UMW College of Education Director of Clinical Experiences and Partnerships Kristina Peck leads a session during last month’s makerspace workshop. Hosted by UMW, the event was designed to help educators from Stafford County Public Schools delve deeper into the value of hands-on makerspace areas for aspiring teachers. Photo by Brolin Creative.

The University of Mary Washington’s College of Education (COE) hosted a hands-on field trip last month for Stafford County Public School teachers, who left with plenty of lessons to take back to their classrooms.

The main goal of the day was helping educators discover new, innovative resources to implement into their academic toolkit. Each one had an opportunity to experience the COE makerspace, a technology- and tool-filled area open to Mary Washington students and local educators.

“Makerspaces are designed to give students real-life, modern skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, while also allowing them to think critically with innovative problem solving and creativity. With the evolution of our technological age, giving students access to these skills has never been more important,” said UMW College of Education Dean Pete Kelly. “The University’s partnership with Stafford County Public Schools gives our local educators the best resources to confidently implement makerspaces into their schools.”

UMW soccer player Diego Guzman shows the crowd some love during the UMW men’s soccer game against Ohio Wesleyan. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.

We are excited to continue cheering on our men’s soccer team as they advance to the semifinals in the NCAA tournament. The next game is Thursday, Dec. 1, against Williams in Salem, Virginia, and we want to invite you to join on-campus and online.

An on-campus watch party will be held in the Underground, Thursday, Dec. 1, at 4 p.m., with a limited number of complimentary T-shirts available to the first fans.

Kick-off is at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, with the game also available to watch online. The men’s soccer finals will be on Saturday, Dec. 3, in Salem.

Get Dirty… Go Wash!

Senior midfielder Gadsoni Abel brings optimism and perseverance to the Eagles men’s soccer team.

When the UMW men’s soccer team takes the field for the NCAA Division III Final Four game today – Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022 – senior midfielder Gadsoni Abel knows fans will see something special.

The Mary Washington players understand exactly what Coach Jason Kilby wants from them, Abel said, and what they want from one another.

“There’s no better feeling than having the coach’s vision carried out and the team’s vision carried out,” he said. “We get it. Now let’s have fun with it.”

That optimistic spirit has seen Gadsoni through a lifetime of perseverance – beginning with boyhood days playing soccer in a Tanzanian refugee camp where his family lived after fleeing ethnic strife in their native Burundi. Read more.

461 members of the Mary Washington community helped #MakeItPossible for current UMW students to continue to succeed on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29. The support totaled more than $171,000 for students, faculty and programs. Gifts to the University go to work immediately, making the Mary Washington experience possible for thousands of Eagles. Private support is essential to Mary Washington and allows us to provide students with a top-notch liberal arts and sciences education.

It’s not too late to make an impact on the future of UMW students. Give now.

The University of Virginia tragedy continues to reverberate across the state and through the lives of so many at Mary Washington who have affiliations and personal relationships with students and colleagues at UVA. In recognition of our empathy and sympathy for UVA and thanks to the initiative of our friends in Student Involvement and University Relations, we have created a large banner supporting UVA “with love from Mary Wash” which is currently in the Cedric Rucker University Center living room.

Please stop by the CRUC and add your signature and a short comment of support. The banner will be there from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Monday.

Senior Madeline Killian, seen here on a previous study-abroad trip to Spain, received funds from UMW’s Beyond the Classroom Endowment to travel to Madrid this winter to conduct research on Spain’s first civic organization for women.

Senior Madeline Killian isn’t just hitting the books to study female scientists in 18th century Spain. In December she will travel to Madrid to delve into discoveries made by Junta de Damas de Honor y Mérito, the country’s first civic organization for women.

“They conducted groundbreaking medical experiments to improve infant health, and the group still exists today,” Madeline says. A physics and Spanish major at the University of Mary Washington, she plans to write her thesis on the topic.

This unique opportunity to explore Spain’s national archives and historical sites – and many other high-impact learning experiences for students – were made possible by UMW’s Beyond the Classroom Endowment (BTC). Established two years ago, the initiative supports student experiential learning, including independent research, internships, travel to academic conferences, and study abroad. Read more.

UMW Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year Sharon Kelley (second from left) is pictured with 2022 Virginia Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year Tyrone Logan, Stafford County Economic Development Authority Chair Joel Griffin, and UMW Small Business Development Center consultant Angela Kelley.

The University of Mary Washington Center for Economic Development has presented its annual Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year award to Dr. Sharon Kelley, owner of P Cubed Consulting LLC.

Kelley, a Stafford County resident, formed her defense contracting company in 2014 after retiring from the Marine Corps. It specializes in cybersecurity and logistics management.

Besides running her successful business, Kelley gives back to veterans by conducting workshops on entering the civilian workforce and mentoring veterans with mental and financial crises. She also helps other small business owners develop business structures and identify resources.

In the community, she helps young people learn trade and technical skills and understand entrepreneurship. She’s active with the Cinderella Experience, aiding young women to choose outfits and accessories for special events. Read more.

Stephanie Lyles, director of marketing outreach at Topside Federal Credit Union, received the Patricia Lacey Metzger Award for the success she’s achieved in her professional life and the integrity she’s shown along the way.

Stephanie Lyles of Topside Federal Credit Union received the Patricia Lacey Metzger Distinguished Achievement Award at the Women’s Leadership Colloquium on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. The recognition goes each year to a woman who’s established herself as a leader in her chosen field, and shown personal and professional integrity along the way.

The 28th annual daylong colloquium, held each November, unfolded in a room filled with energy – and some of the Fredericksburg region’s most inspiring and motivated women – at the University of Mary Washington’s Stafford Campus. Nationally recognized best-selling author Fran Hauser, a startup investor and women’s empowerment speaker, delivered the keynote. The colloquium also included collaborative break-out sessions led by regional business leaders, networking and a “wine-down” hour with door prizes.

“After a two-year delay, to be back in-person for this event and to have the interest and attendance reminds us of the importance of empowering our career-minded women,” said UMW Associate Provost of Career & Workforce and colloquium co-chair Kimberly Young.

The 23rd Metzger award winner since 1999, Lyles is director of marketing outreach at Topside Federal Credit Union, where she also has worked in community relations and business development. Before that, she started The Real Estate Book of Fredericksburg, a color, digest-sized magazine of homes for sale that she ran for 17 years. Read more.