With ballot and pencil in hand, you walk over to a covered voting booth. Looking down, you see a line of empty white bubbles next to names you’ve heard on the news for more than a year. But do you really know what the names stand for? Are you ready to vote?

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, more than 4,300 University of Mary Washington students will be eligible to vote for the first time. In preparation, UMW political experts Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science, and Rosalyn Cooperman, associate professor of political science, weighed in on the 2016 U.S. Presidential election to answer questions from our own UMW community.

If I vote third party am I voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton?

Cooperman: If depends on which state you’re voting in. If you’re voting in the Commonwealth of Virginia, I don’t know that a third party vote would affect the outcome given the polls that I’ve seen. In terms of Clinton having a comfortable enough lead in registered voters in the Commonwealth, it would be a vote for Trump. But would it affect the outcome of this state contest? Probably not.

Farnsworth: The main thing is that people have very different political environments and very different states. When you look at Virginia, the polls show an advantage for Hillary Clinton. So the consequences, in my view, are that the gap does seem large enough that more or less people can do as they please without affecting the outcome very much. If we were having this conversation about voters in Florida or North Carolina or Iowa, then we’d be looking at a state that’s a lot closer than Virginia looks to be right now, and that would suggest the wisdom of being very careful about the outcome. What often happens when you vote third party in a close election is the candidate you personally least like ends up benefiting.

Does it seem likely that Virginia will vote Democratic for three presidential elections in a row?

Farnsworth: Having Tim Kaine on the ticket as a vice presidential nominee is going to add a few points to the Democratic total in Virginia. If Kaine were not on the ticket, Hillary Clinton might be in more of a competitive race in this state. That being said, assuming that Tim Kaine is on the ticket four years from now, there would still be a couple-point bump for the Democrats in that situation. But it’s important to remember that Virginia’s purple-state status hasn’t gone away even with Tim Kaine on the ticket. The average right now for Virginia is about a four-point advantage for Hillary Clinton so it’s still more or less purple, it’s just not as purple as say Florida or North Carolina or Ohio might be right now.

Donald Trump has implied that he may not accept the results of the election. Is a candidate’s concession statement a legal requirement or just a political tradition?

Cooperman: Is a candidate’s concession speech a formal requirement? No.  But I think what candidates understand, at least candidates prior to this election cycle have understood, is that there is something to be celebrated if not encouraged by the democratic transition. Winners and losers alike accept the outcome and the system resets for the next election. There is an expectation of being able to potentially look at how the vote count preceded, but that’s a very different tone from the outright and disturbing notion of refusing to accept the election outcome unless one wins.

Farnsworth: Donald Trump talking about the illegitimacy of this process before it even takes place has increased the likelihood that people will be very upset on Election Day. It may not be very pleasant for those people waiting to vote or having to face questions about whether they’re legitimate voters. I think that what Donald Trump has done is deeply troubling and really undermines the way Democrats and Republicans have been competing in elections for decades.

How can Republicans go about healing the rift within their party?

Cooperman: I recently interviewed Jennifer Pierotti Lim, a 2007 alumna of UMW, who founded Republican Women for Hillary. She spoke very candidly about the Growth and Opportunity Report that came from the Republican Party in early 2013 following their loss of the 2012 election. She was delighted that the Party recognized the need for outreach with communities of color and younger voters, and the need to be intentional in highlighting the role of women partisans in the Party. Then this campaign comes along, and she feels like her idea of what it means to be a Republican isn’t valued in the Party anymore. In fact, many of the people who find themselves in a group like Republican Women for Hillary have come out and said, “I’m a Republican, but this is a bridge too far for me in terms of supporting Donald Trump.” There is and should be a concern about how easily and whether or not those folks will come back into the party fold. The Republican Party is not a viable party without women.

Farnsworth: I think the key question is how much of a margin there is on Election Day. The scenario for the Republican Party is going to be a very painful one if it’s close. If the Republican Party doesn’t lose by much, the party’s identity crisis continues for another four years because they’ll continue down the same track. If the Republican Party gets blown out, they might make a more definitive turn.

Enthusiasm about the election peaked in March, when Sanders was drawing wide millennial support in his bid for the Democratic nomination. It dropped some in August and again a little last month. Why should millennials be sure to vote next week?

Farnsworth: I think that you have to appreciate the fact that these one-day presidential elections have extraordinarily long-term consequences. Whether you like or don’t like one or both of these candidates, you will be governed by one of them and the decision made by this country on Election Day will affect things like the Supreme Court, our international relations and war and peace. Who knows how much the impact of a presidential election can be? It’s important to remember that the consequences downstream in terms of whatever might come across four years of a presidency can really have dramatic impacts. So even if you think that Election Day doesn’t matter, for four years you’ll learn that it does.

Cooperman: This enthusiasm gap will have an impact on the candidates who run. Political science research tells us that younger people are not reliable voters and most are very turned off by the prospect of running for office. That’s a problem for this election and ones in the future. Democracies work best when people opt in – to vote and be invested enough in the system to want to participate in a meaningful way. If millennials sit out this election, they’ve given away their voice and an opportunity to have their say about how we order our priorities and spend finite resources.

Rosalyn Cooperman, associate professor of political science, specializes in American political parties and the U.S. Congress. Her articles have been featured in multiple publications such as, American Political Science Review (2010), Virginia Social Science Journal (2011), and Political Science Quarterly (2015). She is a regular contributor to Presidential Gender Watch. Before coming to the University of Mary Washington in 2003, Cooperman’s professional experience in the political arena included serving as a campaign manager for Congresswoman Jill Long (IN-4) and working in the Montana State Legislature. Currently, she teaches the FSEM “U.S. Campaigns and Elections,” in which her students deconstruct the 2012 presidential campaign to analyze the current 2016 campaign.

Stephen Farnsworth is professor of political science and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. He is the author and co-author of five books and dozens of scholarly articles on the presidency, mass media and Virginia politics. His political commentary has appeared in many media outlets such as The New York Times, Washington Post and C-SPAN. Farnsworth is a former Canada-U.S. Fulbright Research Chair in Public Policy at McGill University in Montreal and a former chair of the political communication section of the American Political Science Association.

Welcome to your UMW campus tour with senior guide Marc Gehlsen.

11:30 a.m., Lee Hall: Home of Admissions, Student Services, Financial Aid and More

You push open the door to Lee Hall, step out onto the sun-soaked stone terrace. Blinded, you squeeze your eyes shut, replay the admissions message inside your head. You refocus, look out onto the Fredericksburg campus. In a flash, you see your future unfold.

11:32 a.m., Ball Circle: The center of Mary Wash student life and traditions

You hurry down the steps to join your tour group. That’s when Marc Gehlsen whisks onto the scene.

He struts like a drum major across a faux stage. Anything to get your attention. “A big word on campus is ‘tradition,’ ” he says, pointing to the spherical lawn, site of uniquely Mary Washington customs like Club Carnival and Devil-Goat Day. He reveals he’s a devil, spars with a mom in the crowd who says she’s a goat.

A Washington Guide, Gehlsen has led UMW tours for years, zany one-liners, colorful commentary and all. He delivers in English, of course, but he also speaks Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian and Arabic. His love of language will take him into the courtroom as a forensic linguist, but for now he’s using his words to wow campus visitors – like you.

11:37 a.m., Randolph-Mason Hall: One of Mary Washington’s 18 residence halls

You stroll along Campus Walk toward Randolph-Mason Hall, dodging a squirrel on the way. Inside, Gehlsen starts in – student IDs, laundry, bathrooms. Private or shared, he jokes, they both accommodate the urge to “sing Disney ballads in the shower.”

He had his share of sharing growing up, the youngest of five on a Nokesville, Virginia, Christmas-tree farm. He gleaned what he could from his siblings, who all studied language before him, and from the migrant workers his father, a masonry carpenter, invited to dinner.

By the time Gehlsen took Spanish in middle school, he could curl and roll r’s like nobody’s business, and he zoomed to the top of his class. Other languages followed, including Hawaiian, because “who doesn’t want to say ‘aloha’ whenever they get the chance?”

In college, Gehlsen knew he would major in Spanish. A campus tour led him to choose Mary Washington. It was fall, and the scenery and sense of community – everyone seemed to smile and say “hi” – cast a spell, he said, like a wand that finds the right wizard. Hands all aflutter, he demonstrates the Harry Potter effect for your tour.

11:45 a.m., Palmieri Plaza: A signature UMW meeting area, complete with fountain

You move on with the group, trailing Gehlsen up the hill to Palmieri Plaza. “You have to swim in the fountain at least once before you graduate,” he says. “If you’d like to try it before the end of the tour, you’re welcome to.”

11:47 a.m., Monroe Hall: One of UMW’s many academic buildings, housing history, geography and political science

Lost in the bubbly blue water, you realize the crew has moved on without you. You catch up, climb the steps to Monroe Hall. File into a classroom. Slide into a desk. Gehlsen’s up front, explaining UMW’s Honor Code, Office of Disability Resources and opportunity to create unique courses of study. He dishes on his own second major, a linguistics program he crafted himself.

“His brain has a knack for language,” said Betsy Lewis, professor of Spanish and chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. “Some students worry they’ll make a mistake. They freeze up. Marc’s personality is so outgoing he can just jump right in and not worry about any of that.”

A Phi Sigma Iota language honor society member, he studied abroad on a trip Lewis led to trace Don Quixote’s footsteps through Spain and plans to pursue a master’s degree in linguistics on the West Coast. At UMW, Gehlsen has handled social media for the Honor Council, coordinated programming for Green Housing, and started an honors thesis that keeps him holed up in the Hurley Convergence Center. Your group heads there next.

11:56 a.m., Hurley Convergence Center: Four stories of state-of-the-art tech capabilities

You walk on, passing Simpson Library and Blackstone Coffee, which a fully caffeinated Gehlsen calls “the most important building on campus.” You visit the Goolrick Hall gym, see the Anderson and University centers, before returning to Lee, where you browse through the bookstore for the perfect memento.

But you know you’ll be back.

It’s a quick glimpse of campus, but for Gehlsen – who caught the tour-guide bug as a freshman, brewing coffee and propping open the door of his Randolph Hall room, which was part of the rounds – it speaks volumes.

“I’ve loved every single second of it,” he said. “I get to spread the word of the UMW awesomeness.”

Intrigued by Gehlsen’s tour of the UMW campus? Want to see more? Take our guided, interactive virtual tour!

Sinister fairies, evil Jedis and monsters crept onto Campus Walk on Halloween morning, all with one thing in common. No one could resist the chubby, honey-loving bear offering candy and hugs.

One day a year Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker ’81 sheds his signature bow tie and seersucker pants to become the iconic Winnie the Pooh. It’s not just a costume for Rucker. He sees it as part of his job – spreading friendship, community and care – for the past 15 years.

“Pooh and Dean Rucker are just two very happy, jolly people,” said senior Mikey Barnes. “Walking down Campus Walk and seeing this prominent figure dressed up as Winnie the Pooh … I look forward to it every year.”

In 1977, when Rucker was a Mary Wash freshman, “Halloweens” was a giant affair, with revelers from schools near and far making their way onto campus. They came as M&Ms, policemen and the complete cast of Star Wars, Rucker remembered. And with the release of the feature film Animal House the following year, “I cannot tell you the amount of togas people wore,” he said.

After earning a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Virginia, Rucker returned to his alma mater to serve as associate dean of student activities. He’d been promoted to dean of student life by the time he saw Andrew Painter ’02 crashing the Fredericksburg Christmas parade, bounding down Caroline Street as Tigger.

The Disney-esque costume planted a seed for Rucker, who tracked down a matching Pooh suit. Its fuzzy exterior and built-in mittens are a great fit for fall. The cut-out up top shows Rucker’s face and big smile.

Painter was surprised to learn recently that he’d inspired the long-running tradition, but he wasn’t shocked to hear that Rucker’s still at it. “Cedric cares genuinely for Mary Washington. He cares genuinely for the students,” Painter said. “He loves to bring happiness to everyone.”

The ensemble accommodates the serious side of Rucker’s job, too. He can jump in and out of it to advocate for students, meet with administrators and teach his Monday night sociology class.

In costume, he strolls Campus Walk, spending time at Lee Hall and the University Center, where students stream by between classes. Fresh off of midterms, they stop for selfies with Pooh, candy, hugs and one other thing – words of wisdom.

“Pooh reinforces the values we have as a community,” Rucker said, “respect, student engagement, empowering students to support one another.”

The warmth goes both ways.

Last year, when his mother passed away two days before Halloween, Rucker pushed through his grief to make his annual appearance as Pooh. He announced it on Facebook, and students showed up in throngs.

“The outpouring was incredible,” he said. “I love these people.”

Calling all high school juniors and seniors, and all college transfer students! Come explore the University of Mary Washington during an Open House on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Kicking off with an academic and student showcase, the open house will include student panels, special interest sessions and campus tours. Explore campus with a student tour guide and see our classrooms, fitness center and residence halls. The Open House will take place at the Anderson Center on UMW’s Fredericksburg campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A tentative agenda for the day is available at http://bit.ly/2daDn8J.

Online registration will close Friday, Oct. 28, but on-site registrations are warmly welcomed. If you are registering on-site, please arrive by 8:45 a.m. Attendees will receive an email prior to the event with final details.

Directions to the Anderson Center and UMW Parking Garage, located along Alvey Drive, can be found at http://www.umw.edu/visitors.

To register for the Open House, visit http://bit.ly/2eDdcYj. For more information, contact UMW’s Office of Admissions at 800-468-5614.

A crowd of blue and gray – colors woven into Fredericksburg’s history – gathered on UMW’s Battleground Athletic Complex under the bright October sky. In the background, the blast of a canon echoed across campus.

More than 150 years ago, the sights and sounds could have been from a Civil War battle. This weekend though, it was the cheers and spirit wear of passionate Mary Washington fans.

More than 300 alumni came back to UMW for Homecoming Saturday, Oct. 22, joining the student body in cheering on Eagles Athletics at more than six games throughout the day. Earlier in the week, UMW students celebrated with a bonfire and cookout, traditions that mirror the schools’ earliest homecoming traditions.

‘’Having our alumni back is one of the best things about Homecoming,” said senior Alex Clegg, Student Government Association president. “I think our alumni miss UMW, and UMW definitely misses our alumni.”

Mary Washington’s first homecoming was hosted in 1972, designed as a parody of the “big weekends” that female students traditionally attended at other universities. With the theme “bring the boys home,” the event was an invitation for girls’ dates to come to Fredericksburg. Featuring a parade from the Monroe gates through Campus Drive and onto Hanover Street, festivities included a band, flag football game between Devils and Goats, picnic dinner and bonfire.

Decades later, UMW welcomes hundreds of alumni back to the “Burg” each year. Alumni arrived on Friday, Oct. 21 to launch the weekend with a Digital Identity Summit that featured panels of students, alumni and employers discussing the relationship between digital presence and professional development.

“Impressive to see [UMW] students so engaged in thinking about and exploring their digital identity,” tweeted Sean O’Brien ’09, former SGA president. “This… panel shows how important digital identity is for careers.”

On Saturday, alumni and students flocked to the fourth annual tailgate event outside of the soccer field to cheer on the UMW Eagles during rugby and soccer matches. At noon, the university dedicated its new state-of-the-art track and field complex with the blast of a replica Civil War cannon marking the start of a ceremonial lap.

Sandra Sanchez ’14 summed up the day on Twitter: “[It] feels good to be #BackintheBurg.”

Just before dawn in the nation’s capital this summer—before tourists flooded the streets—UMW alumna Grace May placed her order in the Dunkin’ Donuts, located inside the James Madison Memorial Building of the Library of Congress.

“I was the very first customer every day,” said May, who was in the city for her Library of Congress internship. “They even memorized my order, a blueberry donut and tea.”

This past summer, May was one of 38 students – out of 800 who applied – to be accepted into the 2016 Junior Fellows Summer Intern Program at the Library of Congress. It’s an appointment she owes, in part, to the hands-on experience she’s collected while working with UMW’s Digital Archiving Lab. As part of the library’s Humanities and Social Sciences division, May spent 10 weeks creating templates that resulted in a presentation on display in the U.S. Presidential Inaugurations collection.

“I was given projects such as taking old content and creating new templates for items housed in the Library of Congress,” said May, who would commute into the city each day. “I also worked to make the website for The Main Reading Room more accessible.”

With a focus on the digital, May would spend hours online making library materials more accessible to users. She also had the chance to tour the Library of Congress, getting to see incredible artifacts like President Lincoln’s inaugural Bible.

“It was the same Bible that Obama and Lincoln placed their hands on,” said May, describing what turned out to be one of her favorite experiences during the internship.

At the end of the summer, the junior fellows put on a presentation within their divisions. May’s presentation focused on the U.S. Presidential Inaugurations collection. She created a template for this collection that made it easier to view and research the items within it. While presenting, May showcased the current template along with her modifications.

Before her summer internship, May had spent one year working with UMW’s Digital Archiving Lab, helping to convert Simpson Library’s rare and unique archival materials to digital formats.

“Grace has been a crucial element in helping us get our digital collections online,” said Carolyn Parsons, head of UMW’s Special Collections and Archives. “She’s digitized various Mary Washington publications, added metadata and helped us get our campus blueprint online.”

May graduated this past spring with a bachelor’s degree in history but is still working on her post-baccalaureate degree in computer science at Mary Washington. With only three classes left, she will officially finish her undergraduate studies this December.

“It’s one thing to learn about it in school,” said May, reflecting on how her experience at UMW positioned her for success at the Library of Congress. “But to actually apply it and make sure that you’re doing it to the best of your abilities – that’s the real goal.”