The Office of Media and Public Relations is sharing graduating senior story ideas with local and regional news media to promote the success of our graduates. The stories will also be considered for future features on the UMW website.
UMW Athletics Kicks Off Division III Week With Sports Day at Children’s Museum
The University of Mary Washington athletic department kicked off NCAA Division III Week with an appearance by many student-athletes at the Children’s Museum of Richmond at the Fredericksburg location on April 1.
The student-athletes played with a large group of children in attendance at various games. Division III Week is a positive opportunity for all individuals associated with Division III to observe and celebrate the impact of athletics and of student-athletes on the campus and surrounding community.
“I’m so proud of our student-athletes for spending the day at the Children’s Museum”, said UMW Director of Athletics Ken Tyler. “They brightened the day for many children and once again made a difference in our community. It was a great way to kick of Division III Week and a great day to be an Eagle!”
Other events included daily testimonials from UMW student-athletes about what being a Division III student-athlete at Mary Washington means to them, a Fear2Freedom event in which student-athletes prepared care packages for sexual assault victims, and a guest speaker, Dr. Edmund Acevedo, who gave a presentation titled “Get in the Zone: The Psychology of Optimal Performance.”
Student-Athletes Hosted Fear 2 Freedom Event in Anderson Center April 6
On Wednesday, April 6, UMW students and student-athletes gathered in the Ron Rosner Arena to assemble essential after-care kits for survivors of sexual assault and abuse. The after-care kits will be distributed to Safe Harbor, Mary Washington Hospital, and RCASA.
The event began with Rosemary Trible, founder and President of Fear 2 Freedom, sharing her powerful and impactful story with the students in attendance. She urged them to stand up against sexual assault and help restore the joy among sexual assault survivors. Another survivor, Joe Belsterling, shared his journey as a survivor of sexual assault and encouraged not only the UMW students, but all people to talk about this issue and face it head on.
The after care kits assembled by UMW students included an appropriately sized t-shirt, sweatpants, and underwear, a toiletry kit, a pen and journal for adults and a toy for children, a “You Matter 2” Card, a Resource Card, a Freedom Bear, and a personal, handwritten note. After all of the kits were assembled, the students walked them outside the Anderson Center and into an ambulance for distribution.
Many UMW faculty/staff members were also in attendance for the support of sexual assault and abuse survivors. Director of Athletics, Ken Tyler, added, “I’m so proud of our student-athletes and staff for their leadership in this meaningful event. The University of Mary Washington knows what it means to “be the change” and I’m very glad UMW Athletics could make life a little better for victims tonight. What a great night to be an Eagle!”
Admissions Hosts Admitted Students on April 16
The Admissions Office will host Destination UMW on Saturday, April 16, from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. with the goal of yielding admitted students for the 2016-2017 academic year. We are expecting more than 450 students and their families, with a total guest count of approximately 1,100 people.
Students will attend a sample lecture with a professor and a student engagement activity with current student leaders. Two tracks will offer an opportunity to message differently to students who have already committed to attend UMW in the fall and those who are still deciding among their college options.
Nearly one half of the students registered have already paid an enrollment fee and will receive their First-Year Seminar (FSEM) and residence hall assignments during the event.
A sample agenda is posted here: http://www.umw.edu/admissions/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2016/01/Tentative-Agenda.pdf
Visitor parking has been reserved in the George Washington (GW) lot and along Double Drive with overflow parking in the Parking Deck. Primary event locations are Dodd Auditorium, Lee Hall, Monroe Hall, Woodard Hall, the University Center and campus/residence hall tours. Expect to see increased foot traffic on campus and curious newcomers at the Top of the University Center (fourth floor), especially between noon and 2 p.m.
While the Office of Admissions sponsors these events, the entire campus assumes the role of host. Our guests frequently comment on how “friendly, helpful, and engaging” our UMW community is! Guests shared the following about what they enjoyed the most during their recent visits to campus:
• “People were genuinely enthused by the school and the environment around.”
• “The campus and the people there were inviting and organized.”
• “The excitement that the leaders showed and also President Hurley.”
• “My tour guide was incredible and made me feel at home on the campus.”
Their impression and decision to attend UMW depends on how they feel while they are here, so thank you for going the extra mile on these important recruitment days!
One way to show your support is to tweet to @UMWAdmissions and/or post to Instagram and tag @UMWAdmissions. We would like to see #DestinationUMW trending throughout the day.
The Office of Admissions appreciates your involvement in and support of these signature programs that shape the Class of 2020.
Goodwill Drop N Go
For the fourth consecutive year, the Office of Residence Life and Commuter Student Services is partnering with Goodwill Industries to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill from residence hall rooms as students move out for the summer. Over the last three years we have collected 34,000 pounds of waste. This year we are expanding this program to include faculty, staff and commuter students by placing a collection bin on the second floor of the University Center. Please consider bringing your gently used items and placing them in the designated donation bin between April 22 and May 6.
Questions should be directed to Bethany Friesner at bfriesne@umw.edu.
31st Annual Psi Chi Research Symposium, April 14-15
The University of Mary Washington chapter of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, will hold the 31st annual Psi Chi Research Symposium on Thursday, April 14, and Friday, April 15, in Lee Hall 411. The keynote lecture will be given by Diana Robins, Associate Professor at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute, at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 15. Dr. Robin’s lecture is titled “Toddlers Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder.” The lecture and symposium are free and open to the public.
Diana Robins
Diana Robins received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Connecticut and, subsequently, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Yale University School of Medicine Child Study Center. She then served on the faculty at Georgia State University, where she was a part of Georgia’s first Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (LEND) program before moving to Drexel University. Robins is most well known for her work developing, validating and refining a screening tool for ASD, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers. The most recent version is commonly used for its ability to detect many cases of autism and diagnose children about two years earlier than the national median. This gives children more opportunity to receive the early intervention that they need. She has been published in well-respected journals such as Pediatrics, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, and Autism: the International Journal of Science and Practice. She is an editorial board member for Neuropsychology and the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, and is an ad hoc reviewer for many journals and grant panels.
The Psi Chi Symposium will be held in Lee Hall, Room 411 from 8:20 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. on April 14 and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on April 15. The keynote speaker will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday; and the awards ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday with a reception to follow the conclusion of the symposium.
For more information, contact Mindy Erchull, Associate Professor of Psychological Science, at 540-654-1557.
UMW Women’s Rugby to Host Regional Playoff April 9-10
On Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10, the Mary Washington Women’s rugby team will be the host of a regional playoff venue for USA Rugby’s Women’s Division II College Round of 16. There is no fee to attend.
The schedule is as follows:
Saturday, April 9
11 a.m. – Mary Washington vs. University of South Carolina
1 p.m. – Salisbury vs. University of North Carolina Charlotte
Sunday, April 10
11 a.m. – Consolation Match
1 p.m. – Regional Championship
The Regional Champion will move to the Round of 4 on April 23-24, hosted by the University of California, Davis.
This will be Mary Washington Women’s Rugby team’s 10th appearance in 15 years at the USA Rugby Women’s Division II College Championships. No other women’s DII College team in the nation has had this many appearances.
To see the USA Rugby announcement, go to:
Kait Brogan Named Wagner Wealth Management March Athlete of the Month
Sophomore tennis All-American Kait Brogan has been named as the March winner of the UMW Wagner Wealth Management Athlete of the Month.
Brogan led the 18th ranked Eagles to a 9-1 record in the month, with the only loss coming to the No. 1 ranked team in the country, Pomona-Pitzer College. Individually, Brogan stepped up to one singles in the lineup, finished with a 7-1 record in singles and finished with a 5-2 record in doubles play.
She is pictured here with Aric Wagner, Senior Vice President, Investments, of Davenport & Company LLC
UMW Wagner Wealth Management Athletes of the Month
September – Emma Olson (volleyball)
October – Jenna Steele (field hockey)
November/December – T.J. Jones (men’s basketball)
January – Brianne Comden (women’s basketball)
February – Dallas Tarkenton (men’s swimming) and Anna Corley (women’s swimming)
March – Kait Brogan (women’s tennis)
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Davenport & Company LLC Member: NYSE FINRA SIPC
Ultimate Subaru Spotlight: Women’s Lacrosse Faculty Liaison Gwen Hale
Each month, a UMW Athletics Faculty Liaison will be featured in the Ultimate Subaru Spotlight. The faculty liaison program partners a UMW faculty member with every UMW intercollegiate athletic team to strengthen support networks and increase resources for student-athlete success. Ultimate Subaru is committed to the growth and education of UMW Eagles, their hometown team, and strives to foster the same values of community as the UMW Faculty Liaison program. Faculty Liaisons will serve as mentors and role models to student-athletes while being involved in team activities. For more information about the program contact Faculty Athletic Representative, Dr. Lynne Richardson.
1. Faculty Liaison’s Name: Gwendolyn Hale
2. Sport: Women’s Lacrosse
3. Years at UMW: Four
4. Position/Title: Writing Center and Writing Intensive Program Director
5. What was your favorite sport growing up? Briefly describe your favorite memory playing or watching it. My favorite sport growing up was baseball. I used to go to a lot of Atlanta Braves games with my family, but I also played softball for years in school. I always played first base and was the fourth hitter on the roster. (Guess who could hit the ball out of the ballfield but not run fast?) I grew up in the South, so lacrosse was not something that was regularly played in our schools.
My favorite memory of baseball would be that I was with my family and not on the ballfield. One summer, I got chickenpox, and even though I could not play, I wanted to see my teammates play. Given that I was still contagious, my mother took me to the ballfield and we sat outside the fence in the outfield on a hillside in the shade. Even as I itched, my mother and I yelled for my team.
Also, my brother wanted to be the pitcher for his baseball team. My dad worked a lot, so my mother would go into the backyard with my brother and me and help us practice. As my mom squatted as the catcher, my brother nailed her in the eye with a baseball, causing a huge black eye. My mother worked to hide the black eye not because she was ashamed but because she did not want to embarrass my brother. She always worked to support us in all that we did.
6. Where is your favorite place around town to get a bite to eat? I love going to Sammy T’s or Spirits downtown on Caroline simply because I can take my dog Doodle with me.
7. If you could pick one superpower to have, what would it be and why? I would have the power to grow amazing, lush grass on my lawn instead of having to be out nearly every day feeding, watering, and cutting it. I would be the “Grass Master.”
8. Other than the sport you partnered with, what is your next favorite sport and why?
I love, love, love hockey. Having lived in Nashville, I used to go and see the Predators play with my friend Smallwood a lot. I love the action—the grace that is applied while ice skating and controlling a puck. Also, I would be lying if I did not admit that the fights are a pretty awesome part of the game as well. Having seats on the glass when the players hit the glass in front of you is pretty amazing. Plus, if I could play any position in hockey, it would be the goalie.
9. If you were a Head Coach and could pick three words to motivate your team and hang in their locker room which words would you choose? Honor, Determination, & Loyalty.
10. What does a great leader look like to you? A great leader is the person who not only tells others how to go about a task, but shows them by doing. A great leader will never ask someone to do something they will not do themselves. I learned this not only by watching my mother but by working at McDonald’s. Others respect you more if you not only give clear guidance but also help accomplish the task by getting your hands dirty. Finally, a great leader always offers praise and forgives quickly.
11. What is a must read for UMW Student-Athletes? Dick Gregory’s autobiography Nigger. He discusses not only his triumphs as an athlete but also the obstacles he faced regarding his race and socioeconomic status.
12. What is the best advice you have ever heard given to a college graduate?
Even though you may be desperate for a job, remember that you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. Be yourself because you do not want to hide elements of yourself and not be comfortable in your work environment. Everything else will fall into place and you will find your tribe.
13. Finally, if you were hanging out on Ball Circle picking the brains of four professional/famous athletes (living or deceased), who would they be?
Greg Louganis, Jackie Robinson, Martina Navratilova, & Balian Buschbaum
Ultimate Subaru, celebrating 10 years of service to the Fredericksburg community, is proud to be a supporter of UMW athletics. Call Ultimate Subaru today at (540) 898-6200 or come on in and visit us at 5160 Jefferson Davis Hwy, near Four Mile Fork. Find us online at www.driveultimatesubaru.com.
Admissions Office Hosts MOVE Event April 8-9
On April 8-9, the Admissions Office will host nearly 50 students during MOVE (Multicultural Overnight Visit Experience), a yield event with a diversity focus for admitted students in the Class of 2020 with the goal of enrolling them for the 2016-2017 academic year. Students will be paired with a UMW student host for the event.
On Friday, April 8, the MOVE schedule begins with a Welcoming Session at 9 a.m. in Lee Hall hosted by Jonathan Levin, Provost, and Leah Cox, Special Assistant to the President of Diversity and Inclusion. Families of visiting students are then invited to attend an Admissions Office information session and campus tour and have lunch in the University Center before leaving campus that day. Admitted students will join their UMW student hosts and attend classes, dine in the University Center and explore campus. Later that day, visiting students will participate in a variety of activities, including a UMW student panel, a “Next Steps” admissions session, dinner in Chandler Ballroom where they will have the opportunity to meet UMW faculty, staff, alumni and student leaders, and evening recreational activities. On Saturday, April 9, a Closing Ceremony at 9 a.m. will be held in the Digital Auditorium of the Hurley Convergence Center. From there, visiting students, their families and UMW student hosts are invited to participate in the 26th Annual Multicultural Fair from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Visitor parking has been reserved in the George Washington (GW) lot, along Double Drive and in the 4th level of the Parking Deck with overflow along College Avenue. Primary event locations are Lee Hall, the Hurley Convergence Center, the University Center and campus/residence halls. Expect to see increased foot traffic on campus and curious newcomers in the University Center. Help them know their presence is a pleasure by anticipating the crowds and responding warmly!
While the Office of Admissions sponsors these events, the entire campus assumes the role of host. Please extend every courtesy and generous hospitality to these visitors. Their impression and decision to attend UMW depends on how they feel while they are here, so thank you for your commitment to perpetuating our brand, our mission and our sense of the UMW family. One way to show your support is to tweet to @UMWAdmissions and/or post to Instagram and tag @UMWAdmissions. The Office of Admissions appreciates your involvement in and support of these signature programs that shape the Class of 2020.
If you’d like to be involved in this event as a UMW student host or in future Admissions events, please contact Admissions at 540-654-2000 or email admit@umw.edu.