March 28, 2024

Shark Attack

The dorsal fins were enough to draw in her classmates, but 6-year-old Marlee Howell found herself focused on something else. An eyeball.

“I want to touch it, but it’s so gross,” said Marlee, one of nine elementary school students to attend a recent lab hosted by UMW Associate Professor of Biology Deb O’Dell.

The tiny scientists – second- through third-grade accelerated learners from The Merit School at Stafford – came to the Jepson Science Center to dissect a shark. Talk turned to things like the tooth fairy, video games and slime at points during the lesson, but these smaller-than-usual university students learned some pretty big things.

“Experiences like these drive a lot of their career aspirations,” said Merit School teacher Amie Canter. “A lot of them already know what they want to be when they grow up.”

The future professionals, who might one day serve the Fredericksburg area as healthcare workers and scientists, donned miniature lab coats, goggles and blue latex gloves. With the help of three student aids from O’Dell’s Comparative Anatomy class, they sliced through the sandpapery skin of dogfish sharks, exploring the animal’s skeletal structures, nervous systems and more.

“It’s important for kids to know how fun and exciting science can be,” said senior biology major Brandon Fincham, who plans to go into teaching. “There’s something special about seeing kids’ eyes light up when they get excited about something like dissecting sharks.”

The group learned the difference between veins and arteries, located the sharks’ livers and colons, and discussed the functions of major internal organs.

“The heart looks amazing,” said 8-year-old Kaleb Carter.

Canter makes it her mission to get her students out of the classroom as often as possible. They’ve visited Mary Washington Healthcare, met with mayors and lawmakers, even trekked to the White House. The class’s partnership with UMW, including Associate Professor of Chemistry Leanna Giancarlo, Professor of Biological Sciences Joella Killian and Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Parrish Waters, is ongoing.

“We are truly grateful for the educational opportunities the professors at UMW have provided,” said Canter, who plans another Mary Washington visit in March.

Junior biology major Brittany Pennington, who worked with the children during last month’s lab, said a similar opportunity in elementary school might have helped push her toward a career in the lab.

“Something like this, especially at this age, is important to attract more students into the science fields,” O’Dell said, “to show them what’s new and cool … to show them some of the things they can do.”

Marketing Down Under

Early this January, 13 UMW students took a 3-mile kayak trip across the Hauraki Gulf from Auckland to Rangitoto Island. Hiking to the summit of the island’s volcano, the class watched the sun set over the city in the distance before paddling back under a star-filled sky.

The students were part of Marketing Down Under, a College of Business course that includes eight weeks of instruction on campus and a 13-day excursion to Australia and New Zealand for hands-on application of the material they learn. Led by Associate Professor Lance Gentry, the students evaluated each company, attraction and hotel they visited to analyze marketing efforts, customer experience and operational success. The group also met with an Australian marketing executive who worked on revolutionary ads targeting U.S. tourists in the 1980s and learn about both the campaign and its impact on the travel marketing industry.

Students white water rafting in Australia.

“I was stunned to learn that tourism is projected to surpass farming as New Zealand’s largest source of income,” said junior and international business major Jessica Roberson. “Australia and New Zealand attract a lot of tourists from China. This can be seen in large tourist attractions such as the Sydney Tower Eye, which had signs in both English and what appeared to be Mandarin.”

In Sydney, the group had the opportunity to celebrate New Year’s Eve on a cruise across Darling Harbour, see a show at the iconic Sydney Opera House, travel to the Blue Mountains, visit the Tobruk Sheep Station for a shearing demonstration and eat at the revolving Sydney Tower Eye. Then the class jetted to New Zealand, where students donned wetsuits and rode tubes through the caverns of Waitomo Caves, went whitewater rafting and attended a Maori cultural performance.

“Visiting the beaches, the Sydney Opera, and watching the fireworks from a boat on New Year’s Eve were all times to remember,” said sophomore and geography major Lily Van Horn. “This trip gave me a new appreciation for other countries and their cultures, and a stronger desire to travel more.”

To learn more about study abroad programs at UMW, visit the Center for International Education at http://international.umw.edu/.

Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017 Marketing Down Under trip to Australia and New Zealand 2017

Language and Leadership

Marc Gehlsen speaks French and Chinese, Russian and Arabic. But his job recruiting students as a Washington Guide calls for only one language – UMW.

“I’ve loved every single second of it,” Gehlsen said of his post with the Office of Admissions, where he gushes over campus traditions, from Devil Goat Day to mac-and cheese nights.

Marc Ghlsen giving a campus tour, Wednesday Oct. 12, 2016. (Photo by Norm Shafer). senior Marc Gehlsen gives a tour of campus

For this Nokesville, Virginia, native, with two separate majors – one in Spanish and one in linguistics he crafted himself – communication is key. He plans to take his dual degree into the courtroom, decoding ransom notes and helping solve crimes as a forensic linguist.

For now, he’s busy sharing stories about Mary Washington, where he’s traced Don Quixote’s footsteps through Spain, tweeted on behalf of the Honor Council, pushed for campus sustainability, and made it his mission “to spread the word of the UMW awesomeness.”

Find your purpose and watch your future take flight. Apply for admission to UMW today. Visit http://www.umw.edu/admissions/undergraduate/ to learn more.

Roots and Rhythm

UMW junior Bethel Mahoney’s music drifts onto Ball Circle, calling classmates together for an impromptu jam.

“I love music’s effect on people,” said Mahoney, a psychology major and cellist who plays a medley of instruments.

The first in her family to pursue a four-year degree, she ties her roots – her mother was
born in Ethiopia – to her thirst for the future, which includes grad school.

Bethel

Find your purpose and watch your future take flight. Apply for admission to UMW today. Visit http://www.umw.edu/admissions/undergraduate/ to learn more.

Creative Communication

A picture is worth a thousand words, or so they say. For first-generation college student Joemmel Tendilla, a picture is priceless.

Though his immediate family moved to the United States before he was born, Tendilla’s roots are in the Philippines, and it can be difficult to communicate with some of his relatives, whose native language is Tagalog.

UMW student Joemmel Tendilla uses photography to express himself.

That’s where photography comes in.

After receiving his first camera as a hand-me-down from his sister when he was 16, Tendilla taught himself how to capture beautiful images and tell stories through his lens. Now the UMW sophomore uses photography to break down the language barrier within his Filipino-American family.

“I communicate with my family through my pictures,” said Tendilla, a sociology major pursuing a minor in social justice. “Some of my family doesn’t speak fluent English, so it’s easier to show them pictures than to try to find the words to explain it.”

As the first person in his family to attend a four-year college, Tendilla has become a role model for relatives both in America and abroad. He started at UMW in August 2015 with a partial scholarship for his outstanding community service and leadership.

“My family is very proud,” he said. “Being the first to go to college in the U.S. is a big deal.”

Hoping to leave his print on the Mary Washington community, Tendilla has jumped head-first into his education, joining the photography club and doing an internship with UMW’s Department of University Relations.

“I believe knowledge isn’t gained just by sitting behind a desk,” said Tendilla, who took photos for the university’s website and social media platforms during a fall-semester internship. “These opportunities have allowed me to improve my photography and make connections that add value to my education. That’s something that will be invaluable when I graduate.”

With unlimited outlets for experiences outside of the classroom, Tendilla feels like he can be himself at UMW.

“I honestly cannot see myself going anywhere else,” he said. “Mary Washington is just a place where I feel at home.”

World Class

Long after his students had packed up and gone home, well after his colleagues had called it a day, Nicholas Martino ’06 holed up in his classroom at Mountain View High School, hatching big plans about teaching. If it was hard to pry him away from his work back then – in Stafford County, Virginia – it’s nearly impossible now.   Nicholas Martino '06 majored in history at Mary Washington. Now, he travels the globe as a curriculum designer or Think Global School. Nicholas Martino '06 majored in history at Mary Washington. Now, he travels the globe as a curriculum designer or Think Global School. Nicholas Martino '06 majored in history at Mary Washington. Now, he travels the globe as a curriculum designer or Think Global School. Nicholas Martino '06 majored in history at Mary Washington. Now, he travels the globe as a curriculum designer or Think Global School. Nicholas Martino '06 majored in history at Mary Washington. Now, he travels the globe as a curriculum designer or Think Global School. In his new nomadic role, he finds education everywhere … literally. A curriculum developer for Think Global School (TGS), Martino scours the planet, diving headfirst into one culture after the other and finding ways to bring students along. His lessons cover the basics – English, math, science, and more – but textbooks and whiteboards give way to real life, taking the experiential learning he discovered at Mary Washington to the extreme. Think salsa lessons in Argentina, ice fishing in Sweden, safari in Tanzania. “We’re kind of like this tech start-up of the education world,” Martino said of TGS, an independent traveling high school, where students from everywhere – the U.S., India, Afghanistan – live and learn in 12 countries over the course of three years using a curriculum that develops them into global citizens empowered to make change. Growing up with a diverse group of friends on New York’s Long Island, Martino soaked up the surf and the sun, along with an appreciation for varied perspectives and backgrounds. He brought that mindset to college, where he majored in history and secondary education, and played lacrosse. But Mary Washington had not been solidified as his college choice until he toured campus and saw students gathered at the fountain in front of Monroe Hall. “I thought, ‘This is exactly what college looks like in my brain. This is where I want to be.’ ” His encounters with professors confirmed his choice. A differentiated instruction class with then-Assistant Professor of Education Thomas Fallace “flipped things on their heads,” Martino said. UMW Philharmonic Orchestra Director Kevin Bartram shared a life-changing mantra: With energy and confidence, you can do anything. And Professor of Education Venitta McCall? She blew him away. “I would find myself in her office chatting about the state of education and the difference I wanted to make,” Martino said. “She was a big proponent of me following my passions.” At Mountain View, his first job after graduation, he taught history, launched a popular international baccalaureate anthropology course, and searched for ways to engage students. A Civil War lesson, for example, might find them marching like soldiers – “from Gettysburg to Antietam” – across the school parking lot. The Washington Post’s prestigious 2011 Agnes Myer Outstanding Educator Award sent Martino speaking across the country and steered him toward TGS, where he taught global studies, before switching to curriculum development this summer. His pupils study The Odyssey on a boat bound for Ithaca, Greece; ride camels across the Omani desert to learn about Bedouins; ponder poverty while spending time in a slum in Mumbai, India. Martino’s upcoming lesson plans have them tracking animals in Botswana and meeting A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima. All the while, students develop, debate and defend projects that offer real-world solutions. Martino’s respect for place-based learning is personal. His first big expedition, back when he was working at Mountain View, was to Yei, South Sudan, on the heels of the horrific Darfur genocide. The trip, which brought him face-to-face with orphans, gunfire, and the slaughtering of a cow, helped form his approach to anthropology. “That was by far one of the most incredible, life-changing experiences I’ve ever had,” said Martino, who’s pursuing a master’s degree in education – with concentrations in curriculum design and digital teaching and instruction – at the American College of Education. He’s stayed connected to his alma mater, coaching lacrosse for years after he graduated and maintaining his friendship with fellow Mary Washington grad, Shin Fujiyama ’07, founder of Students Helping Honduras. The nonprofit Fujiyama launched at UMW helps empower the people of the Central American country. “We both have this work ethic that makes us stand out,” said Martino, who took the first group of U.S. high-schoolers – from Mountain View – to visit his friend’s Honduran home base. “You think you know what poverty is, but until you get to a place like Honduras, you don’t.” This fall, Martino partnered with another UMW alum, Sage Shaw ’04, in Bilbao, Spain, where Shaw is completing her MBA at the Universidad de Deusto. The two worked together to develop a module on Basque identity. “What he does is fascinating,” Jose Sainz, Director of UMW’s Center for International Education and Associate Professor of Spanish, said of Martino. “He uses technology, global engagement … everything.” It’s a demanding job that keeps him hopping from one hotel to another and away from his San Francisco home for months at a time. For Martino, it works. “You’re choosing to give up your personal life to be a bigger part of the student’s life,” he said. “For me, I get all of my energy from that.”  

True South

A transition is taking place in the narratives of Southern plantation museums in the United States. The romanticized “Gone With the Wind” kinds of stories are slowly fading away to be replaced, in some instances, with histories about slavery and human hardship.

While some sites worry that telling unpleasant truths about America’s history could have negative consequences, early research conducted by UMW as part of a national grant favors a different conclusion.

“We’ve heard from several plantations that there is the fear that if they start talking about uncomfortable, controversial topics, then people won’t come,” said Stephen Hanna, professor of geography at the University of Mary Washington. “One thing our research suggests is that people aren’t surprised to hear about slavery and that there could be more discussion about slavery.”

Slave cabins at Boone Hall Plantation in South Carolina Maiah Bartlett interivews Maribel Segel at Meadow Farm in Henrico County. Drayton Hall in Charleston, SC Sarah Rogers interivews Bill Bangham at Meadow Farm in Henrico County. Maiah Bartlett, Steve Hanna and Sarah Rogers at Meadow Farm in Henrico County. Maiah Bartlett interivews a visitor to Meadow Farm in Henrico County. Appomattox Manor in Hopewell, VA Christine MacKrell interviews a visitor at Shirley Plantation.

For the past three years, Hanna and seven UMW students – four of whom are now alumni – have been conducting fieldwork at plantation museums in the American South as part of a $445,423 grant from the National Science Foundation. Partnering with faculty and students at five other universities , the UMW team has helped to document 170 tours and conduct 2,500 surveys or interviews of plantation visitors, tour guides and museum staff. The work has taken place at 17 sites in Louisiana, South Carolina and Virginia.

The team wrapped up its research in October with a final visit to the 19th-century Meadow Farm Museum in Henrico County, Virginia. Over the next year, they will transcribe, code and analyze the qualitative data they collected before publishing the results. For the students involved in the project, titled “Transformation of Racialized American Southern Heritage Landscape,” the hands-on research and fieldwork offers a unique opportunity.

“Most people are surprised we’re undergrads working on this project,” said senior Christine MacKrell, a geography and political science major who has been working with Hanna for two years. “We’re working alongside multiple universities across the nation with highly regarded professors and Ph.D. and grad students. It’s rare for undergrads to get this kind of fieldwork, research and writing experience.”

While final research results will not be published until next year, Hanna and his students have published or presented preliminary findings in journals and at national and regional conferences. Their full immersion in the research process builds the team’s passion and enthusiasm for what they’ve learned.

“There’s a trend toward being more authentic in the stories you’re telling,” said senior Sarah Rogers, a geography and historic preservation major who has been involved with the project for one year. “People come to these plantations because they want to learn about history, and it’s the museum’s responsibility to share true, accurate and representative stories and information.”

Learning about our nation’s history shapes our understanding of what it means to be an American, Hanna said, and helps us deal with the racial issues facing our country today.

“We want to be able to talk about how we remember our past and how it informs our understanding of present issues,” he said. “It’s important that these museums present inclusive stories of our past rather than excluding this painful chapter of American history.”

Leading Ladyburg

A wave of floral and citrus scents pours onto the sidewalk in historic downtown Fredericksburg, hitting your nose before you can even reach the store. Stepping into the chic bath and body boutique, you’re invited into a sea of handcrafted soaps, balms and oils. Welcome to Ladyburg!

The warm greeting comes from UMW junior Morgan Wellman, who transferred to Mary Washington in her second year of college to be closer to home due to health issues. Turning circumstance into opportunity, Wellman embraced the change, launching into a business major and complementing her education with hands-on experience – joining her mother as co-owner of Ladyburg.

Morgan Wellman, co-owner of Ladyburg, in downtown, Fredericksburg, Tues. Nov 8, 2016. (Photo by Norm Morgan Wellman, co-owner of Ladyburg, in downtown, Fredericksburg, Tues. Nov 8, 2016. (Photo by Norm Morgan Wellman, co-owner of Ladyburg, in downtown, Fredericksburg, Tues. Nov 8, 2016. (Photo by Norm Morgan Wellman, co-owner of Ladyburg, in downtown, Fredericksburg, Tues. Nov 8, 2016. (Photo by Norm Morgan Wellman, co-owner of Ladyburg, in downtown, Fredericksburg, Tues. Nov 8, 2016. (Photo by Norm Morgan Wellman, co-owner of Ladyburg, in downtown, Fredericksburg. (Photo by Norm Shafer).

“We call me the ‘people person,’” said Wellman, who became the store’s official co-owner this past August. “I have a more hands-on role. I’m in charge of all things on-site, from customers to employee relations.”

Selling everything from bath bombs to beard products, Ladyburg opened in 2012 after Wellman and her mother took a soap-making class. Most recently, the business moved into a new space on Caroline Street with room for a production kitchen, where they make most of their products by hand.

“It’s so hard to know what really goes into products you buy these days,” said Crystal Wellman, who was an aesthetician before opening the store with the help of her daughter. “I wanted to ensure my clients were using safe, healthy and non-damaging products on their skin, so we started a business where we make everything ourselves.”

Rated the number one shopping experience in Fredericksburg on the travel website Trip Advisor, Ladyburg’s back-to-the-basics approach to producing quality soap from natural ingredients is creating a bubble of excitement in the local community.

“We have a very loyal customer base,” said Wellman. “I love getting to know everyone who comes into my store and watching them grow throughout the years.”

Morgan Wellman, co-owner of Ladyburg, in downtown, Fredericksburg. (Photo by Norm Shafer).

More than providing a career, though, becoming a business owner and entrepreneur has given her education true purpose.

“My accounting class has been the most helpful,” said Wellman, who will graduate in 2018. “My mom manages the bookkeeping, so now I actually understand what she is talking about.”

Owning a business isn’t always a walk in the park, though. Wellman often spends more than 35 hours a week in the store – when she isn’t in one of her four UMW courses – and doesn’t get holidays or weekends off. Even the occasional vacation is rare for her.

“Being an entrepreneur is hard because you can’t turn it off at 5 p.m.,” said Wellman. “Most nights my mom and I are spitballing ideas or working until we go to bed. I’m always replying to texts, emails and Facebook messages.”

Would she do it again? Yes – but she has some advice for future Eagle entrepreneurs about the reality of what it means to start your own business.

“Owning a company is really hard work,” said Wellman. “There are times when you question if it’s worth it, but don’t give up. It’s the most rewarding experience, and if you can make it through those hard moments then nothing will phase you.”

Falling for UMW

As the minutes ticked down to 5 p.m., first-year student Jarred Cannon kept refreshing UMW’s Instagram feed. One of six finalists in the university’s #Fall4UMW photo contest, Cannon hoped to rake in enough likes for his image to win. Moments later, his photo of the Center for International Education’s study abroad sign amid the bright orange leaves secured a slight edge over the competition, beating out more than 50 other entries.
Photo by @jarred_cannon
Photo by @jarred_cannon
“I captioned it, “oh the places you’ll go” not just as a Dr. Seuss reference but as a challenge,” said Cannon, a computer science and communications major. “The picture is meant to ask you where you’ll end up and how you’ll get there. More than that, it’s supposed to beg the question, ‘How far will you go?’” The two-week Instagram contest encouraged students and the broader UMW community to share fall photos of campus with the hashtag #Fall4UMW. Six finalists were published on UMW’s Instagram on Tuesday, Nov. 15, and the winner was selected by popular vote determined by the most likes received. As the winner, Cannon will receive a $50 UMW Bookstore gift card. Follow UMW on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/uofmarywashington/.

Select #Fall4UMW Instagram Contest Entries:

To see more entries, visit https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/fall4umw/. Photo by @emma.v.wallace Photo by @jarred_cannon Photo by @jarred_cannon Photo by @jarred_cannon Photo by @elyse712 Photo by @kiwi.the.aussie Photo by @kiwi.the.aussie Photo by @kellyhaynes95 Photo by @lindzinlimbo Photo by @jarred_cannon Photo by @kellyhaynes95 Photo by @britnaeann Photo by @jersey_girrl Photo by @garden_grace Photo by @sashaerp Photo by @alexandra_coop97 Photo by @stefchaee Photo by @alexandra_coop97

Eagle Madness

Silence swept over UMW’s Ron Rosner Arena. More than 500 Students and community members rose to their feet. With prize money on the line, first-year student Paige Haskins stood center court, poised for the adrenaline-pumping finale of last night’s first-ever Eagle Madness event.

She drew a deep breath, took a running start and sent the ball soaring into the air. When it swooshed through the net, students rushed to the floor. The crowd went wild, chanting “Write the check,” “Write the check” to UMW President Troy Paino and Athletic Director Ken Tyler, who’d agreed to split payment of the $500 award.

Lacrosse player Paige Haskins lacrosse player Paige Haskins

The heart-stopping half-court competition was the culmination of a series of activities that marked the début of Eagle Madness, a spirit-boosting midnight madness-style event hosted by UMW Athletics. The two-hour inaugural event celebrated the start of UMW’s basketball season, set to open this year with a men’s game on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Anderson Center.

Featuring raffles and games like musical chairs, an Eagle relay race and a poster slogan scramble, the evening also included performances by UMW’s dance and step teams. Senior Mikey Barnes led the event as emcee, introducing the players and coaches for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and pumping Eagle pride through the crowd.

UMW celebrates Eagle Madness. UMW celebrates Eagle Madness. UMW celebrates Eagle Madness. UMW celebrates Eagle Madness. UMW celebrates Eagle Madness. UMW celebrates Eagle Madness. UMW celebrates Eagle Madness. UMW celebrates Eagle Madness. UMW celebrates Eagle Madness. UMW celebrates Eagle Madness.

Both teams have big goals for their seasons, which include a total of 26 home games to be played in the Anderson Center’s Ron Rosner Arena.

“I think it’s important to never be complacent,” said sophomore and men’s basketball player Johnny Cronin, who was part of the team’s 15-12 record last season that led them to the CAC semifinals. “You have to push yourself.”

Men’s Head Coach Marcus Kahn echoed the sentiment, that his goal for the team is simple: to keep getting better each day.

With Head Coach Deena Applebury at the helm, the women’s basketball team, which will enter the season ranked 22nd in the nation, has lofty ambitions, as well. The team returns with a 24-5 season in which they claimed the CAC Championship.

Senior Megan Green looks to her teammates to build that success.

“These girls have changed my life,” Green said. “They are the greatest group of women I have ever met. They are the reason I’m here and loving life.”

For more information about the UMW Athletic teams, visit http://www.umweagles.com. To learn more about season tickets to UMW’s men’s and women’s basketball games, visit http://umweagles.com/general/2016-17/releases/20160826gz0xnn.