University of Mary Washington Associate Professor of Education Melissa Wells has received the prestigious 2024 Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

University of Mary Washington Associate Professor of Education Melissa Wells has received the prestigious 2024 Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

Since joining the faculty at UMW in 2017, Wells has made it her mission to foster connections among teaching, discovery, knowledge integration and service, inspiring students on campus and in their own classrooms.

She infuses her passions for equity, accessibility and inclusion into her teaching, scholarship and service within and beyond the College of Education. Her instruction includes undergraduate, graduate and professional development courses. She co-creates syllabus policies with students, crafts dynamic Canvas courses that students applaud and designs interactive learning opportunities providing first-hand experiences for future teachers. Students also appreciate the personalized feedback Wells provides on every assignment, something she honed as a K-12 educator herself.

“At every stage of my career, students like these have changed my identity as an educator. Because of them, I prioritize teaching with empathy, innovation, accessibility and authenticity,” Wells said in her personal statement. “I thrive when students bring their own stories, gifts and talents into spaces they share with me. In my teaching, I intentionally craft learning experiences that provide learners with choice, relevance and responsiveness.” Read more.

https://www.umw.edu/news/2023/12/11/umws-tuition-promise-extends-full-tuition-awards-for-qualifying-virginia-students/

The University of Mary Washington now offers a tuition promise for Pell-eligible Virginia students, closing any gap in tuition funding for in-state students who qualify for Federal Pell Grants.

Students who qualify for the program at the University of Mary Washington through Pell-eligibility as determined by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will receive direct financial assistance toward their undergraduate degree in the form of full tuition funding and are eligible for immediate, responsive assistance for short-term emergencies too, thanks to additional grant support, from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

The initiative opens the door to more students having access to a high-quality, affordable college experience, at a public liberal arts and sciences college with a mission of student success, from expert in-class instruction with faculty and industry experts (no teaching assistants) through experiences beyond the classroom, including study abroad, internships and undergraduate research.

“UMW has long been committed to student success from entry to completion and even life and career after graduation,” said UMW Provost Tim O’Donnell. “This grant energizes these efforts because it provides both the financial and human resources to help students stay on track to realizing their goals.” Read more.

That’s a wrap! Donors to the University of Mary Washington gave $215,587, based on preliminary totals, in support of the UMW student experience during 2023’s Giving Tuesday celebration this week.

Members of the Mary Washington community – including alumni, faculty, staff, families, friends and students – gathered together for the 24-hour event to #MakeItPossible on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, contributing 575 gifts to areas across the University.

Current and retired faculty and staff members made a total of 119 donations, helping to unlock more than $45,000 in matching and challenge funds from generous donors, inspiring others to give and maximizing the impact of each gift.

“I’m always amazed at the way our Mary Washington family comes together for students on Giving Tuesday year after year,” said Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14. “The enthusiastic support of our alumni, faculty and staff, and families is a testament to their generosity and belief in UMW’s mission.”

The following challenges and matches were met in full on Giving Tuesday:

• $12,500 match from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund for gifts of $500 or less to the Fund for Mary Washington
• $10,000 challenge gift was unlocked from Mary T. Bradley MacPherson ’71 after 200 gifts were made in November to the Beyond the Classroom Endowment, a College of Arts and Sciences initiative, which focused on student study abroad this year
• $5,000 match for the College of Business from the COB Executive Advisory Board
• $5,000 match for the Veterans Endowment from Brian ’84 and Erma Baker ’82
• $5,000 match for the General Scholarship Fund from Alec and Betty Olander Adams ’69

Kelly Matuczinski, a staff nurse in the UMW Student Health Center, said that she was proud to give to the Veterans Endowment, hoping that it will add to current resources for veterans and active service members at Mary Washington.

“My spouse and I are veterans, and both of our children attended UMW using G.I. Bill benefits,” said Matuczinski, who served in the United States Navy with her husband.

Jerry Slezak, director of Digital Learning Support at UMW, decided to contribute to areas that help eliminate the gap in access and provide resources for students in need, including the Technology Assistance Fund, the Gwen Hale Resource Center and the Digital Knowledge Center.

“I’ve seen how giving someone a little help when they need it can make all the difference,” said Slezak, who has been employed at Mary Washington since 1999. “I admire how these various areas support students, so I’m glad I could pitch in and donate to them.”

In addition, those who made gifts of $19.08 or more to the Fund for Mary Washington were given the opportunity to name a campus squirrel and receive a digital certificate. More than 200 donors chose to give squirrels fun names that included Henrietta Minerva Nutkin, Sir Donald Edward Fluffington, Sammy T. Squirrel and Ms. Zippy Chatternut. Alumni were also invited to make gifts in honor or in memory of the person who made their Mary Washington experience a special one.

To learn more about the #GivingTuesday totals, please visit givingday.umw.edu/makeitpossible. Final totals will be reported in the coming weeks.