The National Survey of Student Engagement will seeking feedback from First Years and Seniors starting Feb. 22nd. NSSE annually collects information at hundreds of four-year colleges and universities about students’ participation in programs and activities that institutions provide for their learning and personal development. Students should check their emails for one of several emails through March 30th to see if they are eligible. Students who complete by March 30th will be entered to win one of multiple $50 gift cards.
Key Dining Updates for Faculty and Staff
The Restaurants at the Top of the CRUC have undergone some major changes that will be of interest to members of the University’s faculty and staff.
Rebranding of the Restaurants. Except for Simple Servings, all the names have changed, and new, more modern, signs identify each location.
International Cuisine is Highlighted. The new Showcase restaurant (formerly Serrano’s) will now feature a variety of global cuisines, which will include Hispanic as well as Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and many other ethnic foods.
“Simple Zone” is new and features packaged gluten-free and vegan breads, bagels, desserts, and other items that are available for self-service from open to close each day. Simple Zone is located at the back side of the new Mix Salad Bar, which has also been enhanced to include more meat proteins, as well as more vegetarian salads and salad dressings.
New Faculty and Staff Price: As part of regularly scheduled price increases, the cost for any meal at the Top of the CRUC for members of the faculty and staff will go up to $7 on February 1st.
Eagle’s Nest Change/Vocelli Pizza: The owner of Vocelli Pizza, who was a valued partner with University Dining for over 15 years, decided it was time to retire, and so Vocelli Pizza closed over the winter break. We do have a new Italian restaurant coming on board, and more details about that concept and menu will be coming soon. If all goes well, it will open in early February.
Major Dining Events for Spring: The calendar of special events is posted on the dining website every month, but here’s a snapshot of some of the more notable celebrations. All events take place at the Top of the CRUC.
Black History Month Events: Several events will be held in February, each highlighting a different cuisine representing various Black cultures. Menus were planned in partnership with the Black Student Association, the African Student Union, the NAACP, and the JFMC. The kick-off event is a Southern Soul Food lunch on Thursday, February 1st, from 11am to 2pm. That’s followed by a Caribbean Dinner on February 8th, a Mardi Gras Creole Lunch on February 13th, and an African Dinner on February 22nd.
Lunar New Year Celebration Week: February 5-9. Popular Asian dishes will be served every day, plus Dragon Dance performances will take place at lunch on February 9th.
Health & Wellness Fair: Providers of goods and services that promote physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness will be on hand with demonstrations, free samples, and lots of information. The Fair will take place on April 3rd in the Chandler Ballroom between 11 am and 3pm. Participation as an exhibitor or vendor is open to anyone, including UMW departments and student groups. Spaces are free. For more information, contact Rose Benedict at rbenedic@UMW.edu.
Farmer’s Market & Craft Fair. This outdoor event will be held on Campus Walk from Lee Hall to Monroe Hall on April 23rd between 11:30 am and 3pm. Local farmers, crafters, artisans, bakers, and other small businesses are invited to participate at no charge. For details contact Rose Benedict at rbenedic@umw.edu.
Black History Month Celebration Events
2024 Black History Month Celebration – February 2024
For centuries, African Americans have used the arts as a powerful medium for cultural expression, community resonance, and social critique. Each generation, within the African diaspora spanning from the Harlem Renaissance to present day, has transformed the globe through their numerous contributions in literature, fashion, film, theater, music, architecture, and language. Join the James Farmer Multicultural Center’s celebration and recognition of these memorable stories.
Please visit the James Farmer Multicultural Center’s webpage to learn about all the activities planned for Black History Month.
ResNet Upgrade Starts Feb. 13
The following message is from the Office of Information Technology:
UMW Campus Community,
We have been working with our residential internet service provider Apogee to schedule an upgrade for UMW MyResNet network. Work begins in the residence halls on February 13, 2024, and is expected to continue through spring break, concluding by March 10. See the full schedule online.
Each residence hall will receive a notification when their building is scheduled for the service upgrade, as installers will need to replace access points in hallways and rooms. Residents do not need to be in the building during the installation, and due to the possibility of intermittent outages, we recommend accessing internet elsewhere during the date of the installation in each building.
The installation will typically take place Monday through Saturday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and contractors will be accompanied by UMW staff. When notified that their building is next on the schedule, students should clear the area around the access point if one is located in their room. Wireless and wired internet will be unavailable in those spaces during the on-site installation.
Upon completion of the installation of the new MyResNet in each residence hall, students will need to create a login via the new portal to access the upgraded service. Single sign-on will be available, so students can use their umw.edu NetID. In addition, the Apogee wireless network will available to residential students outside of the residence halls. An annual authentication will be required using single sign-on. This update impacts residential students and does not affect UMW wi-fi including UMW-Secure or UMW-Guest.
A guest portal will also be available for temporary access in the residence halls for up to six hours at a time. Residents should log-in using the new portal to access the faster internet speeds. Instructional posters will be available in each residence halls, and students can prepare now by reviewing this video of how to connect to the upgraded services.
The wireless network upgrade will include faster internet speeds enhanced to 150/50 Mbps with up to 8 devices on the network simultaneously once refresh is complete in each hall. Residents will have a user-based personal area network (PAN) and can connect wireless printers, gamer devices and IoT devices, and these devices should be able to see each other, just like a home network. Users will have an easy PSK (personal share key) for device onboarding.
As part of the service, Apogee continues to offer one click call/chat for student support and specialized gaming support. If you have any questions or issues with the ResNet by Apogee services, contact their 24/7/365 support center at 877-478-8808. They can help you add devices to your account (printers, phones, game consoles, etc.).
If you are experiencing any problems with Apogee Support not resolving your issues, please contact the UMW IT Help Desk to let us know. If you have any questions about the schedule with Residence Life, call 540-654-1058 or fill out the contact form online.
Hall CheshireChief Information Officerhcheshir@umw.edu
Randall Reif to Present Mary Talk: Can We Cure Cancer With Heartburn Medicine, Feb. 21
Can we cure cancer with heartburn medicine? The next Mary Talk features Dr. Randall Reif, associate professor of chemistry. Dr. Reif will discuss his ongoing research into the use of proton pump inhibitors (heartburn medications) to induce death in cancer cells. Dr. Reif will share the current progress of the project, which could open the door to novel cancer treatments in the future.
Wednesday, February 217:30-8:30 p.m.
Online (via Zoom)
Register for the Mary Talk! You then will receive a link to the streaming video, which can be watched live or at a later time. You also will have the opportunity to submit questions.
Upcoming Multicultural Events
Speaking Truth to Power: Art and Performance ShowcaseFriday, January 26 | 6 p.m. | The Underground, Lee Hall
Art, music, dance, and spoken word performances will honor Dr. King and others who have led the fight for human rights and social justice.
MLK Jr. Day of Service | Saturday, January 27 | 1 pm – 3 pm | Chandler Ballroom, Cedric Rucker University Center
Co-Sponsored by COARSign up to participate in the MLK Day of Service
Join your fellow students to celebrate MLK Day of Service by registering here. This event honors Dr. King’s vision with service projects for Fredericksburg-area agencies. Refreshments will be provided. Sign up to participate in the Day of Service at bit.ly/mlkumw2024.
2024 Black History Month Celebration – February 2024For centuries, African Americans have used the arts as a powerful medium for cultural expression, community resonance, and social critique. Each generation, within the African diaspora spanning from the Harlem Renaissance to present day, has transformed the globe through their numerous contributions in literature, fashion, film, theater, music, architecture, and language. Join the James Farmer Multicultural Center’s celebration and recognition of these memorable stories.
For more information, contact the James Farmer Multicultural Center at (540) 654-1044 or umwjfmc@gmail.com. You may also visit students.umw.edu/multicultural. Please email us at umwjfmc@gmail.com if you have any questions regarding disability-related accommodations.
“Eat Local” comes to University Dining
University Dining is launching an “Eat Local” promotion this week that will bring a variety of new culinary experiences to dining guests and also help support local businesses. Once or twice a month, a local restaurant or local provider of food and beverages, will serve some of their most popular items in the Restaurants at the Top of the CRUC as part of the regular meal service. The Dining team reimburses the local business for the products served, and also provides a little bit extra to help cover some of the labor costs. The restaurant prepares the food in their own kitchens with their own staff so that the dishes will be a true representation of the food they serve in their restaurants. They’ll then be given a platform in the dining room where they can serve their dishes and talk with guests about their food and dining establishments.
Many local eateries are hidden gems, just waiting to be discovered by our University community. The “Eat Local” promotion will help them get noticed! It will also bring some new and very distinctive tastes and flavor profiles into our campus dining program. The first “Eat Local” event is Thursday, January 25th, and features Better4You Juices, owned by Claudia and Patrick Barnes. Patrick’s personal experience with serious health issues inspired Claudia to experiment with a variety of cold-pressed juices, until she came up with all-natural juice blends that would meet Patrick’s nutritional needs, be easy to swallow, and, most importantly, taste great! Her juices were so successful that they eventually decided to open a business so they could share their Better4You juices with everyone.
Claudia and Patrick will be serving several of their juice blends at the Showcase station at the Top of the CRUC between 11am and 1pm on Thursday. The next “Eat Local” event will be on February 21st, featuring Cool Cat Cupcakes during lunch. Several other local eateries will be coming to the Top of the CRUC throughout the semester. Details will be available on the Dining website, or by contacting Dining@UMW.edu.
Speaking and Writing Center Spring Now Open
The Speaking and Writing Center is open for appointments as of January 22nd. Go to https://umw.mywconline.com/ to schedule an appointment.
Eagles in Recovery Recognized by VHESUAC
The University of Mary Washington was among the first five campuses in Virginia recognized by the Virginia Higher Education Substance Use Advisory Committee (VHESUAC) for its commitment to furthering student substance use education, prevention, recovery, and intervention efforts.
The University of Mary Washington, along with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Longwood University (LU), James Madison University (JMU), and Wytheville Community College (WCC) are the first to receive the recognition through a program launched this year by the advisory committee.
Cub Scout Pinewood Derby Revs Up Dahlgren Campus
More than 70 competitors gathered at the University of Mary Washington’s Dahlgren Center for Education and Research on Saturday, Jan. 20, for the annual Cub Scout Pinewood Derby.
Over 70 competitors gathered at the University of Mary Washington’s Dahlgren Center for Education and Research on Saturday, Jan. 20, for a showcase of creativity, innovation, and friendly competition. The occasion was the annual Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, now in its illustrious third year at the center. In 1953, the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby was instrumental in fostering creativity, teaching essential life skills, and promoting friendly competition. The competition, which involves crafting miniature wooden cars from regulated kits and racing them in a heat-styled event, had attracted a colossal crowd composed of zealous young aspirants willing to take on the challenge and supportive families cheering them on. Crafting a Pinewood Derby car involves ingenuity, creativity, and patience. Each participant starts with the same basic car kit, ensuring an even playing field for all, but the ultimate design, decoration, and fine-tuning are up to the individual competitor. This process provides a hands-on lesson in physics, engineering, art, and patience. Additionally, the event fosters a sense of community and camaraderie. It’s not just about the resulting miniature cars or even winning the race; it’s about the journey each scout embarks upon with friends, siblings, and parents. Working closely with their immediate community allows these young Cub Scouts to forge strong bonds, enhance their social skills, and create lifelong memories. Even amidst a digital age characterized by technology, video games, and virtual realities, the tactile and enduring appeal of the Pinewood Derby remains strong. Behind its traditional exterior lies the essence of numerous skills finely woven into the fabric of the event, rendering it an indispensable part of the Cub Scout program. The Cub Scout Pinewood Derby isn’t just a race but a crucible for character development, skill acquisition, and community strengthening. The burgeoning popularity of the event at the University of Mary Washington captures the spirit of the Pinewood Derby, mirroring its impact in over 110 countries encompassing the Cub Scouts community worldwide.