UMW Senior, Alvey Scholar to Perform Finale Fit for Commencement

As Sofia Taylor ’24 took the Weatherly Wing stage for her senior vocal recital at the University of Mary Washington in March, she knew it was a full circle moment.

“When I first arrived on campus four years ago, we couldn’t sing for a live audience,” said Sofia, who helped dedicate the space when it opened in Seacobeck Hall. “So, this was truly gratifying for me.”

Gearing up for a Ball Circle moment, Sofia will perform for her largest audience yet at UMW’s 113th Commencement on May 11. After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology, she’ll conclude the ceremony by leading over a thousand of her fellow Class of 2024 graduates in Mary Washington’s Alma Mater, “High on Marye’s Hilltop.” Penned by Jean Crotty Machonis ’47 and Irene Taylor Robinson ’47, the beloved tune is sung at UMW milestones like Eagle Gathering and Commencement.

“It’s the perfect finale for my four years at Mary Washington,” said Sofia, a psychology major and music and neuroscience minor. Her college experience comprised a semester in Europe, performing in choral recitals and a UMW Theatre production, and research into the minds of the world’s great composers, which she presented last week at Mary Washington’s annual Research and Creativity Symposium. She was also recently named a semifinalist for the prestigious Fulbright Award.

Sofia summed up these experiences at this spring’s Scholarship Luncheon and Student Showcase. Serving as emcee, she sang the Alma Mater – and the praises of her late donor, Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59, who left the University a transformational $30 million estate gift, the largest in its history, when she passed away in 2022.

“I was so grateful that Irene gave me the chance to attend UMW and pursue all my academic interests, without the burden of having to pay for college,” Sofia said. A Michigan native, she received the Justin and Helen Piscopo Alvey Scholarship, providing full tuition, fees, and room and board for out-of-state students for up to four years of undergraduate study.

She often exchanged cards, letters, and emails with Rodgers, even sending her donor videos of her singing opera. “I’m so glad we got to know each other and bond over our shared love of science and the arts,” Sofia said.

Sofia (far left) with her fellow Washington and Alvey Scholarship recipients, who received full tuition, fees, and room and board to UMW. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Sofia (right) with Ron Pohl, Irene Piscopo Rodgers’ friend and attorney, and fellow UMW senior and Alvey Scholarship and Rodgers recipient Hannah Stottlemyer at 2023’s Celebration of Giving. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Sofia shares her research into the psychology behind Mozart, Beethoven, and other great composers with Bill Williams and Pat Poole at the 2024 Donor Appreciation Luncheon and Student Showcase. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Enrolled in UMW’s Honors Program, she made the most of the public liberal arts and sciences education at Mary Washington. Yet, psychology was always top of mind, after taking an advanced placement course in the subject during high school.

“I’m fascinated by the biological aspects of the brain,” said Sofia, who researched how dopamine production affects sleep. She also worked with neurology patients at Mary Washington Hospital, served as the community service-learning coordinator for the Department of Psychological Science, was inducted into the Psi Chi honor society, and coordinated a campus mental health fair.

In her free time, Sofia taught yoga for Campus Recreation and participated in UMW’s Honor Student Advisory Committee, Red Cross Club, Talk to the Hands ASL club, and Pre-Health Society.

But her high notes have been studying abroad in Vienna, Austria – the birthplace of psychology and a center for classical music – and performing in UMW Theatre’s production of The Rocky Horror Show. “Both were a dream come true,” Sofia said.

Sofia studied abroad in Vienna, Austria, in spring 2023. Here, she poses for a photo on the balcony of the Albertina Museum, overlooking the Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera). Photo courtesy of Sofia Taylor.

Sofia (second from left) with cellist Riley Francis (left), flautist Madeline MacArthur, and Assistant Professor of Music Robert Wells (right) after her senior vocal recital in the Weatherly Wing in Seacobeck Hall. Photo courtesy of Sofia Taylor.

Sofia attended a Viennese masked ball while studying abroad in Vienna, Austria. Photo courtesy of Sofia Taylor.

Sofia (far right) with psychology classmates (from left) Valeria Duque, Dayton Keffer, Katherine Blair, and Ally Tingen, before presenting their research on dopamine at 2024’s Research and Creativity Symposium. Photo courtesy of Sofia Taylor.

Sofia rehearses with UMW’s combined choirs. Receiving a full-ride Alvey Scholarship gave her the chance to minor in music and neuroscience, in addition to her psychology major, and perform with the UMW choirs and UMW Theatre. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.

Sofia aspires to earn a Ph.D. and enter private practice, using music therapy to help patients. She’s considering the University of Michigan, where Rodgers earned a master’s degree in chemistry.

But, to quote the Alma Mater, Taylor will always be “forever true” to Mary Washington.

“I may be graduating and leaving campus,” she said, “but I know that a part of me will always belong to UMW. I’ll always be welcomed back by this community.”

Watch Sofia’s senior vocal recital as well as a video thanking science donors that was played at 2023’s Celebration of Giving.

Find scholarship opportunities that are available to UMW students, including Washington and Alvey scholarships. Learn more about establishing scholarships and how private support makes a difference in the lives of UMW students who receive scholarships, research fellowships, and internship grants.

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