Learning, Innovation, & Community: A Strategic Action Plan for the University of Mary Washington
2026-2031
Introduction
Higher education, like society in general, stands at an inflection point. Today’s liberal arts model faces unprecedented pressures: demographic trends, student debt, employers questioning degree requirements, declining enrollments in humanities and many social science disciplines, and public skepticism about the value of a college degree. Such challenges mask a deeper transformation. Our graduates will enter a world fundamentally reshaped by artificial intelligence and related trends, where the nature of work, learning, and human connection itself is redefined. In an era of frayed social fabric, polarized discourse, and strained democratic institutions, the need for educated citizens who can think critically, engage constructively, and lead with integrity has never been more urgent.
These challenges demand bold reimagination, not incremental adjustments, of what a liberal arts education can and must become. Over the last decade, the University of Mary Washington has built a foundation that positions us for this moment. We have modernized our curriculum for the digital age, embedding digital fluency and experiential learning alongside classic liberal arts traditions, ensuring students gain both depth of knowledge and breadth of capability. We have woven career readiness throughout the student experience—not as an add-on, but as an essential dimension of liberal learning, recognizing that purpose and practical preparation are complementary, not competing, values. We have restructured our three colleges, creating opportunities to create new programs and strategically positioning disciplines to foster the interdisciplinary thinking essential for solving complex 21st-century problems. One constant will define UMW as much going forward as it always has: we educate the entire person.
These innovations in today’s liberal arts are not experimental initiatives. They are proven foundations upon which we now build the next chapter of UMW’s evolution. Many posit an old model that forces false choices: intellectual breadth or career preparation, theoretical knowledge or practical skills, tradition or innovation. We reject these dichotomies. Our students engage multiple fluencies, gain career competencies through experiential learning, and pursue multidisciplinary inquiry that prepares them not merely for their first job but for lifelong learning as well as careers and social challenges that are not yet evident.
As we chart our path forward, we draw upon extraordinary assets that distinguish Mary Washington: our strategic geographic position, outstanding faculty, emphasis on undergraduate research and our community values. Located in a vibrant college town, we occupy the nexus between Richmond and Washington, D.C., in Virginia’s fastest-growing region, positioning us at the intersection of opportunity, history, and innovation. We are an institution that cares deeply about teaching, learning, and scholarship built upon close personal relationships grounded in honor, integrity, and service.
This strategic action plan for 2026-2031 builds on our strong foundation to accelerate transformation, scale innovation, and demonstrate that the future of higher education isn’t something we await—it’s something we create, semester by semester, student by student, breakthrough by breakthrough. It’s also not an either/or proposition or being for or against. In fact, this plan rejects false dichotomies such as those which would pit AI enthusiasts against its critics or the implication that we are either a liberal arts school or one that takes the workforce needs of the region we serve seriously.
This plan’s four strategic priorities are designed to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. We will revolutionize the liberal arts, remaining true to our core mission while ensuring our graduates are prepared to thrive in today’s society and that of tomorrow. Our focus on serving regional and Commonwealth needs directly addresses economic transformation, prepares students for emerging careers, and supports the vitality and health of our communities consistent with our liberal arts traditions. Cultivating community, engagement, belonging, and school spirit strengthens the social fabric and civic life of our campus and region, fostering leaders who value inclusion and collaboration. Finally, building campus infrastructure for tomorrow ensures that our physical and digital environments support innovation, sustainability, and universal access, all foundations for success in the decades ahead.
Strategic Priorities
This plan’s four strategic priorities are designed to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.
Conclusion
This strategic plan is both ambitious and achievable. It builds on proven strengths, addresses genuine challenges, and positions the University of Mary Washington to lead in reimagining liberal arts education for a transformed world. Our success will be measured not just in facilities built or programs launched, but in graduates who think critically, lead ethically, adapt continuously, and contribute meaningfully to their communities and professions.
The future of higher education will be written by institutions courageous enough to change. At the University of Mary Washington, that future is already being written—in our classrooms and laboratories, on our stages and athletic fields, in our academic buildings and residence halls, in our partnerships and innovations. This plan accelerates that work, inviting our entire community—students, faculty, staff, alumni, and regional partners—to join in creating an institution worthy of the moment and the students we serve.