The University of Mary Washington will host a community forum called “The Middle East Crisis: Extending Compassion and Recognizing Grief in Our Own Community” on Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m., in George Washington Hall, Dodd Auditorium. The forum is open to the public and features experts from UMW’s faculty and staff, as well as community leaders, who will discuss their thoughts on dealing with the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Israel.

Speakers will include Dr. Melissa Palguta, a staff therapist from the University’s Talley Center for Counseling Services; Imam Sherif Shehata from the Masjid Aliya Islamic Center; Rabbi Ronda Young, now retired, longtime member of the greater Fredericksburg Jewish community; and the Rev. Ethan Lowery, campus and young adult missioner at Trinity Episcopal Church.

“This forum aims to go beyond politics or history, and we’re not focused on who’s wrong or who’s right. It’s about community,” said Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Ranjit Singh, who organized the event. “Each panelist will speak about how their tradition or profession deals with reconciling trauma and grief with compassion.” Read more.

Happiness – it’s one thing everyone could use more of in their lives.

Former CBS Morning News anchor and bestselling author Michelle Gielan will bring loads of the feel-good emotion to the 29th annual Women’s Leadership Colloquium at the University of Mary Washington next week.

A beacon of empowerment for professional women from diverse backgrounds for nearly three decades, the Colloquium features Gielan’s keynote address on resilient optimism, plus breakout sessions with area experts, networking and more. The event will take place Thursday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at UMW’s Stafford Campus.

Renowned for her groundbreaking research on the relationship between happiness and success, Gielan will kick off the day with her presentation, “Resilient Optimism: Strengthening a Mindset that Fuels Well-Being and Success.” The talk will explore how optimists face challenges, the science of cultivating a positive and optimistic mindset, and practical habits grounded in research for enhancing resilience and happiness. Read more.

Senior Harmony Peura ’24 still can’t believe that she earned the Mary Janes Ahern ’46 Washington Scholarship, giving her a full ride to the University of Mary Washington.

“I’ve woken up every day for the past four years in complete disbelief,” said Peura, a computer science major from Virginia Beach. She expressed her gratitude for receiving the prestigious UMW award for in-state students, which provides full tuition, fees, and room and board for up to four years.

“Mary Washington is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she advised her fellow scholars. “Take this time and cherish it and do as much as you possibly can with it.”

Peura and more than a dozen other exceptional UMW students attended a reception for Washington and Alvey Scholars (a full-ride award for out-of-state residents), held at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center’s Kalnen Inn at the end of September. Eighteen recipients currently benefit from these scholarships, including five first-year students, who were welcomed into the ranks by their fellow scholars, UMW staff and members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors (AABOD), which established the first five scholarships more than 25 years ago. A total of 65 students have been awarded Washington and Alvey Scholarships since the program’s inception. Read more.

Just a quick heads-up – Virginia College Application Week is happening from October 22 to 28, 2023. If you know any future college students, help us refer them to apply to Mary Washington! During Virginia College Application Week, high school seniors can apply for free to the University of Mary Washington by using code “VCAW” on the Common App.

Celebrate fall with a new pair of Mary Wash socks!

Haven’t gotten your socks yet?

There are only a few days left to get your socks and support student clubs!

Make a gift of $25 or more* to the Fund for Mary Washington, and we’ll send you a pair of these cozy argyle-inspired socks via campus mail or have them available for pick up at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center. Showcase your Mary Washington pride while supporting UMW’s students, mission, and programs. Get yours today at fund.umw.edu/umwsocktober.

Rock them in the office, at the grocery store and especially at Homecoming!

Post a photo rocking your socks! Tag @umw_alumni with your #UMWSocktober posts!

*The tax-deductible portion of your donation is the amount of your gift minus $10.

Get your socks!

 

Fredericksburg neighborhoods can be welcoming and whimsical, contrasting history with a modern vibe, accessibility with obstacles, and well-tended spaces with wildscapes.

Those are some of the perceptions UMW’s Honors Program students shared this week as a culminating activity in their City as Text (CaT) activities. Since late summer, they’ve explored sections of the city under the trademarked CaT program, an experiential learning curriculum that challenges incoming honors students to observe, research and reflect on their urban surroundings. Read more.

My first thought was to head for the door,” she said of the 1966 experience that ended up charting her course. Instead, “I said, ‘Good morning, I’m Mrs. Olsen,’ and my life began.”

She shared her longtime relationship with service last week with students at the University of Mary Washington’s College of Education (COE) in Seacobeck Hall. Plucking tales from her lengthy career, including her time as Peace Corps director amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she wove a theme. International experiences – especially teaching abroad with the Peace Corps – can build the foundation for richer careers in the classroom. Read more.

Sally Brannan Hurt ’92 with a giant tortoise in the Galápagos Islands
on a Mary Washington Alumni on the Road trip in 2011. The experience
led her to establish the Sally Brannan Hurt ’92 Study Abroad Scholarship
in Biology to support students going on faculty-led trips to the islands. Photo courtesy of Sally Brannan Hurt.

Growing up in rural Southwest Virginia, Sally Brannan Hurt ’92 dreamed of travel. She finally got her chance to go abroad to the Bahamas during a spring break trip in college. Yet, she realized she yearned to see rainforests and savannas more than she wanted to sunbathe in the sand. Read more.

“Being in nature brings me joy,” said Hurt, who has since visited some of the most biodiverse places on the planet through the University of Mary Washington’s Alumni on the Road trips. “I love seeing plants, insects and animals that aren’t in my neck of the woods.” Read more.

Between them, University of Mary Washington’s Melissa Yakabouski and Sarah Lindberg hold a half-century of college admissions experience.

Both recruited as admissions counselors upon earning their own bachelor’s degrees, they work together to break the often-perplexing college application process into bite-size pieces prospective students and their parents can easily digest. Take, for example, their “pizza” analogy, where the crust, sauce and cheese are fundamental ingredients for students vying to get into the school of their dreams, and the toppings add flavor and flair. Read more.

A Google calendar app links to University of Mary Washington senior Jaylyn Long’s “booking page,” where free slots are hard to find.

A biomedical sciences major with an African American studies minor, she’s Student Government Association (SGA) president and Class of 2024 vice president. She’s a diversity peer educator, R.I.S.E peer mentor and – perhaps most importantly – a senior student coordinator for both New Student Programs and Student Activities and Engagement. And that’s just for starters.

“I know I can’t do it all, but that never stops me from trying,” said Long, the first Black woman to serve in the roles of SGA president and vice president at UMW. “It really wouldn’t be possible without the faculty support and the people who look out for me.” Read more.