November 17, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Multicultural Fair Returned for 23rd Year, April 13

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The University of Mary Washington held its 23rd annual Multicultural Fair on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The outdoor fair, organized by the James Farmer Multicultural Center, is one of the largest annual events at UMW, attracting more than 4,000 attendees each year. The Multicultural Fair demonstrates UMW’s commitment to multicultural awareness through a variety of ethnic performances, food and vendors. The fair also features kid-friendly crafts, activities and performances. “It’s one of those events where an adult will have just as much fun as a kid,” said Greta Franklin, associate director of the James Farmer Multicultural Center. “There’s something for everyone.” Throughout the day, more than 30 music and dance groups performed across campus, including Un Mundo, a local salsa band, Afro Funk All Stars, Intuition Band, Levi Stephens, and the McGrath Academy of Irish Dance. More than a dozen UMW student groups also performed, including BellACapella, UMW’s all-female a capella group, Eagle Bhangra and UMW Praise Dance. This year’s fair featured more than 60 vendors selling an array of jewelry, pottery, instruments and traditional clothing representing various cultures and 11 food trucks from different cuisines. “The goal [of the fair] is to celebrate cultural diversity and celebrate the differences amongst us and how they enrich our lives,” said Franklin. “It’s a very celebratory day.” The Multicultural Fair will be held rain or shine and is free and open to the public. For more information, including a full list of performers, visit http://www.umw.edu/multicultural/fair or contact the James Fair Multicultural Center at (540) 654-1044.

UMW Survey Shows Virginians Divided on Same-Sex Marriage

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The question of legalizing gay marriage closely divides Virginians, according to data from a new survey of state residents sponsored by the University of Mary Washington’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies.

The survey of 1,004 state residents, conducted March 20-24, shows that 45 percent support legalization of gay marriage, with 46 percent opposed. The remaining respondents were undecided or declined to answer the question. The margin of sampling error for the study is 3.5 percentage points.

The new UMW survey comes as the U.S. Supreme Court debates two gay marriage cases and as public opinion nationally has shifted in the direction of gay marriage. The UMW survey results represent significant gains for legalization of same-sex marriage in Virginia. In 2006, the commonwealth’s voters approved an amendment to the Virginia Constitution to ban gay marriage by a 57 percent to 43 percent margin.

“Rarely does public opinion shift on a social issue as rapidly as it has for gay marriage,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at UMW and director of the university’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies. “While opposition to gay marriage remains stronger here than nationally, the rapid erosion of that opposition among Virginians in the years since the 2006 amendment vote is astonishing.”

The results of the survey, conducted on the center’s behalf by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, provide further evidence that Virginia is a “purple” swing state in national politics, Farnsworth said. The survey also includes Virginians’ views of upcoming key state and national races.

While the study shows that Virginians are warming to the idea of same-sex marriage, support for conservative social policies – like the death penalty — remains strong. Sixty-five percent of the respondents support capital punishment, with 27 percent opposed. The remaining respondents are either uncertain or declined to answer the question.

“People who think Virginia is becoming another ‘blue-state’ like Maryland find little support in this study for that theory,” Farnsworth said. “The results here suggest Virginia’s continued independent stance, where the state’s largely moderate voters pick and choose among the policy positions they find appealing.”

An overwhelming majority of Virginians also support a path to legalization for illegal immigrants. By a margin of 71 percent to 25 percent Virginians support a government initiative to create a path to citizenship for workers currently in the country illegally.

Respondents turned thumbs-down on a proposed increase in the federal retirement age from 67 to 69 to reduce the federal budget deficit.

Further details on the survey’s findings, including key breakdowns by party identification, age and region of residence are found below.

Same Sex Marriage

Among those who answered the same-sex marriage question, the youngest Virginians show the most support, while the oldest residents mainly opposed. Among those between the ages of 18 and 29, 66 percent of respondents approved legalizing same-sex marriage, while 31 percent opposed; the rest were unsure.

The question also generated majority support in the 30-44 age group, with 54 percent supporting gay marriage and 42 percent opposed.  The two older age groups in the study were more critical: only 39 percent of those surveyed between the ages of 45 and 64 supported legalizing gay marriage, compared to 56 percent against it. For those 65 years of age and older, 29 percent supported and 65 percent opposed.

Substantial regional differences on the same-sex marriage question predominated. More than 59 percent of the residents of northern Virginia support legalizing gay marriage, with 37 percent opposed. Some 50 percent of the respondents from the Tidewater region support gay marriage, while 42 percent oppose. A plurality of voters oppose gay marriage in the three other parts of the state: Northwest (46 percent support/49 percent oppose), South Central, which includes the Richmond area (41 percent support/56 percent oppose), and the western portions of the state (31 percent support/65 percent oppose).

More women than men support legalizing gay marriage, by a margin of 51 to 43 percent.

One-quarter of Republicans support legalizing gay marriage, with 71 percent in opposition. For Independents, 53 percent support gay marriage and 42 percent object.  Democrats in the survey said they favor gay marriage by a 61 percent to 35 percent margin.

As a group, African-Americans were most critical of same sex marriage, with 40 percent supporting same-sex marriage legalization and 54 percent opposing it. Hispanic respondents were most supportive, with 64 percent supporting gay marriage and 34 percent opposing. For whites, 50 percent oppose gay marriage and 46 percent support it.

Just over one-third (35 percent) of Protestants supported gay marriage, as compared to 51 percent of Catholics.

Death Penalty

Comparisons among various groups of voters revealed capital punishment continues to receive widespread support across the commonwealth. By a margin of 74 percent to 59 percent, men are more willing to retain the death penalty than women.

A majority of respondents from all three partisan groups wanted to keep the death penalty, with 53 percent of Democrats supporting capital punishment, as compared to 69 percent of independents and 81 percent of Republicans. Just over half, 52 percent, of African-Americans support the death penalty, as compared to 54 percent of Hispanics and 72 percent of whites.

Respondents in all five regions of the state oppose ending the death penalty, with support for capital punishment ranging from a low of 59 percent support in northern Virginia to a high of 75 percent in the western part of the state. In the South Central region, which includes the Richmond area, 63 percent support the retention of capital punishment.

Retirement Age

On the question of whether the government should increase the normal retirement age from 67 to 69 to help balance the deficit, the biggest cleavages register among different age groups. Half of those surveyed between the ages of 18 and 29 support the two-year increase, with 46 percent of the respondents in that age group opposed to it, and another 4 percent are undecided.

All the other age groups turned thumbs down on the proposal. For those in the 30-44 age group, the delayed retirement idea obtained only 36 percent support. Less than one-third (32 percent) of those nearing retirement (those in the 45-64 age group) favor an increase in the retirement age, while 38 percent of those 65 or older support increasing the retirement age to help reduce the federal budget deficit.

Another major difference in support for increasing the retirement age is regional: in Northern Virginia, the state’s richest region, 48 percent support a delayed retirement, while in the state’s poorer western region, only 29 percent want the retirement age increased. In the South Central region, which includes the Richmond area, 36 percent support extending the normal working years to help balance the budget.

Immigration

On immigration, 84 percent of Virginia Democrats express support for a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally, as compared to 72 percent of Independents and 59 percent of Republicans.

The youngest group most favor creating a path to citizenship for those now in the U.S. illegally, with 83 percent of adults under the age of 30 expressing support. For the two middle-aged groups, 76 percent of those between the ages of 30 and 44 and 72 percent of those between the ages of 45 and 64 want government to develop a plan for eventual citizenship for those in the country illegally. Respondents at least 65 years old show more skepticism, but even a majority of seniors (52 percent) favor the initiative.

Support for immigration reform registered highest in northern Virginia, where 81 percent favor creating a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally, and the lowest in the state’s western region, where only 57 percent support the idea. The South Central region of the state once again occupies the political middle ground, with 72 percent of respondents from the area supporting the idea of a path to citizenship for illegal citizens.

Note:

The Virginia Survey March 2013, sponsored by University of Mary Washington’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, obtained telephone interviews with a representative sample of 1,004 adults living in Virginia. Telephone interviews were conducted by landline (502) and cell phone (502, including 245 without a landline phone). The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI). Interviews were done in English by Princeton Data Source from March 20 to 24, 2013. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is ± 3.5 percentage points.

For more information contact  Stephen J. Farnsworth by cell at (703) 380-3025 or by email at sfarnswo@umw.edu.

Anderson Wins National Championship in 400 IM

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University of Mary Washington sophomore Alex Anderson became the fourth individual NCAA national champion in UMW school history by breaking the NCAA Division III record in the 400-yard individual medley on March 21 at the National Swimming and Diving Championships in Shenandoah, Texas.  Anderson finished with a time of 3:50.55. Seeded fourth in the event entering the championships with a time of 3:57, Anderson destroyed his career best by seven seconds in the final. He led the race from start to finish. He shattered the previous NCAA Division III record of 3:51.45, broken in 2009 by Alex Beyer of Washington University. “Alex represented all of the Eagles in the best way possible tonight,” said UMW head coach Abby Brethauer. “We could not be more proud of his national championship. To do it in record setting fashion makes it even more special.” Anderson joins Shannon Hutcherson (women’s swimming, 1993), Myra Simpson (women’s track, 1996), and Paul Bristow and Dan Uyar (men’s tennis doubles) as an individual national champion at UMW. Also in the weekend NCAA competition, Anderson finished second in the 200-yard butterfly, narrowly missing a second national title by .07 of a second. He was a member of several relay teams that finished well in Division III competition. The 400-medley relay team, also made up of Michael Yelmgren, Peter Slattery and Nick Eckhoff, placed 12th with a record time of 3:21.72. The men’s 800-free relay, including Eckhoff, Jack McHugh and Sean Mayer, finished in 18th place at 6:52.20.  The 400-free relay team, including Mayer, McHugh and Eckhoff, finished 21st with a time of 3:05.70. In other competition, junior Amber Kerico picked up her second All-America title an 11th place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:20.25. Overall, the Eagle men finished the championship in 19th place with 47 points, while the women placed 38th with 10 points.

UMW Alumnus Shares His Experience as U.S. Ambassador

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At 24 years old – just four years after donning a cap and gown at the University of Mary Washington – Clifford Hart ‘80 moved halfway around the world. He left his home state of Virginia, where he had attended Mary Washington, then the University of Virginia for graduate school, to take a post in China with the Foreign Service. “It was a treat from beginning to end,” Hart said of his first assignment. “It was a fascinating time to be there.” Hart, now Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks for the denuclearization of North Korea, spoke with students about his decades-long career in the Foreign Service during a recent trip to his alma mater. “The Foreign Service is a deeply stimulating intellectual exercise,” he said. “You are constantly learning.” As an envoy, Ambassador Hart coordinates U.S. efforts on the Six-Party Talks and leads day-to-day engagement with Six-Party partners. “It has been an occasion for me to learn a lot about a really critical part of our foreign policy,” Hart said. In his 30-year career, Hart has held posts in numerous countries, including China, Taiwan, Iraq and the Soviet Union, and has served in senior positions at the State Department, the White House and the Pentagon. He credits Mary Washington with providing a quality liberal arts education that has served as a foundation for his career. “As a diplomat, you need to draw in the broadest intellectual framework you can,” he said. Hart faults himself for not taking advantage of the full range of liberal arts studies while at Mary Washington, where he heavily concentrated in international relations and political science to Russian and economics. He nonetheless recalls his education with gratitude and pleasure. “On a personal level, I was able to establish close relationships with faculty,” Hart said. “I still benefit daily from [John Kramer’s] instruction 33 years ago.” Kramer, distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Political Science and International Affairs, taught Hart in several international relations classes. “Ambassador Hart was one of the singular best students I have had the privilege of teaching in my 42 years at Mary Washington – and that is saying something because I have had so many wonderful students during my tenure here,” Kramer said. “Of course, it was obvious he had the superior intelligence to excel, but what really impressed me was how even as an undergraduate, he possessed those skills that UMW promotes as foundational qualities of liberal learning: outstanding written and oral communication capacities, well-honed analytical skills and facility in foreign languages, in his case, both Russian and Cantonese.” For Will Kyle ’13, the opportunity to talk to Hart was invaluable. “Meeting with Ambassador Hart was such an enlightening and enriching academic opportunity and personal experience,” he said. Kyle, an international affairs major, said his conversations with Hart yielded critical research for his senior honors thesis on current foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region. “In my eyes, the experience just goes to show all of the opportunities available to students here at Mary Washington upon graduation from our rigorous, well-run academic programs,” Kyle said. “After meeting with Ambassador Hart, I am more inspired than ever to use my degree to best serve this great country that we live in.” Click here to view the embedded video.

Sir James Galway Performs with UMW Philharmonic This Saturday

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Legendary Irish flutist Sir James Galway will perform a special concert with the University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra on Saturday, March 16. The concert, part of Galway’s international Legacy Tour, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium.

Sir James Galway will perform with the UMW Philharmonic Orchestra on March 16.

Galway’s appearance marks the 10th anniversary of the Philharmonic’s popular William M. Anderson Celebrity Series, which began with Broadway maestro Marvin Hamlisch and has included such luminaries as Judy Collins, Kenny Rogers and the Canadian Brass.

“The orchestra is honored to have shared the stage with some of the greatest musicians in the world over the past decade,” said Kevin Bartram, director of the Philharmonic. “This year, we are excited to bring Sir James to Fredericksburg, and we had ‘the luck of the Irish’ in his schedule to land him on St. Patrick’s Day weekend.”

Galway, known as “The Man with the Golden Flute,” will perform the Mozart Flute Concerto in D Major, and then will be joined with his wife, Lady Jeanne Galway, in the duet “The Magic Flutes.” The concert also will include Sergei Prokofiev’s “Lt. Kije’ Suite,” Ron Nelson’s “Rocky Point Holiday” and Leroy Anderson’s “Irish Suite.”

In his more than 35-year career, Galway has performed for such dignitaries as Queen Elizabeth II, Pope John Paul II, President George W. Bush, President H.W. Bush, Princess Diana, and most recently President Shimon Peres. He was knighted in 2001 by Queen Elizabeth II and has received the Recording Academy’s President’s Merit Award. He was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame and received the Classic Brits Lifetime Achievement Award. His albums have sold more than 30 million copies.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://philharmonic.umw.edu, call (540) 654-1324 or visit the Fredericksburg Visitor’s Center.

Drew University Dean Named as UMW Provost

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Jonathan Levin has been named to the position of provost of the University of Mary Washington. Levin has spent more than 20 years in higher education, including nearly a decade as an administrator. Currently, he serves as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Drew University in Madison, N.J.

Jonathan Levin has been named UMW’s provost. Photo courtesy of Drew University.

Levin will serve as the chief academic officer at UMW and will be responsible for oversight of all academic programs, academic planning and budgets and faculty matters. Working with the deans and the faculty, the provost provides leadership of major university initiatives in teaching, research and creative activities and has responsibility for all university educational and academic policies. He also will oversee enrollment management. Levin will begin work on June 25, 2013.

“I am extremely pleased that Dr. Levin has agreed to come to UMW,” said President Richard V. Hurley. “His background and experience will be a tremendous asset as we move the institution forward.”

Levin has served as dean and professor of English at Drew for five years, during which time he has coordinated all aspects of undergraduate curriculum development and assessment at the private liberal arts and sciences university in New Jersey. While at the institution, he oversaw development and implementation of several new programs, including the Baldwin Honors and Civic Scholars programs, as well as a new general education curriculum. During his tenure, Drew experienced substantial growth in underrepresented student populations and improved its academic profile.

Prior to Drew, Levin spent three years as dean of the School of Humanities at State University of New York at Purchase. During his time at Purchase, Levin led a redesign of the general education program and implemented collaborative campus-wide initiatives.

Levin also has served as chair of the Department of English, acting director of American studies and associate professor of English at Fordham University and as associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University.

The author of “The Poetics of Transition: Emerson, Pragmatism & American Literary Modernism,” Levin has published numerous articles in scholarly journals on 19th- and 20th-century American literature and culture.

Levin earned a bachelor of arts in English and French from the University of Michigan, a master of arts in English from the University of California at Los Angeles and a Ph.D. in English from Rutgers University.

Educator and Author to Deliver 2013 Commencement Addresses, May 10-11

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The University of Mary Washington has announced its graduate and undergraduate speakers for the 2013 commencement ceremonies to be held on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11. Dr. William “Bill” Cleveland Bosher Jr., public policy expert and former Virginia superintendent of education, will be the guest speaker for the graduate address on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the William M. Anderson Center. Steve Pemberton,

William “Bill” Cleveland Bosher will be the guest speaker during UMW’s graduate commencement ceremony. Photo courtesy of VCU.

business executive, motivational speaker and noted author, will deliver the undergraduate commencement address on Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. on Ball Circle.

Bill Bosher

Bosher has been a teacher, principal, state director, local superintendent of two districts with more than 35,000 students and the superintendent of public instruction for the commonwealth of Virginia. He currently serves as distinguished professor of public policy and education at Virginia Commonwealth University and executive director of the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute, a legislative entity focused on research, training and policy analysis.

Named the arts administrator of the year by the Kennedy Center, Bosher is the only superintendent in Virginia to be named twice as the Superintendent of the Year. He has served as a consultant in more than 35 states and a dozen foreign countries on topics related to educational law and finance, policy analysis, standards development, school evaluations and human relations.

The co-author of “Law and Education: Contemporary Issues and Court Decisions” and “The School Law Handbook, What Every Leader Needs to Know,” Bosher is the board chairman of Edvantia, a research and evaluation nonprofit, and is a fellow of SchoolNet and the Urban Health Initiative.

Steve Pemberton

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.

Steve Pemberton, divisional vice president and chief diversity officer at Walgreens, will be the guest speaker during UMW’s undergraduate commencement ceremony.

His speeches are inspirational testament to the power of faith, fortitude, and forgiveness. 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.

In 2006, Fortune named him one of “the top 20 chief diversity officers in corporate America.” In 2007, Pemberton was called to Capitol Hill to provide testimony on best practices in diversity recruiting, and in 2008 he was named by Savoy as one of “the top 100 most influential African Americans in corporate America.” Pemberton, who lives in the Chicago area, presented UMW’s Martin Luther King Jr., keynote lecture in 2013.

UMW Receives National Recognition for Service

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Two dozen University of Mary Washington students spent their Spring Break serving others. The students, who spent a week in Albany, Ga., and Melbourne, Fla., built houses with Habitat for Humanity through a program known as Alternative Spring Break. The annual program is one of many service opportunities that have given UMW a place on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the fourth consecutive year. UMW is one of 690 U.S. colleges and universities recognized for engaging students, faculty and staff in substantial, relevant and meaningful service to communities. The honor roll, announced March 4 at the American Council on Education’s 95th Annual Meeting, is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education. During this year’s Alternative Spring Break trips, the 24 students, along with Director of Service Christina Eggenberger and Accounts Receivable Manager Paul Griggs, built houses in the local communities. “It’s so rewarding each year to experience something new and gain a new perspective on life,” said one of the students on the group’s Tumbler page. “I’m proud of everyone who has dedicated their breaks to a great cause. I feel blessed to be a part of it every year.” To follow along with UMW’s Alternative Spring Break trips, visit http://wearehardcoar.tumblr.com/.

UMW Students Participate in Student Lobby Day

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Thirteen University of Mary Washington students spent a day last week talking to Virginia General Assembly legislators on behalf of the university.  Student Lobby Day provides  students from colleges and universities across the state a chance to meet with the state lawmakers.

“Lobby day is our opportunity as a university to articulate the importance of a liberal arts education and inform lawmakers about all of the exciting things our university is engaged in,” said senior Sean Simons, legislative action chair for the Student Government Association. Simons also majors in political science and political communications.

The students began their day with a brief introduction to Richmond’s General Assembly building. Then, students met with area legislators, including Speaker of the House Bill Howell, Sen. Bryce Reeves and Sen. Creigh Deeds. Afterwards, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling gave the group an impromptu tour of the Rotunda and shared the history of the building.

Erica O’Brien, a senior political science major, enjoyed meeting with the legislative aides.  “I love talking about Mary Washington, and being able to share some of the exciting things that are happening at UMW was fantastic,” she said.

Shirley Martey, a junior political science major, was excited to speak with legislators. “I wanted to practice communicating effectively with people in this environment so I thought this would be an excellent opportunity,” she said.

Student Lobby Day is annual event sponsored by the Student Government Association. More information on the SGA can be found at http://sga.umw.edu/

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Peace Corps Ranks UMW Among Top-Producing Small Colleges

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Once again, the Peace Corps has ranked the University of Mary Washington among the nation’s top-producing colleges for alumni now serving as Peace Corps volunteers.

UMW ranks third on the Peace Corps’ list of small schools or institutions with less than 5,000 undergraduates. Currently, UMW has 21 alumni serving around the world, the Peace Corps announced on Feb. 5.

Chad Chadbourn ’06 (right) taught a small business course to high school students as part of his Peace Corps service in Costa Rica

Mary Washington has been named to the Peace Corps’ list of 25 top-producing small schools for the 10th consecutive year. In 2012 and 2011, the university placed No. 1 among schools in the same category, with 30 and 32 alumni serving in the Peace Corps, respectively.

In all, 230 Mary Washington alumni have served the 27-month commitment around the world since the Peace Corps’ inception in 1961.

For Chad Chadbourn ’06, who was a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica from 2006 to 2008, UMW fosters values and skills that fit well with the Peace Corps’ mission.

“Mary Washington really encourages students to go about developing a better global mindset,” said Chadbourn, a 2013 MBA candidate at the College of William & Mary’s Mason School of Business. “The personal initiative, interpersonal skills and communication skills through the writing and speaking intensive courses really enhance one’s ability to be a Peace Corps volunteer.”

Bethany Farrell ’11 currently serves in Morocco as a youth development volunteer.

Bethany Farrell ’11 (first row, third from right) is currently serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco

“I learned so much about myself and about the world during my time at Mary Washington, and I use that education all the time here,” Farrell said. “There are so many tolerant, respectful and open-minded people at Mary Washington, and I try to demonstrate those qualities each and every day of my service.”

For any interested students currently enrolled at UMW, the Peace Corps will hold an information session on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 5 p.m. in Lee Hall, Room 411.

The Peace Corps ranks its top volunteer-producing schools annually according to the size of the student body. The rankings are calculated based on fiscal year 2012 data as of September 30, 2012, as self-reported by Peace Corps volunteers. A complete list of colleges and universities can be viewed at Peace Corps’ Top Colleges.

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News release prepared by: Marty Morrison and Brynn Boyer