Monday, November 5

Telling the story of the University of Mary Washington and its vibrant, welcoming campus is one of my favorite things to do. On Monday morning I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Jim Brown, three-time Emmy Award winning producer and director, as part of a new video project for the University of Mary Washington. The video will feature UMW students, faculty, and alumni in a presentation that showcases student life, the commitment to community service, the quality of our expert faculty, and this amazingly beautiful campus. Later this week, I will travel to Atlanta to meet with alumni and prospective students to talk about our University. It is always heartwarming to see loyal and enthusiastic alumni and friends of the University in cities around the country, hearing them share their experiences and memories from Mary Washington. … [Read more...]

Wednesday, October 17

The University of Mary Washington celebrated the dedication and efforts of our excellent university staff members yesterday at the annual Fall Luncheon. I had the opportunity to deliver an update on the university and to extend my sincere gratitude for the service of our staff. It is their hard work and hospitality that create a welcoming, warm environment for our students and visitors.  I enjoyed the chance to show my sincere appreciation to the members of the UMW family. Looking forward, the University will come to life with school spirit during Homecoming, October 19-21. It is always a pleasure to see students cheering on their teams at sporting events and visit with UMW alumni reuniting through networking and social events. Congratulations and welcome home to members of the Class of 2007, who will be celebrating their fifth-year class reunion. … [Read more...]

Monday, October 8

Last week I had the opportunity to travel to New York City to meet with a large and enthusiastic group of UMW alumni.  It was great to hear the interesting life stories of these Mary Washington graduates, who are working in careers from Broadway and television shows to Wall Street finance.  In addition, I met personally with prospective UMW students and their families for an admissions recruitment event. On Saturday, I was privileged to offer welcome remarks to the 2012 Poverty Action Conference, which was hosted on the Mary Washington campus. More than 100 students from colleges and universities throughout the nation attended the event to learn about global poverty issues and development projects ranging from education to microfinance.  UMW economics professor, Shawn Humphrey, was the prime organizer of this conference. … [Read more...]

Monday, October 1

September was a whirlwind of events at the University of Mary Washington. On Thursday, September 20, the Board of Visitors arrived at the university to begin their annual September meeting with the Convergence Center Groundbreaking ceremony. The next day, Friday, September 21, the university held two more ceremonies: a groundbreaking ceremony for the Eagle Village Hyatt Place Hotel and a re-dedication for the Mason and Randolph residence hall complex. The weekend also featured an event-filled Family Weekend at UMW, and we welcomed more than 800 parents and families to the Fredericksburg campus for academic open houses, faculty lectures, and a cookout on Ball Circle.  In addition, my wife, Rose, and I greeted more than 400 students and family members who visited our historic home, Brompton, during Family Weekend. UMW finished September by hosting the annual Alzheimer’s Walk on Saturday, September 29 on the Fredericksburg campus. I am grateful to all of the students and community … [Read more...]

Wednesday, September 5

The new semester is off to an invigorating start with classes, campus events, and more. This week I will be attending the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Reception for Stafford Technology + Research Center. UMW is a lead educational partner in this project to create the center at Quantico. The center will provide the synergy for 21st Century business and academic expansion in the southern I-95 Corridor of Northern Virginia. Also this week, the Free Lance Star will visit campus to discuss my personal experience with Alzheimer’s disease. The interview is in preparation for the Alzheimer’s Walk on Saturday, September 29 in Jefferson Square on the Fredericksburg campus. … [Read more...]

Tuesday, August 28

The beginning of the fall semester is an invigorating time on campus. With the arrival of new students and the return of current students, the University comes to life overnight and buzzes with energy and excitement. I particularly enjoyed welcoming the new freshman and transfer students to UMW.  I made the rounds in residence halls during move-in and it was wonderful to meet so many students and parents from both near and far. Last week was filled with Orientation activities including welcome sessions, information fairs, and barbeques. Highlights of the week included the Eagle Gathering, a candlelight ceremony on Ball Circle, and Honor Convocation, a celebration of our values of personal honor and integrity at the University. New students were also welcomed to the lawn of Brompton, the president’s home, for an ice-cream party. As classes begin this week, I wish all of our students a happy and successful semester… … [Read more...]

Wednesday, July 25

I am excited to welcome Dr. David Sam, President of Germanna Community College, and his senior administrative team to UMW for the signing of a new agreement between our two institutions.  This agreement will enable Germanna students to pursue co-enrollment course work at Mary Washington while completing their associate degree programs at GCC.  This is but one example of our commitment to facilitating the transfer from the Virginia Community College System into UMW and to promoting the educational and economic interests of the citizens of our region.  We greatly value our partnership with Germanna Community College. I also look forward to the opening of a new exhibit of the Dahlgren Heritage Museum.  The exhibit will be hosted at the University of Mary Washington Dahlgren Campus and will include a special segment on "Women in Science and Technology at Dahlgren."  We are very pleased to offer our newest UMW campus as the site for such an important and significant display and … [Read more...]

Monday, July 16

Later this week, the Board of Visitors will convene for its annual planning retreat in Williamsburg.  The retreat will open with an orientation session for new Board members. This will be followed by a joint meeting with the UMW Foundation Board, which will be holding its annual retreat at the same location.  The remainder of the agenda will include sessions on strategic vision, academics, marketing efforts, finance, and fund raising.  The retreat will conclude with closed sessions for presidential goal-setting and annual appraisal, followed by the election of Board officers.  The full agenda may be accessed at:  http://www.boarddocs.com/va/umw/Board.nsf On Tuesday, July 17 the Higher Education Advisory Committee (HEAC) will meet at the Patrick Henry Building in Richmond.  As a member of this body, I will be participating in the meeting.  The agenda includes a review and discussion of performance measures, a presentation on defining financial aid, and a presentation on ODU’s work … [Read more...]

Monday, July 9

In the week ahead, I look forward to visiting with friends and supporters of the University during a brief trip to Pennsylvania.  It is always enjoyable to meet with those who share the commitment to Mary Washington and who are engaged in our strategic efforts to continually advance the institution. I look forward to welcoming to Brompton the students who are part of UMW’s Student Transition Program.  This is a very important and successful program, designed to advance the University’s goals to be a diverse and inclusive community.  We will be hosting a dessert reception at the president’s home to honor these students. … [Read more...]

Monday, July 2

The Board of Regents of the James Monroe Law Office Museum and Memorial Library is meeting on Monday, July 2.  The Board, appointed by the Governor of Virginia, is comprised of representatives from the University and the James Monroe Memorial Foundation.  I am very excited about the opportunity for the members of this body to work together to provide advice to the UMW Board of Visitors and to promote and publicize the life and accomplishments of President James Monroe. I want to wish the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the University of Mary Washington a happy Fourth of July holiday.  I hope everyone will enjoy celebrating with friends and family and will pause to remember the ideals and sacrifices of our nation’s founding leaders. … [Read more...]