April 23, 2024

UMW’s ASPIRE Values Promoted at AAC&U Conference

Vice President for Equity and Access Sabrina Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair, and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker at AAC&U Diversity, Equity, and Student Success Conference in Pittsburgh.

Vice President for Equity and Access Sabrina Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair, and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker at AAC&U Diversity, Equity, and Student Success Conference in Pittsburgh.

Vice President for Equity and Access Sabrina Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair, and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker presented a poster session on UMW’s ASPIRE community values, The Value of Community Values, at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Diversity, Equity, and Student Success Conference in Pittsburgh on Friday, March 29.

 

UMW to Hold 24th Annual Multicultural Fair, April 12

The University of Mary Washington will hold its 24th annual Multicultural Fair on Saturday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The outdoor fair, organized by the James Farmer Multicultural Center, is one of the largest annual events at UMW, attracting more than 4,000 attendees each year. The Multicultural Fair demonstrates UMW’s commitment to multicultural awareness through a variety of ethnic performances, food and craft vendors. The fair also features kid-friendly crafts, activities and performances.

The annual Multicultural Fair is one of the most attended events at UMW.

The annual Multicultural Fair is one of the most attended events at UMW.

Throughout the day, more than 30 music and dance groups will perform across campus, including Save the Arcadian, a local folk-pop band, Calico Cloggers, Sons of Solomon and the Muggivan School of Irish Dance. A dozen UMW student groups will also perform, including BellACapella, UMW’s all-female a capella group, Eagle Bhangra and the UMW Salsa Club.

This year’s fair will feature more than 50 vendors selling an array of jewelry, pottery, instruments and traditional clothing representing various cultures and food trucks from different cuisines.

The Multicultural Fair will be held rain or shine and is free and open to the public. For more information, including a full list of performers, visit http://umw.edu/multicultural/fair or contact the James Fair Multicultural Center at (540) 654-1044.

A Second Chance

Nicole Dobson never saw the truck that changed her life. She was asleep in the backseat when the 18-wheeler slammed into her parents’ minivan, sending it toppling head over tail and tossing Dobson 30 feet from the car. When she woke up three weeks later, the vibrant eighth-grade field hockey player was gone.

A Second Chance

Tragedy inspired Nicole Dobson '15 to champion students with disabilities.

UMW Dedicates Lecture Hall for Civil Rights Leader, Nov. 15

The University of Mary Washington will dedicate a lecture hall in honor of civil rights leader James L. Farmer, Jr. during a ceremony on Friday, Nov. 15. The ceremony, which will begin at 4 p.m. in Monroe Hall, Room 116, is open to the public.

The bust of civil rights leader James Farmer overlooks Campus Walk. Farmer taught at Mary Washington for about a dozen years until his death in 1998.

The bust of civil rights leader James Farmer overlooks Campus Walk. Farmer taught at Mary Washington for about a dozen years until his retirement in 1998.

Farmer, founder of the Congress of Racial Equality and one of the “Big Four,” worked closely with Martin Luther King, Jr. on nonviolent protests to eliminate racial inequality. Farmer taught the history of the civil rights movement to Mary Washington students for about a dozen years before his retirement in 1998. That year, President Bill Clinton awarded Farmer the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Several UMW entities bear Farmer’s name, including the James Farmer Multicultural Center and the James Farmer Scholars Program.

“Our dedication of the lecture hall is to honor a man who changed our nation, our way of life, and in his later years our understanding of the civil rights movement,” said Leah Cox, special assistant for diversity and inclusion.

Georgia State Sen. Nan Orrock ’65 will deliver a keynote address for the occasion. Orrock has served in the Georgia state legislature since 1987, including as House Majority Whip and committee chair. Her engagement with public policy dates back to her participation in the 1963 March on Washington, an experience that has led to a lifetime of activism.

President Richard V. Hurley and the Board of Visitors also will be on-hand for the commemoration.

UMW Bell Rings to Observe March on Washington Anniversary

The University of Mary Washington observed the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington on Wednesday, August 28. The march and rally, which took place on August 28, 1963, brought together more than 200,000 people on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and became known as a watershed moment for the civil rights movement.

People walk past a stone marking the spot where Dr. Martin Luther King made his 1963 speech on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial August 27, 2003 in Washington DC. The 40th anniversary of of Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech will be marked on August 28. King made his speech during a rally at the memorial.  (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images/Courtesy of istockphoto)

People walk past a stone marking the spot where Dr. Martin Luther King made his 1963 speech on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial. The 50th anniversary of of Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech was marked on August 28. King made his speech during a rally at the memorial. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images/Courtesy of istockphoto)

At 3 p.m., the bell tolled on the Fredericksburg campus, joining the nationwide “Let Freedom Ring” celebration. Throughout the day, students, faculty and staff recited excerpts from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech” in a video that appeared on television screens across the campus. The anniversary march and presidential speech in Washington, D.C., was broadcast at the Underground on the Fredericksburg campus.

“The march was a momentous occasion during the civil rights movement, because it was attended by so many followed by the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” said Leah Cox, special assistant for diversity and inclusion. “This moment was further enhanced by Dr. King’s speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Fifty years later we are still working to achieve social justice for many groups with the issues that are now confronting our nation. It’s a renewal of our commitment to achieving equality.”

The UMW commemoration also honored the work of civil rights leader and former UMW Professor James L. Farmer Jr., who founded the Congress of Racial Equality. One of the “Big Four,” Farmer worked closely with King on nonviolent protests to eliminate racial inequality. On the day King delivered his famous speech, Farmer was in jail for “disturbing the peace” in Plaquemine, La.  He sent his own speech to the March on Washington, which was read by a CORE aide: “We will not stop,” Farmer wrote, “until the dogs stop biting us in the South and the rats stop biting us in the North.”

Farmer taught the history of the civil rights movement to Mary Washington students for about a dozen years before his retirement in 1998. That year, President Bill Clinton awarded Farmer the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Click here to view the embedded video.

UMW Named One of Top 100 Producers of Minority Degrees

The University of Mary Washington is listed among the top 100 producers of minority degrees for 2013 by the publication Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. The special report lists higher education institutions whose commitment to diversity translates into measurable results from their graduation numbers.

UMW is listed among the top 100 producers of minority degrees for 2013 by the publication Diverse: Issues In Higher Education.

UMW is listed among the top 100 producers of minority degrees for 2013 by the publication Diverse: Issues In Higher Education.

UMW was ranked eighth for Hispanic graduates with master’s degrees in management information systems, 24th for African American graduates with master’s degrees in management information systems and 23rd for all minority groups in the master’s degrees in management information systems category.

UMW also was ranked in the top 100 for African American graduates with bachelor’s degrees in interdisciplinary studies.

The ranking system used an analysis of U.S. Department of Education reports submitted by institutions. Rankings are based on the review of 2011-2012 preliminary data.

For a full list, visit http://diverseeducation.com/top100/.

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News release prepared by: Brynn Boyer               

UMW Announces Citizenship Award for Diversity Leadership

Drema Khraibani of Woodbridge, Va., has been named the 2012-2013 recipient of the University of Mary Washington’s Citizenship Award for Diversity Leadership.

The annual award is given to a rising senior enrolled as a full-time student in an undergraduate degree program at UMW. The student must possess characteristics of leadership and a personal commitment to advocating an appreciation for diversity and inclusion on campus.

As the award recipient, Khraibani will serve as an active spokesperson for diversity inclusion, a peer mentor to students and a voice for underrepresented populations, while maintaining high academic standards.

Khraibani, an environmental science and secondary education double major, is a student representative for the President’s Council on Sustainability, the Fredericksburg Forum and the RISE Peer Mentor Program. She is a member and past president of the Islamic Student Association and is an active member of Kappa Delta Pi, an education honor society. Khraibani, daughter of Mohamed Khraibani of Lorton and Donna Bailey of Woodbridge, is a 2009 graduate of Freedom High School.

Day of Silence, 4/20

It is that time of year again – the UMW Day of Silence is Friday, April 20.  If your department didn’t donate, you can still get a shirt!

If you are unfamiliar with what the Day of Silence is, check out this video by Anand Rao’s Social Movements Class from Spring 2011:

Come to the front of Lee Hall between 11 and 2 this week and next week until we run out!

 

Latino Identities Month 2011 “Our Heritage is a Celebration”

Rich in heritage and history, the Latino culture embodies the essence of diversity. As we learn and understand the significant impact this fascinating culture has had within the United States and beyond, our society will begin to understand the unique threads that fuse individuals from an array of backgrounds and interests together into one harmonious celebration of life. Exploring the various ethnicities that personify the Latino culture, the Latino Student Association  and James Farmer Multicultural Center invite you on a journey to travel the world in order to celebrate our heritage and yours!

Kickoff Celebration

Featuring Kevin Davis and Ban Caribe

September 15| 4-6 p.m.| Ball Circle

(Rain location: Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center)

Begin the journey of exploring Latino culture through a celebration that fuses food, live entertainment, and fun. Meet members of the Latino Student Association and discover what wonderful programs are featured throughout the month.

Latino Culture in the United States

D.R.E.A.M. Act or Nightmare?

Exploring the Impact of the D.R.E.A.M. Act on the U.S. Economy and Educational System

September 19| 6 p.m.| Lee Hall, 411

Facilitated by UMW Associate Professor College of Business , Raul Chavez

Cultural Awareness Series & Latino Identities Month Keynote Speaker Bobby González

September 21| 7 p.m.| Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center

Bobby González is a nationally known multicultural motivational speaker, storyteller, and poet. Born and raised in the South Bronx, New York City, González grew up in a bicultural environment. He draws on his Native American − Taino − and Latino − Puerto Rican − roots to offer a unique repertoire of discourses, readings, and performances that celebrates his indigenous heritage.

Latino Culture in Central America and the Caribbean

Please Don’t Stop the Music: An Exploration of Latin Roots in Popular Music

September 26| 6 p.m.| Lee Hall, 411

Zumba Bash

Featuring Certified Zumba Instructor, Carlos Reyes

September 28| 6 p.m.| Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center

(Recommended for adult audiences)

Latino Culture in South America

Read Between the Lines…

Literary Seminar highlighting authors Gabriel Garcia Marquez &Mario Vargas Llosa

October 3| 6p.m.| Lee Hall, 411

Facilitated by UMW Assistant Professor of Spanish, Mariá Laura Bocaz

Taste of Latino Culture

Dinner Theatre Featuring Quique Aviles

October 5| 5-7 p.m.| Faculty/Staff Dining Room, Seacobeck Hall

Combining authentic South American cuisine and the poetic talents of Quique Aviles, participants are invited to continue their journey and celebration of Latino culture and heritage. Quique Aviles is a poet and performer whose talents address social issues. A native of El Salvador and a graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Quique has been writing and performing in the United States for over 20 years. His poetry has been featured on NPR’s “Latino USA” and on subway posters through Washington’s “Metro Muse.” A 1991 recipient of the Washington, DC Mayor’s Arts Awards, he is founder and artistic director of Sol & Soul, where he continues a lifelong commitment to mentoring emerging artists and helping young people find their voice.

Latino Culture in Spain & Beyond

Is the World Going Broke?

The Economic and Cultural State of Spain

October 10| 6 p.m.| Lee Hall, 411

Feria

October 12| 4-6 p.m.| Ball Circle

(Rain location: Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center)

The Latino Identities Month cultural journey culminates with a celebration filled with an array of festivities to include live entertainment, dancing, and a fashion show provided by members of the UMW campus community.