What's New @ UMW Archives

Alum Honors Friend With Scholarship and Bench

June 28, 2022 by Jill Laiacona

Class of 1993 alums and friends of Coby Frye, who helped fund the bench. From left to right: Patrick Fines, Warren Fischi, John Cheatham, Keith Park and John Anstey. Photo courtesy of John Anstey.

John Anstey ’93 remembers meeting Carl “Coby” B. Frye ’93 on the first day of their freshman year at Mary Washington.

“His infectious laugh and broad smile immediately put me at ease,” John says. The pair, who lived a few doors down from each other in Westmoreland Hall and later roomed together, became inseparable. “And that friendship carried us through our time at Mary Washington and into adulthood.”

After Coby died unexpectedly in spring of 2019, John decided to channel his grief into something meaningful. He and his wife, Kara Lee Matala ’94, established the endowed Carl B. Frye Jr. ’93 Scholarship for University of Mary Washington students who embody Coby’s positive, “can-do” attitude. In addition, the couple raised funds, along with six of their classmates, to memorialize their friend by naming a bench for him on Campus Walk, a place where they made so many memories together as students. Read more.

UMW Serves Three-Course Dining-Service Success Story

June 28, 2022 by Guest Author

Joye Thomas, Rigoberto Mendoza and Emily Bond

Joye Thomas, Rigoberto Mendoza, Emily Bond

University of Mary Washington’s Catering Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza was one of only 14 chefs featured in a June 17 front-page Food Management Magazine article about college dining chefs who made a difference over the last year. The next week, Food Management Magazine ran another front-page piece about college dining associates who also made a difference during the year. University Dining Senior Cook Emily Bond and Marketing Assistant Joye Thomas were two of only 22 people included in that showcase!

University Dining General Manager David Schneider said, “We’re very proud of Chef Rigo, Emily and Joye for getting this well-deserved recognition. They bring tremendous dedication, talent and heart to our dining operations, and we’re extremely pleased that Food Management Magazine gave some great national recognition to them, our dining team and the University of Mary Washington.” The following are excerpts from Food Management Magazine’s feature stories about college chefs and dining associates who made an impact last year.

Catering Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza

Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza

One of 14 college dining chefs who made a difference.

“Rigoberto is a supremely talented chef who has invested tremendous time and effort into training his catering culinary team, as well as members of the resident dining culinary staff. He is known for his exceptional food and presentations, particularly those prepared for the president of the university and other VIP events, and he takes the time to share his knowledge and skill with the rest of his team. He is an innovator, creating custom recipes and menus for a broad range of dining events. He is extremely dedicated. Besides the many hours he spends on his catering events, he still provides great support to the rest of our dining operations. He does everything from cooking at our Campus Grill, to planning menus, to meeting with students, to washing dishes!”

University Dining Senior Cook Emily Bond

Emily Bond, Senior Cook

One of 22 college dining associates who made a difference last year.

“Emily is one of the primary cooks for our resident dining program, and she is quick, efficient, and very skilled! She stays on top of everything, anticipating the needs of the various points of service, and ensuring that everyone has everything they need, from the beginning to the end of service. She’s very supportive of all her co-workers, hopping on any station whenever they need help. She’s especially good at preparing dishes for our special dining events, making sure they properly reflect the theme or ethnic culture of the event.”

Joye Thomas, Marketing Assistant

One of 22 college dining associates who made a difference last year.

University Dining Marketing Assistant Joye Thomas

“Joye serves on Fredericksburg’s Citizen Advisory Panel, where she is an advisor to the police and a liaison for the community. She took on this role because she wants to make a real difference in the world. After the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020, it became clear to her that change was needed in our community policing practices. She has been part of a taskforce that re-wrote the city police department’s directives on various issues, including the use of force. Joye was also elected by the city council and mayor of Fredericksburg to serve as a commissioner on the Fredericksburg Arts Commission, which is responsible for a multitude of arts initiatives. It awards grants to local artist and arts organizations, runs a sculpture program, coordinates First Friday celebrations and more!”

Humanities Symposium Highlights Faculty-Student Research

June 16, 2022 by Laura Moyer

Students participate in UMW’s first ever Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Summer Institute.

Mentored undergraduate research has long been a staple of the summer for UMW students in science and mathematical fields. Now arts, humanities and social sciences students are reaping the benefits as well.

The first Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Summer Institute (AHSSSI) concluded yesterday with a symposium during which five teams presented the results of their monthlong research projects. The event, beginning at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, in the Digital Auditorium of the Hurley Convergence Center, is open to the public.

The program is modeled on UMW’s Summer Science Institute, now in its 23rd year. Like the science institute, the AHSSSI provides a framework for intense scholarly inquiry into a specific topic proposed by a faculty mentor. Read more.

Long-Awaited Reunion Brought Mary Washington Alums ‘Home’

June 16, 2022 by jlaiacon

Mary Washington graduates reunite at the first Reunion Weekend in three years.

Amber Tussing planned to reconnect with old friends at the University of Mary Washington’s Reunion Weekend, but she was surprised to meet just as many new ones.

“When you can make friends across multiple generations, you know you come from a shared experience,” said Tussing, a 2000 grad who bonded with members of the classes of 1972, 1990 and 2010. “This campus still feels like home after all these years.”

Those sentiments were echoed throughout the recent four-day event – the first of its kind in three years – which welcomed over 1,200 graduates of all ages back to UMW. Billed as the Mother of All Reunions, the celebration gave alums the unique opportunity to catch up with classmates who graduated before and after them, as well as those from other decades. Read more.

University Center Naming Celebration Honors Rucker

June 16, 2022 by Lisa Marvashti

Upon the retirement of Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker next week, the University Center will officially bear the name “Cedric Rucker University Center.”

Mary Washington’s University Center is four stories and 100,000 square feet, but a new name is about to make it even bigger.

“Today we are celebrating two giants,” Vice President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair said Sunday at UMW. “One of the giants is behind me, the University Center. The second giant, of course, is Cedric Bernard Rucker.”

The structure’s new moniker becomes official when Rucker retires later this month as associate vice president and dean of student life. That means the central campus building dedicated to student success will bear the name of the man who’s devoted his life to that goal.

It’s a story decades-long in the making. Arriving on Double Drive as an undergrad in 1977, just as institutions of higher education began accepting more students of color, Rucker was the first African-American male graduate to live in a residence hall. He quickly became an integral part of campus culture, immersing himself in clubs, activities and organizations.

“All these doors opened, and Mary Washington just felt like mine,” said Rucker. Read more.

New Vice President Brings Ideas for Advancement

June 16, 2022 by Laura Moyer

UMW welcomes new VP for Advancement Katie Turcotte

When Katie Turcotte becomes UMW’s vice president of advancement later this month, she’ll fill a much-needed role – helping to bring the university forward from pandemic constraints and bolstering its liberal arts and sciences mission.

Who better to lead the University of Mary Washington’s development team than a “nonprofit and philanthropy nerd”? That’s how Turcotte describes herself 25 years into a career that has taken her through every aspect of fundraising for a variety of nonprofits.

She comes to Mary Washington from the consulting firm GG+A, where she is vice president of philanthropic analytics. Her résumé also includes positions at George Mason University, George Washington University, American University and Catholic University.

At UMW, she’ll bring all that experience to bear at a time when public universities are coping with changing demographics and shifting priorities in state budgets. At the same time, students are seeking a quality education with minimal debt – a need the university helps meet with donor-funded scholarships and other institutional aid. Read more.

Mary Washington Hosts ‘Mother of All Reunions’

May 24, 2022 by Jill Laiacona

For the first time in three years, University of Mary Washington will host hundreds of alumni for Reunion Weekend, which will be held Thursday, June 2, through Sunday, June 5.

Eagles who graduated over the span of eight decades will return to the nest once again for learning opportunities, art exhibits, musical performances, class photos, family activities, trolley tours to Carl’s ice cream and more. Most importantly, the highly anticipated event is a chance for grads of all ages to reconnect in person with Mary Washington friends and faculty – including Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker ’81, who retires in June – and with the UMW campus.

“This year, Mary Wash alumni have the unique opportunity to celebrate with friends who graduated in the years before and after them,” said Executive Director of Alumni Relations Mark Thaden ’02, whose team has planned more than 85 events for attendees. Billed as the Mother of All Reunions, it’s the largest in Mary Washington history, he said. An entire day has been added, devoted exclusively to graduates who have celebrated their 50th reunions, including the classes of ’70, ’71 and ’72, Thaden said, “so they’ll get the VIP treatment they deserve.” Read more.

Women’s Ultimate Team Embodies Club Sport Spirit

May 24, 2022 by Laura Moyer

On a warm evening in mid-May, 18 dedicated athletes showed up at the University of Mary Washington’s recreational field to spin, leap and fly.

Their academic year was already over, but several members of the Mary Washington women’s Ultimate Frisbee team came here after working all day. Others returned just to fit in these last few practices before heading to the airport.

Their destination? The D-III College Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was the team’s first trip to nationals since 2019, after two pandemic-constrained seasons filled with masked practices and intermittent competition.

But this season was different. These Mary Washington women seemed almost unstoppable, with a spirited mix of rookies and veterans, and an amazing class of seniors. They taught and encouraged one another, creating a chemistry that made their defense a wall and their offense just plain scary. The team won every game in its conference tournament to seal the nationals bid. Read more.

Cedric Rucker University Center Naming Celebration, June 5

May 24, 2022 by Guest Author

Join fellow faculty and staff members in celebrating longtime Dean of Students Cedric Rucker, who retires this month, at the “Cedric Rucker University Center Naming Celebration” on Sunday, June 5, at 11 a.m., on the front steps of the University Center at the Ball Circle entrance. Cedric Bernard Rucker has made immeasurable positive impacts on thousands of students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and the local community during his 33-year career working at Mary Washington, serving 23 years as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Student Life and 10 years as Associate Dean of Student Activities, as well as in numerous other roles. Read more.

Welcome First-Year Students at Orientation!

May 24, 2022 by Guest Author

The University of Mary Washington’s New Student Orientation welcomes all incoming first-year and transfer students and their families to campus. The Division of Student Affairs and the Orientation Staff are committed to making students and their families feel welcomed, involved and connected to the University. At Orientation, students meet other incoming and current students, register for academic courses and learn more about the UMW campus, policies and traditions.

First-Year Orientation Dates for 2022 are as follows:
Session 1: June 13-14
Session 2: June 16-17
Session 3: June 21-22
Session 4: June 23-24
Session 5: June 27-28