Washington and Alvey Scholars attended a reception in their honor at UMW’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center on Sept. 29. Recipients of the prestigious awards receive full tuition, fees, and room and board to attend the University of Mary Washington. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

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.

Sammy D. Eagle

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.

UMW Stafford Campus

The University of Mary Washington’s Stafford Campus has earned regional honors, being named the best college or university in Stafford Magazine‘s annual survey of readers. This year the publication received a record number of votes at more than 20,000. Nominations reached a peak, as well, with the number of businesses, organizations and individuals nominated totaling more than 1,000.

UMW’s Stafford Campus stood out as the top for higher education.

“This honor reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff and students, as well as our commitment to providing high-quality, accessible professional educational opportunities to our community. We are immensely proud of the entire Mary Washington Stafford Campus community for making this achievement possible,” said UMW Associate Provost of Career & Workforce Kimberly Young.

Offering a wide variety of programs and courses year-round, the University’s Stafford Campus caters to diverse interests and career aspirations. Some of this year’s educational offerings included Professional Educator courses, the Museum Enterprise Leadership (MEL) Program, BSN in Nursing, Craft Beverage Exploration courses, and the highly successful Business Acumen Series which has received support and accolades from local government agencies and regional businesses.

The UMW Stafford Campus boasts state-of-the-art instructional technology systems, video conferencing capabilities, and wired and wireless internet access, providing an ideal learning environment for students. Additionally, the campus hosts over 150 professional events annually, further enriching the educational experience and offering valuable networking opportunities. With a strong commitment to professional development, UMW’s regional efforts continues to empower educators and business professionals alike.

For more information about programs and partnerships offered at UMW’s Stafford Campus,  https://www.umw.edu/cps/ or https://www.umw.edu/stafford/.

President Joe Biden (D) is tied in Virginia with former President Donald Trump (R) in a possible 2024 presidential election rematch, according to a new statewide survey from the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington.

Each candidate received 37 percent in the 1,000-person poll of Virginia adults, which was conducted by Research America Inc. Sept. 5-11. Other respondents said they were undecided.

Biden defeated Trump by a ten-point margin in Virginia in 2020, the latest in a string of four consecutive Democratic Electoral College wins in the commonwealth. George W. Bush was the last Republican presidential candidate to win in Virginia, and he did so in both 2000 and 2004. Read more.