August 19, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Call for 1980s Furniture: The Console Living Room Exhibit

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Image Credit: “Home Gaming Archive Puts Classics at Your Fingertips”

After Spring Break, the Digital Studies program will be creating an interactive installation on the 4th Floor of the Information Technology & Convergence Center. The installation will feature a replica of a living room circa 1985. We would like to ask if anyone would be willing to loan or donate furniture, art, accessories, etc., from that era. For example, if you have any books, magazines, catalogs, posters, audio visual equipment (including personal computers), and furniture (lazy boys, couches, tables, etc.) they would be very useful. In particular, if anyone has a working, oversized TV set with a cathode ray tube—that would be greatly appreciated. Any and all contributions would be welcome. If you can help, please contact Jim Groom (jgroom@umw.edu) or Zach Whalen (zwhalen@umw.edu).

We Need Your Help to Make the UMW Website Better

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We all get stuck in a tangle of links, but you can help us clear out the cobwebs on the UMW site by spending a few minutes showing us where and why people get lost. Our navigation study only takes a few minutes, and will really help us make the UMW website better.

Go to http://goo.gl/1xAwCI and follow the instructions. Easy!

This study is the first of many navigation tests we’ll launch in the coming months. Stay tuned for outcomes of this and future web efforts.

New Campus-Wide Email Signature Standards

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From Torre Meringolo, Vice President for Advancement and University Relations:

In keeping with higher education best practices, the UMW Visual Identity Standards Committee has conducted extensive research and has unanimously approved a campus-wide email signature standard. It is now a part of the University’s Brand Standards & Visual Identity Toolkit (www.umw.edu/documents/document/umw-brand-standards).

Page 30 of the toolkit outlines the details: UMW Email Standards

As one of the most frequently used forms of communication, email messages are an official reflection of the University. Because of the wide variety of formats used by faculty and staff, UMW has adopted a standardized signature format to help reinforce the University’s brand identity, as well as convey important contact information. We have also taken into account federal accessibility regulations.

My signature below reflects the new standard. You will see there are some options, such as adding physical addresses and social media links, if you need them.

Thanks, and let me know if you have questions about the committee’s decision.

Torre Meringolo
Vice President for Advancement and University Relations

JMM Sponsors Black and Women’s History Month Lectures

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The James Monroe Museum is proud to be sponsoring its third annual lectures taking place in February and March in honor of Black and Women’s History Months.

On Thursday, Feb. 12, Loudoun County historians Lori Kimball and Wynne Saffer will present “The Enslaved Community of James Monroe.” The lecture will discuss their ongoing research into identifying and tracing the genealogy of the enslaved population at Monroe’s Ash Lawn-Highland. This lecture is co-sponsored by the James Farmer Multicultural Center.

On Thursday, March 12, Erica Dunbar, Associate Professor of Black American Studies and History at the University of Delaware, will present “Never Caught: The President’s Runaway Slave Woman,” which looks at the life of Ona Judge Staines, former slave to George and Martha Washington.

Both free talks will begin at 7 p.m. in the Faculty/Staff Dining Room in Seacobeck Hall and will be followed by receptions.

Cheryl Dunn Named Excellent Eagle Employee

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Congratulations to Cheryl Dunn, Director of Financial Systems, who has been selected as an Excellent Eagle Employee for the month of February.

Here is what one of your co-workers said about Cheryl:

“I would like to nominate Cheryl Dunn as Excellent Eagle Employee. Cheryl is such a committed and dedicated member of the UMW Finance team. She spent numerous hours of her time during our winter/holiday break making sure MyTime was ready to go-live for wage employees on Jan. 12. Cheryl has worked through numerous areas of concern with Kronos and the rest of the MyTime team. Cheryl has maintained a positive attitude and continues to work to move the project forward. Cheryl’s attitude, professionalism, and hard work make her an Excellent Eagle Employee.” 

To nominate someone who you believe is an Excellent Eagle Employee, send an email (pverbeck@umw.edu) with Excellent Eagle Employee in the Subject Line.  In your email, be sure to tell me the person’s name, department, work location (with the most convenient parking lot), and of course, the reason why you believe they should be recognized.  Please spread the word to other employees about this wonderful opportunity to recognize a co-worker(s).

Performers Wanted for Dining Events

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Casting-Call-slide-with-logoCampus Dining is looking for singers, dancers and musicians for “Celebrate Seacobeck” dining events coming up later in February, March and April.

These events will feature the food and music of the 1980s, 1990s and the millennium. We’re even looking for yodelers for our Chefs’ Fare on Feb. 25.  This fun culinary competition will pit chefs from four other universities against our chefs in an Olympics themed contest.  We are presenting Swiss cuisine, so a yodeler would be fun!

Performers do not need to be employees of  UMW and everyone will be our guests for dinner on the evening of their performance. For additional information,  come to the casting call this Sunday, Feb. 8  from 3-5 p.m. in the Faculty & Staff Dining Room at Seacobeck, or contact Rose Benedict at rbenedic@umw.edu or 540-654-2169.

Students to Present at National Conference

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Three University of Mary Washington senior political science and international affairs majors will be presenting scholarly research reports at a national research conference in Washington on Feb. 14. The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Political Science Research Conference is sponsored by Pi Sigma Alpha, the 600-chapter national political science honor society.

Katherine Johnson is a senior at the University of Mary Washington where she is studying political science and sociology. Her paper is entitled: “Venturing into a Minefield: Employer Practices in a Post Burwell v. Hobby Lobby State.”

Johnson hopes to enter law school in the fall with a focus on constitutional and civil rights law. She is from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and she graduated from Girls Preparatory School.

Paige McKinsey is a senior at the University of Mary Washington where she is a double major in Women and Gender Studies and International Affairs.  Her paper is entitled, “Finding Meaning in Difference; Girls’ education initiatives in Kenya from the UN and NGOs.”

McKinsey is the current President of the feminist club at UMW where she has worked with students, faculty, and administration to raise awareness and bring about change on campus. In June, McKinsey will leave for Togo where she will serve as a Community Health and Malaria Prevention volunteer with the Peace Corps. She is from Effort, Pennsylvania and she graduated from Pleasant Valley High School.

Benjamin Hermerding is a senior at the University of Mary Washington where he is studying political science. His paper is entitled, “The Effect of Subjective Class on Political Beliefs in Virginia.”

Ben is an Alvey Scholar at UMW and is a research assistant with the UMW Center for Leadership and Media Studies. He is from Brainerd, Minnesota, and graduated from Brainerd Senior High School.

Pi Sigma Alpha has more than 600 chapters in the U.S. Over the past 20 years, Mary Washington’s political science and international affairs students have won nine national writing awards from the honor society, more than any other college or university in the nation.