March 25, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Faculty & Staff Thanksgiving Lunch, Nov. 20

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Thanksgiving Turkey YOU’RE INVITED: Faculty & staff Thanksgiving Lunch will be held Thursday, Nov. 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Cedric Rucker University Center Chandler Ballroom.

Tickets are available for purchase from the Dining Concierge (located outside Panera in the Cedric Rucker University Center) weekdays between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. You may also purchase tickets from the cashiers at the Top of the Cedric Rucker University Center.

TICKET PRICES:

  • Members of UMW’s faculty and staff: $12.50
  • Adult friends & family members of UMW’s faculty and staff: $17
  • Children ages 5-10: $8
  • Children under 5: no charge

SEATING TIMES: Tickets will be sold for one of three seating times: 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m.

If you will be coming in between those hours, select the earlier hour. For example: If you’ll be arriving at 11:30 a.m., please purchase a ticket for the 11 a.m. seating time, and let us know that you’ll be arriving at 11:30 a.m.

TABLE RESERVATIONS: Please note that the purchase of tickets and making table reservations are separate processes. If you want to make sure you can sit with your friends, family members or co-workers, please be sure to make a reservation. If you have questions, contact Rose Benedict at rbenedic@umw.edu.We look forward to seeing you during the holiday season!

Contact dining@umw.edu for more info or click here to make table reservations.

Local Holiday Activities in Fredericksburg

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Experience the joy, charm and community spirit of Fredericksburg. The season kicks off with a Holiday Open House Weekend on Saturday, Nov. 15 and Sunday, Nov. 16 with additional events throughout the winter. Downtown is especially bustling this time of year with boutiques, shops and art galleries open for shopping and visits.

Many participating shops will feature:

  • Exclusive discounts
  • Door prizes and giveaways
  • Seasonal specials

Santa Claus will be at the Fredericksburg Visitor Center spreading joy, hearing holiday wishes and posing for festive photo ops. Enjoy the atmosphere along streets adorned with glowing lights and shops with seasonal windows that truly set the scene for the season. One of Fredericksburg’s favorite holiday traditions, the Tree Lighting, will take place at Riverfront Park. Gather with friends and family to watch the holiday season officially sparkle to life.

More seasonal celebrations downtown include:

  • Small Business Saturday – Saturday, Nov. 29
  • Christmas Parade – Saturday, Dec. 6
  • Cookie Crawl – Saturday, Dec. 13

See more holiday events on the Holidays in Fredericksburg webpage.

Support Causes You Care About Through the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign

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The University of Mary Washington is proud to participate once again in the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC)—now through December 31, 2025.

The CVC provides all state employees with the opportunity to make charitable contributions, either as one-time gifts or via payroll deduction, to hundreds of approved organizations—including UMW! Whether you choose to support UMW or another cause close to your heart, your generosity makes a difference across our communities.

And don’t forget—Giving Tuesday is December 2! Gifts made to UMW on Giving Tuesday will also count toward this year’s CVC totals, so it’s a perfect time to show your Mary Wash spirit while supporting students and programs across campus.

To explore the full list of participating charities and make your gift, please visit the CVC website.

If you have any questions, contact Cadi Treviño Pinto at ctrevino@umw.edu.

Thank you for helping to make a positive impact through this year’s CVC!

Digital Accessibility Updates and Resources for Faculty

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UMW continues to advance digital accessibility across courses and materials. Thanks go to Cartland Berge, Ruth Davison, Shannon Hauser, Victoria Russell and Jerry Slezk for their efforts in the endeavor.

The Class Materials Makeover Series continues Thursday, Oct. 30, at 4 p.m. with a Zoom session on Audio and Video Accessibility, covering updated standards for captions, transcripts and descriptions. Two more workshops follow this fall:

  • Slide Decks – Thursday, Nov. 6, 4 to 5 p.m.

  • Syllabus – Tuesday, Nov. 11, 4 to 5 p.m.

All sessions are recorded, and past topics—like Headings, Alt Text, and Color and Contrast — are available on the Class Materials Makeover Series webpage.

A new Essential Accessibility Concepts quick-reference guide highlights six key practices for creating inclusive materials. Faculty can also visit the Digital Accessibility webpage for ongoing updates, tools and training.

Questions? Email t2access@umw.edu or schedule a 30-minute Accessibility Consultation — available in person or via Zoom — for one-on-one support.

UMW Athletics Announces Clint Often Press Box Campaign

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Assistant Athletic Director for Communications and Sports Information Clint Often

Assistant Athletic Director for Communications and Sports Information Clint Often

As we look to the future of UMW Athletics, we have an opportunity to strengthen our home turf and honor a true Eagle champion by rejuvenating the Turf Stadium (D Field) Press Box at the Battleground Athletic Complex.

For nearly 30 years, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications and Sports Information Clint Often has been the voice and advocate for Mary Washington student-athletes. The support from this project will provide a new press box to be named in Often’s honor (pending approval by UMW’s Board of Visitors per the Named Gift Policy).

Linda Lemanski Blakemore ’84, who played field hockey and lacrosse on the D field, and Associate Professor Emeritus Porter Blakemore are offering a $150,000 challenge match for this project, so your gift will be matched dollar for dollar.

When we reach our goal of raising the matching $150,000, renovations to the press box will include:

  • Modern broadcasting and live-streaming equipment
  • Enhanced internet and game-day technology
  • Structural and accessibility improvements
  • Custom signage to honor Clint and recognize donors

Together, we can honor our past and invest in the future of UMW Athletics. Visit the Clint Often Press Box Donation webpage to contribute!

 

First Episode of UMW Podcast “What Matters Most” Launched

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What drives curiosity? What fuels purpose? What matters most? Introducing What Matters Most — UMW’s official podcast hosted by President Troy Paino! ️

In each episode, the podcast explores ideas, experiences and connections that shape the campus community. In Episode 1, President Paino sits down with student leaders Amira Said ’26 and Adam McAninley ’27 to talk internships, role models, sustainability, honor and what truly matters most to them as UMW students. Listen to the episode.

Click here to follow the new channel for the podcast — available on more platforms soon!

UMW Welcomes 42 Members into Chi Alpha Sigma Athletic Honor Society

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The University of Mary Washington Department of Athletics proudly welcomes 42 exceptional new members into its prestigious chapter of the Chi Alpha Sigma honor society. Since the chapter’s inception in the 2016-2017 academic year, Mary Washington has celebrated the achievements of 397 distinguished scholar-athletes.

Chi Alpha Sigma, founded in 1996 by then DePauw University head football coach Nick Mourouzis, aims to honor outstanding student-athletes with by connecting them with a fraternal association that celebrates their educational and athletic triumphs for a lifetime. To be inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, a student-athlete must attend a four-year accredited college or university that is a member of the NCAA, NAIA, or NCCAA. Additional qualifications include, junior academic standing by the fifth semester or seventh quarter, or be a transfer student that has been at the University for one full year, and must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. See the new members.

Opening Receptions for New Art Exhibitions, Oct. 30

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Please join us this Thursday, Oct. 30, for the Opening Receptions of two new exhibitions:

  • Adaptation, Innovation, and Tradition: Art from the Patawomeck Community – reception Thursday, Oct. 30 @ 5 p.m. in Ridderhof Martin Gallery
  • The Annual Student Art Exhibition (ASAE) – reception Thursday, Oct. 30 @ 5 p.m. in duPont Gallery with awards announced at 4:45 p.m.

Receptions will take place in both Ridderhof Martin Gallery and duPont Gallery from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Awards for ASAE will be announced in the duPont lobby at 4:45 p.m. Refreshments will be served at both receptions. All are welcome – please stop by!

These exhibitions will remain on view from October 31 – December 7, 2025. Admission is always free and no tickets are required. If you are interested in scheduling a tour for a specific group or class, please let us know.

In Ridderhof Martin Gallery: Adaptation, Innovation, and Tradition: Art from the Patawomeck Community celebrates the creative traditions and contemporary practices of the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia. Over the centuries Patawomecks have come together to celebrate, work, build, play, and worship, always as a distinct and bounded community with deep ties to one another and to their homeland around Potomac Creek. The objects in this exhibition represent the full spectrum from tools, to crafts, to fine art, and have a distinct connection to place – a powerful theme within the Patawomeck community because it provides sustenance to its people economically, culturally, and spiritually. This exhibition is organized by Dr. Brad Hatch and supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250). An artists’ roundtable will be held Thursday,  Nov. 6 from 5 – 6 p.m. in Seacobeck Hall, room 145.

In duPont Gallery: the Annual Student Art Exhibition showcases the incredible talent and creativity of UMW students. Artworks by 46 students will be on display. This year’s guest juror is Dr. Clare van Loenen, director of museums and galleries at Sweet Briar College. Several artworks in the exhibition are selected for annual departmental awards, including the Anne Elizabeth Collins ’73 Memorial Art Award, the Emil R. Schnellock Award for Excellence in Painting, and the Melchers Gray Purchase Award. For this last award, the recipient’s artwork is purchased from the exhibition to become part of the UMW Galleries’ permanent collection. Awards will be announced at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday (directly preceding the opening reception). Dr. van Loenen will give a juror’s talk Thursday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. in the HCC Digital Theatre, room 136.