March 16, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Gari Melchers Home and Studio Featured in Regional Media

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BelmontGari Melchers Home and Studio has frequently been featured in recent editions of The Free Lance-Star as well as a video by the Fredericksburg Visitors Center.

COMMENTARY: Garden Week is canceled, but club’s mission goes on (The Free Lance-Star, April 20, 2020)

Historic homes and museums seek ways to stay connected during coronavirus (The Free Lance-Star, April 26, 2020)

Young Life:  Enjoy online adventures in history and art (The Free Lance-Star, April 9, 2020)

Visit the Fredericksburg Region – Take the Scenic Route video

Share Your Words of Wisdom with the Class of 2020

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Class of 2020

We know it’s been on your bucket list. You finally have a chance to deliver a commencement address! (Well, at least part of one.)

We are asking all faculty and staff to step up during this unprecedented time and share your wisdom with UMW’s Class of 2020. It could be practical, such as in the valedictory words of a former Navy SEAL: Make your bed every morning. Or philosophical: Pursue your dreams.

We want you to think about important life lessons or if-I-knew-then-what-I-know-now reflections. Regardless of whether your words are wise or witty, pithy or poetic, we urge you to think of a concise statement (one or two sentences) you would like to pass along to our graduates.

We ask that you email your written statements to Interim Media Relations Director Lisa Marvashti. And, if you’re willing to take it a step farther (or ready for prime time), videotape yourself delivering your words of wisdom. Be sure and include your name and title.

Please send these to us by May 4. We will compile all the submissions into a written summary for the May 7th EagleEye, and we will use the videotaped messages on the website and in communication with our graduates.

Through Pandemic, Research Remains Top Priority at UMW

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Held annually on campus, UMW’s Research and Creativity Day went virtual this year, due to COVID-19. The event allows students to share projects they’ve worked on all year.

Held annually on campus, UMW’s Research and Creativity Day went virtual this year, due to COVID-19. The event allows students to share projects they’ve worked on all year.

They put in the hours – late-night study sessions, one-on-one meetings with faculty members, conferences, presentations and projects. All year long, students have been working hard on one of the University of Mary Washington’s top priorities: undergraduate research.

A pandemic wasn’t about to stop the 14th annual showcase that highlights all of their efforts. Filled with posters in the form of PDF images and oral synopses on video, the UMW Research and Creativity Day Virtual Symposium covers everything from math and science to the performing and visual arts. The online event will be open tomorrow through Friday for questions and comments, and for all-around marveling over UMW students’ ingenuity and drive.

“It’s a time for all of us to pause to celebrate our students’ hard work, their creativity, and the knowledge they’ve produced,” said Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Betsy Lewis. “When it was clear we wouldn’t be able to do this face-to-face on campus this year, I really wanted to find a way to replicate that sense of community and celebration.” Read more.

25th Anniversary for Day of Silence, Friday, April 24

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The following message is from the Office of Equity and Access.

Friday, April 24th, will mark the 25th Anniversary for Day of Silence*. We are asking the UMW Community to virtually participate in this vital event. We may not be able to create a rainbow of shirts on the grass of Ball Circle, but the UMW community continues to affirm an inclusive and supportive community for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) citizens and allies. We can demonstrate this by letting our voice be heard via #UMWisHOME and we must #breakthesilence.

Here is a toolkit to help make your voice heard on Friday, April 24th, during the Annual Day of Silence:

  • At 12pm, create a virtual “Moment of Silence” by posting our unified image to your individual or UMW affiliated accounts on social media. Please see attached images for Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You can add any of the following information from GLSEN to your post:

o   Our silence is LOUD!

o   I’m staying silent on GLSEN’s Day of Silence, a national youth movement highlighting the silencing and erasure of LGBTQ people at school.

o   Nearly 4 in 5 LGBTQ students don’t see positive representation in their curriculum, nearly 9 in 10 experience verbal harassment, and almost a third miss school because they feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

  • At 4pm, “Break the Silence!”

o   By answering the prompt, I AM BREAKING THE SILENCE BY…?

  • Submit to PRISM for a re-post:
  • DM PRISM (@umwprism) with your story
  • Email PRISM (umwprism@gmail.com) with your story
  • Your name will not be shared through the repost nor will you be tagged. However, pictures and/or videos are not private if we repost them.
  • Post your response to your social media account, if it is a safe space for you to do so.

o   Follow PRISM (@umwprism) on Instagram to view submitted prompt responses.

In keeping with our values outlined in ASPIRE, join us in celebrating the 25th Annual Day of Silence.

People for the Rights of Individuals of Sexual and Gender Minorities (PRISM)
Center for Prevention and Education
James Farmer Multicultural Center
Office of Title IX
Safe Zone
Talley Center for Counseling Services
Vice President for Equity and Access & Chief Diversity Officer

Information on resources and support can be found on SAFE ZONE’s webpage.

* Day of Silence was first organized by a student at the University of Virginia in 1996 as part of a class project. The following year almost 100 colleges and universities participated, making it a national event. College and university students have driven and participated in many movements throughout history, and the UMW Community is no exception. This includes Day of Silence powered by PRISM, a student-led organization that promotes the values of diversity and acceptance of students of sexual and gender minorities.

In 2000, Day of Silence became an official initiative with GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network).

Virtual 2020 Eagle Awards Ceremony on Friday April 24th

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A global pandemic won’t stop UMW from recognizing its student leaders. Staff and students from Student Activities and Engagement (SAE), the Center for Community Engagement, and the James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC) announced that they will be holding a virtual Eagle Awards Ceremony on Friday April 24th at 5pm via a video on the SAE YouTube Channel. 

“The Eagle Awards are an important way to recognize the hard work of our students outside of the classroom as they lead clubs, work with other organizations, and coordinate with other students to carry out events and activities,” shared Crystal Rawls, Assistant Director of SAE. “We wanted to make sure we could recognize the accomplishments of our students.”

The 2020 Eagle Awards video will feature quotes from the faculty, staff, and students who submitted winning nominations. Students Breezy Reeves and Kyree Ford will be MCs. Among the awards being announced will be the Grace Mann Launch award, recognizing a graduating senior who is active in promoting social justice, equality, and positive social change.

“Now is an important time to share the story of our impressive UMW students,” stated Sarah Dewees, Associate Director of the Center for Community Engagement. “The Eagle Awards recognize student commitment to student life, social justice, diversity, and community engagement. Now is a great time to showcase the ways in which UMW students are models of responsible leadership, service to others, and engaged citizenship in a global and diverse society.”

#DenimDay

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Greetings Faculty and Staff,

Mary Washington will close out Sexual Assault Awareness Month on Wednesday, April 29th, with Denim Day. The UMW Community is encouraged to wear denim to promote a discussion about myths and stereotypes surrounding sexual assault. Although, we are not on campus, we want to present a collage of employees wearing denim throughout the day on social media.

Please complete the Denim Day Form if you are interested in submitting a picture for the collage by 10am, Wednesday, April 29th. Or email Marissa Miller (mmille23@umw.edu). Early submissions are welcome.

If you are interested in posting a picture on your personal and/or UMW affiliated accounts, please use the toolkit below:

  • Tag us on Instagram (@UMWCPE) or Facebook (@UMWCPE)
  • Use #denimday and #UMWisHOME
  • On April 29, wear denim with a purpose

Denim Day and wearing jeans in April became an international symbol of protest of harmful attitudes about sexual assault after an Italian Supreme Court decision overturned a sexual assault conviction because the survivor wore tight jeans. The first Denim Day in the United States occurred in 1999 organized by Peace Over Violence, a nonprofit based out of Los Angeles. Learn more on the Denim Day website.

In solidarity,

Marissa Miller
Center for Prevention and Education

UMW Theatre reimagines Dear Evan Hansen’s “Anybody Have a Map?”

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A message from UMW Theatre.

We’ve started our last week of classes. We have all stretched ourselves. We have stepped into uncharted waters as we gather new ways to teach and learn. We have pushed beyond the bounds of what we thought was possible.

The University of Mary Washington is a special place, distinguished by the strong connections our faculty build with our students as they grow and learn together. COVID-19 has not changed that. In many ways, it has strengthened our work with each other.

There have been real challenges. And there have also been moments of real joy. One thing is certain, today more than ever before, we relish the moments of success and connections we find even when apart from one another.

And to celebrate that joy, this is a gift from UMW Theatre to you—”Anybody Have a Map?” from the blockbuster musical Dear Evan Hansen by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Steven Levenson reimagined by our students for today. Stay safe and well.

 

Gregg Stull signature

Gregg Stull
Producing Director

Gari Melchers Home & Studio Offers Digital Learning for All Ages

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Gari Melchers Home & Studio (GMHS) is one of the best-preserved artist homes and working studios in the country. Although it is currently closed to the public in an effort to help reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, it is looking for new ways to engage the public.

GMHS is responding to rapidly changing times by compiling existing online material and creating new experiences under their new LEARN webpage found here at garimelchers.org/education/learn, which was featured in a recent Free Lance-Star article.

Included on LEARN are links to Preschool Palette and Picturing New Connection lesson plans, activities based on the museum’s collection, videos, printable coloring pages, popular blog posts, and a virtual tour of the museum’s wedding and reception event space.

Education and Communications Manager Michelle Crow-Dolby, inspired by the global #MuseumfromHome movement, ramped up the museum’s social media presence by sharing posts meant to educate, stimulate, and inspire. Gari Melchers’ many floral still life paintings star in #MuseumBouquet while the artist’s atmospheric paintings star in #MuseumMomentofZen.

Assistant Director and Curator Joanna Catron practiced proper social distancing while recording her Facebook private studio tour.

“Our mission is founded on preservation and education,” adds Scott Harris, executive director of University of Mary Washington Museums. “During this virus emergency, as we ensure the safety and integrity of our museum and its collections, we’re striving to fulfill our educational mission creatively online.”

Gari and Corinne Melchers lived through another worldwide virus crisis, the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919. The couple was familiar with quarantines, the wearing of protective gear, social distancing, and other aspects of life during a pandemic we face today. Watch the video.

Follow GMHS on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Pinterest.

College of Business Holds Honors Night Via Zoom

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The College of Business held its Honors Night on April 16, via Zoom.

The College of Business held its Honors Night on April 16, via Zoom.

The College of Business held a virtual Honors Night on Thursday, April 16. Students were inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, and four were surprised with Outstanding Student Awards in each of COB majors/programs, and one was named the Rappahannock Rotary Ethical Student of the Year.

The recipients were:

Carley Vaughn, Patricia Lacey Metzger Memorial Award:  Accounting
Savannah Powers, Outstanding Student in Business Administration/International Business
Quintin Ricci, Outstanding Student in Marketing
Eric Boynton, Outstanding MBA Student
Dennis Ferry, Rappahannock Rotary Ethical Student of the Year

Uniquely UMW Tradition – Devil Goat Day – Lives On

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The uniquely UMW tradition of Devil Goat Day continues this year. With classes online due to COVID-19, contests are being held virtually.

The uniquely UMW tradition of Devil Goat Day continues this year. With classes online due to COVID-19, contests are being held virtually.

The name might sound odd to some. But for University of Mary Washington students and alumni, “Devil Goat Day” is tradition – one that’s been around for nearly a century.

And this year, as always, it’s on!

With courses turned virtual and campus cleared out due to COVID-19, Senior Class Council (SCC) couldn’t bear to give up this uniquely UMW event – where students who graduate in odd years, called “devils,” compete with those who graduate in even years, called “goats.”

“We couldn’t let that day slide by without acknowledging the tradition that we care so much about,” said SCC President Eleanor Kilmon, who’s worked with her clubmates to take it online for a week instead of a day.

Launched Sunday, this year’s event is packed with as much Eagle pride and well-meaning rivalry – seniors and sophomores vs. juniors and freshmen – as ever. But instead of on Ball Circle, competitions take place on Instagram, with #umwdgd. Traditional matches of corn hole, cup-pong and bull-riding give way to virtual challenges unofficially measured by re-posts and tags. Read more.