Serving Regional and Commonwealth Workforce Needs
As Virginia’s fastest-growing region, Fredericksburg requires educational partnerships that develop talent and drive economic vitality. UMW will expand programs, credentials, and pathways addressing critical workforce needs while enhancing outcomes for students.
Medical School
Sustained regional growth depends on access to high-quality healthcare. We will pursue establishment of a medical school that is built on a public-private partnership with Mary Washington Healthcare that: integrates our liberal arts strengths with cutting-edge medical education, expands the healthcare workforce for Fredericksburg and the Commonwealth, leverages our undergraduate strength in health sciences as a foundation, and addresses physician shortages in underserved communities.
New Academic Programs
We will launch new academic programs aligned with regional workforce demand: Healthcare (Kinesiology, healthcare analytics, healthcare management, pre-physical therapy, anesthesiology assistant program); Business and Technology (entrepreneurship, AI in business, data science, cybersecurity, sports management); Education and Human Development (counseling, social work).
Career Readiness for All Students
Enhance “Life After Mary Washington” support through comprehensive career advising and coaching, growing alumni mentoring networks, pursuing additional employer partnerships and recruiting pipelines, and providing professional development programming throughout the student journey.
Expanded Access Pathways
Articulation agreements with community colleges, dual enrollment partnerships and pathway programs with K-12 schools, enhanced prior learning assessment for veterans and adult learners, and flexible delivery models for these and other non-traditional students to open new ways for citizens throughout the region to join the Mary Washington community.
Applied Credentials and Professional Development
Provide industry-recognized credentials for students, alumni, employees, and regional workforce. Members of the UMW community will have opportunities to maximize the power of their degree through partnerships with credentialing organizations (e.g. Coursera and CompTIA), customized certifications addressing regional needs, and just-in-time upskilling opportunities.