The following message is from the Chief of Staff:

Campus Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce that Jonathan Piersol has accepted the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO) at UMW and will start in the role on May 13.

Jonathan brings more than 30 years of experience in IT leadership across higher education, government contracting, and the private sector.

He most recently served as the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Information Officer for the University System of Georgia. In this role, he oversaw technology strategy and services for 26 public colleges and universities, including chairing the CIO Advisory Council, composed of chief information officers from each institution. Jonathan has been responsible for setting the strategic vision for digital transformation, modernizing legacy systems to drive enhanced user experiences, operational agility, and institutional effectiveness.

Prior to joining the University System of Georgia, Jonathan served as Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he provided strategic oversight for the university’s Workday Cloud ERP deployment—encompassing human capital management, finance, and payroll—as part of a broader institutional transformation. His leadership supported Howard’s mission to become a more interactive, student- and research-centered institution committed to excellence in teaching and learning.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Strayer College, a Master of Science in Information Technology from The George Washington University, and an Executive MBA from Georgetown University. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM). A proud combat veteran, Jonathan served honorably in the United States Marine Corps from 1986 to 1992.

UMW’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) leads the information technology strategy and operations. This executive role is critical for advancing the University’s mission through innovative and effective use of technology and oversees IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, administrative computing, computing support, digital transformation, and data governance. They work collaboratively across campus units to enhance teaching, learning, and research through technology integration. This partnership extends beyond traditional IT support to include innovative solutions that advance pedagogical excellence and support faculty development in digital literacy and technology-enhanced instruction.

On behalf of the search committee, thank you for participating in the search process, and thanks in advance for joining us in welcoming Jonathan to Mary Washington this May. He will overlap with retiring CIO Hall Cheshire for a couple of weeks, and we also hope you will share our retirement congratulations with Hall via email or as you see him through May.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey McClurken, Chief of Staff & Vice President of Strategy, Search Committee Chair

Commencement is coming up this weekend, Saturday, May 10, and we look forward to welcoming graduates and their families for the ceremony. The schedule for commencement festivities is available online, including information for seniors on the Senior Toast and Grad Ball.

Commencement rehearsal happens Friday, May 9 from 1-3 p.m., and faculty and staff are invited to preview the processional around 1:45 to 2 p.m. along Campus Walk and cheer on the grads during rehearsal. Our Deans will hand-out ice cream following rehearsal so please stay around for a sweet treat.

Commencement will be held Saturday, May 10, beginning at 9 a.m. If you are participating in the event, check your schedule and email for specific times and locations and make sure you allow plenty of time to park for the 8 a.m. line-up for graduates.

Please note the following parking changes:

• Jefferson Square parking will be closed to through traffic for rehearsal on Friday and for Commencement on Saturday.
• All spaces on in-and out-bound Double Drive will be reserved for Commencement speakers and staff on Saturday.  There will also be reserved spaces throughout various lots.
• The GW Parking Lot is reserved for accessible parking – vehicles with DMV-issued accessible placards or license plates.

All lots are otherwise open for visitors and guests.

In addition, the City of Fredericksburg and particularly our neighbors in the College Heights and College Terrace neighborhoods welcome families for this annual celebration. If you choose to park in the adjacent neighborhoods, which lift the general parking regulations and timeframes, please do not block fire hydrants, fire lanes or driveways. Those areas will be enforced.

For a calendar view of lot reservations visit the Parking Lot Reservations Calendar webpage. Please contact Parking Management with any parking related questions: parking@umw.edu, 540-654-1129.

To all full-time employees:

Please be aware that the Virginia Department of Human Resources (DHRM) has changed this year’s Open Enrollment period to May 16  – May 30, 2025, and that informational materials will be emailed rather than mailed to employees’ homes.  Please make sure to check your UMW email for Open Enrollment information from DHRM.

Supervisors – if you have employees who do not use email for work, please ensure this information is communicated to them.