November 17, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

UMW Receives Grant to Establish Nursing Program

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Mary Washington Hospital’s Community Benefit Fund has awarded the University of Mary Washington a $25,000 grant to create a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Completion Program at the university. The program, tentatively planned for fall 2014, will be designed for registered nurses who have graduated with an accredited associate’s degree or diploma nursing program.  The grant supports the hiring of a consultant to help plan the curriculum. Approval for the program will come from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. “The university is delighted to be the recipient of the Mary Washington Hospital grant,” said President Richard Hurley. “The funding will be instrumental in developing this essential program to address the need for a highly educated nursing workforce and to improve the quality of healthcare in the region and the commonwealth.” Marianna Bedway, chief nursing officer and senior vice president for Mary Washington Healthcare, said creation of an RN-BSN completion program will enhance and encourage further education of registered nurses in the region. Currently, only one-third of nurses in Virginia hold a baccalaureate degree and 11 percent have a master’s degree or higher. “Mary Washington Healthcare provides some of the highest quality care in the country, and our nurses play a critical role in delivering that care.  In order to respond to the demands of an evolving healthcare system and continue to meet the changing needs of patients, nurses must achieve higher levels of education,” she said. According to the grant proposal, Virginia’s population is expected to climb by a million within the next 20 years, faster than the projected growth of registered nurses.  By 2017, approximately 10,000 more registered nurses will be needed in the commonwealth, with an additional 30,000 needed by 2028. The need for additional nurses in the greater Fredericksburg area is expected to increase by 23 percent. “There is great value in having baccalaureate-prepared nurses at Mary Washington Healthcare, and in this community.  The program will afford nurses a unique opportunity to meet current standards of nursing, while enhancing the overall education experience within a liberal arts curriculum. We are excited to partner with the University of Mary Washington in support of this program,” said Bedway. The UMW program is aimed at nurses within the Fredericksburg area planning district. The closest similar program is nearly 50 miles away at George Mason University. “We anticipate that our BSN completion program will attract nurses in this region as well as graduates of local community colleges,” said Richard Finkelstein, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who will oversee implementation of the program at UMW. The university will hire a director who will act as the academic administrator. Because the program is a completion curriculum, courses will not require UMW to create new labs or to purchase nursing-related equipment. “This degree primarily engages students in courses that connect them to liberal arts perspectives on issues related to health care delivery,” said Finkelstein.    

UMW Philharmonic Performs Eighth Annual Independence Day Spectacular

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The University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra performed its eighth annual Independence Day Spectacular concert on Thursday, July 4. The concert and fireworks show was held in Stafford County’s Pratt Park.

The UMW Philharmonic Orchestra will perform its eighth annual Independence Day concert on Thursday, July 4.

The concert capped a full day of activities at downtown Frederickburg’s Heritage Festival. Last year, more than 6,000 people attended the event.

This year’s concert will include performances by the U.S. Marine Band from Quantico and actors from Riverside Dinner Theater. The Marine Band will perform from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and will be joined by the UMW Eagle Pipe Band and Philharmonic violinist Lavar Edmonds in a selection from “Riverdance.” The cast of “Les Miserables” from Riverside will perform songs from the musical at 7 p.m. The UMW Philharmonic, under the direction of conductor Kevin Bartram, will take the stage at 8 p.m. for patriotic music and crowd favorites. At approximately 9:15, the Philharmonic will kick off the fireworks show and will continue playing music to the display.

This year, the Philharmonic welcomed back Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron, a past Celebrity Series Artist and a contestant in UMW’s upcoming “Dancing with the Fredericksburg Stars” event. Cameron’s songs, produced exclusively for her and the UMW Philharmonic, include “One Night Only” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Other featured songs include “Stars and Stripes Forever,” “Over the Rainbow” and “God Bless the USA.”

 

UMW Athletics Wins Richard C. Cook CAC All-Sports Award for First Time Since 2005

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The University of Mary Washington combined seven CAC championships with six second-place finishes to snap Salisbury University’s reign and capture the 2012-13 Richard C. Cook All-Sports Award.  It is UMW’s first championship since the 2004-05 year. The Richard C. Cook All-Sports Award is named in honor of Richard “Dick” Cook, who was the first commissioner of the CAC and served the conference for 15 years before retiring in 2007. “We are extremely proud and excited to win the Capital Athletic Conference All-Sports Trophy” said UMW Athletic Director Ken Tyler. ”This outstanding accomplishment is the direct result of our talented student-athletes, our dedicated coaches and support staff, and our strong commitment to a broad-based program.  It’s a great day to be an Eagle!” Mary Washington captured the CAC trophy in men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s cross country, field hockey and women’s indoor track & field on the way to scoring 156.0 overall points.  Salisbury also captured seven team championships, but ended the year with 155.5 points. UMW also gained top honors in the Women’s Commissioner’s Award chase for the second time in three years, scoring 90.0 points in 11 championship sports.  Salisbury placed second in the women’s sports standings with 85.0 points.  The Eagles tied Salisbury for the Women’s Commissioner’s Award in 2010-11. In addition to the seven championships, UMW finished second in men’s cross country, men’s indoor track & field, men’s and women’s outdoor track & field and women’s basketball on the way to the school’s conference-leading 12th time in the 22-year history of the CAC. On the men’s side, Salisbury compiled 70.5 points in 10 championship sports to win the Men’s Commissioner’s Award.  UMW totaled 66.0 points in the men’s sports while two-time defending champion York College of Pa. was third with 64.5 points. Salisbury collected the championship hardware in baseball, men’s indoor track & field, men’s and women’s outdoor track & field, volleyball, women’s lacrosse and softball.  The Sea Gulls also finished second in men’s and women’s tennis, women’s indoor track & field and men’s lacrosse after finishing first in the regular-season standings. York, with team championships in men’s cross country, men’s soccer and men’s golf, took third place across the board, scoring 121 all-sport points, 56.5 women’s points and 64.5 men’s points.  The Spartans also finished second in women’s cross country, women’s lacrosse and during the regular season in men’s lacrosse. St. Mary’s outdueled Frostburg State for fourth place in all three categories.  SMC, which won championships in men’s basketball and men’s lacrosse, totaled 79.5 all-sport points while Frostburg State, boasting a title in women’s soccer, had 73.0 points. Wesley (48.5) edged Marymount (41.5) for sixth place in this year’s all-sports chase.  The Wolverines topped MU in the men’s standings, 27.5-11.5, but the Saints, who won the 2013 CAC women’s basketball crown, held a 30.0-21.0 advantage in women’s sports.

UMW Rector Receives Honorary Degree

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The Honorable Pamela J. White, rector of the University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors, has received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Washington and Lee University.

The Hon. Pamela J. White, left, with Washington and Lee President Kenneth P. Ruscio prior to Judge White’s receiving an honorary degree. Photo courtesy of Washington and Lee University.

Since 2007, White has served as a judge for the circuit court of Maryland for Baltimore City.

Before that, she practiced law in Baltimore for three decades, with the bulk of her work being cases of discrimination, harassment, benefit disputes, wrongful discharges and equal-pay violations. A talented and tenacious attorney, she became the first woman to be named a partner at Ober/Kaler, Grimes & Shriver.

White, a 1974 graduate of UMW, earned her law degree at Washington and Lee University’s School of Law, where she served as editor of the Law News and a member of the Law Review.

She has served as president of both the Maryland State Bar Association and the Women’s Bar Association. A longtime supporter of legal services for the poor, she has done extensive pro bono work and served the Maryland Legal Services Corp.

“In all these capacities, you have been an advocate for access, diversity, integrity and quality in higher education,” the degree citation from W&L stated. “By your own example, you have shown how a lifelong commitment to learning can foster professional success and civic responsibility.”

In addition, this diehard Baltimore Orioles fan has been a celebrated softball player in the Lawyer’s League. In 2006 and 2007, she was named one of the best attorneys in America. In 2007, White was selected as a Maryland Super Lawyer, an honor that involves recognition of extraordinary professional powers and “the ability to leap tall courthouses in a single bound.”

For the institutions from which she earned degrees, she has been a tireless alumna and dedicated leader. In addition to leading UMW’s Board of Visitors, she served on the Board of Trustees at W&L and as president of the W&L Law Council. White continues to be an advocate for access, diversity, integrity and quality in higher education.

White’s award was presented at W&L’s commencement exercises on May 23.

Business Executive, Author Steve Pemberton Addresses UMW Graduates, May 11

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Business executive, motivational speaker and noted author Steve Pemberton reminded graduates of their power to change the world during the University of Mary Washington’s 2013 commencement address.

Steve Pemberton encouraged graduates to treasure their experiences.

“Every generation has a task. Yours is to remind America what has made her great,” Pemberton said, speaking of the values of innovation, courage and integrity. “You need to remind us of all those things and you are not too young nor inexperienced to do so. You, the Mary Washington Class of 2013, are uniquely qualified to take on this task because those words have been woven into the fabric of your experience at this great institution.”

He encouraged graduates to treasure the experiences that shaped them during their time at Mary Washington.

“What will you remember is that never again will be assembled like this,” he said. “You will remember that faculty member who went the extra step for you. You will remember your mother’s embrace, your father’s chest swelling with pride, a grandparent’s smile. You will remember the way your younger brother or sister gazed up at you. You will remember that each thread of tassel that hangs from the crowns you wear represents the dreams of those who love you. You will look back at those years that bonded you together and you’ll want to do it all over again because time will have taught you that you can’t replicate these years.”

Pemberton has served as divisional vice president and chief diversity officer at Walgreens since 2011, after more than five years in diversity and inclusion at Monster.com and a decade in admissions at Boston College. A ward of the state for much of his childhood, Pemberton has made opportunity, access and equality pillars of his personal and professional life. He has served on the boards of Big Brothers, Big Sisters, the Citi Performing Arts Center, the Home for Little Wanderers and the National TRIO Alumni Association. His memoir, “A Chance in the World: an Orphan Boy, a Mysterious Past and How He Found a Place Called Home,” chronicles his difficult path through foster care and determined search for his family.

UMW celebrated its 102nd Commencement on Saturday, May 11.

In his address, Pemberton shared stories of his own family with the thousands of graduates, family members and friends gathered on Ball Circle.

“Don’t ever accept any edict or notion that you are too young or too inexperienced to teach,” he said, explaining that his three young children influenced his remarks. “From [my daughter], I have learned that you should never be satisfied with the first story you are told or the first answer you are given, even if it does come from the greatest daddy in the whole world.”

He urged graduates to share their ideas and talents with those around them and cautioned them not to be satisfied with status quo.

“Remember that you came into the world as an inheritor of something,” he said, “but you will most be measured by that which you dare to build.”

UMW Awarded Emeritus Status at Commencement

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Four longtime professors and a veteran administrator were awarded emeritus status at the University of Mary Washington’s undergraduate commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11.

Meta R. Braymer was named Vice President for Economic Development and Regional Engagement Emeritus; Roy F. Gratz was named Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry; Margaret A. Mi was named Professor Emerita of Marketing; Denis Nissim-Sabat was named Professor Emeritus of Psychology; and Larry W. Penwell was named Professor Emeritus of Management and Psychology.

The title of emeritus is bestowed on faculty members who have served the university for at least 15 years and who have attained the rank of professor or associate professor.

Meta Braymer

Meta Braymer

Meta Braymer joined UMW in 1990 as associate vice president for academic affairs and director of graduate and continuing education. As dean of graduate and professional studies, she directed and planned all academic programs for the James Monroe Center, now the Stafford campus, which opened in 1999. In 2003, she was the second person to whom the university awarded its highest honor, the Washington Medallion for Service to the University of Mary Washington.

From 2000 through 2010, Braymer served as vice president of graduate and professional studies and dean of faculty. In 2011, she was named vice president for economic development and regional engagement and was responsible for the Center for Economic Development.  She chaired the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, the UMW Economic Development Conference, and the Strategic Planning Committee on Regional Engagement and Leadership. She was co-chair of the Executive-in Residence Program and served on the Executive Management Committee for the Dahlgren Education and Research Center.

Braymer served on Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine’s Advisory Transition Policy Committee for Higher Education, was a founding and board member of the Virginia Foundation for Women, and was a member of the Virginia Executive Committee to the American Council on Education for the Office of Women in Education. She was a founder of the Annual Leadership Colloquium for Professional Women and has been director since 1994.

Braymer earned a bachelor’s degree from Maryville College, a master’s degree from The Ohio State University and a doctorate in English from the University of Tennessee.

Roy Gratz

Roy Gratz

Chemist Roy Gratz joined the Mary Washington Department of Chemistry in 1975 after having taught for four years at Salem College in North Carolina. He specializes in organic and polymer chemistry.

He has taught the sophomore organic chemistry courses at Mary Washington since 1977 and also has taught experimental methods in chemistry and polymer chemistry. He has sponsored many students in independent study and honors research. He served as department chair, as faculty senator for chemistry, and on numerous university committees.

Gratz did postdoctoral research at the Medical University of South Carolina and spent eight summers at NASA and Navy labs. His research has been published in several professional journals, and he holds seven patents from his work at NASA.  He has held several leadership roles in the Virginia Section of the American Chemical Society, including section chair in 2000.

In the community, he has lectured Advanced Placement students at Fredericksburg’s James Monroe High School and served on its parent-teacher advisory council. He is chair of the Fredericksburg Planning Commission and has served on the city Board of Zoning Appeals.

Gratz earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in organic chemistry from Duke University and a bachelor of science in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.

Margaret Mi

Margaret Mi

Margaret Mi joined the Department of Business in 1989. Along with numerous other service roles at UMW, she served as president of the College of Business Faculty Senate. She has served as president of the Virginia Consortium of Asian Studies and vice-president of the Hai Hung Foundation.

Her publications, presentations, lectures, professional associations and honor societies are numerous. Mi was recommended by Del. William J. Howell to be a member of Gov. George Allen’s Task Force on Telework in 1995, and she served with Shirley J. Ybarra, former Virginia Secretary of Transportation. She edited a white paper for “Telecommuting for the Commonwealth” for Gov. Jim Gilmore. The Harvard Business Review invited her to comment on the case study “How Do You Manage an Off-Site Team?” She served as vice president of the International Telework Association and Council and was founder and editor of its TeleTrends newsletter.

Mi has spoken on telecommuting and marketing in classrooms and conferences in Bulgaria, China, Japan, England and Canada. She was awarded the annual direct marketing award from the Direct Marketing Association of Washington, D.C.

She holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in business from Eastern New Mexico University and a doctorate in business administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Denis Nissim-Sabat

Denis Nissim-Sabat

Denis Nissim-Sabat joined the Department of Psychology in 1976, and he practiced clinical psychology in the Fredericksburg area as he rose to full professor. His areas of interest are broad: In teaching they include clinical psychology and the theoretical and philosophical foundations of the discipline; in research they include third-party reimbursements in public mental health and the stigma of mental illness.

Nissim-Sabat was awarded a congressional science fellowship by the American Psychological Association (APA) and served as legislative assistant for health care policy in the office of Illinois Sen. Paul Simon in 1989-1990. He has published widely in psychological journals and has presented dozens of papers at professional conferences, including reporting his findings on Soviet psychology. He also has had numerous articles published in the popular press.

Nissim-Sabat has served on many UMW committees and was faculty representative to the Board of Visitors and president of the Faculty Senate. His leadership roles with the APA include senior policy analyst and chair of its Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest. He served the community as member and chair of the board of directors of the Rappahannock Community Services Board.

Nissim-Sabat holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Case Western Reserve and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Temple University.

Larry Penwell

Larry Penwell

Larry Penwell came to Mary Washington in 1989 to teach and pursue research in the disciplines of psychology and business. With a doctorate in social psychology from the University of Cincinnati, he had been an organizational change consultant for GE Aircraft Engines.

Penwell has published extensively and his work has been referenced in articles, books and dissertations in eight languages and in studies sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the European Space Agency and NASA. His work on human performance in extreme environments has been applied to trauma surgery teams, Mars mission design, polar research bases, crisis management, offshore oil rigs, and for fire, rescue and military officer training.

His extensive group-relations work with the A.K. Rice Institute for the Study of Social Systems led to his directing the first group-relations conference in Fredericksburg and his subsequently serving on the board of the A.K. Rice Institute. His work in conflict management led to his involvement as a trainer, board member and president the Rappahannock Mediation Center.

As co-director of the 2000-2003 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools reaccreditation study, Penwell facilitated Mary Washington’s transition to a university. From 2009 to 2011, he helped launch the UMW College of Business, first serving as executive director and then as acting dean.

UMW Raises Funds for Marathon Victims

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The run at the University of Mary Washington’s Battleground Athletic Complex Saturday morning started as the final exam for the 22 runners in Corey Hewson’s half-marathon training class. It evolved into more than 250 members of UMW and the area community joining in a Run for Boston.  So far the group has raised nearly $1,000 for The One Fund to support victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Excitement permeated onlookers, who formed a human chain as they cheered the runners at the starting line. After members of the class got a running start, the mass of participants, most of them donning Run-for-Boston T-shirts, followed sprinting behind them along the 3 1/2-mile route. “This was the first race many of the members of my class have ever participated in,” said Hewson, coach of the UMW women’s soccer team who helped organize the Run for Boston. Hewson created the training class to encourage students of any experience level to adopt a healthy lifestyle through running. “The smiles on all of their faces will be etched in my heart for a long time,” Hewson said. “I have participated in and have been a spectator in some of the bigger road races in the country – this by far was one of the more unique and special starts I have ever seen.” That enthusiasm will be hard to beat when the class takes on its ultimate challenge ­– the Marine Corps Half-Marathon– on May 19 in Fredericksburg. A limited supply of “Run for Boston” T-shirts is available for purchase, with proceeds donated to The One Fund. Medium and large sizes are $10 for adults, $5 for students. Contact Corey Hewson at (540) 654-1871.

STEM Summit Showcases Area Technology

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The second annual FredTech STEM 16 Summit brought together more than 350 educators, students, community members and business leaders at the University of Mary Washington on Saturday, April 20. Click here to view the embedded video. The day-long event featured seminars on STEM programming in school districts and women in technology, as well as a STEM career panel.  The summit also included more than 45 projects from UMW, regional elementary and secondary schools, Germanna Community College, and local and regional businesses and nonprofit organizations. Six UMW offices and academic departments were represented at the summit, including the Department of Biological Sciences, the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the Department of Mathematics, the Office of Admissions and a 3D printing demonstration. UMW computer science student David Peworchik was honored with the “SWIFT Scholarship in Computer Science” Award for the 2013-2014 academic year, which provides a merit scholarship to a top computer science major in the region. The scholarship is funded by the Society for World Interbank Financial Telecommunications, Inc (SWIFT). In addition, UMW students, Alex Gilley, Zach Goodwin, Jerome Mueller and Russell Ruud , were named as SWIFT Student Research Fellows for the 2013-2014 year.  They received funding from SWIFT and UMW to attend the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) conference  in San Diego in July.  The students will present their part of an interdisciplinary research project in the area of pharmaceutical discovery.  Their work with supercomputers and data analysis may lead to new treatments for diseases such as HIV and Tuberculosis, according to Associate Professor Karen Anewalt, chair of the Department of Computer Science. In conjunction with the summit, UMW held a titration competition and its seventh annual calculus tournament. In the team competition of the calculus tournament, the team from Paul VI High School in Fairfax came in first place and the team from the Commonwealth Governor’s School came in second place. In the individual competition, Jack Sweeney of Paul VI High School won first place and Lina Hong of Paul VI High School won second place. In the titration tournament, members of UMW’s honors general chemistry class won first place, followed by senior chemistry majors in second place. The summit culminated with a keynote lecture by David Kerr, a program lead in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Communications.

UMW Students Win Art Awards

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The University of Mary Washington Department of Art and Art History announced its student award recipients at the Wednesday, April 10 opening of the Annual Student Juried Art Exhibition at the duPont Gallery.

Rachael Juhan (left) and Sidney Mullis received the Melchers Gray Purchase Award for their work, “Dale.”

Senior Rachael Juhan of Big Stone Gap and junior Sidney Mullis of Spotsylvania received the Melchers Gray Purchase Award for their collaborative piece “Dale.” The work will become part of the university’s permanent collection. Mullis also received an award of distinction.

Senior Annie Lynch of Manassas received the Emil Schnellock Award in Painting for her work “Nothing Satisfies So Many People in So Many Ways.” The Department of Art and Art History presents the award each year to recognize excellence in painting.

Cheryl Elliott of Waynesboro was presented the Anne Elizabeth Collins Award for her handmade book, “Untitled.”

The following students also received awards during the exhibition’s opening ceremony:

  • Robert Luther of Fredericksburg received an award of distinction,
  • Lula Ruggles Lambert of Richmond received an award of distinction,
  • Hannah Ridenour of Hunker, Pa., received the Art History Award for Outstanding Research,
  • Mary Williams of Vinton received the Melchers Award for Excellence in Art History.

Cheryl Elliott received the Anne Elizabeth Collins Award for her work, “Untitled.”

The event was judged by Paul Ryan, artist and professor at Mary Baldwin College, who selected works for the exhibition from more than 100 submissions.

The Student Juried Art Exhibition will run through Sunday, April 21 in the duPont Gallery, located on College Avenue at Thornton Street. The exhibition is open to the public without charge and selected works are for sale.

The duPont Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Free parking is designated for gallery visitors in a lot across College Avenue at Thornton Street.