Category: Newsletter On Campus

Imagine an app where users could access an interactive map of the University of Mary Washington to determine whether any treadmills are available in the Fitness Center, check the menu at Seacobeck Dining Hall, or find events on campus. This enterprising idea already brewing in the heads of senior Seamus Hooban and recent graduate Andy Leonard may soon become a reality.

In a nod to the popular TV show Shark Tank, UMW students recently pitched their business plans to a panel of judges as part of the Eagle Start-up Challenge. The brainchild of the student-run UMW Entrepreneurs Club, the Center for Economic Development’s EagleWorks, and the Small Business Development Center, the challenge encourages start-up businesses among students.

Hooban, an economics major, and Leonard, an English major, received a cash prize of $350, provided by the Rappahannock Economic Development Corp. They plan to create a mobile app, called Campus Connect, where campus information can be aggregated in one centralized place to maximize students’ time.

The first place winners also earned access to a virtual office through the Small Business Development Center’s latest project EagleWorks, paid admission to a BluePrint business class and free consultations with the Small Business Development Center.

Eventually, Leonard and Hooban hope to expand beyond UMW to other colleges and universities. They believe that this app would save colleges and universities money because it would help them determine how to allocate resources.

The second place prize of $150 went to junior Anthony Seippel for his company Ruiner Wear. An artist, Seippel plans to build an artist brand where he creates commissioned designs and other artwork. He has already sold designs, logos, and T-shirts. Other presentations included a micro-brewing company and a legal services portal.

By Melina Downs

Six computer science students, with Professor of Computer Science Jennifer Polack, presented their Apple iTouch/iPhone research at the Eighteenth Annual Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges Northeastern Conference held April 12 and 13. The student programming team from UMW placed seventh place out of 33 teams at the conference.

The University of Mary Washington is accepting donations to support the victims of the Boston Marathon attacks and to stand as one with Boston. One hundred percent of donations from two UMW initiatives will be given to One Fund Boston, a charity set up to help the victims of the bombings.

Student donations will be collected at UMW’s Devil-Goat Day on Thursday, April 25 as classes compete to see who can raise the most money. Devil-Goat Day is an annual UMW tradition where classes that will graduate in even years (“goats”) compete against classes that will graduate in odd years (“devils”).

Students in the “Training for a Half Marathon” course, taught by women’s soccer coach Corey Hewson, will run a half marathon on Saturday, April 27 in solidarity with Boston. Members of the community can sponsor one of the students as they run the marathon, with all donations going to the One Fund Boston.

Donations will be collected at Devil-Goat Day on Ball Circle and throughout the week in Goolrick Hall, room 106A to Kathleen Flanagan or Dana Hall. Checks should be made payable to the One Fund Boston, Inc.

All donations will be mailed on Wednesday, May 1. More information about the fundraiser can be found in a recent article published in the Free-Lance Star. For any questions contact Corey Hewson at (540) 654-1871 or Megan Higginbotham at (540) 654-1061.

On April 6, more than 200 donors and students gathered at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center for the annual Donor Appreciation Luncheon. (Click below to see video highlights.)

[youtube]http://youtu.be/gx_f6moKTbM[/youtube]

Guests enjoyed a special Student Showcase in the Mayo Courtyard. The lunch program featured speeches by UMW Foundation Chair Kathy Mehfoud ’70, UMW President Richard Hurley, Robert Strassheim ’96, Sarah Strassheim ’01, and Karmel James ’13. Anissa Felix ’13 entertained guests with two musical performances, and Haley Campbell ’13 brought most everyone to tears as she read a special poem about her upcoming graduation.

Keepsake photos of donors and recipients were taken in front of Kalnen Inn. Hosted by the Office of University Advancement, the annual event honored scholarship donors and members of the Heritage and Washington Societies

Six University of Mary Washington economics majors recently participated in the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ Economics Scholars Program hosted in Dallas, Texas.

Seniors Marissa Yoder and Matt Cronin both participated on the peer review board for the conference. Cronin also presented  his research. Juniors Taylor Knight and Luke Mendelsohn presented their research papers.

Junior Nicole Nunez served as a paper discussant, and junior Roxette Sklavos  as a session chair.  Margaret Ray, professor of economics and director of the UMW Center for Economic Education, served as the faculty sponsor.

The Economics Scholars Program, ESP, is designed to foster the involvement of undergraduate economics students in all facets of economic research. The cornerstone of the ESP is the annual ESP Conference. Since 2007, student scholars and faculty from institutions across the U.S. and Canada have come together to share undergraduate student-initiated or student–faculty co-authored works, ideas about the role of undergraduate research in the curriculum and the challenges and concerns of undergraduates who conduct research.