August 12, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

UMW Observes National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

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A message from the Center for Prevention & Education.

Dear UMW Community,

The University of Mary Washington’s Office of Title IX and the Center for Prevention & Education would like to update you on some important policy news and upcoming events.

The University of Mary Washington will observe National Domestic Violence Awareness month in October. The month-long observance includes lots of important events where #EaglesPledgePurple. The Center for Prevention & Education encourages you to get involved by joining our monthly newsletter, applying to become a TEAL Peer Educator, or following us on Facebook and/or Instagram (@umwcpe).

In policy news, on Friday, September 13, 2019, the UMW Board of Visitors approved revisions to the Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence. This Policy is reviewed annually.

The University of Mary Washington remains committed to continuing to provide education, outreach, support, and resources to our students and employees and to create an environment free of sex or gender discrimination. If you have any questions about the 2019-2020 Policy, please contact me at 540-654-5656, slucaswa@umw.edu, or in person at Fairfax House (white house on College Avenue).

Sincerely,

Stefanie Lucas-Waverly
Title IX Coordinator

Service Project Takes UMW Students ‘Into the Streets’

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UMW students gathered in front of the University Center Saturday morning before heading to service projects throughout the Fredericksburg community. Nearly 200 students participated in various volunteer activities throughout the city. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

UMW students gathered in front of the University Center Saturday morning before heading to service projects throughout the Fredericksburg community. Nearly 200 students participated in various volunteer activities throughout the city. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

Early Saturday morning, a wave of 200 blue shirts emblazoned with the words “Little ripples make big waves,”stretched out across the front of the University Center. Wearing the shirts were UMW students gathered for Into the Streets, one of six annual events hosted by UMW’s COAR (Community Outreach and Resources), whose mission is to provide structural support for civic engagement, volunteerism and service.

Into the Streets offers students an array of volunteer opportunities – from landscaping to car washing – and a chance to check out Fredericksburg along the way.

“The goal is to encourage students to explore community service, get to know more about the area where we live, and to give back to the community,” said Sarah Dewees, associate director of UMW’s Center for Community Engagement. Read more.

Psychology Graduate-in-Residence Talks Motivation

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James Llewellyn, a 1987 Mary Washington alumnus, has been named the 2019 Psychology Graduate-in-Residence.

James Llewellyn, a 1987 Mary Washington alumnus, has been named the 2019 Psychology Graduate-in-Residence.

When James Llewellyn ’87 was a senior, the psychology suite in Chandler Hall – where the University Center now stands – was voted one of the top 10 favorite campus hangout spots by Mary Washington students.

“The professors were so engaging and fun; learning from them was truly a gift,” said Llewellyn, who credits psychology faculty like Debra Steckler; Steve Hampton, who recently retired; and the late Topher Bill as strong positive influences on his college experience.

The exceptional liberal arts education Llewellyn received from Mary Washington is why he continues to give back to his alma mater. Now a seasoned human resources professional who applies psychology in his work in the private sector, he has been named the Department of Psychological Science’s 2019 graduate-in-residence. Established in 1995, the program exposes psychology majors to alumni who are working in the field. Graduates-in-residence are selected through a faculty nomination process.

Llewellyn will give a lecture entitled, “Engaging and Retaining Employees in Today’s Workforce: Can Money Solve All Your Problems?” in the Hurley Convergence Center today at 4 p.m. He’ll also speak about his work to classes in social psychology, research methods and advanced statistics, and he’ll give advice over lunch with psychology majors who are considering graduate school or a career in the field of human resources. Read more. 

At 30, UMW’s Simpson Library is an Open Book

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Throughout its 30-year history, the University of Mary Washington’s Simpson Library has kept up with changing times and evolving technology. Its current collection claims online journals, a greater collection of electronic books than those in print and modern entities like the ThinkLab and Digital Archiving Lab. Photo by Norm Shafer.

Throughout its 30-year history, the University of Mary Washington’s Simpson Library has kept up with changing times and evolving technology. Its current collection claims online journals, a greater collection of electronic books than those in print and modern entities like the ThinkLab and Digital Archiving Lab. Photo by Norm Shafer.

James Pape doesn’t think of Simpson Library as being the big brick building with all the books across from the Hurley Convergence Center.

“The library is the entire campus,” said Pape, Simpson’s access services and outreach librarian. “Students are still using the library when they’re reading books or other materials in their residence halls or apartments, or even when they’re using our databases to conduct research.”

A storehouse of sources, it has served since 1989 as the University’s knowledge center, supporting teaching, learning, research and service happenings on and off campus. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Simpson Library will hold a reception today, Oct. 2, from 3 to 5 p.m., for the campus community.

“On the outside, it may look much as it did when it opened 30 years ago, but inside we are evolving into a 21st-century library,” said University Librarian Rosemary Arneson, who pointed to online journals, a greater collection of electronic books than those in print and modern entities like the ThinkLab and Digital Archiving Lab. “At our heart, however, we continue to be committed to providing excellent service to the UMW community.” Read more. 

October Safe Zone Events

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Safe Zone is excited to announce several upcoming programs during the month of October. The UMW Safe Zone program offers programs that are designed to educate members of the University community about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) issues to increase the safety and inclusion of all campus citizens. All of our programs are free and open to all faculty and staff regardless of position or classification.

  • We are co-sponsoring an event with the Center for Prevention & Education and the Talley Center as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. On Monday, October 7 from 4:00-5:30pm we are hosting an event called “Pizza and Consent” in HCC 327. Consent is about more than just sex! Come enjoy free pizza as you participate in an LGBTQ+ friendly interactive workshop about consent in relationships. Content covered is relevant to all genders and sexualities, including asexual and aromantic. All participants get cool Safe Zone swag! No registration is required.
  • We will be offering a Basic Safe Zone workshop on Thursday, October 24th from 3:30pm-5:30pm. This training focuses on terminology, issues related to privilege, increasing awareness and sensitivity, and how to support the LGBTQ+ population on campus. This is an opportunity for any faculty or staff member to become a Safe Zone ally. Space is limited and registration is required. Please email Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu to register for this training or if you have questions. All participants get cool Safe Zone swag!
  • Come celebrate National Coming Out Day on Wednesday, October 9th from 11am-2pm on the UC Patio (rain location UC Kiosk A)! We will be giving out Safe Zone tech tattoos for your keyboards, pronoun buttons, and helpful resources.
  • We will be celebrating International Pronouns Day on Wednesday, October 16th. We will be handing out pronoun buttons at Coming Out Day and we ask everyone to wear a pronoun button on International Pronouns Day!

If you would like more information about Safe Zone, to see the list of campus allies or access LGBTQ+ inclusion resources, please visit the website at bit.ly/UMWsafezone. Please also follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@umwsafezone).

Wellness Sector Explained: Physical

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The UMW President’s Council on Wellness would like to introduce one of the six dimensions on our Wellness Wheel: Physical. Being physically active is one of the more frequently thought of dimensions on wellness.  Physical Wellness is defined as “taking care of your body by partaking in healthy practices such as exercise, a nutritious diet, and getting adequate sleep. Acknowledging the importance of your physical surroundings and taking an active role in sustaining it.” Whether you are going for a walk or bike ride, playing a game of soccer with your kids, or doing yoga in the park, participating in any form of physical activity each day is a great way to stay active and healthy. Being physically active reduces the risk of various chronic diseases, helps you function better, and leads to higher quality of sleep. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, adults require around 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week. What can you today to increase your “physical wellness”? Check out the Campus Recreation website at https://campusrec.umw.edu/ for some great ideas.

Betsy Lewis Appointed Assistant Dean of Arts and Sciences

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Modern Languages and Literatures Professor and Chair Betsy Lewis was appointed Assistant Dean of Arts and Sciences.

Modern Languages and Literatures Professor and Chair Betsy Lewis was appointed Assistant Dean of Arts and Sciences.

A Message from the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Betsy Lewis as the Assistant Dean of Arts and Sciences.

In her new role, Dr. Lewis will take over much of the work associated with support of our undergraduate research programs, including management of URES 197, the undergraduate research grant budget, and the annual Research & Creativity Day event. In addition, Dr. Lewis will support the college on more enhanced assessment of our activities in these areas, and will focus on better communication and promotion of student accomplishments by building a healthy relationship with University Relations and the Advancement offices.

Author of two books and more than 20 articles, Dr. Lewis earned her Ph.D. in Spanish literature from the University of Virginia and has spoken at dozens of conferences and universities around the world on topics ranging from gender in 18th-century literature to digital pedagogy. At UMW, she has been active in a variety of leadership and service roles, establishing important relationships with offices around campus. She is currently serving her sixth year as chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.

I would like to thank the search committee of Brooks Kuykendall, Lynn Lewis, and Margaret Ray, chaired by Associate Dean Grant Woodwell, for their valuable recommendations and insights during this process.

I personally look forward with eager anticipation to having Betsy as a colleague and partner in the work of the Dean’s office. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Betsy Lewis into her new position as Assistant Dean of CAS. She will formally assume this role in January 2020.

Sincerely,

Dr. Keith E. Mellinger, Dean
College of Arts and Sciences

 

 

Download Great Colleges to Work For Logo for Your Email Signature

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UMW has earned the 2019 ‘Great Colleges to Work For’ distinction. The recognition was announced today in a special insert in ‘The Chronicle of Higher Education.’

Mary Washington has been nationally recognized as a 2019 Great College to Work For. Let’s show our UMW pride! You may use the links below to download the UMW logo or the Great Colleges to work for logo. Then apply either to your email signature as shown in these samples.

 

 

 

UMW – http://advancement.umw.edu/universityrelations/files/2019/09/UMWlogo.email_.jpg

Great Colleges – http://advancement.umw.edu/universityrelations/files/2019/09/2019-Recognized-Logo.jpg

 

 

How to download the logos:

 

On a PC:

  1. Right-click the image.
  2. Choose the command “Save Picture As.”
  3. Use the “Save Picture” dialog box to find a location to save the image.
  4. Click the “Save” button.

On a Mac:

  1. Right-click (or control + click) on the image.
  2. Choose the command “Save Image As.”
  3. Use the “Save Image” dialog box to find a location to save the image.
  4. Click the “Save” button.

Barnes & Noble Bookstore Grand Opening

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Barnes & Noble and University of Mary Washington invite you to celebrate the grand opening of the campus bookstore! On October 3, 2019, from 12-2 PM, join us in a variety of activities and chances to win prizes, and welcome bookstore manager Cameisha Chin. There will be:

  • A scavenger hunt
  • Prize drawings every half hour
  • Learning stations for textbook ordering through Faculty Enlight

Ms. Chin can be reached at cchin2@umw.edu.

 

Faculty Photos Scheduled for Oct. 8-9

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A message from the Office of Media and Public Relations. 

To All Full-Time Teaching and Administrative Faculty:

The Office of Media and Public Relations has arranged for a professional photographer to take head-and-shoulders photos of full-time teaching and administrative faculty members for use in university publications, websites and the news media, and for faculty use. The photo sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, October 8 and Wednesday, October 9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Foyer.

All new faculty members and any faculty with no professional photo on file are encouraged to sit for a photo. Also, faculty members wishing to update current photos are welcome to make an appointment – updates should be made at least every five years. Time permitting, staff members and non-administrative faculty can schedule photo sessions; however these photos will be at departmental expense. Current photos can be viewed on the Directory website at http://www.umw.edu/directory/employee-type/faculty.

Each photography session should take five to 10 minutes. This is the only occasion when the photographer, Joe Parker, is scheduled to be at UMW during the 2019-20 academic year.

Please email two or three preferred times to Christie Pugh at cpugh@umw.edu or call 654-1055 by Tuesday, October 1 to schedule an appointment.

Thank you for helping us to complete this important project.