August 11, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Feeling Alone? Phone a Mary Washington Friend

by

A Mary Washington student using a hall telephone in 1965.

A Mary Washington student using a hall telephone in 1965

The Alumni Relations Team has reached out to alumni who may be feeling isolated due to social distancing with the following letter.

Mary Washington Alumni,

It seems that each day we are waking up to a world of uncertainty as the impact of the novel coronavirus (or COVID-19) spreads across the globe. Millions of people are being encouraged to distance themselves from others, creating a prolonged period of isolation.

Humans are social beings, and isolation can be extremely difficult with potential health implications. As UMW President Troy D. Paino recently said, “Mary Washington stands for so much—education, empowerment, integrity, caring, and compassion. But most of all, people. At Mary Washington, it’s always about people.”

In an effort to support our alumni, students, and community, the Alumni Relations team is excited to launch the “Phone a Mary Washington Friend” program. During program hours, anyone feeling isolated from the world and craving some human interaction may call to speak with a caring and friendly member of the UMW team.

Phone A Mary Washington Friend
10am-8pm (Eastern)
Monday through Saturday
(540) 654-1173

Tell us about your favorite professors or places on campus, the friends you met, and the career path you took. Or, share your ideas of what we can do in the future. While right now it might feel like it, no one in our community is alone. Someone who is happy to connect is just a phone call away.

Together, we will get through this challenging time and emerge stronger and more resilient than ever. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or would like further information. We appreciate your support as we navigate this unprecedented situation.

 

Sincerely,

The Alumni Relations Team

Dahlgren Campus National Security Lecture Series

by

University of Mary Washington’s Dahlgren Campus will host a series of National Security Lectures this spring:

9 April 2020
“China’s Economic Statecraft for Maritime Technology Acquisition”

Presented by Dr. April A. Herlevi, Research Scientist, China & Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Division, CNA

30 April 2020
“Middle East 101: A Guide for Deployers”

Presented by CDR Aboul-Enein, who is currently an Subject Matter Expert and Senior Counterterrorism Advisor at the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Defense Combating Terrorism Center

PCOW: Committee Nominations

by

Are you interested in educating and engaging others about wellness programs and events? If so, then the President Council on Wellness needs your help! Our committee is accepting and looking for new members to join us in creating a campus environment where wellness is encouraged and understood.

To self-nominate or nominate a colleague for the school year of 2020 to 2021, please fill out the PCOW Nomination Form.

The nominations are due by Friday, April 3rd and voting will occur among our current council members at our April 7 meeting.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please visit our Facebook page: UMW Wellness or email us at wellness@umw.edu

UMW NAACP Chapter Set to ‘Make Waves’

by

UMW President Troy Paino (middle, suit and tie) poses with members of UMW’s new chapter of the NAACP. The chapter was chartered last May.

UMW President Troy Paino (middle, suit and tie) poses with members of UMW’s new chapter of the NAACP. The chapter was chartered last May.

Most meetings make their way onto the calendar, but some materialize out of thin air. Brianna Reaves might stop by the James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC) to run something by advisor Chris Williams. Next thing you know, Bilqiis Sheikh-Issa shows up, followed by Maya Jenkins and Dana Norwood.

Then it’s on.

“We didn’t come in to talk about business, yet somehow all of us are here,” Reaves, a sophomore who serves as president of UMW’s new NAACP college chapter, said of its executive board.

The board’s a sisterhood of sorts, a collection of young women, plus assistant secretary Cameron Washington and assistant treasurer Lewis Geter, who are ready to roll up their sleeves and do what it takes to get this fledgling group off the ground. They feed off each other’s energy – meeting for hours and marking up whiteboards like nobody’s business. Focused on the NAACP’s civil rights mission, they’re set to make change, no matter how small.

“You can’t start a wave without a ripple,” Sheikh-Issa, a first-year student who serves as vice president, said of the chapter, chartered last May. Read more.

Professor Wins Grant to Pen Open Education Textbook

by

Melissa Wells, an assistant professor in UMW’s College of Education, was recently awarded a $10,000 grant by VIVA – Virtual Library of Virginia – to write an Open Education Resources textbook.

Melissa Wells, an assistant professor in UMW’s College of Education, was recently awarded a $10,000 grant by VIVA – Virtual Library of Virginia – to write an Open Education Resources textbook.

It’s a dilemma faced by many students on financial aid. Funds often don’t hit accounts until a few weeks into the semester, so students can’t purchase textbooks, and they risk falling behind.

Melissa Wells, an assistant professor in UMW’s College of Education (COE), knows this scenario all too well. That’s why she’s designing an Open Education Resources (OER) textbook for her Foundations in Education course, thanks to a $10,000 grant from VIVA – Virtual Library of Virginia – a consortium of nonprofit academic libraries within the Commonwealth. News of the grant comes as educators nationwide celebrate Open Education Week, March 2 to 6.

As the cost of textbooks rises, so does the importance of providing access to personalized learning materials meant for diverse audiences. Buoyed by new Virginia legislation encouraging the adoption of open and affordable materials in higher education, Mary Washington professors like Wells are leading the way. Read more.

UMW CPSC High School Programming Contest

by

UMW CPSC High School Programming Contest

The HCC Digital Auditorium was buzzing with the next generation of computer scientists on Saturday, February 22, 2020. Eleven teams of 3 or 4 students from high schools in Culpeper, Spotsylvania, and Stafford used their programming skills to attempt to solve 13 problems in 3.5 hours of programming. The winning team, from Riverbend, solved 9 problems, and they won the 14” golden cup, championship trophy. All of the teams solved at least 3 problems. Prizes were awarded to students on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place teams. The UMW CPSC Department hosted the area High School Programming Contest. UMW CPSC faculty and students worked on the contest for the past year – planning, recruiting sponsors (SimVentions, BCI, and Lockheed Martin), visiting area high schools, describing programming contests, establishing an ongoing practice contest, and collecting contest entries. The all day contest had 67 attendees – high school students, high school teachers, CPSC faculty, and CPSC students. Everyone received a commemorative t-shirt. Snacks, lunch, and beverages were provided throughout the event. Everyone was tired at the end of the day, but there was a great sense of accomplishment for the high school student programmers, the high school teachers, and the UMW hosts.

Coffee with President Paino, March 17

by

Mary Washington President Troy Paino. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

Mary Washington President Troy Paino. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

Dear UMW Faculty and Staff,

President Paino invites you to join him for coffee and conversation as we continue the series of coffee talks this semester. Please plan to attend one of the following:

  • Tuesday, March 17, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Lee Hall, Room 412
  • Wednesday, April 1, 4-5 p.m., Stafford Campus, South Building, Room 210
  • Monday, April 20, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Monroe Hall, Room 111

Thank you.

Office of the President

Great Lives Continues with Female Internet Inventors, C.S. Lewis

by

The 17th season of the William B. Crawley Great Lives Lecture Series continues on Tuesday, March 10, with Female Internet Inventors, featuring Claire L. Evans, author of Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet. This series is open to the public free of charge and no admission tickets are required. Programs begin at 7:30 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium in George Washington Hall. Each lecture concludes with an audience Q&A session with the speaker and a book-signing. The Theresa Y Crawley, D.D.S. Lecture.

The history of technology you probably know is one of men and machines, garages and riches, alpha nerds and brogrammers – but female visionaries have always been at the vanguard of technology and innovation. In fact, women turn up at the very beginning of every important wave in technology. They may have been hidden in plain sight, their inventions and contributions touching our lives in ways we don’t even realize, but they have always been part of the story. In Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet (Penguin Random House), Claire L. Evans finally gives these unsung female heroes their due with her insightful social history of the women who made the Internet what it is today.

The Great Lives series continues on Thursday, March 12, with C.S. Lewis, featuring Devin Brown, author of A Life Observed: A Spiritual Biography of C.S. Lewis. The Coldwell Banker Elite Lecture.

Although Clive Staples Lewis died over a half-century ago, his works live on in the hearts and minds of countless readers, young and old, all over the world. From the Lewis Memorial recently installed in Poets’ Corner to the new Narnia films scheduled for release by Netflix over the next decade, the life and legacy of an Oxford don born near the end of the 19th Century continue to impact the current one. In this talk, which features rare archival photographs, you will visit the places that Lewis knew and loved.

The Great Lives series will continue on Thursday, March 19 with America’s Notorious Pirates, featuring author Eric Jay Dolin. Visit https://www.umw.edu/greatlives/ for more information.

Nominate a Student for 2020 Eagle Awards!

by

Looking for a way to recognize exceptional student leadership on campus?  Every year, the Office of Student Activities and Engagement (SAE) hosts the Eagle Awards gathering in partnership with the Center for Community Engagement.

The UMW Eagle Awards program highlights students, student organizations, staff, and faculty who have provided leadership on campus through involvement in activities and organizations. The Eagle Awards are an opportunity for the University community to recognize those who have made extraordinary contributions to the campus and greater community. There are over 15 awards for students, organizations, and programs.

Any member of the student body, faculty, or staff can nominate deserving students or organizations. Nominations are due by March 11, and the Eagle Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, April 16, 2020, at 6:00 PM in Chandler Ballroom. Winners will be announced at the ceremony. The event will offer light hors d’oeurves and is free and open to all students, faculty, staff, friends, and family.