With all the end-of-the-year activities the past couple weeks – Devil-Goat Day, Eagle Awards, ASPIRE Week and more – inboxes are crowded. We’re bumping EagleEye back up to the top today for anyone who missed yesterday’s edition.
Record Number of Nominations Powers UMW Eagle Awards for Exceptional Contributions
Adam McAninley received the Prince Woodard Emerging Leader Award and the Cedric Rucker Eagle Beyond Compare Award at the 2026 Eagle Awards ceremony, recognizing extraordinary contributions by individuals and organizations. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.
As Honor Council president, University of Mary Washington junior Adam McAninley upholds academic integrity across campus. He’s shared his school spirit as a campus tour guide, represented UMW students at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and interned on Capitol Hill.
Last week, McAninley, a double-major in political science and environmental science, earned more feathers to put in his cap, receiving not one but two honors – the Prince Woodard Emerging Leader Award and the Cedric Rucker Eagle Beyond Compare Award. The accolades were bestowed during the annual Eagle Awards event, held Thursday evening in the Cedric Rucker University Center’s Chandler Ballroom.
From more than 200 nominations – a program record – the event awarded 32 honors to UMW students and administrators who’ve gone above and beyond, and organizations and programs that have made a significant impact on campus. Read more about UMW’s 2026 Eagle Awards.
UMW, City Celebrate Eagles Men’s Basketball National Championship
The University of Mary Washington celebrated its Men’s Basketball team’s NCAA Division III national championship win with a Fan Fest event that brought the community to UMW’s Anderson Center. The day held a flurry of festivities, including autograph and photo opportunities with the No. 1 team, the Eagles. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.
The University of Mary Washington’s Anderson Center was jumping last weekend with a crowd ready to celebrate a victory. And it was a big one.
The breathtaking buzzer-beating basket that won the Eagles Men’s Basketball team its first-ever NCAA Division III championship in Indianapolis on Easter Sunday sparked hugs and high-fives from coast to coast. Back home on Saturday, a community gathered to honor these love-of-the-sport student-athletes and their incredible run to the title.
“It wasn’t just a basket. It was a moment that will be talked about for decades to come,” Fredericksburg Mayor Kerry Devine ’84 said of the historic win, made even more special for a team with no seniors. “You played with heart, you played with grit, and you played for the name on the front of your jersey. You have made Fredericksburg a championship city.”
The entire team – players and coaches – took a victory lap through town on an Eagle-spirit-trimmed trolley, with fans snapping pictures and flashing signs of support along the route. But when the vehicle, led by a police escort, chugged its way off of College Avenue and into the Fan Fest event in the Anderson Center parking lot, the party was really on. Read more about UMW Fan Fest.
UMW Celebrates Groundbreaking for New Theatre at Intersection With Campus and Community
The University of Mary Washington broke ground this week on a new theatre at the corner of William Street and Sunken Road. K Pearlman Photography.
The groundwork has begun for a new theatre at the University of Mary Washington, as the campus community gathered on April 16, 2026, to celebrate with a groundbreaking ceremony. With construction set to begin this summer, following site preparation work this year, the idea of the building, or more accurately, the ideas that will thrive and come to life there, are already front and center.
“Today we aren’t just talking about a building. We are talking about an investment in creativity, collaboration and the hands-on learning that define a Mary Washington education,” said UMW Provost Tim O’Donnell. “This will be a teaching and learning laboratory designed to expand those opportunities with the space to create, experiment and grow.”
Fredericksburg Mayor Kerry Devine ’84, referenced the new theatre as a cultural beacon to downtown and a front door to the arts, noting how the work, energy and creativity of the facility will be visible to everyone who passes by on William Street. Read more about UMW Groundbreaking for New Theatre.
All the World’s a Stage at UMW’s 36th Annual Multicultural Fair
The University of Mary Washington’s 36th annual Multicultural Fair welcomed thousands of visitors from the campus, local and regional communities last weekend. Each year, the event brings cultures from across the globe to UMW, with ethnic food, crafts vendors, entertainment, children’s activities and more. Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce.
Bright handmade bags swayed in the breeze, the plucky sound of Irish tunes drifted through the crowd, and the sweet scent of funnel cake filled the air Saturday at the University of Mary Washington’s Multicultural Fair.
Making its way across Campus Walk from the bell tower to Monroe Hall, and stretching onto Ball Circle, the 36th annual event is a mainstay at UMW, drawing thousands of visitors each year. It’s an eclectic cultural collection of music, dance, food, wares and more from across the globe – from the reggae sounds of Jamaica to the kung fu artistry of China. The free event is presented by the University’s James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC), in close collaboration with Mary Washington student organizations, campus partners, faculty and staff, and the Fredericksburg community.
“It’s just a fun day,” said Cameron Rico, a UMW junior and geography major who looked forward to sampling local honey and shopping for colorful clothes, but not as much as watching her roommates perform with their campus dance group. Read more about UMW’s 36th Annual Multicultural Fair.
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 and Four Students Receive Top Billing Statewide for Internships
The University of Mary Washington received statewide recognition this month for its internship program and top student interns.
The University of Mary Washington received statewide recognition this month for its internship program – and for its students, who bring classroom knowledge into the workplace and, in turn, gain on-the-job experience in the Fredericksburg region and beyond.
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) named UMW to its 2026 Top Virginia Employers for Interns list early this month, recognizing the University’s efforts to establish high-impact, career-launching opportunities across the Commonwealth. A week later, SCHEV shared its Top 50 list of Virginia interns, which includes Mary Washington students Matthew Clinton, Miranda Herd, MacKenzie Martin and Sarah Moon.
“It’s an honor to celebrate the University of Mary Washington and our students during National Internship Awareness Month. We’re in excellent company with the other organizations being recognized in our region and across Virginia,” said Career and Workforce Director of Regional Partnerships Devin T. Fedor. “UMW is proud to serve as a role model for expanding work-based learning opportunities and boosting student career readiness, both key goals of the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership.” Read more about UMW and Four Students Receive Top Billing Statewide for Internships.
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.
ERP Update: Implementation Partner Selected, Start Date Planned
Campus Colleagues,
As we announced in January, UMW has begun a process to move into Workday as our enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform. Workday provides a modern, cloud-based system to help us work more effectively, collaborate easily, and provide better experience for our students, faculty and staff. It will replace Banner, and as we transition to this new platform, we’ll have an implementation partner to assist each area with updates, training, and questions.
We have selected Avaap as the implementation partner for Workday. Avaap has a robust track record of partnerships in higher education, with many impressive recommendations. In addition, we have examples and shared resources from colleagues at William & Mary and Norfolk State University, who have also transitioned into Workday and provided insights into effective implementation partnerships.
Avaap brings deep Workday expertise and a strong record of success with universities like ours. Just as importantly, they bring a people-first philosophy. They understand that this transition is not simply designing a system; it’s about supporting the faculty and staff who make Mary Washington work every day.
Our contract is now in effect beginning this month, and we’ll move quickly to schedule next steps including training opportunities by area. Avaap will provide a timeline for the HR and finance areas that will be first in this project. Here’s what you can expect:
- Planning & Discovery = This is where we work with Avaap to fully understand our current processes and needs.
- Design & Configuration = Here, we shape Workday to support our goals and needs.
- Testing & Training = We use this period to build confidence and readiness for using Workday to its fullest potential.
- Go-Live & Support = During this time period, we transition fully into Workday with hands-on guidance from experts.
The Workday Platform implementation (Human Capital Management, Finance, and Payroll) is scheduled to run from April 20, 2026, through February 1, 2027. More dates and details will be announced soon as we develop a week-by-week plan and prepare for the implementation.
Workstream leaders for the project have been identified to begin project engagement. These leaders will coordinate planning, design, and decision-making within their respective functional areas and will work closely with their teams and the implementation partner throughout the project.
We expect the transition to kick off this summer with a structured set of training activities tailored to each functional area. The Workday ERP platform requires multiple levels of training to prepare project participants for a successful implementation. A detailed training schedule will be released shortly and will identify individuals who are required to participate based on their role in the project. As we approach go-live, end user training will also be assigned to the broader campus community to ensure readiness for the new system.
Questions can be sent to CIO@umw.edu.