Dear Campus Community,
In many ways we are at the peak of the semester, with the autumn leaves fading and falling into winter months, and our campuses full of activities and excitement.
Just this month, I shared some thoughts on how higher education, and specifically the University of Mary Washington, contributes to the Commonwealth. It is one of our state’s chief competitive advantages, and we lead the nation in internships and talent pathways. That’s particularly true at a liberal arts college such as Mary Washington, where students are prepared to think critically, work collaboratively, communicate well and contribute as engaged citizens. You showcased those attributes through the recent Day on Democracy, and I encourage us as a campus to continue developing these competencies through our curriculum and Life After Mary Washington and sharing what UMW does so well. Our campus was also home to the Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia (NURVa) Conference this fall, as we welcomed more than 80 students and research projects from across the state.
You can hear more about our innovative programs, student leadership and graduate outcomes in our new podcast, now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, YouTube, and more. In “What Matters Most” I interview students, faculty, staff, alumni and colleagues to get to the core of what we do best. From groundbreaking research to creative pursuits, from classroom moments to career milestones, each episode uncovers the heart of a UMW education—and the people who bring it to life. It’s a glimpse of our work on campus and in the many fields that our students and graduates pursue.
Our students’ fieldwork has also been noticed in our athletics arenas. This past weekend, the UMW women’s soccer team defeated 20th-ranked Vassar College and 10th-ranked Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, moving forward to the NCAA Division III Tournament “Sweet 16” round. The Eagles advance to the third round for the eighth time in program history, and the first time since 2004. The field hockey team captured its second consecutive Collegiate Field Hockey Conference championship, finishing with a 14-6 record. Sophomore cross country runners Nicholas Smerlis and Lily Hoffman gained all-region honors at the NCAA South Regional Championships, with Hoffman advancing to the national championships for the second straight year. The men’s basketball team is off to a 4-0 start after advancing to last year’s Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, and ranked 15th in the nation in the national preseason D3Hoops.com coaches and media poll. I encourage you to check out a home game for our winter sports.
As we proceed into the winter months, we’ll also see progress on construction and renovation projects. Seacobeck Hall’s Weatherly Wing is on the schedule for a roof replacement, to be completed during the weekends and winter break, keeping the building open for classes and activities and the lecture and performance hall available during the week. We broke ground for the new locker rooms at the Battleground Athletic Complex, with waterline work and foundation prep happening next. Site preparation will also take place for the new theatre at the corner of William St. and Sunken Road.
We’ve been working on the landscaping around campus as well, or more specifically, the goats have been working to tame the undergrowth. This month we welcomed a herd of goats for a landscaping project in the woods along Sunken Road, and they’ve been a popular addition to campus. No doubt we’ll be talking about goats throughout the year, as it’s also the 100th year of Devil-Goat Day this spring, and these goats are contributing to our ongoing sustainability efforts, which recently received a repeat ranking as a Green College from The Princeton Review too.
All of the accolades this year have given us much to celebrate. We recognized our veterans on campus with a Veterans Day lunch, and soon we’ll have opportunities to enjoy a meal together over Thanksgiving Lunch, thanks to UMW Dining. We also have much to be thankful for, and we appreciate the many friends and donors who make much of this work possible. We gathered for the annual Celebration of Giving last week, and following Thanksgiving, we’ll engage in Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2. Our student organizations had another successful month of Eagle Funding, and soon we’ll be announcing the next opportunity to apply for Impact Grants from the Fund for Mary Washington.
You each have an impact on our campus, and as we approach Thanksgiving Break and final exams, I encourage you to take a moment to take care of yourself and take care of others, as many of you did through donations to the Gwen Hale Resource Center on campus and area food banks. If you need additional support, TimelyCare and the Employee Assistance Program are available 24/7. Our top-ranked Talley Center, which recently earned national recognition as No. 15 Best Student Support and Counseling Services in The Princeton Review, offers many in-person and online resources, and students can log-in directly to timelycare.com/umw. For faculty and staff, information about the Employee Assistance Program, which is available at no cost with state employee health insurance plans, may be accessed through the Human Resources website.
We are eager to finish this semester strong, celebrate together and plan ahead for the spring, which includes an exciting line-up of Great Lives talks, additional opportunities from our many centers, gallery exhibit openings, musical performances and the next shows from UMW Theatre. Plus, you always have a free ticket to regular season home games.
Go Eagles!
Troy Paino