from software development and artificial intelligence to the environment and pharmaceuticals will gather for the two-day competition. Their mission? Establish communication with a tiny robot on wheels, program it to maneuver a mat – navigating through the “sea” and around “land masses” – then detect, acquire and act on a target . Winners will split a cash prize of $5,000. Read more.
Multicultural Fair’s Return Brings Fun and Funnel Cakes to Campus
Saturday’s 32nd annual Multicultural Fair – held for the first time in three years, under finicky skies – brought throngs of visitors to campus. The event is sponsored by UMW’s James Farmer Multicultural Center. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.
The Multicultural Fair is back! After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the colorful, festive, crowd-pleasing event returned to the University of Mary Washington’s Fredericksburg campus Saturday. The nexus may have shifted from Ball Circle – sacred site of Commencement, and current incubator to baby grasses – to Jefferson Square, but the familiar sounds and scents wafted down Campus Walk, which was filled with people, dogs and vendors.
The sun peeped from behind the clouds every now and then, and random raindrops fell, but none of the activities were dimmed.
“It was great to host the Multicultural Fair in person again,” said Marion Sanford, director of the James Farmer Multicultural Center, sponsor for 32 years of this annual spring event. “It was wonderful to have the amazing vendors and dynamic performances throughout the day.” Read more.