Giving Stories

Chemistry on the Court

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Alumna establishes endowments to support science faculty and women’s tennis

Christy Copper '91 earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Mary Washington and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. Now a chemistry professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, she established the Christine L. Copper '91 Endowment for Chemistry Research and the Christine L. Copper '91 Athletic Endowment for Women's Tennis at UMW.
Christy Copper ’91 earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Mary Washington and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. Now a chemistry professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, she established the Christine L. Copper ’91 Endowment for Chemistry Research and the Christine L. Copper ’91 Athletic Endowment for Women’s Tennis at UMW.

When Christy Copper ’91 reflects on her four years at Mary Washington, a few names come to mind.

Ed Hegmann, UMW’s longtime athletic director and women’s tennis coach, taught her about leadership and accountability. Former President William Anderson and wife Jane rooted on her tennis team through two national championship wins. Professor Emeritus of Chemistry Ray Scott helped her secure a research internship that paved the way for graduate school.

“Mary Washington changed my life,” said Christy, who earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry there before pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee. “So many people cared and wanted me to be successful.”

A chemistry professor at the United States Naval Academy, she believes it’s critical that faculty have access to resources, equipment, and professional development so they can teach today’s students. That’s why she established the Christine L. Copper ’91 Endowment for Chemistry Research and the Athletic Endowment for Women’s Tennis at the University of Mary Washington through her estate plan.

“If you can make faculty feel valued and supported, it ensures a better experience for students,” said Christy, citing other influential chemistry professors she had like Bernard Mahoney and John George. “They were always available to help in the lab.”

Hailing from Worcester, Pennsylvania, Christy and her mother found Mary Washington in a college tennis guide and dropped in on Coach Hegmann while touring schools in the southeast. His enthusiasm for the tennis program, along with the regional scholarship Christy earned, quickly won her over.

At Mary Washington, Christy worked hard on the tennis court, becoming the only student-athlete in the school’s history to play on two national championship teams, both as a first-year student and a senior, securing her a spot in UMW’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002.

During college, she was recognized as a three-time All-America selection and the most decorated player in Mary Washington’s tennis history. In her four-year career, she held a singles record of 114-30, and was named the NCAA Division III National Senior Player of the Year and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1991.

Through tennis, she bonded with President Anderson and his wife, who invited Christy and her roommate to live in the guest house on the property of Brompton during her senior year.

“They essentially adopted the team,” said Christy, who recalled mingling with faculty members at parties at their home. “It was very cool to feel like part of their family and tutor and hang out with their children.”

Christy (center, in front of trophy) with the rest of the Mary Washington women’s tennis team and Coach Ed Hegmann at the NCAA Tennis Championships in 1991. Photo courtesy of Christy Copper.
Christy has been recognized as the most decorated tennis player in Mary Washington history and the only student-athlete at the school to ever play on two national championship teams. Photo by Barry Fitzgerald/University Archives Centennial Image Collection.

Christy also enjoyed the broad liberal arts and sciences education she found at Mary Washington, taking classes in psychology, geography, and history with professors such as Christopher Kilmartin and the late Marshall Bowen and James Farmer. “It was like story time every evening with Dr. Farmer, hearing about all he had done in his life,” she said.

And she made lifelong friends both on the tennis team and with fellow chemistry majors, while earning top grades and scoring graduate admission to the University of Tennessee. There, she focused on analytical chemistry, a subject she had studied with Professor Scott at Mary Washington.

“It’s about finding a better way to look for a particular chemical in a sample,” Christy said. “In the post-9/11 era, we were looking at poisons in drinks, explosive residue in the environment, and better ways to analyze ink on paper.”

Now in her third decade at the U.S. Naval Academy, where she also serves as the faculty athletics representative, Christy explores human physiology and biochemistry, helping athletes and officers train and perform better.

“I wanted to be at a small school like Mary Washington, engaging in hands-on research with my students,” Christy said. “I hope I can make as much of an impact on them as my professors did on me.”

Now an analytical chemistry professor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Christy’s research focuses on human physiology and biochemistry to help athletes and officers train and perform better. Here, the student on the bike is being fitted with a mask so Christy and her students can test his maximal oxygen uptake, which is an indication of his aerobic fitness. Photo courtesy of Christy Copper.
“I wanted to be at a small school like Mary Washington, engaging in hands-on research with my students,” Christy said. “I hope I can make as much of an impact on them as my professors did on me.” Here, one of her students pricks an athlete’s finger so a blood lactate level can be obtained to indicate how hard the body is working during exercise. Photo courtesy of Christy Copper.

For more information about estate planning, visit https://umw.giftlegacy.com/ or contact Executive Director of Gift Planning and Major Gifts Jeremy Vaughn ’08 at jvaughn@umw.edu or 540-654-2063.

-Article written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04 for the Gift Planning Connections newsletter, Spring 2025

Formula for Success

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Chemistry scholarship proves to be a defining element in UMW senior’s college career 

Alex Bindon '25 earned the Jacqueline C. Kane Scholarship in Chemistry and is planning a career in analytical chemistry. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Alex Bindon ’25 earned the Jacqueline C. Kane Scholarship in Chemistry and is planning a career in analytical chemistry. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Alex Bindon ’25 felt a rush when he received his Experimental Methods exam. His task? Identify a chemical compound by comparing charts, graphs, and spectra from lab instruments.

“It turned out to be glucose,” said Alex, who discovered a passion for analytical chemistry at the University of Mary Washington. “It feels like I’m a detective in an investigation.”

Alex found a fitting formula at UMW, where he earned the Jacqueline C. Kane Scholarship in Chemistry. It was an honor, he said, to receive the award established by the late Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 in memory of a chemist friend who passed away in 2014.

“It was tremendously helpful,” said Alex, who has worked hard at Mary Washington but has always appreciated guidance from faculty members. When he struggled with organic chemistry his first semester, he reached out to Professor Janet Asper.

“She said that when fighter pilots take off from aircraft carriers, they drop down before they fly up,” he said. “Then she encouraged me to read the textbook and apply myself so I can take off without flying into the ocean.”

The analogy resonated with Alex, who grew up near the world’s largest naval base in Norfolk, Virginia, and catapulted him to success in college.

His perseverance also helped him land an internship last summer with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District, where he contributed to the purification and treatment of wastewater to keep the bay clean and prevented sewage from entering harbors. He hopes to find a job there after graduation or at a chemical plant in Richmond, Baltimore, or Pittsburgh.

Alex recently connected with Christy Copper ’91, a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, who teaches analytical chemistry. He sought her advice after attending her talk to UMW chemistry majors last fall.

“It’s important to show alumni your true, hard-working self,” he said of Christy and Irene, who established the scholarship that was a catalyst in his college career. “I’m so grateful to those who have supported me so I can take off.”

For more information about estate planning, visit https://umw.giftlegacy.com/ or contact Executive Director of Gift Planning and Major Gifts Jeremy Vaughn ’08 at jvaughn@umw.edu or 540-654-2063.

– Article written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04 for the Gift Planning Connections newsletter, Spring 2025 

Impact Grant Supports Eagles in Recovery’s Substance-Free Mission

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When the calendar turns to May, Devin Walsh, the University of Mary Washington’s peer recovery specialist, will mark off some significant milestones.

From left: Ray Tuttle, UMW’s health promotions and student success specialist, and Devin Walsh, UMW's peer recovery specialist, run Eagles in Recovery, a program that supports Mary Washington students working to overcome substance and alcohol addiction. A Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant has supported Devin's position, which also oversees the recovery coffee bike (seen here), providing beverages, education, and outreach to the campus community. Photo by Parker Michel Boyce.
From left: Ray Tuttle, UMW’s health promotions and student success specialist, and Devin Walsh, UMW’s peer recovery specialist, run Eagles in Recovery, a program that supports Mary Washington students working to overcome substance and alcohol addiction. A Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant has supported Devin’s position, which also oversees the recovery coffee bike (seen here), providing beverages, education, and outreach to the campus community. Photo by Parker Michel Boyce.

Two years ago, he committed to a life of sobriety, and the following spring, he began training to help others overcome their own struggles with substances and alcohol, which can often make it challenging for college students to stay in school.

“The University wants to give its students the best opportunity to be successful in college and beyond,” Devin said. “Being visible and outspoken about my own journey can give them the hope they need to heal and continue to study, learn, and grow so they can achieve their goals.”

Founded in 2017, UMW’s Eagles in Recovery program has provided the campus with critical resources and tools to support students, from the sober-curious to those who have experienced active addiction. Bolstered by a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant and other sources of funding, Eagles in Recovery also educates and engages the campus community through initiatives such as the coffee bike – providing hot beverages, snacks, and outreach – and recovery ally training to teach friends and family how to support loved ones while reducing stigmas surrounding addiction.

“Popular culture has perpetuated the idea that college is the best four-year party one can experience,” said Ray Tuttle, UMW’s health promotions and student success specialist. “But if you’re a person in recovery, and you don’t want to be in that kind of environment, it can be very difficult.”

In 2019, Ray helped secure $50,000 as part of the Expanding Collegiate Recovery in Virginia grant, awarded to several schools across the commonwealth by the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services. The University used the funds to set up a “clubhouse,” a designated safe space in the Link between Randolph and Mason halls, where students in recovery can spend time together in between classes and on weekends, without the risk of being near addictive substances.

The clubhouse is located in the Link between Randolph and Mason halls and provides a safe, substance-free space for students in recovery to unwind. Photo courtesy of Eagles in Recovery.
Jiamie Pyles ’23 gave a presentation last spring that secured a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant for Eagles in Recovery. The funding, totaling $5,000, helped support the peer recovery specialist position currently held by Devin Walsh and previously held by Jiamie. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Ray and Jiamie Pyles ’23, UMW’s former peer recovery specialist, also earned a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant, which provided $5,000 to support the specialist’s position. Piloted by UMW’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, the Impact Grant program awarded a total of $25,000 in donor-funded grants last spring, ranging from $1,200 to $5,000, to eight projects or initiatives pitched by students, faculty, and staff on behalf of recognized campus organizations.

Devin, who took over the position last year after serving as a volunteer, provides education and outreach through the recovery coffee bike, which he brings to major events on campus like Devil-Goat Day and Club Carnival. He also administers Narcan training to prevent opiate overdoses and oversees group support meetings and one-on-one coaching in the clubhouse.

At this year's Devil-Goat Day, Ray and Devin served hot beverages from the recovery coffee bike, while providing outreach to the campus community about Eagles in Recovery and its mission. Photo by Parker Michel Boyce.
At this year’s Devil-Goat Day, Ray and Devin served hot beverages from the recovery coffee bike, while providing outreach to the campus community about Eagles in Recovery and its mission. Photo by Parker Michel Boyce.

“You’re talking to someone who has the professional training but also the lived experience of being in active addiction and working on one’s own recovery,” he said.

Devin also organizes substance-free fellowship events like bowling, camping, and trips to amusement parks, sometimes with other schools, and acts as a liaison with Rappahannock Area Community Services Board and various local nonprofits that serve recovery communities.

He plans to attend professional conferences this summer to learn more best practices for his position.

“A peer recovery specialist is still relatively new in the mental health sector, so there’s always new research to stay on top of,” he said. “We also take a multifaced approach, so it’s coming up with a different action plan for each person.”

The program has seen an uptick in students utilizing its services since Devin came to UMW, so both he and Ray are grateful for the Impact Grant, which was critical for the continuation of the program.

“Part of the vision for Eagles in Recovery is supporting students so they don’t have to choose between their recovery and their academics,” Devin said. “They can have both.”

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

UMW Students Thank Supporters at Springtime Scholarship Luncheon and Showcase

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As a cybersecurity major at the University of Mary Washington, Christopher Walker knows the importance of being cautious in his career.

Yet, the Mary Washington junior, who was initially concerned about in-person college after being homeschooled, has let down his guard when it comes to embracing educational and extracurricular experiences. He’s shown off his cyber skills at the Innovation Challenge @ Dahlgren, helped plan uniquely UMW events like Devil-Goat Day and Rocktoberfest as Class Council vice president, and entertained classmates in epic Star Wars-style battles as part of the Light Saber Duels club.

UMW junior Christopher Walker with his parents, Angela and Charles Walker, at the 2025 Student Showcase and Scholarship Luncheon, where Christopher served as a speaker. A cybersecurity major, Christopher earned the Society for Worldwide Financial Telecommunications Inc. (SWIFT) Scholarship and funding through a Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership grant, which has enabled him to serve as an intern at a local cybersecurity company while earning his degree and engaging in activities across campus. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Edmund Garcia ’26, recipient of the Molly Bradshaw Clark ’59 Scholarship, chats with Emily Lewis ’62 and Anthony Andres during the Student Showcase. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
From left: Director of Jazz Studies Doug Gately, Maria Riegger from the Fredericksburg Woman’s Club, and Mima Manton ’25, recipient of the Henry and Grace Spicer and James E. Baker Community Orchestra scholarships. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Max Puckett ’26 (right), recipient of the Dovetail Cultural Resource Group Scholarship for Historic Preservation, chats with their donor, Mike Carmody, at the Student Showcase. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
From left: Denny Cora ’25, recipient of the June Davis McCormick ’49 Scholarship, and Blaise Wingold ’25, recipient of the UMW Theatre Scholarship, chat with donors at the Student Showcase. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Bonnie Butler ’25, recipient of the Rebecca Culbertson Stuart Memorial Scholarship, poses with her donor, David Burgess. Bonnie, who served as a speaker at the luncheon, also received the Helen G. and Justin J. Piscopo Alvey Scholarship. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

“Your support means so much and has truly changed my life,” Christopher said. The recipient of the Society for Worldwide Financial Telecommunications Inc. (SWIFT) Scholarship, he’s been able to engage in his studies while interning at a local cybersecurity firm, where he’ll work full time after he graduates. “Without your generosity, many of us would not have the opportunity to pursue our dreams and make a meaningful impact in our chosen fields.”

Christopher expressed his gratitude to a roomful of donors at the 2025 Student Showcase and Scholarship Luncheon on March 22. The annual event celebrates supporters who have established private scholarships and members of UMW’s Washington and Heritage Societies who have either given or pledged significant funds to the University.

Attendees interacted with scholarship recipients who showcased their academic and artistic pursuits and projects on the first floor of the Cedric Rucker University Center. Afterwards, guests gathered in Chandler Ballroom for a springtime lunch and listened as UMW President Troy Paino and students thanked them for their generous gifts to Mary Washington.

“I’m always moved that we have so many people here who invest in our students’ lives,” said President Paino, recognizing donors for contributing $14.5 million in gifts and pledges in the last fundraising year. “It’s our hope for the future. Your investment in these students will compound over time as they go out and make this world a better place.”

Merrilyn Sawyer Dodson ’68, poses with her recipient, Katelyn Gueci ’25, who received the Merrilyn S. Dodson/Class of 1968 Scholarship. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Judith Jackson Jones ’68 poses with her recipient, Allen Queen ’26, who received the A. Haskin & Edith N. Jackson Scholarship. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Meredith Walburn ’27, recipient of the Virginia H. Powell UMW Philharmonic Orchestra Scholarship, poses with her donor, Virginia Powell. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Marion Robinson ’25, recipient of the Katherine Edmondson Hopper ’30 Scholarship, poses with her donor, Rita Morgan Stone ’52. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Emily Chen ’28, recipient of the Wilder Family Scholarship III, poses with her donors, former UMW Chief of Staff Marty Wilder ’80 and UMW Foundation Board of Trustees member Vicky Nichols Wilder ’80. Photo courtesy of Karen Pearlman.
Betty Fischer Gore ’49 and her daughter, Carolyn Gore Ashe, attend the 2025 Student Showcase and Scholarship Luncheon. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Barbara Willer and Ed Morawetz pose with their recipient, Marie Bob ’27, who earned the Christopher Edward Morawetz Scholarship. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

He also acknowledged the $36 million donation – adding that it was larger than previously announced – that Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 left the University in 2022. The estate gift has exponentially grown UMW’s undergraduate scientific research program while establishing full-ride Alvey Scholarships that support out-of-state STEM scholars like Bonnie Butler, a senior biomedical sciences major who also earned the Rebecca Culbertson Stuart Memorial Scholarship.

Bonnie said these awards have helped her engage in meaningful learning experiences at UMW, such as presenting her research on mytonic dystrophy at professional conferences and treating patients in rural Panama as president of UMW’s Global Medical Brigades chapter.

“While my story may be unique, the doors my scholarships have opened are experienced by every student who has the privilege of having a scholarship at Mary Washington,” Bonnie said. An aspiring physician, she’ll attend The George Washington University School of Medicine after she graduates, through the early selection agreement with the UMW Honors program.

Junior Amelia Bailey, a history and art history major, said earning the Alumni Legacy, Oscar H. Darter, Barbara Diane Hall, and Polly Updegraff Champ scholarships, among other awards, has helped her pursue her academic passions while playing on the UMW women’s rugby team.

“I work hard every day to do my part in ensuring that the generosity of those who truly care about UMW never goes unnoticed,” Amelia said. On track to graduate in December, she’s planning a career in art and museum law.

“The close-knit community here is unlike any other school I know,” she said. “I’m so beyond grateful for the opportunities it will continue to provide me as an alumna.”

President Troy Paino recognized donors for investing in UMW students’ lives and for contributing $14.5 million in gifts and pledges to the University of Mary Washington in the last fiscal year. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
President Paino recognized longtime Assistant Vice President of Gift Planning Jan Clarke, who is retiring in June. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Senior Bonnie Butler shared how earning the Helen G. and Justin J. Piscopo Alvey Scholarship and Rebecca Culbertson Stuart Memorial Scholarship gave her the opportunity to study mytonic research and serve as president of UMW’s chapter of Global Medical Brigades. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
President Paino recognized longtime Associate Vice President for Advancement Services and Operations Catherine Seller, who is retiring in June. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Junior Amelia Bailey explained how receiving the Alumni Legacy, Oscar H. Darter, Barbara Diane Hall, and Polly Updegraff Champ scholarships, among other awards, has helped her pursue her academic passions while playing on the UMW women’s rugby team. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Senior Mima Manton, who earned the Henry and Grace Spicer and James E. Baker Community Orchestra scholarships, sang the alma mater to conclude the luncheon. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Find scholarship opportunities that are available to UMW students. Learn more about establishing scholarships and how private support makes a difference in the lives of UMW students who receive awards, research fellowships, and internship grants. View photos from the 2025 Student Showcase and Scholarship Luncheon.

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

UMW Community Gets to the Heart of Giving Back on Mary Wash Day, April 2-3

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Justin Gerbereux ’97 met his wife, Allison Coleman Gerbereux ’96, when they were on the cross-country team together as Mary Washington students. After they fell in love and graduated, he proposed to her in front of Willard Hall, where she lived during her junior year of college.

The University of Mary Washington will hold its eighth annual Mary Wash Day, a 24-hour celebration of philanthropy and engagement, starting at noon Wednesday, April 2, and concluding at noon Thursday, April 3.
The University of Mary Washington will hold its eighth annual Mary Wash Day, a 24-hour celebration of philanthropy and engagement, starting at noon Wednesday, April 2, and concluding at noon Thursday, April 3.

“The University of Mary Washington has always held a special place in our hearts,” said Justin, who joined the UMW Foundation Board of Trustees to give back to his alma mater. “Reflecting on the many memories and opportunities available to us at this small liberal arts institution, I hope we can sow some seeds to inspire other graduates to support today’s students.”

The Gerbereuxs will give $10,000 to the unrestricted Fund for Mary Washington when 100 gifts are made by married alumni couples during Mary Wash Day, running from noon Wednesday, April 2, through noon Thursday, April 3. Now in its eighth year, this 24-hour celebration of philanthropy and engagement gives alumni, families, friends, faculty, staff, and students the chance to come #TogetherUMW and share their love of Mary Washington.

“This has the potential to be an absolutely record-breaking Mary Wash Day,” Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14 said. “Every gift, regardless of size, holds the power to create lasting impact. When combined, these contributions shape the future of UMW students, enhancing their education and empowering them to make a difference for generations to come.”

Members of the UMW community have sponsored more than $500,000 in challenges and matches, exceeding totals from previous years. Their commitment will double and even triple the impact of each gift, helping the University reach its goal of 2,500 gifts from donors, including 1,200 alumni contributors and 350 new supporters.

Many participation challenges and dollar-for-dollar matches support the Fund for Mary Washington, which underpins every aspect for which the University is known and loved, such as a leading liberal arts and sciences education, small class sizes, personal relationships with professors and classmates, and more.

Last spring, $25,000 was distributed among eight campus projects and initiatives pitched by UMW students, faculty, and staff through the Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant program. More projects will be selected next month by an alumni committee to receive these donor-funded grants.

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, such as the ‘Are We Live?’ course in the Department of Communication and Digital Studies, which teaches students how to write, film, produce, and broadcast a weekly comedy show.
Contributions to the UMW Philharmonic 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, Gari Melchers Home and Studio, the James Monroe Museum, and the William B. Crawley Great Lives Lecture Series. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.
Gifts on Mary Wash Day to Friends of Athletics or to a specific sports program 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.
Mary Wash Day donations help keep UMW’s class sizes small and provide high-impact learning experiences such as undergraduate research and opportunities for students to work alongside faculty mentors.
Service and volunteer experiences give UMW students the chance to make a difference on campus and in the community while exploring leadership roles and potential careers. Gifts on Mary Wash Day support COAR and the Center for Community Engagement, the James Farmer Multicultural Center, the Gwen Hale Resource Center, and other entities that provide valuable and meaningful experiences for students.
Mary Wash Day helps students who participate in campus clubs, organizations, and other activities, such as UMW’s Esports team, pursue interests outside of class while building relationships with their peers.

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

  • 540 gifts (Fredericksburg’s area code) will unlock $5,000 from Virginia Blackwell ’67 and John Rigsby
  • 1,908 gifts (UMW’s founding year) will unlock $16,000 from UMW Foundation Board of Trustees member Patti Boise Kemp ’69
  • 2,500 gifts will unlock $100,000 from a longtime contributor for the Lynne Gourley Farrell ’62 Fund for Mary Washington Endowment
  • When 100 first-time alumni donors give, UMW Foundation Board of Trustees member Donna Sheehan Gladis ’68 and husband Steve will donate $20,000
  • When 350 first-time donors give, the UMW Foundation Board of Trustees will unlock a $50,000 gift
  • UMW President Troy Paino and wife Kelly will make a $100,000 gift when 1,200 alumni donors contribute
  • A gift from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. will unlock a $10,000 gift from UMW Foundation Board of Trustees member Vicky Nichols Wilder ’80 and Marty Wilder ’80, former chief of staff at Mary Washington
  • The Alumni Association Board of Directors and Young Alumni Council are sponsoring challenges and matches to encourage alumni of all ages to give back to their alma mater
  • UMW Foundation Board of Trustees member Kourtney Whitehead and husband Terrance, parents of a UMW student, will unlock $5,000 when 500 gifts are made by parents of current students or alumni
  • UMW Foundation Board of Trustees member Mike Charnoff ’95 and Katie Valentine Charnoff ’04 are sponsoring a Devil-Goat contest to encourage friendly competition between odd- and even-year graduates
  • Share the Love Challenge: When the Mary Wash Day 2025 video is shared 100 times (from the official UMW Facebook page) by midnight on April 2, Margaret Birch ’79 will donate $10,000

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 April 2 at the Mary Wash Day headquarters on the Cedric Rucker University Center patio (or inside in case of rain) at 11 a.m., with food, games, prizes, a photobooth, and stations for donations, selfies, and writing thank-you notes to donors. The UMW Pep Band and UMW Symfonics will perform, and students can pet and play with puppies brought by Old Dominion Humane Society.

Students can also participate in a scavenger hunt to find 10 stuffed eagles hidden across campus, which can earn a $100 donation to the area of their choice at UMW, courtesy of Beth Craig ’77.

UMW Dining will serve up a Mary Wash Day-themed menu, with frosted blue cookies and dishes named for key people and places on campus. Downtown businesses will offer discounts and incentives for donors.

The Fredericksburg Regional Alumni Network will host a happy hour and trivia night April 2 at the Hurley Convergence Center from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and the Cedric Rucker University Center and Jepson Science Center will be lit in Mary Wash blue lights.

Campus Recreation will also sponsor a Mary Wash Day walk on April 3 at 8 a.m., starting at Goolrick Hall.

Members of the UMW community are invited to sign up as Mary Wash Day ambassadors. They’ll receive a customized dashboard and social media toolkit to inspire others to contribute, and a chance to win an exclusive UMW duffel bag. Those who post on social are asked to tag @umw_alumni and @marywash and use #TogetherUMW and #MaryWashDay.

More information about Mary Wash Day can be found on the FAQ Page. For additional questions, please contact the Office of Annual Giving at umwgift@umw.edu.

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