Mary Wash Day Support Powers Scholarships, Programs, and Possibilities

Betty Olander Adams ’69 began giving to Mary Washington soon after she graduated. It was one of the best ways, she said, to let her alma mater know what mattered to her as an alum.

“Personally, I fund scholarships so that every student will have the chance to have a meaningful future,” said Betty, who earned a bachelor’s degree in history and later became a lawyer. “Each and every person connected to the University, no matter their age or stage in life, can make a difference to continue the excellence of a Mary Washington education.”

This Mary Wash Day, Betty is encouraging members of the UMW community to give to whatever matters most to them on March 25 and 26, from noon to noon. When 100 first-time donors make their first-ever gift, she’ll unlock $10,000 for the unrestricted Fund for Mary Washington. She’s also sponsoring a $5,000 match to the General Scholarship Fund, helping students in need stay in school, take on less debt, and graduate on time.

Now in its ninth year, Mary Wash Day unites Eagles across the country and the globe in a 24-hour celebration of philanthropy and engagement that gives alumni, families, friends, faculty, staff, and students the chance to come #TogetherUMW and share their love for Mary Washington.

Alumni and friends have sponsored more than $600,000 in challenges and matches in 2026. Their commitment will double and even triple the impact of each gift, helping the University reach its goal of 2,500 donor gifts, 1,200 alumni contributors, and 400 first-time donors.

Participation challenges and dollar-for-dollar matches support the Fund for Mary Washington, underpinning every aspect for which the University is known and loved. This includes ensuring a leading liberal arts and sciences education, small class sizes, and personal relationships with professors and peers, and supporting projects and initiatives led by students, faculty, and staff through the Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant program.

Gifts on Mary Wash Day to Friends of Athletics or to a specific sports program like UMW Basketball provide critical support to help enhance the UMW student-athlete experience. Contributions fund athletic facilities, competition travel, professional development opportunities, custom-training equipment, and more. Photo by Carly Rehberg.

Mary Wash Day gifts help students have experiences both inside and beyond the classroom that prepare them for their careers and lives after Mary Washington. Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce.

Mary Wash Day gifts provide high-impact learning experiences such as undergraduate research and opportunities for students to work alongside their professors and peers.

Contributions to UMW Music on Mary Wash Day help students explore their musical passions while providing arts and cultural experiences for the greater Fredericksburg community. Gifts can also be made to UMW Theatre, UMW Galleries, UMW Philharmonic, Gari Melchers Home and Studio, the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library, and the William B. Crawley Great Lives Lecture Series.

Many challenges and matches support the unrestricted Fund for Mary Washington, which underpins every aspect for which the University is known and loved. This includes ensuring a leading liberal arts and sciences education, small class sizes, and personal relationships with professors and peers.

Supporters can also contribute to student scholarships, academic departments, athletics, arts and culture, service and leadership opportunities, campus beautification, and more. This year’s goals include:

• 1,010 gifts (celebrating President Troy Paino’s 10th year at Mary Washington) will unlock $10,000 from Marty Wilder ’80 and UMW Foundation Board of Trustees member Vicky Nichols Wilder ’80
• 1,908 gifts (the University’s founding year) will unlock $50,000 from Jenny Fankhauser Osterman ’73
• 2,500 gifts will unlock $100,000 from Diane Harvey Smith ’74
• When 200 first-time donors contribute, the Alumni Association Board of Directors will unlock $14,000
• When 400 new donors make their first-ever gift, the UMW Foundation Board of Trustees will unlock $47,500
• When 300 young alumni donate, the Young Alumni Council will unlock $3,800
• When 500 gifts are made by parents of UMW students or parents of alumni, Bill and Carolyn Carpenter, parents of a current student, will unlock a $10,000 gift
• When 1,200 alumni donors make gifts, it will unlock a $100,000 gift from a loyal Fund for Mary Washington supporter

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of a uniquely UMW tradition, UMW Foundation Board of Trustees member Mike Charnoff ’95 and Katherine Valentine Charnoff ’04 will sponsor a Devil-Goat contest to see which team can make the most gifts. Making Mary Wash Day gifts and participating in events will also help alumni accumulate points in the Devil-Goat Alumni Challenge, running through May.

After making a gift at givingday.umw.edu, supporters can spotlight their names and gifts on the donor wall or remain anonymous, and track progress on dynamic leaderboards.

Festivities will kick off on Wednesday, March 25 at the Mary Wash Day headquarters on the Cedric Rucker University Center patio (or inside in case of rain) from 12 to 3 p.m. with food, games, prizes, a photobooth, and stations for donations, selfies, and writing thank-you notes to donors. The UMW Pep Band will perform, and anyone who makes a gift of $5 or more can Pie It Forward – pie a faculty or staff volunteer in the face.

Mary Wash Day 2026 kicks off with a celebration for students on the Cedric Rucker University Center patio, featuring food, games, prizes, a photobooth, and stations for donations, selfies, and writing thank-you notes to donors. The UMW Pep Band will perform, and anyone who makes a gift of $5 or more can Pie It Forward – pie a faculty or staff volunteer in the face.  

UMW students will have the chance to write thank-you notes to donors and pose for photos in the photobooth at the Mary Wash Day headquarters outside the Cedric Rucker University Center on March 25 from 12 to 3 p.m.

Students pose for a photo with UMW mascot Sammy D. Eagle at the Mary Wash Day headquarters in 2025.

The Fredericksburg Regional Alumni Network will host a happy hour and bingo from 6 to 8 p.m. in Chandler Ballroom of the Cedric Rucker University Center, which will have its exterior lit up in Mary Washington blue lights.

Richmond area alumni can celebrate with their Regional Alumni Network and watch fundraising totals rise at Väsen Brewing’s newest location in Forest Hill from 6 to 8 p.m.

Members of the UMW community are invited to register as Mary Wash Day ambassadors and receive a customized dashboard. You+2: When you make a gift and inspire two others to give through your unique referral link, you’ll score a Mary Wash multipurpose insulated bag. Those who post on social are asked to tag @umw_alumni and @marywash and use #TogetherUMW and #MaryWashDay.

-Article by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04