Category: Announcements

A great local photographer (Korie Lynn) and wedding planner (C&A Events) recently staged a wedding photo shoot in the renovated garden here at JMM. We wanted to share some of the pictures, because they are beautiful and give a sense of what the space has to offer!

Please keep the museum in mind if you or someone you know is planning a wedding or other special event! The site is perfect for intimate ceremonies and receptions and is right in the heart of quaint downtown. Find out more at our website.

On March 31st Epsilon, a company that provides commercial email services, sent notice to their customers that they had experienced a data breach. Their customer list includes over 2500 clients including TIAA CREF, US Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, American Express and Capital One. The data that was lost includes a list of each organizations client email addresses and their full names.  A full list of companies affected is available here: http://www.securityweek.com/massive-breach-epsilon-compromises-customer-lists-major-brands

As a result, a notable increase of SPAM and phishing email has permeated the Internet. The resulting phishing attempts will be more difficult to spot as they will target only customers of their respective institutions and will be able to personalize the messages.  This is known as spear-phishing.

We want to remind everyone that you should never provide any password or account information to anyone via email. Users should be especially vigilant in the next few weeks. All email should be considered suspect. Users should avoid clicking links within email, instead opening your browser of choice and hand typing the company’s address.

The university blocks thousands of SPAM messages every hour, but due the sheer volume and quality of this round of phishing messages, some may make it through our system.  Additionally other personal mail providers will likely experience similar spikes in unwanted email. We want to ensure that the UMW community is aware of the dangers and repercussions of this recent incident.

There are several steps that you should take to protect your account if you receive a phishing email:

• Immediately delete any message that you get asking for your credentials or any other personal information.  Do NOT respond to these messages!
• If you replied to a phishing message or believe that your account has been compromised, change your password immediately.
• If you need assistance in accessing your account, and / or in correcting a problem with your account, please contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@umw.edu or at 540-654-2255.

Since March of 2010, Laura T. Allison has lost 30 pounds. She’s shed her “fat girl jeans” and proudly shares her secret.

Weight Watchers at Work.

“It was a life changing moment,” Laura, assistant controller for compliance in the Office of Business and Finance, said of the date she joined. “I began to change my lifestyle through activity and smarter food choices. Weight Watchers is not a diet by any means. It’s about making smarter choices while still enjoying the foods you love.”

Laura is a among a growing number of the UMW family who have joined Weight Watchers at Work (WW@W), which meets each Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. at Woodard Campus Center’s Red Room.

Since the program came to the Fredericksburg campus in October 2009, UMW employees have shed 1,350 pounds. Two colleagues have lost more than 100 pounds; 16 have dropped 10 percent of their starting weight and six have reached their lifetime weight goals.

Join these “losers” and sport a slimmer figure for the warm weather. And save money in the process. As a state employee, you may be eligible for 50 percent reimbursement on a WW@W membership.

A new session begins April 27, but you are welcome to check out a meeting for free on Wednesday, April 13 or 20.

Can’t make the meeting, but would like more information?

Contact:  Pam Taggert (ptaggert@umw.edu <mailto:ptaggert@umw.edu> ) 654-1018 or Joan Greco-WW leader (joangreco65@yahoo.com <mailto:joangreco65@yahoo.com> )

“I genuinely look forward to our WW@W meetings every week,” Laura said. “It’s extremely convenient, and you can use your lunch hour to attend…but it’s the group members that make it worthwhile. The group doesn’t consist of co-workers, it consists of friends.”

Beginning Friday, April 1, UMW employees will sign up for non-payroll direct deposit via EagleNet. No need to send voided personal checks through campus mail!

Log onto EagleNet and enroll or change banking information by following the step-by-step instructions at http://www.umw.edu/ap/travel/edi_enrollment.

We’re excited to introduce merchandise bearing the James Monroe Museum’s new logo (created for us last year by UMW’s wonderful design staff).

These handsome, sturdy canvas tote bags are the perfect size for carrying lunches, books, groceries, school supplies or anything else you might need to carry. At only $14.95, buy several to keep in your car, and one to give to mom for Mother’s Day …

Coming to the shop later this spring: JMM mugs!

The museum shop is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visit us at 908 Charles Street. UMW faculty and staff receive free admission to the museum.