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UMW Awards Faculty as Fall Semester Begins

Before classes are officially in session, the faculty at UMW gather for updates and insights, professional development days and departmental meetings, and an annual tradition of celebrating colleagues who excel in teaching, service and scholarship. Award nominations are received from faculty, staff and students who know these trusted mentors best.

UMW Alumni Association Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award
Supported by the University of Mary Washington Alumni Association, this award is presented to one faculty member who has served at the University for at least two, but no more than five, years and who has already made an exceptional contribution to teaching, scholarship, service, and student mentorship.

Assistant Professor of Biology Laura Sipe joined UMW in 2022 and has quickly distinguished herself as an exceptional educator, researcher, mentor and colleague. Her work in cancer research, her service to the University and her commitment to students reflect the very best of what this award honors.

In the classroom, Sipe brings remarkable creativity and innovation informed by modern biology pedagogy. She helps students build essential competencies, especially critical thinking and communication, and has transformed lecture-heavy upper-level courses into engaging, research-driven learning experiences.

Her impact extends well beyond the classroom through outstanding mentorship and an impressive research program. She has already led 21 undergraduate researchers, guided seven Honors capstones, earned four external undergraduate research grants and a research fellowship at UVA, co-authored five peer-reviewed publications, and supported students whose work has been presented at external conferences and to audiences at both the Virginia State Capitol and the U.S. Capitol.

J. Christopher “Topher” Bill Outstanding Faculty Service Award
This award recognizes outstanding faculty service and honors a colleague whose contributions strengthen the department, the University and the broader community.

Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young, who is known to her students as EJY, is recognized for the breadth of her service and for the spirit with which she approaches it: willingly stepping forward, taking the lead and giving more than the moment requires.

Perhaps her most visible contribution is as co-founder and co-director of UMW’s Summer Enrichment Program, which has grown to welcome over a hundred high school students each summer for an immersive week of college-level coursework and community engagement. The program has become a meaningful opportunity for prospective students and a showcase for the best of what Mary Washington offers.

Her community-minded spirit runs throughout her service portfolio: coordinating ENGL 399: Community Service Learning, serving as Associate Director of the Center for Teaching, contributing to the Writing Intensive Committee as member, secretary and chair, serving on the Institutional Review Board, and participating in the Washington Scholars Interview Committee for four consecutive years. She is, in the words of one colleague, a faculty member who is “significantly and consistently” present — at meetings, at events and wherever she is needed.

Her students describe her with remarkable consistency. One credited the award winner with encouraging her to present research at a national conference and supporting her every step of the way. Another wrote simply: “She leads with kindness and strength and sets an example of what it truly means to be a leader.”

Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award
This award recognizes excellence in graduate teaching, mentorship, scholarship and program development.

Associate Professor of Management Alexandra Dunn, is an exceptional educator, scholar and colleague whose work reflects the highest standards of graduate education. Dunn joined UMW in 2017 and has exemplified excellence in both scholarship and teaching. With an impressive record of more than 20 publications in leading journals and scholarly outlets, she has made meaningful contributions that enhance the University’s academic standing. Her engagement in more than 50 conference presentations — many co-authored with students — reflects not only her intellectual leadership but also her deep commitment to mentorship. She also served as an Editorial Board member for the prestigious Journal of Business and Psychology.

In the classroom, Dunn stands out for her natural ability to connect with students and bring material to life. She creates an engaging, hands-on learning environment where students are encouraged to think critically and apply what they learn. Whether guiding them through real-world HR research projects or helping them reflect on their own leadership development, she ensures they gain both strong analytical skills and practical insight. By using case studies, simulations and data-driven exercises, she moves beyond theory and helps students see how these ideas work in real organizational settings. In addition, she takes the time to provide thoughtful, personalized feedback on every assignment, showing a genuine commitment to her students’ growth.

Waple Faculty Award for Professional Achievement
Established in 2013, the Waple Faculty Award for Professional Achievement recognizes the significance and impact of a faculty member’s scholarly, creative and professional accomplishments.

Associate Professor of Geology Pamela Grothe’s ‘06 decade of remarkable achievement at Mary Washington is notable as a scholar, teacher, mentor and public expert. Her research focuses on climate change, spanning the globe from Kiritimati Island in the central Pacific Ocean to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, with collaborations with scientists at Brown University and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, as well as presentations in Glasgow, Scotland. She has published seven papers in top-tier journals since joining UMW, including co-authoring a paper in Nature, and has two more manuscripts in preparation.

All of her research is conducted in collaboration with students and much of it is supported with funding, including internal funds as well as successful National Science Foundation awards. She has mentored 25 students, who have presented 15 times at leading external conferences in the field.

Outside of the UMW labs, Grothe organizes and hosts sessions for the American Geophysical Union and uses her expertise to engage with the public through media interviews, commentaries and speaking at local and regional events, as well as work with the Clean Energy Subcommittee of Fossil Free Fredericksburg.

Her chair summarized it well, saying, “Her professional accomplishments have solidified her place as a well-respected scholar in climate change studies. In short, her professional activity is remarkable, especially considering her heavy teaching load, and she brings recognition to Mary Washington on the national and international stage.”

Grellet C. Simpson Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
This award, named for former UMW President Grellet C. Simpson and supported by an anonymous donor, recognizes excellence in undergraduate teaching and reflects the University’s enduring commitment to its primary mission as an undergraduate teaching institution.

Associate Professor of Psychology Hilary Stebbins ’01 experienced that mission as a student and as a faculty member, and is an exemplary teacher, mentor of student research and deeply reflective practitioner whose work embodies the spirit of this award.

As a mentor to student teams working at the intersection of biology and psychology, she helps students develop the skills and confidence needed for graduate study and professional careers. She has led multiple research teams on topics such as attentional blindness and sleep that have required her to train students on collecting physiological data from participants. Her students have presented their work at state, regional and national conferences as well as in peer-reviewed journals.

A former student shared, “She sets you up for success by teaching you something and then allowing you the freedom to try it on your own…it constantly felt like she was not only looking out for present day us, but also our future selves.”

Faculty nominators note that she is their ‘go-to-person’ to discuss classroom challenges and teaching ideas, and a colleague summarized it as, “taking her advice has never steered me wrong.” As one nominator observed, “While pedagogy is supposed to be a focus for us all, for Hilary it is a true calling.”