EagleEye is taking a short summer hiatus after this week’s edition.
We will be back July 23!
Enhanced Summer Visits Warm Students Up to College Options
Interested prospective students and families can register for Enhanced Summer Visits at UMW on Monday, July 13, and Friday, July 24, for a deeper dive into the college search and admission process.
For many high school students, choosing a college begins with a visit. Walking through a residence hall, sitting in a classroom and imagining life on campus can provide the kind of experience that brochures and websites can’t.
University of Mary Washington’s Enhanced Summer Visits – scheduled for Monday, July 13, and Friday, July 24 – offer a deeper dive into the college search and admission process. Attendees will receive campus tours led by current students, unique information sessions, financial aid details and the opportunity to connect one-on-one with Mary Washington’s academic leaders, department heads and deans.
“Students often tell us that visiting campus helps them picture what their college experience could look like,” said Director of First-Year Admission Sarah Lindberg. “Our Enhanced Summer Visits give families additional time to ask questions, learn more about specific academic programs, explore financial aid resources and connect directly with the people who help shape the student experience.”
Designed for families that want a more comprehensive introduction to UMW, the specialized visits offer a chance to explore academic spaces more closely. Attendees will discover science labs that support undergraduate research, gallery and theatrical spaces that nurture artistic talents, business facilities that encourage entrepreneurship and the recently renovated home of UMW’s education programs. Families are also given time to learn about opportunities outside the classroom, including internships, study abroad programs, community engagement, athletics and more than 150 student clubs and organizations. Interested prospective students and families can register for one of the 2026 Enhanced Summer Visits on UMW’s Summer Visits webpage.
College of Business Celebrates Alumni Achievement at Annual Awards
The University of Mary Washington honored College of Business graduates who have excelled in their professions. From L to R: Christina Malave ’17, Jamie Scully ’04, Rebecca Ely ’97 (accepting on behalf of her husband, Kevin Ely ’97), Carolina Brusch ’23, Luis Gavignano ’22.
With a solid foundation in finance, marketing and management, University of Mary Washington business graduates go on to careers in executive leadership, entrepreneurship and public service.
At the annual College of Business Alumni Awards – held in Woodard Hall during Reunion Weekend – Mary Washington honored grads who have excelled in their professions, from founding supportive online communities and leading public health initiatives to holding key positions at organizations such as Google, McDonald’s and Hilton.
The awards recognized alumni at various stages of their careers, including a Hall of Fame inductee, three Distinguished Business Award recipients and four Outstanding Young Alumni Award winners.
UMW Provost Tim O’Donnell offered introductory remarks, recognizing what he called “the very best” of Mary Washington’s business graduates. Megan Shepherd ’94, chair of the College of Business Advisory Board, served as master of ceremonies and noted that the achievements and community impact of this year’s honorees were “truly inspiring.” Read more about College of Business Alumni Achievement.
Across Disciplines, UMW Students Put Their Work on Display at Research and Creativity Day
Students from across disciplines set up posters in the Hurley Convergence Center to share their research and creative work from the past academic year as part of UMW’s 20th annual Research and Creativity Day. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
A map tracing pollution threats to the Chesapeake Bay. An experiment repurposing a common heartburn medication to help kill cancer cells. A computer model built to predict sports injuries before they happen. Intricate artwork transforming a gallery space. A scene unfolding onstage.
At the University of Mary Washington, these aren’t hypothetical scenarios – they are real student projects presented at Research and Creativity Day, an annual tradition on the last day of classes that has now spanned two decades. The spring event brings together student research and creative work from nearly every major, with scientific studies, art exhibitions and performances filling venues across campus.
This year’s culminating symposium, hosted in the Hurley Convergence Center (HCC), closed out a weeklong celebration marking the event’s 20th anniversary. For the full story of how the day began and grew, see Research and Creativity Day Turns 20: A Celebration of Undergraduate Work Decades in the Making.
“I think the students really enjoy explaining their research to other students,” said Director of Undergraduate Research Betsy Lewis. “Even at the end of a busy week, there’s still a lot of energy at the final symposium.” Read more about Research and Creativity Day.
UMW Theatre Steps Into the Spotlight With New BFA in Performing Arts
The University of Mary Washington will launch a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts program beginning in fall 2026, creating a track for students seeking focused, pre-professional preparation in the field.
Students in the University of Mary Washington theatre program already bring plays and musicals to life each year — performing on stage, designing costumes and sets, managing productions and collaborating behind the scenes.
The work has earned them national recognition. For three consecutive years, The Princeton Review has ranked UMW among its Top 25 college theatre programs. Graduates go on to work as professional actors, stage managers, technicians and designers in major venues like the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Broadway, and on hit shows streaming on Hulu and HBO.
Now the University is building on that momentum with a new degree. UMW will launch a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts program beginning in fall 2026, following recent approval by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). The degree reflects continued growth for Mary Washington’s theatre program and creates a track for students seeking focused, pre-professional preparation in the field.
The BFA combines intensive studio instruction with hands-on production experience while maintaining a liberal arts and sciences foundation. UMW is currently recruiting students interested in joining the program for the 2026-27 academic year.
“This is a first-of-its-kind degree at UMW,” said Department of Theatre and Dance Managing Director Jon Reynolds. “Our department has already grown tremendously in the strength of our productions and the depth of our training, and the new BFA will allow us to train students at an even higher level, particularly those who want to pursue theatre in a more focused way.” Read more about UMW’s New BFA in Performing Arts.
SCHEV Awards UMW Grant to Showcase Internships and Work-Based Learning
The University of Mary Washington was one of seven institutions to receive up to $100,000 annually for two years to improve data on internships and work-based learning.
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) awarded $1.6 million in grants to seven institutions of higher education recently to enhance their capacity to track, analyze and report on internships and other work-based learning experiences campuswide.
The University of Mary Washington was one of the institutions to receive up to $100,000 annually for two years to establish or strengthen data collection systems and allow it to track student participation in work-based learning. The collected data will give better visibility on student engagement, access and success.
“This grant will help us to build internal processes for analyzing our internship data and telling the narratives that emerge,” said Kimberly Young, UMW associate provost for career and workforce.
The grants are administered by SCHEV through the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP), which is funded by the General Assembly’s Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program. Read more about SCHEV Grant to Showcase Internships.
UMW Student Earns Esteemed Goldwater Scholarship for Marine Study
UMW junior Edmund “Ned” Gable, an environmental science and chemistry double major, has earned the ultra-prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for his marine research; he’s pictured here examining coral as part of UMW’s study abroad program in Bonaire. Photo from Ned Gable.
At 12 years old, Edmund “Ned” Gable plunged into a tidepool at the Monterey Bay Aquarium during a visit to California. Surrounded by a parade of starfish, grouper and wolf eel, he was captivated by the underwater world.
Almost a decade later, that early fascination with marine life hasn’t faded. Now a junior at the University of Mary Washington, Gable’s ocean and environmental research has earned him a Barry Goldwater Scholarship – one of the nation’s most prestigious undergraduate awards in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. The scholarship was created in honor of late U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, who had an interest in science and technology.
“Ned epitomizes the ideals of the Goldwater Foundation,” said Professor of Chemistry Kelli Slunt, who directs the UMW Honors Program, of which Gable is a member. “His strong commitment to a research career, intellectual intensity and potential for significant future contributions to research make him well deserving of this recognition.” Read more about UMW Student Earns Esteemed Goldwater Scholarship for Marine Study.
UMW Students Post Strong Showing on National Latin Exam as Program Grows
University of Mary Washington’s James Farmer Hall is headquarters of the National Latin Exam administered to more than 100,000 students in all 50 states and internationally each year. This year, 18 UMW students earned accolades for their top marks on the exam. Photo by Norm Shafer.
Students at the University of Mary Washington have achieved standout results on this year’s National Latin Exam, with 18 earning top distinctions. The total more than doubles last year’s seven honorees and reflects continued momentum for UMW’s growing classical studies program.
Taken by more than 100,000 students annually across all 50 states and internationally, the National Latin Exam recognizes achievement in Latin language and culture, with questions spanning grammar, vocabulary, Roman history, classical literature and mythology. The exam is based at Mary Washington, with its home office in James Farmer Hall, and is sponsored by the American Classical League.
Among this year’s honorees, three students earned the highest distinction of Gold Summa Cum Laude, four received Silver Maxima Cum Laude, six earned Magna Cum Laude and five achieved Cum Laude recognition. Read more about UMW Students’ Strong Showing on the National Latin Exam.
Research and Creativity Day Turns 20: A Celebration of Undergraduate Work Decades in the Making
This year, the University of Mary Washington celebrates the 20th anniversary of its Research and Creativity Day by hosting a week of departmental presentations, performances and exhibits which put student work centerstage.
A group of University of Mary Washington theatre students began applying powder, color and gloss to a fellow student’s face. They contoured cheekbones, defined eyes, shaped brows and lips, and incorporated aging lines, scars and dirt. After fine-tuning features, enhancing texture and layering on some final touches, the student was transformed into a character, looking completely unlike themselves.
Professor of Geology Grant Woodwell was fascinated.
“It’s the most fun when you encounter something you don’t know about and you become the student in the process,” said Woodwell, recalling a year-end theatre demonstration. “There’s a lot of technical components to stagecraft makeup that I would have been completely unaware of, so that was a memorable thing to see.”
That sense of discovery is at the heart of Mary Washington’s Research and Creativity Day, a campuswide celebration of scholarly research and creative endeavors students have been cultivating, alongside faculty mentors, throughout the academic year. UMW celebrates the event’s 20th anniversary this year with a week of departmental presentations, exhibitions and performances that shine a spotlight on how far the day has come.
The story of how it began involves a conference, a carpool and a realization. In 2007, Woodwell and his colleague John Morello, then associate provost for academic affairs and professor of communication, hit the road together to attend a national gathering in Washington, D.C., focused on undergraduate research at large universities. Read more about Research and Creativity Day’s 20th Anniversary.
Farnsworth Retirement Celebration, May 6
Please join the Department of Political Science & International Affairs as we celebrate Steve Farnsworth ahead of his retirement after 25 years on faculty at UMW on Wednesday, May 6 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Lee Hall 411.
