December 8, 2025

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Alumni Relations Cider Tasting with Wild Hare

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Wild Hare CiderCalling all Northwest Virginia and North Central Virginia alumni, plus those in nearby regions! Join us for a virtual cider tasting with Wild Hare Cider.

How does a virtual cider tasting work?

When you register, you will receive a confirmation email with a coupon code and a Zoom link. Anytime before the event, stop by one of Wild Hare’s 3 locations (Leesburg, Middleburg, or Warrenton) and pick up your discounted 4-pack of cider. On the night of the tasting, join our Zoom session. We’ll taste each cider as a Wild Hare representative gives us the background on each flavor and discusses the process of making the cider.

Wednesday, September 23
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Online (via Zoom)

After the tasting, there will be time to reconnect virtually with other Mary Washington alumni. We are sending this invitation not only to Northwest and North Central Virginia alumni, but also to alumni in Fredericksburg, DC, and other nearby networks. Join us!

We look forward to seeing you online!

Register

Read ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ with UMW Book Club

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Looking for a way to stay connected to other alumni? We are beginning the next round of reading in our online literary group–the Mother of All Book Clubs!

Alumni read and discuss via a private Facebook group, so only approved members can see posts or participate in the discussion. This is informal and low-pressure–read along with us and chime in on the discussion as much or as little as you like.

Our next selection is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot. Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman whose cells were removed and then cultured without her permission during cancer treatment in the 1950s. In the decades since–and still today–her cells have been reproduced and used in 60,000 medical research studies all over the world. Lacks’ cells have benefited global society immeasurably.

From a review in The New York Times: “…Rebecca Skloot introduces us to the ‘real live woman,’ the children who survived her, and the interplay of race, poverty, science, and one of the most important medical discoveries of the last 100 years. Skloot narrates the science lucidly, tracks the racial politics of medicine thoughtfully, and tells the Lacks family’s often painful history with grace. She also confronts the spookiness of the cells themselves, intrepidly crossing into the spiritual plane on which the family has come to understand their mother’s continued presence in the world. Science writing is often just about ‘the facts.’ ­Skloot’s book, her first, is far deeper, braver and more wonderful.”

Pick up a copy of the book and start reading–we will begin posting discussion questions on Monday, August 24. You might have a small-business bookseller you like to support, or you might want to try your local library system, some of which even offer ebooks. But if you need the book shipped, below are some links to larger online providers.

We look forward to reading with you!

 

All the best,

The Alumni Relations Team

 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Target

James Farmer Multicultural Center Thanks #UMWRun4Justice Participants

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The James Farmer Multicultural Center thanks everyone who participated in the Virtual #UMWRun4Justice 5K this past weekend, especially UMW Women’s Lacrosse and Coach Maddie Taghon, Women of Color, and the Black Student Association, as well Alumni Relations for help with spreading the word. The event raised $2900 that will be used in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and other social justice initiatives at UMW. The desire is to create opportunities to help open conversations and develop a more inclusive campus. Please enjoy the video below of JFMC Director Marion Sanford thanking participants.

 

 

Alumnus Earns Competitive Fellowship to Teach Constitution

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2006 graduate Sam Ulmschneider (left), a global studies and history teacher based in Richmond, was recently named Virginia’s 2020 recipient of the James Madison Fellowship.

2006 graduate Sam Ulmschneider (left), a global studies and history teacher based in Richmond, was recently named Virginia’s 2020 recipient of the James Madison Fellowship.

Persistence paid off for UMW graduate Sam Ulmschneider.

The global studies and history teacher was recently named Virginia’s 2020 recipient of the James Madison Fellowship – on his fourth attempt to earn the award.

The $24,000 prize is given to just one recipient per state each year to promote outstanding teaching of the U.S. Constitution in secondary schools. It will allow Ulmschneider to pursue a second master’s degree while he continues to teach gifted high schoolers at his other alma mater, Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School in Richmond.

Two of Ulmschneider’s previous fellowship applications resulted in his being named a runner-up. Undiscouraged, he kept applying, a process that included a lot of essay-writing. “I felt like my students do when they’re filling out their college applications,” he said.

His own education at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School – and the Advanced Placement credits he earned there – allowed him to focus on his academic interests almost immediately at UMW.

“The advising system was wonderful, and it’s one of the things I took away from Mary Washington,” said Ulmschneider, who double majored in history and philosophy with a minor in religion, and joined the University’s club fencing team. Read more.

Doctor Supports Veterans, the Underserved

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1999 Mary Washington alumnus Dr. Anthony D. Jones’ military-focused medical career has also allowed him to volunteer his services to those with HIV and other underserved patients. Photo by Clement Britt

1999 Mary Washington alumnus Dr. Anthony D. Jones’ military-focused medical career has also allowed him to volunteer his services to those with HIV and other underserved patients. Photo by Clement Britt.

This story, written by Daryl Lease ’85, originally appeared in the University of Mary Washington Magazine’s spring/summer 2020 issue.

As a pre-med student at Mary Washington, Anthony D. Jones ’99 volunteered at the nearby Lloyd Moss Free Clinic, shadowing doctors as they provided care to low-income residents, including patients with HIV/AIDS. The experience helped set him on a path of serving the underserved.

“Back then, having HIV was more or less a death sentence,” Jones recalled. “The physicians at the clinic showed a whole lot of compassion taking care of HIV patients. That left a good impression on me.”

Today, the physician is chief medical officer of the Military Entrance Processing Station at Fort Lee, Virginia, and works for Veterans Evaluation Services in Richmond, where he conducts compensation exams for veterans, and recently assisted in daily COVID-19 briefings for a division in the Department of Defense.

He also volunteered at a Virginia Department of Health men’s clinic focused on sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Through the nonprofit Minority Health Consortium, he has provided HIV testing and assisted with care coordination for newly diagnosed HIV patients. Read more.

Read ‘THE FEATHER THIEF’ with the Mother of All Book Clubs

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Looking for a way to stay connected to other alumni? We are beginning the third round of reading in our online literary group–the Mother of All Book Clubs!

Alumni read and discuss via a private Facebook group, so only approved members can see posts or participate in the discussion. This is informal and low-pressure–read along with us and chime in on the discussion as much or as little as you like.

Our next selection is The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century, by Kirk Wallace Johnson. The Feather Thief is the colorful tale of a bizarre crime; it promises to read like a classic thriller made more fascinating by the fact that it’s nonfiction.

From a review in The New York Times: “In June 2009, Edwin Rist, a 20-year-old American flutist studying at the Royal Academy of Music, smashed a window at the Museum of Natural History in Tring, near London, and pulled off one of the more bizarre robberies of recent decades. Under the nose of a hapless security guard, Rist ransacked storage drawers and absconded with the preserved skins of 299 tropical birds, including specimens collected by the legendary naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in the mid-19th century.” Why did he commit the crime, and what happened afterward?

Pick up a copy of the book and start reading–we will begin posting discussion questions on Monday, July 13. You might have a small-business bookseller you like to support, or you might want to try your local library system, as many offer ebook rentals. But if you need the book shipped, below are some links to larger online providers.

We look forward to reading with you!

 

All the best,
The Alumni Relations Team

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Target

Mary Talks: ‘COVID-19 and Climate’ with Dr. Pamela Grothe

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Join us ONLINE for the next Mary Talk of the year.

This year’s series continues with Dr. Pamela Grothe, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences, presenting “COVID-19 and Climate: What Impact is the Pandemic Having on the Environment?”

In her research, Dr. Grothe uses natural archives to reconstruct the climate hundreds to thousands of years ago. This creates a baseline of natural climate variability so we can better understand humans’ contribution to present-day climate. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of addressing the climate crisis. With global economies shut down, we have seen reports in the news about better air quality and lower carbon emissions. This Talk will discuss the immediate and long-term environmental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons learned as we tackle the looming climate crisis.

Wednesday, June 10

7:30 p.m.

Online

To watch the Talk online, register here. You then will receive a link to the streaming video, which can be watched live or at a later time. You also will have the opportunity to submit questions to be asked of the speaker at the end of the Talk.

Note: Online viewing is the only option for this Mary Talk, as we are not conducting any in-person events at this time.

We look forward to seeing you online!

Read ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ with the Mother of All Book Clubs

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Looking for a way to stay connected to other alumni during this challenging time? We are beginning the second round of reading in our online literary group–the Mother of All Book Clubs!

Alumni read and discuss via a private Facebook group, so only approved members can see posts or participate in the discussion. This is informal and low-pressure–read along with us and chime in on the discussion as much or as little as you like.

Our next selection is Dear Evan Hansen, by Steven Levenson. “A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed could be his. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to belong. Deeply personal and profoundly universal, Dear Evan Hansen is a groundbreaking American musical about truth, fiction, and the price we’re willing to pay for the possibility to connect.”

Dear Evan Hansen was UMW’s Common Read experience for 2017 and is an ongoing Broadway hit. This book should prompt some good discussions about ethics, mental health, and the impact of social media on our society and relationships. It also is uplifting and warm, with an award-winning soundtrack. Recently, the UMW Theatre department adapted a song from the soundtrack and released it on social media, where it received praise on the show’s social media as well.

Please note that we are reading the actual screenplay of the Broadway production. There are other publications, including a novelization, by the same name. Use the links here and confirm the author to ensure you obtain the correct text.

Pick up a copy of the book and start reading–we will begin posting discussion questions on Monday, May 25. You might have a small-business bookseller you like to support, or you might want to try your local library system, as many offer ebook rentals. But if you need the book shipped, below are some links to larger online providers.

We look forward to reading with you!

All the best,
The Alumni Relations Team

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Target

UMW Faculty Teach “Chemistry in the Kitchen”

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Join us online for virtual programming from UMW Alumni and UMW’s chemistry faculty

UMW chemistry professors will present “Chemistry in the Kitchen” in three Lunchtime Learning sessions. These sessions will feature chemistry experiments that you can do yourself at home in your kitchen. Watch and enjoy, or conduct your own experiments along with us–we will send a supply list ahead of time so you can join in, if desired.

Each session will focus on a different topic:

Tuesday: Intermolecular Interactions with Dr. Leanna Giancarlo

Wednesday: Polymers with Dr. Kelli Slunt

Thursday: Sustainability with Dr. Janet Asper

Tuesday-Thursday, June 2-4

12:00-1:00 p.m. each day

Online

These experiments are designed for children in fourth-eighth grades, but likely will be entertaining for children outside that range as well.

Join us for one, two, or all three sessions–just pick which you want in the registration form. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email that includes a link to the Zoom sessions. You also will be sent a supply list in advance of the program.

We look forward to seeing you online!

Visualizing a Virus: Alum’s Art Captures Emotions of a Pandemic

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Fine-arts potter Hadrian Mendoza is shown with some of his earlier works. The 1996 Mary Washington graduate is currently working on several commissioned coronavirus sculptures. Photo Credit: Hadrian Mendoza.

Fine-arts potter Hadrian Mendoza is shown with some of his earlier works. The 1996 Mary Washington graduate is currently working on several commissioned coronavirus sculptures. Photo Credit: Hadrian Mendoza.

Hadrian Mendoza isn’t glorifying the novel coronavirus at the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. But in images of the tiny particle, he sees more than fear, suffering, loss and grief.

To Mendoza, a 1996 Mary Washington graduate and internationally known fine-arts potter, viruses have long represented a fascinating intersection of danger and beauty. Starting in 2016, he began creating sculptural interpretations of viruses – his creations then were hollow spheres with sharp, spiny protrusions that served both to balance and to convey threat.

In early March, when Mendoza’s family found themselves isolating in their Arlington, Virginia, townhouse, the idea “crept back into my mind,” he said. From his makeshift front-porch studio, he conceived a sculptural version of a coronavirus. It’s less a rendering of the actual virus than a reimagining that captures the many emotions engendered by the pandemic. The result is art at its most timely, a reflection of current events and of the universal attempt to contain and control what affects us.

A business administration major in his Mary Washington days, Mendoza takes seriously the financial aspects of his artistic profession. He already has three commissions for versions of the coronavirus, all from collectors in his native Philippines, where he has held two solo exhibitions a year for 12 years.

It is satisfying, he said of his current work, “to take something negative and bring something positive out of it.” Read more.