Dear UMW Community,
This is an especially busy time of year as we begin to wrap up the semester by preparing for final exams, grading papers, and completing research projects, as well as participating in many wonderful end-of-year celebrations, traditions, and events. There is much to do and much to celebrate.
As we wind down the semester, I invite you to attend the 19th Annual Student Research and Creativity Symposium on Friday, April 25, as we showcase student scholarly research, creative projects, oral presentations, and performances across campus. This event celebrates the culmination of tremendous effort, ingenuity, and perseverance, as well as the meaningful and enriching relationships between our faculty, staff, and students.
Our students continue to exemplify outstanding scholarship, integrity, and leadership in and out of the classroom. Rylie Vann and Daphne Bobb were recognized as the best and brightest honors students in Virginia and West Virginia at the 2025 Virginias Collegiate Honors Council (VCHC) Conference. At the Eagle Innovation StartUp Pitch Competition, Mary Washington seniors, Taylor Munger, Katie Reif, and Helen Worku, claimed first prize. In addition, 57 UMW juniors and seniors were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society, with Carleigh Wood receiving the Roy H. Smith Phi Beta Kappa Award for her significant academic accomplishments. Congratulations to all of these students!
Many departments are sharing news from conference presentations nationwide and recognizing students inducted into honor societies or earning Eagle Awards. Please continue to share these successes and read more in our EagleEye employee newsletter.
UMW has also garnered national attention, most recently recognized among the “Best Graduate Schools in America” by Money, earning a spot as one of 33 colleges nationwide in the “Best MBA Programs for Your Money” category for 2025. And, UMW’s College of Education was recently honored for A+ achievement by the Virginia Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators (VACTE), recognizing the exceptional efforts of Grace Sylvia, Sarah Batchelor, and Christy Irish.
At its April 11 meeting, the Board of Visitors set tuition and fees for the 2025-2026 academic year, including a 2.5% tuition increase for undergraduate and graduate students and a 4% mandatory comprehensive fee increase. These increases help to ensure that UMW maintains its educational distinction, as well as support state-mandated compensation actions, an increase in minimum wage and employee health insurance benefits, and increases in the cost of goods. For 2025-26, housing rates will increase by 2%. Dining rates will remain unchanged.
At the 2025 Student Showcase and Scholarship Luncheon in March, we recognized UMW students who have received grants or scholarships from generous donors who are just a few of many who collectively gave gifts and pledges totaling over $14.5M in the last fundraising year alone. And, initial counts indicate that this year’s #MaryWashDay on April 2 and 3 was the most successful one to date with donations totaling more than $1.2M within a 24-hour period. We are most appreciative of the many donors who love Mary Washington, our students, and our programs, offering support that is crucial for our reaching our goals and remaining steadfast in aligning with our mission.
We continue to serve our region and connect with the alumni who call UMW home, particularly as they may be pursuing a career change or an unanticipated job search and require additional educational expertise. Our Center for Career and Professional Development, Continuing and Professional Studies, and Office of Alumni Engagement have collaborated to collect career resources – from Network MaryWash to professional and personal development courses – that can help our community members level up a job search. It all comes together in a mini-conference on May 15, offered in person and virtually, with registration open now.
And, for our soon-to-be-grads, and to the students finishing the final stretch of the semester, please utilize the many resources on campus over these final weeks, including the Center for Career and Professional Development, Speaking and Writing Center, the Digital Knowledge Center, the Simpson Library, TimelyCare, the Gwen Hale Resource Center, and more.
We can’t wait to celebrate your accomplishments. The 114th Commencement ceremony is scheduled for Sat., May 10 at 9 a.m. on Ball Circle. Thank you to the Facilities Services grounds crews who work tirelessly, keeping our campus beautiful, especially at this time of year. And, we welcome alumna, Melanie Kay-Wyatt ’92, M.Ed. ‘07, superintendent of Alexandria City Public Schools, as this year’s commencement speaker. Please join me in honoring our graduates and celebrating with the many families who gather on campus.
UMW’s mission is more important now than ever before. I know that many are unsettled in the times in which we are living and that our geographic location is such that our community is impacted in ways that aren’t shared equally across the Commonwealth. UMW is mission bound to a philosophical tradition that asserts humans are created equal and free, people are sovereign, government’s powers are limited and defined by laws, and everyone is subject to the same rules and enjoys the same rights – these are fundamental propositions that are central to who we are. Preparing students to live responsibly and productively in a society based on these propositions is why UMW exists.
UMW’s public purpose based on these principles is non-negotiable. It is why we receive public funding, and it is core to the Jeffersonian ideal for higher education’s purpose in the Commonwealth. If we are in an era where institutions such as UMW are in question, we have even more reason to demonstrate how our mission is invaluable to the concerns of all citizens, especially those we serve most directly in the greater Fredericksburg region. And, now is the time to expand our mission’s reach and remind those whose tax dollars support us that the education we provide is here so individuals, communities, and our democracy can thrive.
I look forward to seeing you at the 99th Devil-Goat Day on Ball Circle tomorrow. And, on Friday, don’t miss the inaugural Bash on Ball event – join in the fun as we celebrate the last day of classes with activities, music, food, and a movie on Ball Circle. I wish you a wonderful summer, full of research, study, exploration, and time with family and friends.
Sincerely,
Troy Paino