Please be aware that as activities and events wind down for the summer we may not send out EagleEye every week. That will be the case this week. The next issue of EagleEye will be sent Thursday, July 5.
University-Wide Mixer, Friday, 6/27, 5-7 p.m., Home Team Grill
In recognition of everyone’s hard work in presenting another successful New Student Orientation Program, there will be a University-wide mixer on Friday, June 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Home Team Grill in the outdoor patio and bar areas. As a special treat, Keith Mellinger will be on hand toward the end of the mixer to offer a preview of his musical performance scheduled for later that evening at Home Team Grill.
This occasion is being sponsored by the Office of the President, the Staff Advisory Council, and the Student Affairs Division. We hope to see you there!
Note: Please be sensitive to other merchants and plan to park in the main Eagle Village parking lot near Giant.
Lightning Safety Awareness Week
In the U.S., lightning kills an average of 53 people each year. All thunderstorms produce lightning, and all have the potential for other dangers, including tornadoes, strong winds, hail, wildfires, and flash flooding. With many storms throughout Virginia this month, make sure your family knows the truth behind lightning myths.
VDEM – More Information
WBTV – Georgia man survives after lightning strike blows him out of his shoes
Ruth Lovelace
Director, Emergency Management and Safety
Farewell Reception for Brynn Boyer
Please stop by the University Relations Office on Wednesday, June 25 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Eagle Village Executive Offices, Suite 300, for a farewell reception for Brynn Boyer. A 2010 alumna, Brynn has adeptly served as assistant director of Media and Public Relations for the past three years. She will take on a new role in the communications office at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. We wish her the best of luck in her new venture.
News from Human Resources
Meet our New Employees
Please join us in extending a warm UMW welcome to our newest employees:
Melissa Jones joined the Student Affairs Department as an Assistant Dean for Student Involvement on June 10.
Carl King joined the James Monroe Museum as a Docent/Museum Guide on June 3.
Dorian Lemasters joined the Advancement Department as a Campaign Stewardship and Donor Relations Assistant on June 10.
Service Awards
Congratulations to our service award recipients for the month of June. Please click the link below for the list.
http://adminfinance.umw.edu/hr/employee-relations/worklife/whats-new-2/
Employee Discounts
Find information on discounts you receive as a state employee: http://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/employeediscounts.html
#1 F.A.N Program
Have you received Fantastic service from a fellow employee? Make sure you fill out a #1 Fan form for him/ her so that they can choose a UMW spirit ware gift as a token of appreciation.
Faculty/Staff Mixer, June 27
The next UMW Employee Mixer will be Friday, June 27, 5-7 p.m. at Home Team Grill. We have reserved the bar and outside overflow area for this event. The happy hour special is half-price draft beers, half-price shelf liquor, and half-price wine from 5-6 p.m.
Seacobeck Lunch Service Changes
As part of our New Student Orientation program, Campus Dining will serve lunch in both the Washington Diner and the Smart Market on Thursday, June 19 and Monday through Thursday of next week (June 23 – 26). We hope you will enjoy the additional menu options that will be available due to this change. Our lunch serving times will remain 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please check the Campus Dining web site (www.umwdining.com) periodically for updates on our serving times and locations, or call Rose Benedict at 540-654-2169 if you have questions.
UMW Philharmonic Launches New Children’s Concert Series
The University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra is launching a new major concert series for children, the “Fiddlestix Summer Concert Series.” The series will bring world-class children’s entertainment to Fredericksburg each summer as a part of Fiddlestix, the Philharmonic’s outreach program dedicated to enriching the musical lives and education of children.
The Fiddlestix Summer Concert Series will kick off with a performance by the Laurie Berkner Band.
The series will kick off on Saturday, August 9 in the William M. Anderson Center with a performance by the Laurie Berkner Band. The Laurie Berkner Band has become one of the leading groups in the world of children’s entertainment. Tickets for the Laurie Berkner Band concert will go on sale at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 26 at philharmonic.umw.edu.
“With young children of my own, I have been frustrated with having to travel long distances for great kid’s entertainment,” said Kevin Bartram, director of the Philharmonic. “Since the Philharmonic has experience with concert production with our annual Celebrity Series, we wanted to offer similar opportunities for area children and their families.”
Critics widely acknowledge the band’s major contribution toward launching what is now dubbed the progressive “kiddie rock” movement. Laurie Berkner was the first recording artist ever to perform in music videos on Nick Jr., and appeared regularly on the network’s series “Jack’s Big Music Show.” Her latest television project is a new short-form animated musical preschool series, “Sing It, Laurie!” which debuted in the spring of 2103 on 24-hour preschool television channel, Sprout. “Sing It, Laurie!” stars Berkner’s voice and features her original music written for the series.
The series will continue in the summer of 2015 with concerts by Nickelodeon’s The Fresh Beat Band and Disney’s Imagination Movers, as well as events for older children from middle school through high school.
The UMW Philharmonic is partnering with Fredericksburg Parent & Family Magazine to promote the series. The concert promoters are currently seeking corporate sponsors as well as dedicated volunteers who are able to assist with production.
The UMW Philharmonic, conducted by Dr. Kevin Bartram, is comprised of both UMW students as well as talented community musicians. The group achieved national acclaim in 2009 with the American Prize, an award given to the top nine collegiate orchestras in the nation. In 2012, the group was featured on a national PBS fundraising show, “A Fiddler’s Holiday.”
For more information about the Fiddlestix Summer Concert Series, contact (540) 654-1324 or email philharmonic@umw.edu.
Historic Preservation Alumna Named Museum Director
The Board of Directors of the Washington Heritage Museums (WHM) is pleased to announce that Anne Darron will become the first Executive Director of the organization effective July 15, 2014. Darron brings 16 years of experience in working with local non-profits including Boy Scouts of America and Washington Heritage Museums. Having served in leadership capacities over the years she brings a wealth of knowledge on working with volunteers and experience in the fields of fundraising, marketing and event planning.
A graduate of the University of Mary Washington with a BA in historic preservation, Darron focused on primary record research for historic structures. She has served WHM in several positions as Manager of the Mary Washington House, Administrative Assistant to the local branch of Preservation Virginia and more recently as the Administrator for Washington Heritage Museums.
The Washington Heritage Museums formed in 2013 was formerly known as the Mary Washington Branch APVA (Preservation Virginia). Its mission is to preserve, promote and maintain the four 18th century properties in Fredericksburg and develop dynamic educational resources and programs to engage and inspire the interests of everyone. The sites include the Mary Washington House, the Rising Sun Tavern, the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop and the St. James’ House.
Darron will lead the staff and volunteers in support of the organization’s annual programs including County Fair, Our Living Legacies, History Camp, Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the Mary Washington House, free school tours for area fourth grade classes, and other regularly scheduled programs. In 2015 there will be a special event to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the saving of the Mary Washington House.
Gail Braxton who has been the volunteer leader for the Mary Washington Branch Preservation Virginia and the Washington Heritage Museums for over 30 years said she is “thrilled to have Anne Darron take on the responsibilities of promoting and protecting these sites for the community and nation.” Braxton will continue with the organization as a member of the Board of Directors and as a volunteer.
For more information on Washington Heritage Museums, please contact them at 540-373-1569, or visit them at www.WashingtonHeritageMuseums.org.
Press Release courtesy of the Washington Heritage Museum.
Staff Advisory Council Updates
Next Meeting:
The Staff Advisory Council will meet on Thursday, June 19 in Eagle Village, Suite 480 Conference Room to hear from Director Pamela McCullough on the new bachelor of science in nursing completion program, which is slated to begin this fall. All S.A.C. meetings are open to the UMW community. Please join us!
Faculty/Staff Mixer:
The next UMW Employee Mixer will be Friday, June 27, 5-7 p.m. at Home Team Grill. We have reserved the bar and outside overflow area for this event. The happy hour special is half-price draft beers, half-price shelf liquor, and half-price wine from 5-6 p.m.