Writing Center Director Gwen Hale. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
It is with great sadness we report that Writing Center Director Gwen Hale died this morning in southwest Virginia. She had been there since summer in hospice care near her family. Diagnosed at age 20 with cancer, Dr. Hale fought valiantly and overcame many hurdles. She accepted a position at UMW in 2011, serving as Writing Intensive Program Director as well as Writing Center Director. Dr. Hale received undergraduate and master’s degrees from East Tennessee State University, and she earned a Ph.D. from Middle Tennessee State University, where she discovered a passion for helping people put words to page.
A lover of animals, Dr. Hale was actively involved with UMW’s First-in-Family initiatives and the James Farmer Multicultural Center. She was one of the driving forces behind the Eagle Resource Closet. And she loved to have fun! She started the Pajama Writing Jam the Saturday before finals in order to help students finish their papers. Keeping the Writing Center open from noon till midnight, she offered coffee, soda, pizza – and pep talks – to pajama-clad students.
With writing being so important to her, Dr. Hale penned these words before she died: Please know that UMW was the first job I ever had that felt like home. Thank you all for allowing me to contribute to the university. The Writing Center and the students were the best parts of my working life. Please take care and be good to one another.
More information will be shared later, but a celebration of life for Dr. Hale will likely take place next spring.
On October 20, from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the lobby of the UC we will be celebrating International Pronouns Day. On that day, we will be making pronoun buttons in recognition of how important it is to respect others’ pronouns and to share our own pronouns. All are welcome. We will be giving out stickers and buttons.
The Department of English & Linguistics, along with Simpson Library, student-run literary magazine The Aubade, and the UMW Creative Writing Club will be sponsoring an event encouraging students to write on October 20 – National Day on Writing. The event will include tables at various locations across campus where free swag will be given away, and the student organizations will be able to promote their clubs by hosting writing activities. Also, look out around campus for three-word prompts for “bad haikus.” If you write and tweet your haikus and tag @UMWLibraries, you will be entered for a chance to win a prize! Students, staff, and faculty alike are welcome to participate in this awesome event that encourages us to write something, even if it’s bad! We hope to see you at the event, and we can’t wait to read your haikus!
Ridderhof Martin Gallery
duPont Gallery
Join Campus Rec for a Halloween Fun Run on October 30th at 2 pm. Start at the Bell Tower and finish at the Fitness Center. Win prizes for the first 3 to finish the run and for best costume! Costumes are encouraged!
Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Marta Tienda will visit the University of Mary Washington virtually on Oct. 25 and 26. Dr. Tienda is the Maurice P. During ’22 Professor of Demographic Studies and a Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University. Her UMW visit will feature virtual classroom visits and a Zoom Webinar Public Lecture on Monday, October 25, 2021 at 5:00 – 6:15 p.m., titled “Restoring the ‘P’ in U.S. Public Education: From Equity to Adequacy.”
