Giving Stories

Scholarships, Sense of Community Add Up for UMW Math and Stats Major

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The distance between the University of Mary Washington and the small town in Uganda where Aloysious Kabonge grew up is over 7,000 miles.

A student in a dimly lit room, dressed in a suit, standing at a podium and speaking into a microphone.
Aloysious Kabonge, who hails from Uganda, received the UMW Alumni and Friends Scholarship and several other awards to attend Mary Washington, where he’s become an integral member of the campus community. K Pearlman Photography.

Adjusting to life as an international student that far away in a new country had its challenges, the UMW senior said. “But I’ve formed strong bonds and built a supportive community that has truly made Mary Washington feel like home.”

Aloysious shared those sentiments and other highlights of his journey from Africa to America at UMW’s Celebration of Giving in November 2024. There, he expressed gratitude toward the donors who established the scholarships that have shaped his college experience and given him the chance to give back to the campus community.

“Your kindness, generosity, and support have changed my life profoundly,” said Aloysious, the recipient of the Mary Ann Dorsey, Thomas Howard and Elizabeth Merchent Tardy, and UMW Alumni and Friends scholarships.

During his remarks, Aloysious offered up a morsel of his life back in Kiwatule, outside Uganda’s capital of Kampala. “One of my favorite memories from home is sitting with elders in a circle, sharing stories in Luganda – our local language – and eating Luwombo, a dish of meat or vegetables [steamed inside banana leaves], along with juicy mangoes, fresh roasted corn, and tea with local spices.”

Aloysious attended seminary school as a young teen but decided on a different path due to his country’s human rights struggles. He applied to numerous schools abroad through Education USA and picked Mary Washington because of the private scholarships he was offered and the support he received from UMW’s Center for International Education, which helped him navigate moving overseas.

Aloysious poses for a photo with his parents at the airport before coming to the United States to attend Mary Washington. Photo courtesy of Aloysious Kabonge.
A photo of Aloysious (front row, far right) and his fellow Student Alumni Ambassadors at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center. K Pearlman Photography.
Aloysious (third from right), a member of UMW’s African Student Union, participates in the ‘Colors of Africa’ event put on by the James Farmer Multicultural Center at Mary Washington each spring. Photo courtesy of Aloysious Kabonge.
Aloysious (third from right) poses for a photo with his Department of Mathematics faculty mentors, Professors Melody Denhere and Leo Lee, and classmates after the Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 Summer Science Institute Symposium in July 2024. Photo courtesy of Aloysious Kabonge.

At UMW, he’s majoring in applied mathematics and statistics and minoring in data science. He collaborated with Professor of Mathematics Melody Denhere for a comparative study exploring ethnic and racial demographic trends over the last few decades, which he presented at the Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 Summer Science Institute.

“It was an invaluable experience that sharpened my skills in data collection, analysis, and visualization,” said Aloysious, who aspires to work in the technology, finance, or healthcare industries or pursue a graduate degree in data science or computational statistics.

In April, he shared his work at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Richmond, presented a group study titled “Artificial Intelligence for Emergency Alerting Systems and Reliability” at UMW’s 20th annual Research and Creativity Day,  and won second place – and $2,000 – in the College of Business’s Eagle Egg Pitch Competition. The judges praised his entrepreneurial idea for Proof Mode, a time-stamped PDF system meant to assure professors that assignments were completed without AI assistance.

He also appreciates the liberal arts and sciences education he’s found at Mary Washington. Higher education is more specialized in Uganda, he said, “but at UMW, I’ve been able to explore courses outside my major, such as post-colonial literature, which has broadened my perspective.”

Outside the classroom, Aloysious has thrown himself into campus life, serving as a Student Alumni Ambassador (SAA), connecting with students and alumni alike at Homecoming, Reunion Weekend, and presidential events.  He’s also been an orientation leader, resident assistant, and front desk associate and built homes for unhoused citizens as part of alternative service break trips through UMW’s Center for Community Engagement.

His commitment to the UMW community earned him the Alex Naden Award at UMW’s 2026 Eagle Awards for exuding the exceptional character, spirit, and personality of the award’s late namesake, a former UMW student who passed away in 2003.

Aloysious regaled the audience with stories about the cultural differences and social norms he has observed between his homeland of Uganda and the United States. K Pearlman Photography.
Aloysious, who received the Thomas Howard and Elizabeth Merchent Tardy Scholarship, among others, chats with his donor, Al Merchent, during a Scholarship Luncheon. K Pearlman Photography.
Aloysious received the Alex Naden Award at the 2026 Eagle Awards, earning an ovation from Dean of Students Melissa Jones and his fellow students. K Perlman Photography.
Aloysious and a classmate celebrate a decade of UMW’s Colors of Africa event, hosted by the James Farmer Multicultural Center. Photo courtesy of Aloysious Kabonge.

Speaking of home, he’s gotten a taste of it through participating in the James Farmer Multicultural Center’s Colors of Africa and African Student Union. “I’ve cooked and shared meals with friends from Nigeria, Mali, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan,” he said. “We often listen to music and play games together from our home countries.”

Assistant Director of Annual Giving Cadiann Treviño Pinto ’22, who oversees both the SAA program and the Eagle Engagement Center, has worked with Kabonge since he was a first-year student.

“Aloysious has always been a warm presence to be around,” she said. “At every event or activity, he radiates so much joy and excitement that you can’t help but smile when you talk to him.”

He feels the same when interacting with the alumni and friends who continue to support Mary Washington and its students.

“I’m here today, pursuing my dreams, because of you,” Aloysious told his donors at the Celebration of Giving. “You have given me opportunities that I could have only imagined, and for that, I’m deeply grateful.”

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.

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

Scholarships Provide a Palette of Study Abroad Opportunities for UMW Art History Major

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Growing up on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., Hayley Madden often took the metro to visit her favorite museums, especially the National Gallery of Art.

Just a few years later, she found herself in another National Gallery – this time as part of a University of Mary Washington faculty-led trip to London – where she presented her original research on French painter Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun’s “Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat.”

Senior Hayley Madden, an art history major at the University of Mary Washington, has studied abroad in both England and France because of the private support she has received from UMW donors. Here, she poses with a painting by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, ‘Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat,’ which she presented her research on at London’s National Gallery of Art. Photo courtesy of Hayley Madden.
Hayley takes a moment to ponder paintings at the Louvre in Paris. Photo courtesy of Hayley Madden.

“That was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I’ll never forget,” said Hayley, a senior art history major from Alexandria, Virginia, who came to UMW because of its emphasis on international education. “I’ve always had a desire to see the world and view both travel and art history as an outlet to escape from reality into the realm of adventure.”

Hayley has had her share of adventures since coming to Mary Washington, studying abroad twice and globetrotting across Europe to see some of the world’s most famous works of art. Now, she serves as a peer advisor and an international student liaison in UMW’s Center for International Education, helping fellow students with their own study abroad experiences.

Hayley was among the UMW student speakers who shared their study abroad stories at the 2024 Celebration of Giving in November. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Hayley was among the UMW student speakers who shared their study abroad stories at the 2024 Celebration of Giving in November. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

At UMW’s Celebration of Giving in November, she shared that private donor support was essential in helping her obtain these opportunities.

“My awards have helped me realize my dream of earning an art history degree while connecting me to these generous benefactors, some of whom have shared my passion for art,” said Hayley, who earned the Talon Award and the Nina G. Bushnell, Emil R. Schnellock, and J. Binford Walford scholarships.

A member of the UMW Honors program, Hayley has engaged in challenging liberal arts and sciences coursework across the University. But her favorite classes have been those within the Department of Art and Art History, she said, taught by Professors Julia DeLancey, Joseph Dreiss, and Suzie Kim. “They’ve played an essential role in my journey of self-discovery and pursuit of an education and a career in art history.”

Professor DeLancey praised Hayley’s commitment in the classroom and as president of UMW’s Art History Club. “Hayley is hard-working and engaged with both the material and others in class,” she said. “Her passion for travel – and how it can illuminate, expand, and strengthen her work as an art historian – has been really exciting to see.”

Hayley also cited as an influence Professor Emerita Marjorie Och, who took her and her classmates on a spring break trip to London in 2022, which inspired Madden to study abroad in Paris the following fall.

There, she attended I’Institute Catholique de Paris through the MICEFA program, living with an artist named Madame Sadi. “She was trained in opera and oil painting and displayed her work all around her tiny apartment above a café,” said Hayley, who spent her time outside of class exploring Montmartre, sharing baguettes with friends, and visiting museums.

She also traveled to eight other countries, seeing 17th-century Dutch and Flemish art in Amsterdam, the works of Marc Chagall in Venice, triptychs by Rubens in Antwerp, and Fauvist works at the Kunstmuseum in Basel, Switzerland.

Hayley visited Monet’s garden at Giverny during her study abroad in France. Photo courtesy of Hayley Madden.
Hayley poses for a photo while visiting the Eiffel Tower. Photo courtesy of Hayley Madden.
Hayley visited nine countries when she studied abroad in Paris, taking in sites such as the Palais du Luxembourg. Photo courtesy of Hayley Madden.
Hayley visited Piccadilly Circus during her faculty-trip to London with Professor Emerita of Art History Marjorie Och. Photo courtesy of Hayley Madden.

While in Paris, Hayley also began research on 18th-century English artist William Hogarth and his involvement in the creation of the British Royal Academy, which she has turned into an independent study project that she hopes to continue in graduate school. This spring, she plans to apply to the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who believed in my potential, especially those who provided scholarships so I could have these life-changing experiences,” Hayley said. “My donors have made my Mary Washington education possible while nurturing my dream from a simple sketch into a vibrant masterpiece.”

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 by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04

PBS Series Shows UMW Alum Taking High School Team to National Civics Competition

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Before Sam Ulmschneider ’06 attended the University of Mary Washington, he put his political prowess to the test in the nation’s premier civics competition for high school students.

Sam Ulmschneider '06 (seen here with his students at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia), who majored in history and philosophy at UMW, has led his students at Maggie L. Walker Governor's School in Richmond to several national championships in the We the People civics competition. Last year's event was chronicled in a PBS documentary series. Photo courtesy of Sam Ulmschneider.
Sam Ulmschneider ’06 (seen here with his students at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia), who majored in history and philosophy at UMW, has led his students at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School in Richmond to several national championships in the We the People civics competition. Last year’s event was chronicled in a PBS documentary series. Photo courtesy of Sam Ulmschneider.

In We the People, “we were asked to consider complex questions of public policy and political theory,” said Sam, who participated with his classmates in simulated congressional hearings before a panel of judges during the competition. “That experience is the reason I was motivated to study history and philosophy at Mary Washington.”

Today, Sam teaches those subjects and more at his alma mater, Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School in Richmond, where he has coached the school’s team to state championships and led it to three of its five national wins. While preparing for last year’s event, his class was spotlighted in Citizen Nation, a four-part PBS documentary series that followed teens and their teachers as they vied to secure a spot among the top 10 schools in the country – and win it all.

“I took We the People when it was a fairly young course,” Sam said. His teacher, Phil Sorrentino, “challenged us to think critically and argue our own views with a great deal of passion and engagement.”

The class primed him for the challenging coursework he found at UMW, where he read Plato’s Republic in a first-year seminar with Professor Emeritus of Philosophy David Ambuel, who he said had a “powerful impact” on his decision to major in the subject.

Sam said that Professor of History Susan Fernsebner inspired him to consider pursuing a Ph.D. “In her classes, we were reading popular novels and cultural and anthropological theory, which demonstrated how you could integrate other fields of study into history. That seemed new and enthralling to me as an undergraduate.”

After graduation, Sam planned to go into academia, earning a master’s degree in history from Virginia Commonwealth University. Yet, in 2011, he returned to Maggie L. Walker, which serves academically gifted students with an emphasis on government and international studies. He earned the James Madison Fellowship in 2020, a $24,000 award that helped him obtain a second master’s degree in American government and history from Ohio’s Ashland University.

Sam currently teaches Advanced Placement courses, American popular culture, and political philosophy, as well as his favorite, We the People, which is part of a comprehensive curriculum developed by the Center for Civic Education in 1987. Under his guidance, students hone skills in oral argument and rhetorical writing and engage in legal, political, and philosophical research to prepare for state and national competitions.

“Of all the classes I teach, it’s the one that alumni have told me is the most valuable, even years and decades later,” said Sam, whose students have gone to prestigious law schools such as Harvard and Columbia and embarked on careers in public policy and serving political campaigns.

Sam’s students spend much of the year engaging in deep legal, political, and philosophical research as well as rhetorical writing and oral argument in preparation for the We the People state and national finals. Photo courtesy of Sam Ulmschneider.
Sam (left) and his students visited Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Sam Ulmschneider.
Sam (with microphone) and several of his students participated in a panel discussion prior to the screening of ‘Citizen Nation,’ a documentary about the We the People competition that aired on PBS last fall. Photo courtesy of Sam Ulmschneider.

And a few have ended up at Mary Washington, including junior Ben Dickinson, who is grateful for Sam’s mentorship. “We the People prepared me academically to major in political science and bolstered my love for constitutional studies,” said Ben, who is taking U.S. Constitutional Reform this semester, a course taught by UMW Professor of Political Science Steve Farnsworth.

Sam said that the PBS series captured the energy and spirit that makes the class and competition such a meaningful experience for high school students. He recently joined a screening and panel discussion with the director, his students, and State Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, a fellow teacher and the father of one of his students, whose Richmond-area team also competed in the finals.

“It paints a strikingly patriotic portrait of America, watching the genuine level of civic engagement and mutual sympathy these students have for each other while working through these challenging questions we’re all struggling with as a society,” Sam said. “If you find yourself becoming cynical about young people, this series will remind you that the kids are alright.”

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

UMW Alumni Mourn the Loss of Beloved Environmental Science Professor

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Forty years ago, May Sligh ’88 wandered across the Mary Washington campus with her classmates as Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science and Biology Michael Bass identified trees. She can still recall him pointing out the white oak (quercus alba), red maple (acer rubrum), and American sweetgum (liquidambar styraciflua) to his students.

Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science and Biology Michael Bass passed away Oct. 4, 2024. He was a beloved figure at Mary Washington, especially among the countless environmental science majors he inspired to go into the field, and the Class of 1972, which established a scholarship in his honor. Photo courtesy of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science and Biology Michael Bass passed away Oct. 4, 2024. He was a beloved figure at Mary Washington, especially among the countless environmental science majors he inspired to go into the field, and the Class of 1972, which established a scholarship in his honor. Photo courtesy of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

“I knew that I had made the right choice by coming to a small school with a professor filled with the same wonder and passion for nature that I had,” said May, who has spent decades protecting water quality along the East Coast. “Dr. Bass’ kindness, ability to listen to his students, and desire to share his knowledge was unmatched. I’m forever grateful for the role he played in helping me find a career that I love.”

It often takes generations for tiny saplings to become towering trees, but in just a few years, Dr. Bass grew Mary Washington’s fledging environmental science program to one that has cultivated careers for countless alumni over the decades. After he passed away on Oct. 4, 2024, tributes poured in, from graduates who were influenced by their former professor to enter professions relating to his field, and those who appreciated the support that he and wife Heather gave the Mary Washington community.

“Dr. Bass helped plant some seeds for me to work in environmental conservation,” said Jessie Thomas-Blate ’03, a director of river restoration at American Rivers, a national nonprofit organization where she specializes in dam removal. “I wish I had the chance to talk with him about some of the big issues we’re facing today.”

Sidney Griffith Keith ’85 remembered how Dr. Bass supported her work with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and her decision to become an educator. “He told me that teaching was the best way to truly share a love of science, inquiry, and an understanding of our world and universe,” she said.

Dr. Bass from the 1972 Battlefield Yearbook. He taught environmental science and biology and served as sponsor for the Class of 1972, which later established the Dr. Michael Bass Scholarship in his honor. Photo courtesy of UMW Special Collections and University Archives.
Dr. Bass received emeritus status from the University of Mary Washington in 2018, after a 45-year teaching career.

Dr. Bass held several research positions before joining the Mary Washington faculty, where he became the first chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Geology (now Earth and Environmental Sciences). He earned a Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1976 and spent more than 45 years in the classroom at Mary Washington before retiring in 2018.

Throughout his career, Dr. Bass partnered with nearby localities on projects to monitor water quality, stream bank erosion, and the impact of construction on bodies of water like Massaponax Creek and Ni River. He also helped design retention ponds for the Central Park development in Fredericksburg. Students often contributed to his field work, which enabled them to present their findings at regional and national conferences.

Kathryn Collison Ray ’72, who was a student in the first biology course Dr. Bass taught at Mary Washington, recalled how as a young professor, he was assigned the role of class sponsor for first-year students. “He accepted the challenge and went above and beyond,” she said. “The Class of 1972 loves him for it, and he and his lovely wife, Heather, attended all of our class reunions.”

Dr. Bass and wife Heather (center) with Mary Saunders Williams (left) and Nancy Mahone Miller (right) from the Class of 1972, which established the Dr. Michael Bass Scholarship in his honor. Dr. Bass served as the freshmen class sponsor for the Class of 1972. Photo courtesy of Nancy Mahone Miller.
Junior Grace Hannah Buck, the recipient of the Class of 1972 Dr. Michael Bass Scholarship, takes a photo while doing field work for a geology class in Alum Spring Park in Fredericksburg. Photo courtesy of Grace Hannah Buck.

In celebration of their 50th reunion in 2022, she and her fellow graduates honored the professor with the Class of 1972 Dr. Michael Bass Scholarship, which was awarded for the first time to junior Grace Hannah Buck, an environmental geology and historic preservation major who plans to pursue a career in architectural preservation.

“Receiving this award was like someone telling me they saw my hard work and my potential and wanted to partner with me so I could achieve my educational goals here at UMW,” she said. “I’m so grateful to Dr. Bass and the donors who have made this scholarship possible for me and future students.”

UMW’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences will celebrate Dr. Bass’ life and career at Mary Washington with an open-house memorial in the Cedric Rucker University Center’s Chandler Ballroom on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 2-4 p.m. The event is free and open to all current and former members of the UMW community and the public.

For more information about the Class of 1972 Dr. Michael Bass Scholarship or other giving opportunities, please contact the Office of University Advancement at advance@umw.edu or 540-654-1024.

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

UMW’s Celebration of Giving Generates Global Connections

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University of Mary Washington senior Hayley Madden had an unforgettable experience while visiting England’s National Gallery on a faculty-led trip. An art history major, she presented her own research to her professor and classmates on French painter Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun’s “Self Portrait with a Straw Hat.”

“I’m so grateful to everyone who believed in my potential,” Hayley said. The recipient of the Emil R. Schnellock Scholarship and other awards, she’s now applying to graduate art history programs in London. “You’ve made my Mary Washington education possible while helping to nurture my dream from a simple sketch into a vibrant masterpiece.”

Hayley was among the student speakers who shared their stories at the 2024 Celebration of Giving. An art history major, Hayley studied abroad in England and France and now serves as a peer advisor in UMW’s Center for International Education. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement Katie Turcotte quoted late chef and globetrotting TV host Anthony Bourdain as she welcomed donors to the 2024 Celebration of Giving, held in the Cedric Rucker University Center’s Chandler Ballroom. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
President Troy Paino and wife Kelly (right), who were the evening’s hosts, and other guests listen to UMW student speakers talk about their international education experiences at Mary Washington. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
With a study abroad theme, tables were decorated with globes, suitcases, and postcards from far-flung locales across the globe. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Keeping with the international education theme, ‘Eagle Airlines’ screens outside Chandler Ballroom announced flight arrival and departure times. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Hayley shared her story – including how she explored museums in nine countries while spending a semester in France and now helps her fellow students plan their own excursions as a Center for International Education peer advisor – at the Celebration of Giving on Nov. 21. Held in the Cedric Rucker University Center’s Chandler Ballroom, this year’s event honored 200-plus donors who listened as students and administrators thanked them for supporting the University’s renowned study abroad program and the international students who live and learn at UMW.

“These pillars of the Mary Washington experience cultivate global perspectives and foster meaningful cross-cultural connections, yet can also be costly for our students,” Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement Katie Turcotte said. “Your gifts help strengthen UMW’s reputation as a hub for international education and student success.”

She thanked supporters for prioritizing UMW in their philanthropic giving during the past fiscal year, with $14.5 million in gifts and pledges raised from 5,146 donors. She also shared 2024 highlights, including the Beyond the Classroom Endowment, which supports student experiential learning like study abroad, surpassing its $1 million goal this fall.

“We’re grateful not only for your investment, but also your example to our students,” UMW President Troy Paino said. Noting UMW’s distinction as top producer of Peace Corps volunteers and Fulbright scholars, he said that curiosity, open-mindedness, humility, and a desire to learn about other cultures are critically important in today’s world. “These are traits that we hope to develop in young people so they can be successful and make a difference.”

Suitcases, globes, and postcards decorated the tables while the Eiffel Tower and a Japanese temple illuminated the walls of Chandler Ballroom. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Aloysious regaled the audience with stories about the cultural differences and social norms he has observed between his homeland of Uganda and the United States. K Pearlman Photography.
Sean McGavin ’25, one of the student speakers, with his donor, Sally Brannan Hurt ’92. Sally established the Sally Brannan Hurt ’92 Study Abroad Scholarship, which has funded faculty-led trips to the Galápagos Islands for dozens of students, including Sean. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Renee Allen Kuntz ’85 and husband Scott enjoy the evening’s festivities. Renee recently made a pledge that pushed the Beyond the Classroom Endowment, which funds study abroad and other high-impact learning opportunities for students, past the $1 million mark in gifts and pledges. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Guests enjoyed a sweet internationally-themed treat of gelato with a cookie and a cannoli. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Junior Aloysious Kabonge, a mathematics and statistics major and data science minor from Uganda, spoke about how the Thomas Howard and Elizabeth Merchent Tardy Scholarship and other awards have helped him earn a broad liberal arts education while embracing campus life.

At UMW, he serves as a Student Alumni Ambassador, resident assistant, and orientation leader. He participated in an alternative service break and joined the African Student Union, which has helped him connect with other international students.

“Your kindness, generosity, and support have changed my life profoundly,” he told his donors. “I’m here today, pursuing my dreams, because of you. You’ve given me opportunities that I could have only imagined, and for that, I’m deeply grateful.”

Sean McGavin ’25 points out photos from his college journey on a slideshow presentation. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Marcy Weatherly Morris ’50 reconnects with Dan Steen ’84 and Anne Thompson Steen ’83. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Janet Hedrick ’73, who has gone on several Mary Washington Alumni on the Road trips to destinations across the globe, enjoys dinner with University Librarian Emeritus Jack Bales. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Lisa Patillo Miller ’96 and the Hon. Kerwin Miller Sr. ’95 enjoy the cocktail hour at the 2024 Celebration of Giving, while a Center for International Education student slideshow plays in the background. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
From left: Dr. Terrie Young Crawley ’77, Al Merchent, Cindy Jones Merchent ’77, and Rita Morgan Stone ’52 pose for a photo during the cocktail hour. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Senior Sean McGavin shared his own college journey, beginning with hiking all 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail during a gap year. At Mary Washington, he discovered a passion for chemistry that was vital to his desire to preserve forests and began working as a wildland firefighter during the summers.

Earning the Sally Brannan Hurt ’92 Study Abroad Scholarship helped Sean go on a faculty-led trip the Galápagos Islands, where he planted trees and learned how other countries address ecological problems. The knowledge he gained abroad influenced his decision to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry so he can develop environmentally safe retardants to fight fires.

“I didn’t know my purpose before I came to Mary Washington, but I found it here,” said Sean as he thanked Hurt. “Going to the Galápagos … was an opportunity that wouldn’t have been possible for me without Sally’s scholarship and is one that I’ll never forget.”

Senior Mima Manton, who hails from England, said the James E. Baker Community Orchestra Scholarship and other awards supported her in studying music abroad while performing in many university ensembles, including leading the Pep Band.

“My musical experiences have developed in ways that I could have never imagined,” said Mima, who performed a piece on bassoon with Music Chair and Professor Brooks Kuykendall on piano. “I cannot stress enough that without my scholarships, I wouldn’t be standing in front of you today.”

Mima Manton ’25, a music major from England, performed a piece on bassoon to close out the evening. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Kaylah Lightfoot ’25 poses for a picture with Lucy Lutterbie ’70 during the cocktail hour. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Jane Jackson Woerner ’69 (left) and Karen Kilgore Ralston ’69 reconnect at the Celebration of Giving. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Linda Lemanski Blakemore ’84 and Associate Professor Emeritus of History Porter Blakemore enjoy the evening together. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
President Troy Paino gives final remarks to end the evening. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

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.

View photos from the 2024 Celebration of Giving.

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