April 20-26 is Virginia Volunteer Week: recognizing the vital role employee volunteers play in our Commonwealth.

Celebrate by making a tangible difference in Virginia’s beautiful state parks. Check out the Governor Youngkin’s message in this short video and see how your contribution can help preserve and enhance our state’s natural treasures.

This year, we’re thrilled to offer state employees exclusive volunteer opportunities at state parks across Virginia. Whether you’re passionate about Earth Day, seeking a family-friendly activity or looking for a team-building experience, our parks have something for everyone. As a special thank you, volunteer parking will be provided FREE of charge. Your time and dedication will directly support the preservation of our beloved state parks.

Check out the list below which features 18 State Parks around the Commonwealth, offering volunteer opportunities to state employees and their families during Virginia Volunteer Week.

To locate a state park in your area offering state employee volunteer opportunities, please check out the list of state parks and complete an application to volunteer. If there is not a state park near you, you can find additional volunteer opportunities at your local volunteer center! Click here to locate a volunteer center near you through Serve Virginia.

Share your volunteering photos with us! We would like to feature employee volunteer photos in the Employee Experience magazine that is published quarterly. Submit photos here.

Please note: Employees wishing to volunteer at any of these events do not need to complete a volunteer application. Employee volunteers should provide notice to each volunteer site that their hours will be worked during Virginia Volunteer Week. In return, the volunteer site will email a certified letter to the employee attesting to the volunteer hours and site worked. Employees who share their volunteer letters with us, will receive agency participation credit regarding the upcoming 2025 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC).

If you have questions, please contact EmployeeEvents@dhrm.virginia.gov mailbox.

Enrollment is currently open for Tuition Reimbursement (courses outside of UMW) for courses starting July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025.  All applications must be submitted by Thursday, April 24, 2025. Please note: the Cabinet agreed to expand the Tuition Reimbursement Program to include certificate programs.  However, any and all courses associated with the certificate program must be credit-bearing.

The complete policy and procedures are posted online; some important and key provisions are listed below. You may contact Denise Frye at dfrye2@umw.edu with any questions.

Program Purpose:
Eligible employees enrolled in a degree-seeking program or enrolled in a credit-bearing certificate program at other accredited institutions of higher education will be provided with tuition reimbursement up to a specified amount for courses after completion of the course and submission of proof of grade.

Eligibility:
This policy applies to classified, wage, administrative professional faculty, and other non-faculty part-time employees. Graduate Assistants who are required to be enrolled in UMW graduate programs are not eligible for this program. Eligible employees must be continuously employed by the University for a minimum of one year prior to their application for reimbursement and job performance must be satisfactory or at the “contributor” level.  Tuition up to the approved amount will be reimbursed upon receipt of proof of completion of approved courses.  Employees who receive tuition reimbursement must remain employed at the University of Mary Washington during the term of the courses taken and for one year after receipt of tuition reimbursement for those courses(s) or be subject to terms for repayment as described in the written agreement.

Important Information to Know:
A Tuition Reimbursement Request form is required to be submitted to Human Resources during open enrollment for courses starting July 2025 through December 2025. The link to the form is below and forms may be scanned to jhudgins@umw.edu .

The Finance office will notify the employee the Tuition Reimbursement Request Form has been approved within 2 weeks of the enrollment timeframe closing and request the following:

a) Proof of enrollment in a degree-granting program

b) Schedule of the institution’s fees

c) Proof of payment

The assistance awarded will then be reimbursed to the employee upon submission of evidence of course completion with a minimum grade of “C” or “PASS” if a Pass/Fail course.  Submission of grade must be within 30 days of semester end.  Reimbursement will be issued within 10 business days of grade submission to the Finance Office.

As a reminder, all UMW employees are required to complete Virginia State Employee Safety and Disaster Awareness Training, which is offered online through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. The requirement is found in the Code of Virginia 2.2-1212. The deadline has been extended to April 28 to complete this training.

Follow the instructions (below) to access the Required Training for Safety and Disaster Awareness. 

• Go to:  https://covlc.virginia.gov.
• Enter your Learning Center Login ID.  It may / may not be the same as your UMW credentials. The system does not use single sign-on.
• Enter your Learning Center password, or click to reset your password.
• Once you log in, search for:  Required Training for Safety and Disaster Awareness 2025.
• Access the training module.

If you have trouble accessing the training module, please contact Pam Lowery (plowery@umw.edu) for assistance.

This online course takes about half an hour to complete and provides an overview on various disasters, including natural disasters, infectious diseases and workplace threats, and provides basic response plans and reminders. Completing it will keep you informed and ready to respond to any personal experiences, while also ensuring that we are each ready to help keep our campus safe in the event of an emergency.

We appreciate you taking the time to complete the required training. You progress will be tracked through the online system at the Virginia Learning Center. Note that this training is separate from annual security training.

If you have questions about this training, please contact studentaffairs@umw.edu

Be an extra for University Communications!

You’ve helped tell UMW’s story in countless ways — now we’d love to invite you to step in front of the camera and continue that storytelling in a new way!

We’re working on a new institutional video spot (UMW commercial), and we’re looking for faculty and staff to join us as extras. There are different opportunities to participate for students, but we specifically need YOU at Klein Theatre and the Battleground on Thursday, April 10. You have the ability to bring more energy and presence at our scene!

Please consider joining us:

Thursday, April 10, 8:45 – 9:45 a.m. (Klein Theatre) *20+ people needed
Thursday, April 10, 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. (Battleground Soccer Field) *100 people needed

If you’re available and interested, please sign up here! 

Please wear your UMW gear and invite colleagues to join too! Thanks so much for helping us continue to share the spirit of Mary Washington. Email scahill@umw.edu with any questions.

Join #TogetherUMW April 2-3 for this year’s #MaryWashDay!

Our eighth annual Mary Wash Day kicks off at noon on Wednesday, April 2, and ends at noon on Thursday, April 3. This 24-hour celebration brings the UMW family of alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students and community members together to support nearly 100 areas across campus. We’ve set ambitious goals this year: 2,500 gifts, including 1,200 alumni donors and 350 first-time donors. Throughout the day there will be chances to unlock over $500,000 in sponsored challenges and matches, including a faculty and staff participation challenge to benefit students (see details below). 

 There are many ways to help celebrate #MaryWashDay:  

• Sign up to be a Mary Wash Day ambassador to help spread the word and inspire others to give. Make a gift with your unique ambassador referral link and get two other gifts and we’ll send you a UMW duffel bag! 

• Access the Mary Wash Day toolkit to download social images and exclusive Zoom backgrounds. 

• Wear your Mary Wash gear and share your photos on social with #MaryWashDay and #TogetherUMW.  

• Visit the MWD Headquarters on April 2 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on the patio of the CRUC to take part in the fun with students.  

• Join our Fredericksburg Regional Alumni Network Happy Hour and Trivia event on April 2, from 5:30-8 p.m. in the Digital Auditorium of the HCC. Register Now!

• Wear your blue UMW gear and join the Mary Wash Day Walk at 8 a.m. You’ll join other students, faculty, and staff on a Blue Out walk from Goolrick Gym to the Bell Tower with a stop in front of the CRUC for a group photo. 

• Increase your impact: If 250 faculty and staff members make a gift of $5 or more to any area of the University during #MaryWashDay, Jacob Long, VP for Administration and Finance and CFO, and Tim O’Donnell, Provost, will make a gift of $2,500 to support students and programs.

Questions about Mary Wash Day? Contact Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14 at sorlando@umw.edu or 540-654-1361.