March 29, 2024

Geography Knowledge Vaults UMW Students to National Recognition

UMW students Ricky Muñoz, left, and Kaleb Dunlap, third from left, pose with Southeast Division AAG teammates at the recent World Geography Bowl in Denver. They were selected for the team based on their showings at a fall 2022 SEDAAG competition.

UMW students Ricky Muñoz, left, and Kaleb Dunlap, third from left, pose with Southeast Division AAG teammates at the recent World Geography Bowl in Denver. They were selected for the team based on their showings at a fall 2022 SEDAAG competition.

In the World Geography Bowl competition held recently in Denver, Colorado, UMW geography students Kaleb Dunlap and Ricky Muñoz displayed a solid strategy: Don’t buzz in on a question till you’re sure what’s being asked.

Long, roundabout questions threw some contestants for a loop, but Dunlap and Muñoz dodged those pitfalls en route to an excellent performance at the bowl, held during the American Association of Geographers (AAG) annual meeting March 23-27.

The UMW students teamed up with other undergraduates and graduate students from the AAG’s Southeast Division (SEDAAG) to place second overall in the geography trivia bowl competition. They also performed notably in the individual rankings of the 40-plus participants. Muñoz, a senior double major in geography and history from Centreville, placed sixth, and Dunlap, a junior geography major from Virginia Beach, tied for eighth.

“This is extremely respectable for two undergraduate students in the national competition,” noted Professor of Geography Dawn Bowen. In fact, among undergraduates, Muñoz placed second and Dunlap third. Read more.

Popular Multicultural Fair Brightened Rainy Weekend

The reggae/go-go sounds of Ras Lidj and Regg’Go enlivened Chandler Ballroom of the Cedric Rucker University Center, one act out of dozens that performed during UMW’s annual Multicultural Fair. (Chenin Guber photo.)

The reggae/go-go sounds of Ras Lidj and Regg’Go enlivened Chandler Ballroom of the Cedric Rucker University Center, one act out of dozens that performed during UMW’s annual Multicultural Fair. (Chenin Guber photo.)

Eight-year-old Jamie Rutstein sat perfectly still while getting his face painted at the University of Mary Washington’s 33rd annual Multicultural Fair this past weekend. He barely budged or even squinted as a paint brush daubed with blue and white tickled his cheeks and forehead.

Jamie’s cool demeanor at the busy fair comes from experience, said his mom, Amanda Rutstein, a 2007 UMW alumna who manages the academic department offices in Monroe Hall. Jamie has come to the Multicultural Fair every year of his life except during the pandemic hiatus.

“It’s just a good community event and a really fun time,” Rutstein said as Jamie hopped off the face-painting chair set up on the main floor of the Cedric Rucker University Center. Mother and son headed off to explore the fair’s many craft vendors, children’s activities offered by UMW student clubs, community information tables and performances.

Though the morning’s rain moved most events indoors, the daylong Multicultural Fair, held on Saturday, April 1, nevertheless drew enthusiastic crowds. The annual springtime tradition, sponsored by UMW’s James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC), celebrates diverse worldwide cultures while bringing together Fredericksburg-area residents, Mary Wash students and other members of the UMW community. Read more.

UMW Honors Program Celebrates 10 Years

 

Participants in the Honors Program anniversary were, from left, Sydney Baylor ’22, Piper Giannini ’21, Joey Opiekun ’20, Milen “Mili” Mehari ’19, Professor of English Mara Scanlon, Professor of Chemistry Kelli Slunt, Zaire Sprowal ’17, Marina Casto-Meirelles ’18, Kathryn Hall ’16 and Alaina Haws ’15. (Karen Pearlman photo.)

Participants in the Honors Program anniversary were, from left, Sydney Baylor ’22, Piper Giannini ’21, Joey Opiekun ’20, Milen “Mili” Mehari ’19, Professor of English Mara Scanlon, Professor of Chemistry Kelli Slunt, Zaire Sprowal ’17, Marina Casto-Meirelles ’18, Kathryn Hall ’16 and Alaina Haws ’15. (Karen Pearlman photo.)

The Honors Program at the University of Mary Washington asks much from its participants. But the high-achieving, intellectually curious students admitted into the selective program say everything they do as Honors Scholars rewards their efforts many times over.

That was the overwhelming message from eight program alumni and several current participants as the UMW Honors Program celebrated its 10th anniversary Saturday, March 25, with a panel discussion, video and reception at Seacobeck Hall.

Conceived as a way to recruit top achievers out of high school – and keep them engaged and enthusiastic during their full four years at Mary Washington – the Honors Program began in the 2012-13 academic year with a goal of admitting 50 qualified students. Seventy-five signed up, recalled Professor of Chemistry and Honors Program Director Kelli Slunt, and the Honors Program has exceeded expectations ever since.

“The program is thriving, and I’m just so thrilled with all the changes that have happened in the past 10 years,” Slunt told the audience gathered in Seacobeck’s Weatherly Wing. Key to that success, she said, has been the addition of Professor of English Mara Scanlon as associate director and Kasey Morello as program coordinator. Scanlon coined the program’s motto, “Be More,” and it couldn’t be more apt. Read more.

Nothing but Net: Bright Future Awaits for UMW Scholar-Athlete Karissa Highlander

Highlander soaks up a bit of team energy before a game. The UMW women recorded a 24-7 season and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Division III Tournament. (Photo by Steve Miller.)

Highlander soaks up a bit of team energy before a game. The UMW women recorded a 24-7 season and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Division III Tournament. (Photo by Steve Miller.)

For senior biomedical sciences major Karissa Highlander, the University of Mary Washington has been the ideal place to be an athlete and a scholar.

Highlander has pursued a research-intensive undergraduate science career while also starting at center on a women’s basketball team that this year soared to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Recruited from Osbourn Park High School in Manassas by Coach Deena Applebury, Highlander visited campus and soaked in the basketball program’s close-knit atmosphere. But what sealed the deal was the chance to participate in UMW’s Jepson Scholars Program, allowing her to do chemistry and microbiology research on alternative treatments for antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis.

And she’s found something else at UMW – a bonus family. When a military transfer moved her parents to California halfway through Highlander’s college career, people from both her athletic and academic spheres helped fill the void. Read more.

UMW Employees Honored for Exceptional Service, Commitment to Students

Winners of employee awards announced Monday, Feb. 27, are (from left) Ryan Hastings, Sharon Williams, Clint Often, Betsy Southern and Justin Wilkes. Photo by Sam Cahill.

Winners of employee awards announced Monday, Feb. 27, are (from left) Ryan Hastings, Sharon Williams, Clint Often, Betsy Southern and Justin Wilkes. Photo by Sam Cahill.

Five University of Mary Washington employees were honored during an employee recognition luncheon Monday, Feb. 27, for their extraordinary contributions to students and the University community as a whole.

President Troy Paino praised award winners and other employees for fostering the kind of community that helps students thrive academically and socially.

Today’s students have shown their resilience during the public health crisis and other contemporary pressures, Paino said. Caring, support and mentorship from employees reinforces that resilience and gives students a model for how to function as contributing adults.

“Thank you so much for all you do for our students and all you do for Mary Washington,” Paino told more than 240 luncheon attendees at the Chandler Ballroom of the Cedric Rucker University Center.

Winners of the University Staff Council’s Larry Atkins Award, recognizing UMW’s “unsung heroes,” were: Read more.

Dahlgren Campus Leader Driven to Keep Learning, Giving Back

In his office, Michael Hubbard stands near a large photo showing UMW’s Dahlgren Campus. Hubbard recently completed a doctorate in education from Baylor University.

In his office, Michael Hubbard stands near a large photo showing UMW’s Dahlgren Campus. Hubbard recently completed a doctorate in education from Baylor University.

Michael Hubbard has proven an inspirational figure since taking leadership of the University of Mary Washington’s Dahlgren Center for Education and Research in 2019. A retired Marine, he’s an envoy between UMW and regional constituents who use the 42,000-square-foot, technologically sophisticated building for classes, conferencing and events.

A primary goal of the Dahlgren Campus is to foster innovation and technological education at all levels in King George and Caroline counties and Virginia’s Northern Neck. To this end, Hubbard has built relationships with experts at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD); elected officials; education and business leaders; and community stakeholders.

But there’s another side to Hubbard, one that sets an example of lifelong learning and also meshes with UMW’s broader liberal arts and sciences mission. Hubbard recently completed his doctorate in education with a focus on learning and organizational change from Baylor University.

His dissertation, “Mission Critical: A Qualitative Study on Improving Graduation Success for First-Generation, Black Students at Public Universities,” focuses on not just recruiting minority students but creating the immersive experiences and sense of belonging to get them to graduation. Read more.

Great Lives to Feature GPS Technology Pioneer Gladys West

Growing up in King George County, Carolyn West Oglesby ’83 didn’t really think about what her parents did all day at work. She just knew that Gladys and Ira West were civilian mathematicians at the naval base at Dahlgren, where the family lived and she and her two brothers attended school.

Gladys West is pictured at a ceremony during which she was honored.

Gladys West is pictured at a ceremony during which she was honored.

It wasn’t until long after Oglesby had earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Mary Washington, established her own career, and completed her master’s and doctoral degrees that she learned the true significance of her mother’s work. Gladys West’s efforts with the military, using satellites to map the world, were foundational to the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS).

The life and work of Gladys West, and her contributions to what would eventually become an essential everyday navigational tool, are the focus of the William B. Crawley Great Lives lecture at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, in Dodd Auditorium of George Washington Hall.

Main speaker Karen Sherry, curator at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, will present biographical information about West, and Oglesby will be part of a panel answering questions about her mother. Additional panelists are Marvin Jackson, who worked with West to write her autobiography, It Began With a Dream; and Alan Dean, a UMW adjunct instructor, Dahlgren retiree and former colleague of Ira West. Read more.

College of Business Partnership with W&M Opens Doors for Aspiring Accountant

Emily Whitt ’23 considered other graduate schools to pursue a master’s degree in accounting, but only one rose to the top of her list – the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William & Mary.

Emily Whitt proudly models attire from William & Mary, where she’ll attend graduate school at the Mason School of Business. A partnership between UMW’s College of Business and W&M helped pave the way.

Emily Whitt proudly models attire from William & Mary, where she’ll attend graduate school at the Mason School of Business. A partnership between UMW’s College of Business and W&M helped pave the way.

The University of Mary Washington senior mentally prepared herself for a painstaking application process and a patient wait for an admissions decision. But when she mentioned her grad-school preference to Ken Machande, interim dean of UMW’s College of Business and her professor for a class in cost accounting, he had a better idea.

UMW had recently entered a partnership with William & Mary to streamline the Mason School admissions process for well-qualified Mary Washington applicants.

“The guaranteed admission program recognizes the caliber of students we have at UMW and builds on our alumni, who have been successfully participating in W&M graduate programs for years,” Machande said. “This agreement makes the admissions process – to one of the best graduate programs in the nation – far less intimidating for our students.”

And Machande knew that Whitt, a top student who’s taken as many upper-level business and accounting classes as her schedule allows, was a great candidate. “Emily is bright, inquisitive and thoughtful,” he noted. Read more.

Great Lives to Feature GPS Technology Pioneer Gladys West

Growing up in King George County, Carolyn West Oglesby ’83 didn’t really think about what her parents did all day at work. She just knew that Gladys and Ira West were civilian mathematicians at the naval base at Dahlgren, where the family lived and she and her two brothers attended school. It wasn’t until long […]

Spring 2023 Assembly Address: UMW Rises to Higher Education Challenges

UMW President Troy Paino delivers the Spring 2023 all-university address.

UMW President Troy Paino delivers the spring 2023 All UMW Faculty and Staff Assembly.

There’s much to be optimistic about as the spring 2023 semester begins, President Troy D. Paino told attendees of the All UMW Faculty and Staff Assembly on Wednesday, Jan. 18.

By sticking to its strategic vision, Mary Washington is navigating higher education challenges that have beset collegiate institutions since the start of the pandemic, Paino said in his semiannual state of the University address.

“We have to be a mission-driven institution,” he said. “We have to know why we exist, and we have to be to be true to that purpose.” Read more.