November 21, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Rucker is Recruited as Interim Dean of Students at UVA

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C. Rucker

Cedric Rucker

In the heat of the Central Virginia summer, University of Virginia President Jim Ryan delivered a proposal. The University’s dean of students and vice president for student affairs had departed and Ryan was considering a pair of candidates to step in temporarily.

The first was Dr. Christopher Holstege, a father of six and longtime medical faculty member who was once a guest on Ryan’s podcast because he holds four job titles at the University. One of them is executive director of Student Health and Wellness, and he is a longtime member of the Student Affairs leadership team.

The second was Cedric Bernard Rucker, who earned an advanced degree from UVA before moving to the University of Mary Washington. He had already delayed retirement – and a deployment with the Peace Corps – to return to Charlottesville to fill a gap in the Office of African-American Affairs. Read more.

University Center Naming Celebration Honors Rucker

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

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.

Rucker Wins Spotlight During UC Naming Celebration

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Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker

Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker

Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker caught some media attention centered around the naming celebration to recognize the University Center’s new name – the Cedric Rucker University Center – upon Rucker’s retirement next week. During his decades-long career, Rucker’s big personality, strong standards and compassionate demeanor have led him to leave a bit of a legacy on campus. Read more:

Trailblazing Dean to Be Honored at the University of Mary Washington (NBC 4)
Walking around the campus of the University of Mary Washington with Cedric Rucker is like walking around with a celebrity.

University of Mary Washington renames campus hub to honor trailblazing dean (The Free Lance-Star)
University of Mary Washington renames campus hub to honor trailblazing dean (Culpeper Star-Exponent)
Watch Now: UMW University Center renamed in honor of ’81 grad (Roanoke Times)
A 1981 University of Mary Washington graduate who never ventured far from his alma mater was honored Sunday morning during a ceremony in which the school’s bustling University Center was renamed in his honor.

From humble beginnings in Richmond to a stellar career–and a university building named in his honor (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
The grand, four-story hub of student activity at the University of Mary Washington has a new name: the Cedric Rucker University Center.

 

 

Long-Awaited Reunion Brought Mary Washington Alums ‘Home’

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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 […]

University Center Naming Celebration Honors Rucker

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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 […]

Student Affairs Pros Recognize UMW’s ‘Rock Star’ President

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University of Mary Washington colleagues have long known how committed President Troy D. Paino is to the student experience – and to the faculty and staff who work day in and day out to make it the best it can be. Now, student affairs professionals throughout the Southeastern United States are spreading the news. NASPA, […]

Beloved UMW Tradition ‘Devil-Goat Day’ is Back!

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A uniquely UMW tradition brought an electric vibe to campus yesterday, with the revival of Devil-Goat Day. “It’s the first time back since the pandemic,” said senior Carleigh Rahn. “There’s a new energy.” Music was pumping on Jefferson Square, where a sea of students dressed in red (Devils, who graduate in odd years) and green […]

Eagle Awards Celebrate Campus Leaders, Dean Rucker

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University of Mary Washington senior Brianna Reaves was presented with the Grace Mann Launch Award during the annual Eagle Awards last Thursday. Held in person for the first time since the pandemic, the event honored more than a dozen campus leaders in the University Center’s Chandler Ballroom. A newly established award was presented to Cedric […]

UMW’s ‘Bee’ Leaves Audiences Spellbound

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U-n-e-x-p-e-c-t-e-d. Unexpected. Definition: unforeseen; surprising. Used in a sentence: University of Mary Washington Theatre’s season-closer, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is filled with UNEXPECTED and fun twists. In a battle of spelling prowess, this musical spells out what it’s like to be kids uncomfortable in their own skin and conveys the challenges of […]