A recent grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) will benefit UMW’s Gwen Hale Resource Center to address student food insecurity and campus hunger.

The University of Mary Washington received a grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) earlier this year to support efforts addressing student food insecurity and campus hunger.

UMW was awarded nearly $9,000 through SCHEV’s Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program, created through legislation enacted by the Virginia General Assembly last year to help colleges and universities expand access to nutritious food and strengthen campus food pantry operations.

At UMW, the grant will benefit the Gwen Hale Resource Center (GHRC), which provides food, clothing, and other basic necessities and resources to students.

“This generous grant will allow UMW to expand our services,” said University Librarian Amy Filiatreau, who helps manage the GHRC. “We anticipate purchasing much-needed new appliances and shelving, as well as expanding our offerings of free, nutritious food for our community.” Read more about UMW’s efforts to support student food security.

Applications are now open for UMW’s Summer Enrichment Program, a residential experience designed to help rising 10th- through 12th-graders explore academic interests, build confidence and experience coursework on a college campus like Mary Washington.

From culinary chemistry and magazine production to environmental engineering and cybersecurity – University of Mary Washington’s Summer Enrichment Program offers a diverse range of topics for high schoolers to explore during a six-day slice of college life.

Applications are now open for the program, a residential experience designed to help rising 10th- through 12th-graders explore academic interests, build confidence and experience coursework – and everyday life – on a college campus like Mary Washington. The program will be held July 12-18, 2026, with applications due March 20.

During an immersive week, students live in UMW residence halls, learn directly from faculty and take part in hands-on courses and enrichment activities that reflect the depth and variety of a liberal arts and sciences education. Whether testing out possible majors, discovering new interests or getting comfortable navigating a college environment, participants gain an authentic preview of what lies ahead.

“SEP provides a unique opportunity for students to explore a broad mix of academic interests, connect with college professors and experience life in Fredericksburg,” said Senior Biology Lecturer Michael Stebar, who co-directs the program with Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young.

Read more about UMW’s Summer Enrichment Program. 

UMW has launched an official podcast with President Troy Paino (left), seated here with seniors Sophie Hubbard (middle), Kalani Moore (right) and Jay Hooker (on laptop screen), who are the featured guests on episode three. Photo by Sam Cahill.

The University of Mary Washington is inviting listeners into conversations happening across campus through its new podcast, What Matters Most With President Paino. The production offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people, ideas and voices that shape life at the University with episodes blending reflection with personal moments.

UMW President Troy Paino serves as host, conversing with guests about everything from what drives their curiosity and fuels their sense of purpose to their thoughts about campus life, favorite local hangouts and future plans. Since débuting in October, What Matters Most has released monthly episodes, each recorded in the school’s own podcast studio in the Digital Knowledge Center and highlighting a different facet of the university experience.

“We’re always looking for ways to share the exciting things our students, faculty, staff and alumni are doing,” Paino said. “With so many people now getting news and entertainment from podcasts, this medium lets us communicate the power of a Mary Washington education in a new way.” Read more about UMW’s podcast.

The University of Mary Washington’s Maker Mindset Conference highlights the importance of project-based, trial-and-error-style learning that ties STEM-related lessons together with collaboration and critical thinking.

For University of Mary Washington junior Jamie Sherman, a sign on the Seacobeck Hall Makerspace door says it all.

“It reminds students to make mistakes and think about things before trying again,” said the historic preservation major who is also minoring in education studies.

That philosophy underpins the University of Mary Washington’s Maker Mindset Conference, which highlights the importance of project-based, trial-and-error-style learning that ties STEM-related lessons together with collaboration and critical thinking. Packed with breakout sessions on everything from 3D printing to marketing principles, the conference gives current and future educators the tools they need to spark innovation, agency and purpose in K-12 classrooms and prepare students to thrive in today’s unpredictable world.

The fourth annual event – themed “Beyond the Build: Empowering Creative Problem Solvers” – is set to take place Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Academy of Innovation and Technology at UMW (ATI-UMW). The deadline to register is Wednesday, Feb. 4.

“The idea was to offer an affordable professional learning opportunity for educators in our area,” said College of Education Director of Clinical Experiences and Partnerships Kristina Peck, who launched the event in 2023 with Assistant Professor of Education Danielle Ott. “So many conferences are so expensive that many teachers are unable to take advantage of them.” Read more about the Makerspace Mindset Conference.

UMW will participate in Virginia250, the Commonwealth’s official commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, with a series of events.

The University of Mary Washington will participate in Virginia250, the Commonwealth’s official commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, with a series of events beginning Tuesday, Jan. 20, with a lecture on Paul Revere’s midnight ride.

Part of the University’s William B. Crawley Great Lives Lecture Series, the Paul Revere presentation featuring Kostya Kennedy, author of The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night that Saved America, takes place on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium. It will examine the complex reality behind one of America’s founding legends, revealing that multiple riders participated in the crucial intelligence mission of 1775.

Two additional Great Lives lectures – one in February and one in March – will also honor the Revolutionary War era and U.S. independence.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, author Matthew Pearl will discuss the 1776 kidnapping of Jemima Boone, daughter of frontier pioneer Daniel Boone, and its impact on westward expansion during the war’s early days. Historian Brooke Barbier will give a lecture on Tuesday, March 17, about John Hancock, examining the merchant-turned-patriot who helped unite ambivalent colonists behind independence.

All Great Lives lectures are held at 7:30 p.m. in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium. They are free, open to the public and typically include question-and-answer sessions and book-signings.

UMW has opened applications to the Piscopo Rodgers Science Fellows Program for incoming undergraduate students who want to pursue research and careers in medicine, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth and environmental science, mathematics or physics.

The Piscopo Rodgers Science Fellows Program at the University of Mary Washington has opened applications to incoming undergraduate students who want to pursue research and careers in medicine, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth and environmental science, mathematics or physics. The program, which offers funding of up to $6,600 per year for four years of undergraduate study, is the only one of its kind in Virginia, offering funding and opportunities for undergraduate students that are typically only available for graduate-level degrees and advanced work in fields of study.

“This isn’t just another scholarship program – it’s a comprehensive interdisciplinary research training experience that prepares science students for graduate school and research careers while building lifelong connections with faculty mentors and fellow scholars,” said UMW Director of Sciences Lynn Lewis.

Piscopo Rodgers Fellows are involved in research beginning in their first year through a foundational research methods course and interdisciplinary shadowing of research teams. In their second year, students discover professional opportunities through a STEM career exploration seminar and engage in interdisciplinary research with other Piscopo Rodgers Fellows. Through coursework and hands-on faculty-mentored research experiences including the Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 Summer Science Institute (SSI), students conduct research, present their work at conferences and learn to communicate complex ideas to many audiences.

Learn more about the undergraduate science fellowship.

A $3 million grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities will help fund the completion of ‘The Papers of James Monroe,’ a project of the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library.

A $3 million grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) will accelerate the completion of The Papers of James Monroe.

The funding will allow the 10-volume series, an expansive resource on America’s fifth president, to be completed early – in 2031, rather than 2035 as previously slated – in time to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Monroe’s death.

The five-year grant was awarded under the NEH’s Scholarly Editions in American History: Chairman’s Special Initiative program. It will fund personnel and other expenses related to the completion of the final three volumes of The Papers of James Monroe project, administered by the University of Mary Washington’s James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library in historic Fredericksburg.

“This transformative grant is a testament to the excellent work done by staff of The Papers of James Monroe over more than three decades,” said University Museums Executive Director Scott Harris. “We are grateful for the opportunity this presents to complete the project much sooner than would have been possible otherwise.”

Read more about the NEH grant.

Biomedical sciences major Mallory Thompson ’26

When Mallory Thompson ’26 was interviewed for the Rae Elizabeth Smith ’59 Washington Scholarship, she asked the committee what experiences she shouldn’t miss out on as a University of Mary Washington student.

“They told me, unanimously, that I should study abroad,” said Thompson, a senior biomedical sciences major from Spotsylvania who went on to earn the prestigious award that provides full tuition, fees, and housing and dining for in-state students. “Receiving that scholarship totally changed my college experience.”

She also recently earned the Grellet C. Simpson International Scholarship, which supported her studies during the fall semester at the University College Cork in Ireland. At this world-class research institution, she took courses in anatomy and philosophy for her practical ethics minor, along with Celtic cultural classes like Irish mythology and step-dancing, as well as a lesser known form of traditional folk dancing known as “Irish sets.”

“I’m so grateful to my donors for providing me with these experiences,” Thompson said. An aspiring physician, she joined UMW’s Pre-Health Society, volunteers with Red Cross blood drives and Mary Washington Healthcare’s emergency department and traveled with Global Medical Brigades to treat patients in rural Panama – and dances with the Performing Arts Company for fun.

Read more about student’s journey from cancer research to Celtic culture.

Anand Rao, Director of the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts Anand Rao (pictured) will lead a free, online AI strategy session on Jan. 21 tailored to leaders, executives and HR directors.

The University of Mary Washington’s Center for AI and the Liberal Arts in partnership with Continuing and Professional Studies will offer an executive strategy session on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at noon. The virtual seminar, titled “AI ROI: Empowering your Team to Work Smarter with AI,” is tailored to leaders, executives and HR directors with no cost to attend online. It will address how to move from the first steps of exploring AI to generating business value.

The free session will cover:

• The “Intern” Trap: Why treating AI like a search engine leads to workforce complacency and how to fix it.
• The Bubble vs. Reality: A clear-eyed look at the massive infrastructure spending compared to headlines about workforce changes.
• Redefining Success: Moving beyond simple time-savings (“Hard ROI”) to capture cultural innovation (“Squishy ROI”).
• The Transformation Loop: A preview of the framework needed to ensure your workforce adapts rather than stagnates.

“We are living through the largest infrastructure build-out in history, yet many companies are finding that AI adoption is yielding more ‘busy work’ than actual productivity,” said Director of the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts and Professor of Communication Anand Rao, who will lead the session. “The problem isn’t the technology—it’s the management strategy behind it.”

Read more about AI Strategy Session.