April 25, 2019

Larus Receives Waple Achievement Award

April 25, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Political Science Professor Elizabeth Larus

Political Science Professor Elizabeth Larus

University of Mary Washington Professor of Political Science Elizabeth Larus was named the recipient of 2019’s Waple Faculty Professional Achievement Award at a general faculty meeting on Wednesday, April 24.

Established in honor of Shirley Van Epps Waple, a 1952 Mary Washington graduate, the nomination-based award recognizes faculty members who have made significant contributions to their scholarly or creative area of expertise. The recipient must be a full-time faculty member for at least seven years.

Since coming to UMW in 1997, Larus has distinguished herself as an international expert in the politics of China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and political science students at Mary Washington are eager to learn from her scholarly endeavors, which include three years conducting field research in Asia. Read more. 

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Geography Department goes “All In” in Fountain for Giving Day

April 25, 2019 by Leave a Comment

When the University of Mary Washington announced that the theme of 2019’s Giving Day was “All In,” the Department of Geography took that literally. On Wednesday, April 24, geography professors went “all in” the Palmieri Fountain in front of Monroe Hall to celebrate the more than $23,000 the department raised during the annual event, held this year on March 19.

Department of Geography professors went "all in" into the Palmieri Fountain in front of Monroe Hall on April 24 to thank their Giving Day donors.

Department of Geography professors went “all in” into the Palmieri Fountain in front of Monroe Hall on April 24 to thank their Giving Day donors.

The professors who took the plunge were Dawn Bowen, Stephen Hanna, Joe Nicholas, Marco Millones Mayer, Caitie Finlayson, Melina Patterson and Jacqueline Gallagher. Their former colleague, Professor Emeritus Donald Rallis, who now lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, jumped into a fish pond there in solidarity.

Gallagher said that getting into the cool water on a warm spring day was a shock, but she was glad that she and her colleagues had the opportunity to put the “fun” in fundraiser.

“We are a fairly small department with about 90 majors, so to be able to raise this much in one day is huge,” said Gallagher, who is chair of the department, which was ranked by College Factual as No. 1 in Virginia and in the entire southeastern region, and No. 10 nationally by College Factual. “We work really hard to foster a sense of community and a strong connection with our students. And we work to keep that bond with our alumni and their families.

The funds raised will go toward the department’s Geography Alumni Scholarship, which is named in honor of Professor Marshall Bowen, and late Professors Samuel T. Emory, James Gouger and Richard Palmieri.

Founded in 1959 by Emory (the namesake of Sammy T’s restaurant in downtown Fredericksburg), the geography department celebrates its 60th anniversary this year and has a number of special events planned. On April 13, the professors gathered with 135 current and former students and their families at Brock’s Riverside Grill for the Geography Honor Society (Gamma Theta Upsilon) induction and annual awards presentation. The event usually draws a crowd of about 50 in a normal year.

The department will also host the Jeff Rountree Geography Challenge, an ongoing fundraiser that is separate from the Giving Day challenge. The 1991 graduate and CEO of the UMW Foundation – who majored in geography – will give $4,000 to the Rountree Endowment when 60 gifts are made to the Geography Alumni Scholarship. The Rountree Endowment is used to help students pay for equipment, data or travel to do research or present at conferences. It helps both graduate and undergraduate students in geography and geospatial analysis.

For more information about the Department of Geography, or to give to the Jeff Rountree Geography Challenge, please visit the Online Giving website or call (540) 654-1037.

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UMW Announces 2019 Commencement Speakers

April 25, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Two accomplished alumnae will be the featured speakers at the University of Mary Washington’s 2019 commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11.

Terrie L. Suit, chief executive officer for the Virginia Realtors, will speak at the graduate ceremony Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall.  Ann Elizabeth Guthrie, chief of communications for the National Gallery of Art, will deliver the undergraduate address Saturday at 9 a.m. on Ball Circle. Both ceremonies will take place on the Fredericksburg campus. Read more. 

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7th Annual Celebration of Holi at UMW

April 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment

The Intercultural Living Learning Community at Framar House would like to invite all UMW faculty and staff to our 7th annual Holi Celebration taking place this Friday, April 26 at 4 p.m. on Ball Circle. Holi is a South Asian celebration of spring and is also known as the Festival of Colors in the West. The actual celebration in South Asia brings the community together regardless of their religious or socioeconomic backgrounds. We at UMW strive towards the same goal of inclusivity and invite you all to join us in this wonderful celebration.

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UMW Recognized by Exercise is Medicine® for Efforts to Create Culture of Wellness on Campus

April 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment

UMW’s Recreation and Wellness programming on campus has helped earn silver level designation from the Exercise is Medicine® On Campus (EIM-OC) program. “We are thrilled to recognize these campuses’ commitment to make movement a part of daily campus culture and give students the tools to cultivate physical activity habits that will benefit them throughout their lives,” said Robyn Stuhr, vice president of Exercise is Medicine. “These campus programs are nurturing future leaders who will advance a key tenet of Exercise is Medicine: making physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in health care.”

The President’s Council on Wellness has been working on this initiative and is excited about the progress and future opportunities. On-campus wellness referrals and exercise prescriptions have been a great new supplement to the ongoing recreation and wellness programming.

Of the 139 campuses recognized this year, 55 received gold, 56 silver and 28 bronze. All gold, silver and bronze universities and colleges will be officially recognized on May 29 as part of the 2019 Exercise is Medicine World Congress, held in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine’s Annual Meeting. EIM-OC calls upon universities and colleges to promote physical activity as a vital sign of health and encourages faculty, staff and students to work together to improve the health and well-being of the campus community. EIM-OC launched its recognition program in 2014 to honor campuses for their efforts to create a culture of wellness.

Schools earn gold, silver or bronze status based on their activities. Gold level campuses have created a referral system where campus health care providers assess student physical activity and refer students as necessary to a certified fitness professional as part of medical treatment. Silver campuses engage students, faculty and staff in education initiatives and make movement part of the daily campus culture while bronze level campuses promote and generate awareness of the health benefits of physical activity.

View a complete list of recognized schools and learn more about the EIM-OC program at https://www.exerciseismedicine.org/support_page.php/eim-on-campus/

About Exercise Is Medicine:

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) co-launched Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) in 2007 with the American Medical Association. ACSM continues to manage the global health initiative, which seeks to make physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in clinical care, connecting health care with evidence-based physical activity resources for people everywhere of all abilities. EIM is committed to the belief that physical activity promotes optimal health, is integral in the prevention and treatment of many medical conditions and should be regularly assessed and included as part of health care. Visit www.ExerciseisMedicine.org for additional information.

About the American College of Sports Medicine:

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. More details at www.acsm.org.

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All University Assembly on May 9

April 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment
UMW President Troy D. Paino

UMW President Troy D. Paino

An All UMW Assembly will be held on Thursday, May 9 from 1 to 2 p.m. in Chandler Ballroom in the University Center. President Paino will discuss the Huron engagement and other matters of University business. We look forward to seeing you there.

 

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Join the Discussion – Become a 2019 Common Read Facilitator

April 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover.

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover.

The UMW Common Read is one of the first experiences for incoming first-year students to interact with members of the greater UMW Community. The Common Read is both an academic and social experience where incoming students have the opportunity to engage critically with each other, returning students, faculty, staff and community members. The 2019-2020 Common Read is Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. This book features a young woman who leaves all she knows in search of an education and how her identity is shaped by her own decisions and the actions of her family.

Please join the Common Read discussion with our incoming students on Friday, Aug. 23, at 9 a.m. First-year students will kick off their academic experiences in FSEM sections along with one or two community members. Question prompts and additional information will be provided in advance to help guide discussion. We hope that you will help shape the discussion as we welcome the 2019-2020 incoming students to UMW.

If you would like to volunteer to guide a discussion group as a co-facilitator, please indicate your interest and need for a copy of the book. Please let us know if you have any questions.

If the hyperlink above does not work please copy this address into your browser to volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLemkstAR_HgZNFk53FACV6AmXaZhH4S84SXLMhIQbItjaHw/viewform.

For more information, contact April Wynn, Faculty Director of the First-Year Experience, at awynn@umw.edu.

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UMW Philharmonic with Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, April 26

April 23, 2019 by Leave a Comment

The UMW Philharmonic, conducted by Kevin P. Bartram, joins violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg for a Masterworks performance of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons this Friday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium. Passion, excitement and innovation are the hallmarks of this internationally acclaimed violinist’s artistry. Praised for her compelling performances, daring interpretations and electric stage presence, Salerno-Sonnenberg is renowned for her work on stage and in the recording studio. Tickets are $20-$85 and can be purchased at umwphilharmonic.com or by calling (540) 654-1324. Four Seasons flyer

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UMW Adopts 2019-20 Budget, Tuition and Fees

April 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Campus Walk UMW’s Board of Visitors unanimously approved a recommendation for minimal cost increases for the next academic year. President Paino’s proposal sought to address the increasing cost of serving students primarily through budget reductions and reallocations. Paino has spoken frequently to the campus community about the importance of controlling costs and ensuring that highly motivated students can attain a college education. Read more. 

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New UMW General Education Curriculum for BA/BS

April 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment

On April 3, 2019, the UMW faculty approved a new University of Mary Washington General Education Curriculum for BA/BS students that will take effect in the fall 2020 semester.

The new General Education requirements are streamlined, providing increased flexibility and choice, while enhancing signature elements of the UMW curriculum. Our long-standing writing and speaking across the curriculum programs are strengthened by requiring that one WI and one SI course be taken in the major. Experiential learning is broadened to include service learning and community engagement courses and activities as counting toward a re-imagined “Beyond the Classroom” requirement. Important new areas of emphasis, such as the global and diverse perspectives requirement and a digital-intensive course requirement make the general education experience more relevant to the worlds that students are engaging. A new “After UMW” requirement is a distinctive element focused on translating liberal arts and sciences knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to the student’s professional and career development.

A summary of the UMW General Education Curriculum can be found here. While the new categories have been decided, the specific courses that will fulfill those requirements are still to be determined. Over the summer, faculty will be finalizing the learning outcomes for the new areas in the requirements. Beginning in September 2019, the faculty will be reviewing proposals and making decisions about the courses that will populate the new General Education requirements. This review will be completed by the middle of November 2019.

The new General Education curriculum will be officially published in the 2020-2021 Academic Catalog and will apply to all BA/BS students matriculating in August 2020. Students who matriculated prior to August 2020 will have a one-time opportunity to switch from the current set of requirements to the new ones.

Switching from the current to the new General Education requirements is entirely voluntary. Details about this process are being developed and will be communicated early in the Spring 2020 semester. In consultation with their academic advisor, students should carefully consider both sets of requirements, and the courses that meet those requirements, before making a decision to change. Anyone who changes to the new general education curriculum must meet all of its requirements. A student who voluntarily elects to switch to the new General Education curriculum will not be able to switch back to the old one for any reason.

The new General Education requirements are an exciting step ahead for us. We will keep you well informed with future updates as we progress.

 

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