February 27, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Center for Teaching January Updates

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Image books with an apple on topUMW’s Center for Teaching (CfT) actively supports and encourages faculty in providing a rigorous public, liberal arts education. Opportunities include workshops, interactive faculty research presentations, learning communities, as well as individual, small group, and departmental consultations. Whether looking to revive a tired course design or seeking ideas for a sticky teaching challenge, you can find support through the CfT.

January is a short programming month, however there is still a lot going on! Learn more in the CfT First Friday January 2026 Edition.

Some highlights:

New Faculty Monthly Meetup Dates
First year faculty are reminded to block off the following dates in their spring calendars for monthly meetup (all meetings start at 4 p.m. in Seacobeck 128):

  • Wednesday, Jan. 21
  • Wednesday, Feb. 11
  • Wednesday, Mar. 11
  • April 8

NEST Spring Start Up Meeting, Jan. 30
Networks for Exploring Strategies in Teaching (NEST) is a semester-based faculty cohort that meets monthly to brainstorm and share classroom strategies. The heart of the NEST program are classroom observations by your fellow cohort members to see how similar strategies work in different classroom and disciplinary contexts. Join Elizabeth Johnson-Young to learn more and get started for the spring semester! Join the spring start up meeting on Friday, Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. in Panera!

Book Authors Group Meetings, Every Friday
Make a commitment to your writing agenda and join the Book Authors Group every Friday from 3:30 – 5:00 PM over Zoom for focused writing time, support, and accountability. Any and all writing projects are welcome and you can come and go as your schedule permits. Books, manuscripts, articles, grants, dissertations, tenure files–all kinds of writing projects are successfully completed with the Book Authors Group! Contact Zach Whalen or Brenta Blevins for more information and the Zoom link.

Where to Begin With Digital Accessibility
Digital Learning Support provides tips and points you toward helpful resources as you begin exploring accessibility in your courses. Learn more in this short post from the Digital Learning Center.

TIAA Offers Virtual and In-Person Retirement Counseling Sessions

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TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America) offers flexible retirement counseling options for COV ORPHE and 403(b) participants.

In 2026, as we get more information regarding scheduling counseling sessions, additional information will be provided to you. However, for now TIAA is offering virtual appointments and if you need an in-person session, you will need to visit one of the local branch offices.

To schedule a virtual appointment:

  • Employees can visit www.tiaa.org/schedule or call 800-732-8353.
  • Employees will be prompted to login using their TIAA credentials or create a guest login if they are not currently a participant.
  • From there, select a date/time and confirm the meeting.

Be sure to have financial statements on hand, including investment, retirement and savings info.

graphic from TIAA with a QR code and info on scheduling that is also included in the text of this article

Alumni Program Updates

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UMW Alumni logoThe alumni events calendar picks up quickly in the new year with several opportunities to connect, serve and celebrate. Unless otherwise noted, alumni events are open to parents, friends, faculty, and staff as well.

The latest local events include:

  • On Saturday, Jan. 24, from 1 to 4 p.m., Young Alumni: MLK Day of Service is scheduled providing a meaningful opportunity to give back to the community.
  • On Saturday, Feb. 7, alumni in the Roanoke and New River Valley area are invited to gather for a happy hour at Olde Salem Brewing beginning at 4 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. hockey game at the Berglund Center.
  • On Wednesday, Feb. 18, there will be a Mary Talk featuring Dr. Andi Smith.
  • On Sunday, Feb. 22, the DC/NoVA Network will be bowling in Arlington.

Looking ahead, the Alumni team will also launch the Devil-Goat 100th Anniversary Alumni Engagement Challenge this month. More details about this fun, campuswide initiative—leading up to the 100th Devil-Goat Day in April—will be shared soon. Watch your email for updates and event information.

Faculty and Staff Yoga

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UMW Faculty Staff Yoga begin Jan 12th and ends Feb 25th. Each session will begin with a warm-up, followed by a series of yoga poses designed to move the whole body, and end with deep relaxation. You’ll leave feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready for whatever the afternoon brings. This class is suitable for both beginners and those experienced with yoga. The Session fee is $35.

You can register here: https://campusrec.umw.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=dde99e2e-2391-4a61-81f5-8bcc42df0b0f

Image of adult in yoga pose

 

U.S. Diplomat Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater Lecture, Jan. 20

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The Beta Eta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International is excited to host an American diplomat Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater for a presentation at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan 20 in the Weatherly Wing (Room 145) of Seacobeck Hall.

Ambassador Bridgewater will discuss her journey in the diplomatic corps and her efforts to construct a medical clinic in Prince’s Town, Ghana, as well as her memoir Bridging Troubled Waters.

Copies of Ambassador Bridgewater’s book will be available for purchase and for signing. Please invite your students and anyone else who might be interested in attending Ambassador Bridgewater’s lecture!

Photo of a book cover with an adult woman in front of an American flag

MLK Keynote Speaker Kaye Savage, Jan. 21

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photo of Kaye Savage

Accomplished educator and public servant, Kaye Savage, will be the keynote speaker at UMW’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Accomplished educator and public servant Kaye Savage is the keynote speaker for UMW’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. program on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Cedric Rucker University Center Chandler Ballroom. She brings decades of experience in education, public service and nonprofit leadership.

A former special education teacher in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Savage has held roles at the Urban Institute and in the White House, where she helped establish the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Initiative. She later founded and led Excel Academy Public Charter School, Washington, D.C.’s first public school for girls, and launched CNXIS Consulting, LLC, focused on adult education and workforce development.

Savage attended Mary Washington College, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Howard University, holds a master of public administration degree from the University of Southern California, and most recently completed Harvard Business School’s Executive Nonprofit Management Program.

UMW Strategic Action Plan Implementation – Campus Update

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UMW Campus Community,

As we conclude the fall semester, we want to share a brief update on the strategic action plan implementation process, which is now well underway. Our four strategic planning implementation groups have met, shared ideas, and built momentum for this initial phase of the process, and we have collected actionable items to share with the campus community in early spring. We’ll provide engagement channels and opportunities to review when we return from winter break. The steering committee will then refine the proposals for spring governance reviews, as we work with stakeholders, campus leadership and our board on next steps.

This work focuses on four strategic priorities:

Priority 1: Enhancing and adapting UMW’s liberal arts mission

Goal: Continue to deliver a high-quality, relevant liberal arts education that increases demand and selectivity while improving retention and outcomes

Priority 2: Student engagement, campus life, and school pride

Goal: Invest in the physical spaces, traditions, experiences and cultural norms to create a unique, engaging and attractive campus

Priority 3: Modernizing infrastructure and creating a 21st-Century Campus

Goal: To ensure student and institutional success by providing access to cutting-edge technology and dynamic learning environments. Investments in our physical spaces and landscapes ensure that our campus will continue to be among the University’s best assets and a fitting home for the entire Mary Washington community

Priority 4: Meeting future workforce needs of the region and Commonwealth

Goal: As the only 4-year degree-granting institution in one of the fastest growing regions in Virginia, it’s UMW’s responsibility to respond to regional workforce needs. In doing so, we will spur continued economic growth in the region, further benefitting UMW and student recruitment

Thank you to the many staff, faculty and students contributing to this action plan process. If you would like to read more about the plans and contribute to specific areas, please see the Strategic Action Plan Implementation website.

On behalf of the steering committee,

Chief of Staff and Vice President of Strategy Jeff McClurken & Provost Tim O’Donnell, co-chairs

Winter Break Facilities News

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photo of snow on UMW campusAs we approach the end of the semester, we wanted to update you on the status of major maintenance projects, repairs and renovations across campus.

New Theatre Project
The theatre project has received the necessary funding for the demolition phase, including removing two residence halls – Russell and Marshall – and many trees around the site.  This work has already begun, and when you return from winter break, the site will look different as we prepare for the new building.

It will take 90-120 days each to demolish Russell and Marshall Halls as we prep the buildings and then bring in the equipment to take them down in segments. The road at Marshall Hill remains closed and will not reopen as the theatre is added to this corner of campus.

As we remove trees around the theatre site, we will repurpose them as mulch for campus, as feasible. In addition, about a third of the trees will be repurposed and reused around campus and in the regional community, creating artistic, functional and educational installations. For example, oak, maple and black walnut trees may be milled and cured for use in the theatre lobby, interior-use benches or tables. Smaller trees, such as dogwood, magnolia and holly, could be shared with local woodworkers to create artisan pieces. Any unused wood may be sold to the wood-purchasing market with proceeds to support our UMW Campus Tree Fund.

We’ve partnered with the Virginia Department of Forestry for assistance with tree measurements and cataloging in advance of this phase of the project, along with contractors to complete the work, and we look to maintain Tree Campus status.

New Locker Rooms at the Battleground Athletic Complex
With the groundbreaking now complete for the new locker rooms, we’ve been working on the waterlines around the site. The modular units are expected this December and will take time to install on the site foundations. Thank you for working around the temporary detours on the Shell Trail.

In addition, we are working with Athletics to clean out the stone house adjacent to the fields for additional team use.

Foundation Work Around Campus Houses
Foundation work and repairs are in progress at Hamlet, Tyler, and Fairfax Houses, as well as the house at 1004 William St.  Thank you for working around the noise and areas blocked off for these repairs.

Ball Hall Accessibility Improvements and Fairfax Lot Closure
Work continues at Ball Hall for accessibility improvements beginning with room updates to the first floor to make several suites accessible. We’ll also add on an elevator to be installed next summer 2027.

Please note that the Fairfax Lot will be closed over winter break so that materials can be moved on site. This lot will remain closed until fall 2026. Paths around this area will have a detour, and supplemental trash and recycling bins will be located at Custis and Madison Halls during the Ball Hall construction project.

Seacobeck Roof Renovation for the Weatherly Wing
Roof repairs have started for the Weatherly Wing in Seacobeck Hall and will continue on weekends through February.  This work is limited to one wing of the building and will take place only on weekends and winter break to reduce the disruption to classes and other activities in the building during business hours. Seacobeck Hall is open during this roof renovation project, and the Weatherly Wing is available during the class schedule. Weekend availability will be limited during the roof repairs.

Simpson Library
We’ve paused the façade work at Simpson Library during the final weeks of the semester to facilitate quiet study spaces and will complete the project through the winter break and spring semester. The library remains open during the project. Check the website for hours and more information.

We appreciate you being aware of these projects. If you have concerns in campus buildings, including residence halls, please submit a work order online. For any questions, contact Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Capital Outlay Brian Gorham at bgorham@umw.edu.

Website Redesign Check-In

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Image of a student as it appears on the home page of the UMW websiteThe past year, the UMW website has continued to evolve as part of the ongoing redesign initiative led by the Digital Communications team in University Communications. Several major sites have transitioned to the new design, improving consistency, accessibility and overall user experience across the University’s web presence.

Notable updates include the Alumni & Advancement website, which supports engagement with alumni and donors and all Centers within both the College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences, showcasing academic initiatives, programming and interdisciplinary collaboration. Other significant sites include Finance, EagleOne, Institutional Analysis and Effectiveness, Budget and Financial Analysis, Accounts Payable and Accounting. Moving these sites into the new design has been especially important in preparing the University to meet upcoming accessibility requirements that will take effect in April 2026.

This work reflects a continued commitment to modernizing UMW’s digital presence while supporting academic units, centers and advancement efforts through a more accessible and user-focused web experience. The phased rollout of the redesigned website will continue with Digital Communications coordinating closely with offices and departments as additional sites are prepared for transition.