Giving Stories

UMW Honors Couple’s STEM Contributions with Chemistry Classroom Naming

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Cathie O’Connor Woteki ’69 and husband Tom have both led distinguished careers in government, industry, and academia. Cathie got her start in STEM as an assistant in a lab in college – much like the one named for them last week in the University of Mary Washington’s Jepson Science Center – where she prepped solutions and lab equipment for experiments.

“I learned so much from that experience and my interactions with faculty,” said Cathie, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry at Mary Washington and went on to shape food safety policy for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the White House. “I want to provide the same kinds of experiences for today’s students that I had in college.”

The Wotekis visited that fourth-floor lab for an unveiling, where UMW President Troy Paino, Provost Tim O’Donnell, and College of Arts and Sciences Dean Keith Mellinger expressed their gratitude to the couple for their generous gifts. Current and retired science faculty and university staff gathered in the space, which Professor of Biology Lynn Lewis, director of the Irene Piscopo Rodgers School of Science, said will hold introductory and upper-level chemistry courses and be used for the Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 Summer Science Institute.

Mary Washington alumna Cathie O’Connor Woteki ’69 and husband Tom in the doorway of the ‘Drs. Catherine O’Connor Woteki ’69 and Thomas H. Woteki Laboratory,’ in the Jepson Science Center, Room 416. The couple returned to campus last week for the lab’s naming ceremony, where University administrators and faculty thanked them for their generous gifts to UMW. K Pearlman Photography.
From left: UMW Provost Tim O’Donnell, President Troy Paino, Tom Woteki, Cathie O’Connor Woteki ’69, and College of Arts and Sciences Dean Keith Mellinger. K Pearlman Photography.
Cathie and Tom Woteki listen as College of Arts and Sciences Dean Keith Mellinger reads the Board of Visitors Resolution to name the classroom after the Wotekis. K Pearlman Photography.

Cathie and Tom have made gifts to the Class of 1969 50th Reunion Scholarship and the Fund for Mary Washington, but their greatest impact has come from their contributions to the Beyond the Classroom (BtC) Endowment since its inception.

Mellinger recalled a 2019 lunch, where Cathie posed the question: “What do you need?” Requests for undergraduate research funding were greater than the University could provide at the time, he said, so the Wotekis sponsored the endowment’s first significant campaign challenge, inspiring numerous alumni to make similar commitments in future years.

Gifts and pledges to BtC have since surpassed $1 million, providing experiential learning opportunities for dozens of UMW students for undergraduate research, internships, study abroad, and academic conference travel.

“Thank you for being here and for your continued investments in our students and the University,” said President Paino, acknowledging the importance of a public liberal arts and sciences education in addressing 21st-century challenges. “Cathie, you’re a wonderful example of a Mary Washington education. We’re so proud of everything that you and Tom have accomplished throughout your careers.”

Cathie and Tom Woteki chat with science faculty, including Professor of Physics Matt Fleenor (left) at a reception in the Jepson Science Center in the Wotekis’ honor. K Pearlman Photography.
President Paino thanks the Wotekis for their generous gifts to Mary Washington, especially the Beyond the Classroom Endowment, which they supported from its inception. K Pearlman Photography.
Professor of Biology Lynn Lewis, who is also chair of the Irene Piscopo Rodgers School of Science, explains how the laboratory named for the Wotekis will be used. K Pearlman Photography.
From left: Professor of Chemistry and UMW Honors Program Director Kelli Slunt ’89 and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Sarah Smith ’12 react to the Wotekis’ story of how they met and fell in love via one of the earliest computerized dating match sites. The couple joked that they were “the first and last” people they were each matched with. K Pearlman Photography.
Cathie O’Connor Woteki ’69 shares how she met and fell in love with her husband, Tom, after meeting on an early computerized match program. The Wotekis had their first date on the Mary Washington campus in February 1966. K Pearlman Photography.

Cathie earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in human nutrition from Virginia Tech and became the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first undersecretary for food safety, leading the agency through a transformation of the meat inspection system. She also co-authored the Clinton Administration’s national science policy statement and became the first female dean of agriculture at Iowa State University. At Mary Washington, she served on the College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Advisory Board and received the UMW Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2009.

Tom, a three-time Virginia Tech alum, was chief statistician at the U.S. Department of Energy’s information administration and founding director of Virginia Tech’s Academy of Data Science. He was also chief data scientist and a senior vice president at MAXIMUS Inc. and held senior roles at Cisco, Northup Grumman, Merck, and the American Red Cross.

As she described her academic experience at Mary Washington, Cathie shared that she and Tom had their first date on campus in February 1966, after being matched by an early computerized dating program. The couple discovered their shared passion for scientific research, she said, connecting it to the conversation they’d have with Mellinger over five decades later.

“As scientists, we appreciate how important field and lab work is,” she said. “You apply principles, play with ideas, and experience the joys of human insights as well as the frustrations when things don’t work out.”

Tom, who has also made gifts with his wife to his own alma mater, spoke about the gratifying experience of receiving letters from UMW scholarship recipients who’ve benefited from their generosity.

“We’re so fortunate that we’ve been able to support Mary Washington and Virginia Tech,” he said. “It means a great deal to us to be able to help students and these institutions that mean so much to us.”

Learn more about Beyond the Classroom or make your gift. For information, please email Executive Director of Gift Planning and Major Gifts Jeremy Vaughn ’08 in the Office of University Advancement or call 540-654-2063. 

This article was written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04 

Impact Grant Program Boosts Positive Change Across Campus and Community

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University of Mary Washington junior Journey Mason understands the challenges often faced by the unhoused children she tutors through Loisann’s Hope House.

“From day one, College of Education professors hammer into us building the foundation of a learning space,” said Journey, an elementary education and English literature double major. “Resources and organization are literally the cornerstones of learning.”

She and her fellow volunteers in UMW’s Community Outreach and Resources program (COAR) can now purchase educational and organizational tools to build a space at Hope House to help their K-12 students succeed, thanks to a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant. “This will have a lasting impact on their lives and open a world of opportunities and access,” she said.

Eight projects and initiatives pitched by UMW students, faculty, and staff earned Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants after their presentations to members of the UMW Alumni Association Board of Directors and Young Alumni Council earlier this month. K Pearlman Photography.
Junior Journey Mason, an elementary education and English literature double major, earned a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant to help purchase educational resources and organizational tools for a tutoring space for unhoused K-12 students at Loisann’s Hope House in Fredericksburg. K Pearlman Photography.
Alumni Association Board of Directors President-Elect Charmayne Staloff ’05 (left) and Young Alumni Council member Jaylyn Long ’24 listen to presentations. K Pearlman Photography.
Alumni Association Board of Directors Immediate Past President Vicki Sprague Ravenel ’77, who oversaw the past two Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant Awards, speaks to her fellow alumni on the AABOD and the Young Alumni Council, as well as the student, faculty, and staff presenters. K Pearlman Photography.
From left: Alumni Association Board of Directors members Meghan Kishman ’13, Lisa Maloney Keyser ’05, and Susan Leavitt ’83 listen to presentations. K Pearlman Photography.
Senior Bethanie Hackett (left) and junior Garrett McKenzie, both computer science majors, present ‘Project Frozone’ on behalf of the Department of Computer Science. They’ll use the Impact Grants they received to support their research focused on online political discourse using AI. K Pearlman Photography.
Junior Allie Davis helps with a presentation to fund a professional conference for UMW’s Student Alumni Ambassadors and students in similar programs at other Virginia colleges and universities. K Pearlman Photography.

Earlier this month, UMW’s Alumni Association Board of Directors (AABOD) and Young Alumni Council (YAC) awarded $25,000 in donor-funded grants to eight projects and initiatives proposed by students, faculty, and staff on behalf of recognized campus organizations.

The brainchild of the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, the program has given funding to 25 different ventures across campus over the past three years. These include an initiative to teach critical college success skills to incoming students, a public-facing printmaking event, and introducing technology upgrades to the Hurley Convergence Center’s Charnoff Production Studio.

Each applicant was required to submit a slide deck outlining their proposed project’s measurable objectives, budget, sustainability plan, and targeted audience, along with a short pitch video. Members of the AABOD and YAC evaluated the presentations, also considering how closely projects aligned with UMW’s ASPIRE values.

As a Washington Guide, sophomore Natalie Froustet shows off UMW’s beautiful campus to prospective students and families. But the unexpected wintry weather early this semester came as a surprise to her and her fellow guides. The grant she earned will help purchase additional gear in the form of UMW-branded jackets to protect them from the elements.

“Donors are helping us keep warm and dry while promoting Mary Washington,” said Natalie, a double major in historic preservation and environmental science. “And we can ensure our guests leave with a positive and professional impression of the University.”

Laurie Zdenek, a junior historic preservation major who serves as president of the Living History Club, received a grant to purchase historically accurate costumes for reenactment events in the Fredericksburg area.

During the U.S. Civil War, soldiers would be issued a basic uniform, Zdenek said. But the same attire today costs several hundred dollars, putting it outside the campus organization’s budget. “By providing costumes in a variety of sizes, we can ensure that financial position or body size aren’t barriers to participation.”

From right: Sophomore Natalie Froustet (far right) and junior Caty Taylor clap with other students for the presentations. The two Washington Guides will use the Impact Grant they received to help purchase additional gear in the form of UMW-branded jackets for the guides. K Pearlman Photography.
Junior Shane Maguire, a philosophy: pre-law major (at the podium) and sophomore Kimberlyn Pasch, a biomedical sciences and psychology major, pitch a program to create laundry vouchers for students in need, on behalf of UMW’s Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter. K Pearlman Photography.
Professor of Historic Preservation Andréa Livi Smith shares her presentation to help secure funding to reorganize and display the Department of Historic Preservation’s historical fragment collection. K Pearlman Photography.
From left: Alumni Association Board of Directors members Kathy Vi ’04, Alex Clegg ’17, Sye Smith ’96, and Colette Strawn Johnson ’97 listen to presentations. K Pearlman Photography.
Center for Career and Professional Development Director Michael Dunn and Associate Director of Employer Engagement Linda Catullo pitch an expansion of the Career Trek program, which provides students with on site visits to local employers. Assistant Vice President for Development and Campaign Operations Beth Hunsinger ’01 listens in the background. K Pearlman Photography.
Assistant Director of Annual Giving Cadi Treviño Pinto ’22, staff advisor for UMW’s Student Alumni Ambassador program, pitches a professional conference to help SAAs with networking and leadership. K Pearlman Photography.
Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement Katie Turcotte, who is also executive director of the UMW Foundation, chats with Young Alumni Council member Alex Obolensky ’16 (center) and YAC Chair Reid Merritt ’20. K Pearlman Photography.

The Department of Historic Preservation earned a grant to reorganize and display its historical fragment collection, while the Department of Computer Science plans to use its funds to support its research focused on online political discourse using AI.

The Center for Career and Professional Development will put its award toward expanding its Career Trek program, which brings students on site visits with local employers so they can tour workplaces and network with Mary Washington alumni working in the field.

UMW’s Student Alumni Ambassadors (SAA) received funds to pilot a professional development conference for its students and those from other Virginia colleges and universities.

“Our goal is helping SAAs gain confidence in their networking skills so they’ll be able to navigate a professional space with ease,” said Assistant Director of Annual Giving Cadi Treviño Pinto ’22, the organization’s staff advisor. “They’ll also acquire the leadership experience that comes with planning, hosting, and leading a conference.”

Kimberlyn Pasch, Shane Maguire, and Keely Butler secured a grant for laundry vouchers for students, a longtime goal of the Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter at Mary Washington. Their proposal shared that many students reported having to choose between clean clothes and buying other necessities.

“With such a great demonstrated need, we couldn’t think of a better project to devote our time and energy to,” said Kimberlyn, a sophomore double majoring in biomedical sciences and psychology. “Knowing I was presenting to alumni who care just as much about UMW as I do was truly heartening.”

UMW’s Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants program is made possible through donors’ gifts to the Fund for Mary Washington. These gifts are vital to the University’s ability to improve the student experience and support faculty, providing crucial flexibility to respond to emerging challenges and seize opportunities as they arise. When alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff give to the Fund for Mary Washington, they are choosing to be part of a community that is committed to giving back and making the world a better place – enabling students to make positive change through programs like the Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants.

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

UMW Spanish, International Affairs Major Fosters Campus and Cultural Community

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University of Mary Washington senior Olivia-Lena De Veaux has traveled to Mexico, Guatemala, and the Czech Republic since coming to college. The trio of trips has instilled confidence and curiosity, she said, but she loves coming back to a campus that feels like home.

“You can’t walk between Combs and Jepson Halls without seeing someone you know,” said Olivia-Lena, a double major in Spanish and international affairs from Falls Church, Virginia. “It’s a place overflowing with opportunities to try new things, meet new people, and grow into the best version of yourself.”

That’s what Olivia-Lena, who graduates next month, has been doing at UMW over the past four years. Her academic pursuits have given her the chance to study abroad and complete an internship overseas, courtesy of the Gail Madden Shedlick ’78 Scholarship. Meanwhile, her activities on campus – including serving as Inter-Club Association president – have instilled leadership skills she’ll carry into her career and life after Mary Washington.

UMW Spanish and international affairs major Olivia-Lena De Veaux had the opportunity to study abroad in Mexico and Guatemala as well as complete a summer internship in Prague (where she visited the National Museum, seen here), thanks to the Gail Madden Shedlick ’78 Scholarship. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.
Olivia-Lena poses for a photo in Oaxaca, Mexico, with her host mother, Martha, and Martha’s son, Nacho, before returning to the United States. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.
Olivia-Lena poses for a photo with UMW President Troy Paino and friend Blake Bauer ’26 during an ice cream social at Brompton. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.
Olivia-Lena in Kutná Hora, a Czech Republic province and a UNESCO World Heritage site, during her internship abroad. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.
Olivia-Lena, before speaking at the Celebration of Giving last fall, posing for a photo with Student Alumni Ambassador Cameron Gittings ’27. K Pearlman Photography.
Olivia-Lena with friends Jorge and Alicia watching a soccer game in Guatemala. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.

“These roles taught me that involvement fuels success,” said Olivia-Lena, who also became a NEST coordinator and peer mentor for New Student Programs and the front desk manager for UMW’s Office of Student Activities and Engagement. “I’ve seen firsthand how being connected to your peers and your campus can transform a student’s confidence and trajectory – my own included.”

As a high school student, she toured college campuses across the Commonwealth and beyond, but something about Mary Washington stood out. “It was vibes; a gut feeling,” she said. “I chose to come here because UMW radiated a sense of belonging.”

Part of that, she said, came from the Impact Program, which offers experiential learning for first-year students, helping them gain unique skills, networking opportunities, and knowledge through service and volunteer work and community and civic engagement. “It gave me the chance to connect with other students who share my values.”

Olivia-Lena also connected with Professor of Spanish Jeremy Larochelle, who oversees the program. Courses like Ideas on Nature in Latin American Literature, which he teaches, inspired her to study in Oaxaca, Mexico, during her sophomore year.

She then traveled with Professor of Geography Dawn Bowen and classmates on a grassroots development trip to remote mountain villages in rural Guatemala, where they learned about cloud forest conservation, community development, and traditional Mayan ecological practices.

“My professors haven’t just given me new knowledge; they’ve given me new questions,” she said. “They’ve encouraged me to stretch my thinking, explore cultures and values outside of my own, and better understand why I’m pursuing the path I’ve chosen.”

That path took her to an internship at a hotel in Eastern Europe last summer. Living in Prague, she navigated professional life for the first time while translating her academic studies into the workplace and embracing a new culture.

Olivia-Lena enjoys a Czech delicacy, ovocné knedlíky, a dessert of fruit dumplings. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.
Olivia-Lena and Blake Bauer ’26, who served as student speakers at 2025’s Celebration of Giving, posing in the Office of Student Activities and Engagement, where they both work, before the event. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.
Olivia-Lena, who serves as the front desk manager in the Office of Student Activities and Engagement, poses for a photo with UMW mascot Sammy D. Eagle before welcoming students as part of the 2025 NEST cohort. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.
Olivia-Lena and her fellow NEST coordinators during a lunch with UMW Dean of Students Melissa Jones, who also serves as associate vice president of student affairs. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.
Olivia-Lena was among the student speakers who shared their stories at the 2025 Celebration of Giving. K Pearlman Photography.
From left: Olivia-Lena De Veaux ’26, Martina Nicholson ’25, Shadwick Yoder ’25, Allie Davis ’27, and Amira Said ’26 at a Board of Visitors luncheon, where Olivia-Lena spoke and was voted in as Inter-Club Association president. Photo courtesy of Olivia-Lena De Veaux.

“Because of my scholarship, I could focus entirely on making the most of my work and growth,” said Olivia-Lena, when she expressed her gratitude to UMW supporters at the Celebration of Giving, held last fall by the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement. “That freedom made all the difference.”

After graduation, she hopes to continue contributing to meaningful initiatives that foster cross-cultural engagement and have a tangible, lasting impact on others.

“It’s been exhilarating to expand my horizons in ways I couldn’t have imagined four years ago,” she told UMW donors. “You’ve helped create a community where students can belong, dream bigger, and push themselves further than they thought possible.”

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. Find scholarship opportunities that are available to UMW students.

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

Ink, Imagination, and a Steamroller: UMW’s Print-a-Palooza Showcases Student Creativity

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University of Mary Washington senior studio art major Chloe Rice sweeps a roller covered in black ink onto a giant woodblock carved with a grinning goat wearing a flower hat.

“Growing up, we raised goats that we’d dress in cute outfits, so I’m paying homage to them,” said Chloe, whose work is displayed with other Devil-Goat Day-inspired prints in the Cedric Rucker University Center this week. The exhibit is in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the uniquely UMW tradition on April 23. “Plus, I’m a Goat myself!”

More than a hundred UMW students participated in the University’s first-ever Print-a-Palooza, a public-facing printmaking event supported by a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant. Last Friday, more than a dozen studio art majors printed large-scale pieces using a rented steamroller weighing 2,689 lbs. – over a ton – as an amp pumped house music and disco beats into the Ridderhof Martin Gallery parking lot.

Lucy Hagerman (left) and Grace Geiser ink a woodblock to create a print with a rented steamroller as part of the first-ever Print-a-Palooza, a public-facing printmaking event supported by a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant. K Pearlman Photography.
Assistant Professor of Studio Art Coorain Devin slowly rides a rented steamroller weighing 2,689 lbs. over a woodblock covered in ink and paper wrapped in a foam cushion to help studio art students create large-scale prints, while UMW Chief of Police Michael Hall watches. K Pearlman Photography.
Assistant Professor Coorain Devin and Chloe Rice check her print of a grinning goat wearing a flower as a hat. K Pearlman Photography.
Nesa Estes (left) and Madison Hinton apply a thick layer of ink to Nesa’s woodblock. K Pearlman Photography.
Assistant Professor Coorain Devin, Nesa Evans (center), and Madison Hinton hang Nesa’s finished print on cloth up to dry. K Pearlman Photography.
Several students sit in the sun and watch the steamroller and screen-printing activities. K Pearlman Photography.

A steady stream of students lined up throughout the afternoon to screen-print T-shirts and bags emblazoned with Mary Washington-themed designs, while others enjoyed the sunshine and watching the heavy machinery press oversized prints.

“Most art events at UMW are exhibition openings with beautiful, finished artworks,” said Assistant Professor of Studio Art Coorain Devin, who organized the event. “But our students wanted to share their creative process, so the campus community can better understand the work that goes into it.”

Coorain began printmaking in high school after reading a biography about Andy Warhol, whose colorful prints of celebrities and commercial goods helped coin the concept of pop art.

“This story about an artist who was making art about everyday life and the things regular people talk about really resonated with me,” said Coorain, who praised printmaking as a generous and accessible medium. “I’m hoping folks who’ve never stepped foot in our studios can experience some of the awesome work we create here.”

Vic Koutsouftikis (white shirt) experiments with screen-printing while Thomas Cruz (button-down shirt) and other students watch. K Pearlman Photography.
Kiley Hyson demonstrates to Auden Thies how to screen-print a T-shirt. K Pearlman Photography.
Nellie Bittenbender (left) and Kiley Hyson screen-print shirts and bags. K Pearlman Photography.
Ivy Howell (white shirt) helps another student screen-print a shirt. K Pearlman Photography.
Shirts printed with ‘Mary Washington is Mother’ dry in the sun. Assistant Professor Coorain Devin’s Printmaking-1 class created and voted on the design. K Pearlman Photography.
From left: Kiley Hyson, Richard Simpson, and Thomas Cruz experiment with screen-printing. K Pearlman Photography.

Auden Thies, a sophomore psychology major, showed up with friends and said he hopes to enroll in a studio art course in the future.

“I love social events, people, and making things,” said Auden, who plans to sell the shirt he screen-printed at UMW’s Night Market, a craft fair for student vendors. “I’m going to crop it, cut off the sleeves, and add some stars in Mary Washington colors.”

Vicki Sprague Ravenel ’77 came to watch the festivities after completing her eight-year term on UMW’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. In her role, she helped lead the Impact Grant program over the past two years that awarded the Impact Grant to Coorain, as well as funds to other campus projects pitched by Mary Washington students, faculty, and staff.

“It’s so meaningful to see our gifts at work,” she said. “I couldn’t wrap my mind around this initiative at first, but it’s amazing to witness it in person.”

Assistant Professor Coorain Devin holds up Caelen Rahilly’s print to show Madison Hinton, Vic Koutsouftikis, and Caelen. K Pearlman Photography.
Vic Koutsouftikis (white shirt) and Nina Cherry (black shirt) place paper down for MacKenzie Martin’s (yellow shirt) print while Assistant Professor Coorain Devin looks on. K Pearlman Photography.
Assistant Professor of Studio Art Coorain Devin drives the steamroller, which weighs 2,689 lbs., over a cushioned woodblock to make a print, while students line up to screen-print T-shirts and bags. K Pearlman Photography.
Sabrina Edney (left) and Madison Hinton ink Sabrina’s print of a mermaid, inspired by her 2-year-old son. K Pearlman Photography.
Assistant Professor Coorain Devin and Sabrina Edney hang her finished print on cloth up to dry. K Pearlman Photography.

Sabrina Edney, a junior double majoring in studio art and psychology, added a thick layer of ink to her whimsical carving.

“My 2-year-old autistic son is obsessed with mermaids,” said Sabrina, who wants to pursue a career as an art therapist and is currently taking a printmaking class. “I love experimenting with different ways of making art while helping people with healing and recovery.”

Her classmate, Richard Simpson, a senior studio art major, described the labor-intensive process of woodblock printmaking, which involves sealing bare plywood with a coat of shellac to prevent splintering. He carved a series of overlapping weaves into the wood with tools before varnishing it again to make it easier to remove ink between prints.

Coorain then wrapped each piece with foam to cushion it before slowly driving over it with the steamroller, under the supervision of UMW’s Emergency Management and Safety team.

A sculpture artist who plans to pursue an MFA after graduating, Richard expressed appreciation to the donors who made Print-a-Palooza possible.

“It’s a dream to be able create with bigger tools and have this much space to make such large works of art,” he said. “Being able to operate on this scale is such a treat.”

UMW’s Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants program is made possible through donors’ gifts to the Fund for Mary Washington. These gifts are vital to the University’s ability to improve the student experience and support faculty, providing crucial flexibility to respond to emerging challenges and seize opportunities as they arise. When alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff give to the Fund for Mary Washington, they are choosing to be part of a community that is committed to giving back and making the world a better place – enabling students to make positive change through programs like the Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants.

Scholarships Drive UMW Senior Toward Digital Storytelling Career

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University of Mary Washington senior Blake Bauer has always dug learning about history. So, when he joined UMW’s Department of Historic Preservation – one of the country’s most highly regarded programs in the field – he knew he’d found the right place.

Fast-forward to his junior year, when he conducted “ground-breaking” archaeology research aimed at uncovering Mary Washington’s gravesite with Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Katherine Parker and Washington Heritage Museums. “When I declared my major, I could have never imagined I’d be using ground-penetrating radar to search for the final resting place of our University’s namesake,” he said.

The department’s quest is ongoing, but Blake has discovered multiple ways to make his mark in college, combining his historic preservation background with a passion for digital storytelling. Graduating in May, his unique skillset and impactful internships with the National Park Service, PBS, the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library, and UMW’s University Communications office have set him up for success in his life after Mary Washington.

Blake Bauer and Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Katherine Parker used ground-penetrating radar near the Mary Washington Monument as they tried to locate the final resting place of the University’s namesake. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.
Blake stands in front of his poster showcasing his research with Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Katherine Parker to try to locate Mary Washington’s final resting place. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.
Blake completed several internships at UMW, including one with the National Park Service. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.
Blake thanks his donors for his scholarships at the Celebration of Giving in fall 2025. K Pearlman Photography.

These opportunities – which he hopes will help him launch a documentary filmmaking career – were possible because of the Juanita S. Carpenter and UMW Alumni and Friends Scholarships. He thanked his donors for those and other awards during the Celebration of Giving, held last fall by the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement.

“Your support hasn’t just eased the financial burden of college; it has opened doors I didn’t even know existed,” Blake said. He also expressed gratitude for the Lt. Gen. Albert J. Bowley Scholarship, which funded his yearlong internship at the James Monroe Museum, and the Veronica S. Johnson ’89 Scholarship in Historic Preservation, given to the department’s most promising student. “That was a big boost to my confidence.”

Blake, who grew up in Pulaski, Virginia, learned about UMW from his parents, Keith Bauer ’89 and Debbie Schluter Bauer ’91. The couple met in graduate school, when they realized they shared an alma mater – and a personal connection to late civil rights leader James L. Farmer Jr., who taught history at Mary Washington for over a decade.

“My mom took courses with Dr. Farmer, while my dad helped him get around campus between classes,” said Blake, who convinced his best friend since childhood, Allen Queen ’26, to apply to UMW. “We’ve been roommates all four years of college, which has strengthened our friendship even more,” he said.

Debbie Schluter Bauer ’91, Blake’s mother, and the late Professor Emeritus of Psychological Science Thomas Moeller at her Commencement ceremony. Debbie kept in touch with Professor Moeller over the years, even bringing Blake on visits with him. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.
Blake’s parents, Keith Bauer ’89 and Debbie Schluter Bauer ’91, met at VCU as graduate students and realized that they shared a connection as Mary Washington graduates. Debbie also had classes with Dr. James Farmer while Keith helped the late Mary Washington history professor and civil rights leader around campus. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.
Keith Bauer ’89, Blake’s father, on Campus Walk during his Commencement ceremony. Photo courtesy of Blake Bauer.
Keith Bauer ’89, Blake Bauer ’26, and Debbie Schluter Bauer ’91 attend the Generations Breakfast last fall. K Pearlman Photography.

Blake planned to become a history teacher but found his true calling after taking video courses taught by Assistant Professor of Communication and Digital Studies J.D. Swerzenski. A summer internship with the PBS affiliate in the Blue Ridge Mountains followed, with Blake assisting on a documentary about the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

Last semester, he interned with University Communications, producing his own Lively video series, UMW: Stories Behind the Buildings. Another recent video he created centered around Marshall and Russell Halls, where he learned that his father and Jay Bradshaw ’88, whom he interviewed, crossed paths during their years in Marshall. “Those unique, cross-generational connections deepen my appreciation for Mary Washington,” Blake said.

As president of UMW’s Historic Preservation Club, Blake helped revive its Victorian Ball, now called Sweetheart Ball, which won Best New Event at the 2025 Eagle Awards. In addition, he has worked as a digital archive lab assistant in Simpson Library, led outdoor trips for Campus Recreation, and served as a front desk assistant in Student Activities and Engagement.

Lively interns (from left to right) Lee Adams ’27, Kaitlyn Griego ’26, Marisol Juarez ’26, and Blake Bauer ’26 in the Office of University Communications. Photo by Sam Cahill.
Blake in front of Machu Picchu during his study abroad experience to Peru. Photo courtesy on Blake Bauer.

He also studied Holocaust remembrance in Austria and Hungary and recently spent spring break in Peru with his digital storytelling class after earning the Barbara Alden International Scholarship.

“You’ve allowed me to explore, take risks, grow, and discover passions I never knew I had,” he said when he thanked his donors last fall. Quoting his best friend, he added: “Because of all the experiences Mary Washington has given us, wherever we land, we’ll be able to make it work.”

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. Find scholarship opportunities that are available to UMW students

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