Giving Stories

UMW Reports Record-Breaking $21.3 Million Raised in 2022-23

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The University of Mary Washington closed the books June 30 on its most successful fundraising year to date, with $21,362,093 in gifts and pledges – more than triple last year’s number – made during the 2022-23 fiscal year to enhance the UMW student experience.

The University of Mary Washington announces its most successful fundraising year to date, with $21.3 million raised in 2022-23 to support UMW students, programs, faculty, and staff.
The University of Mary Washington announces its most successful fundraising year to date, with $21.3 million raised in 2022-23 to support UMW students, programs, faculty, and staff.

Private support from 4,829 generous donors, more than half of whom are alumni, helped Mary Washington continue its commitment to providing students with an outstanding public liberal arts and sciences education filled with impactful learning opportunities. Gifts benefited 301 areas across the University, including academics, arts, athletics, service and leadership initiatives, career services, and cultural programs.

“We are so grateful to the many new and longtime supporters across the UMW community, and I am thrilled to thank them all for our most successful fiscal year ever,” said President Troy Paino. “Our alumni, friends, families, students, faculty, and staff give generously and invest in this institution. These funds will be a critical piece of our ongoing efforts to recruit, retain, and graduate successful Mary Washington students.”

This year’s grand total was bolstered by a portion of a transformational $30 million gift from alumna Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59, who passed away in July 2022, leaving the largest donation in Mary Washington’s 115-year history. Rodgers’ gift, which will be paid out over multiple years, exponentially grows UMW’s undergraduate research program in the sciences. The gift also creates four new Alvey Scholarships, providing full tuition, fees, and room and board for out-of-state students for up to four years, adding to the eight already created by Rodgers.

Making a UMW education accessible and affordable remains a major priority at Mary Washington, with 790 scholarships and awards, totaling more than $2.1 million, given to 550 students in this fiscal year. Fifteen scholarships were awarded for the first time, including the Class of 1966 Scholarship and the Class of 1973 50th Reunion Scholarship, which illustrate the investment alumni continue to make in their alma mater and its students. Five incoming students have been awarded full-ride Alvey or Washington scholarships (for in-state students) for the coming academic year.

Recently recognized as a “Top Employer for Interns” by the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership, the University announced in April the William H. Leighty ’78 and Martha Kearns Leighty ’75 Fellows Program. The couple, who are both former Board of Visitors members (Bill also served as chief of staff to two Virginia governors), made a $100,000 philanthropic commitment to the program to support UMW juniors and seniors in pursuit of public service internships in the commonwealth.

“This year’s success is due to the dedicated alumni, friends, families, students, faculty, and staff who make the University of Mary Washington a priority in their philanthropic giving,” said Vice President for Advancement Katie Turcotte. “We are deeply grateful for the generosity of every donor and for their devotion to supporting UMW students, programs, faculty, and staff.”

Other 2022-23 highlights include:

  • The entire UMW community came together on April 4th’s Mary Wash Day, a high-energy celebration of school spirit, with alumni and friends sponsoring 52 challenges and matches to help raise $621,528 in 24 hours to support students, faculty, and programs.
  • Alumni donors spanning 84 years made gifts in FY23, totaling $10,135,909.
  • Current and former faculty and staff donors contributed $430,206 in FY23.
  • President Paino and his cabinet endowed the Charles Coleman Service Award for staff who demonstrate dedication to UMW and a concern for others. The first award went to Student Life Case Manager Betsy Southern, who served as COVID care coordinator during the pandemic.
  • UMW dedicated several spaces on campus, including the Weatherly Wing, the Mason Team Room and the Leigh Frackelton Classroom and Gibbons Team Room.

Donors also helped UMW reach its halfway mark of $500,000 for Beyond the Classroom, an initiative that supports undergraduate experiential learning such as independent research, study abroad, and internships. While BTC is already helping current students enhance their academic experience, the long-term goal is to create a $1 million endowment to generate tens of thousands of dollars for students each year.

The unrestricted Fund for Mary Washington received $687,052 in gifts and pledges, as well as a $2.2 million estate distribution to the Lynne Gourley Farrell ’62 Fund for Mary Washington Endowment, helping UMW address its most pressing needs.

This year also marked a full return to in-person advancement events that spotlight the power of philanthropy, including the Celebration of Giving and the Donor Appreciation Luncheon and Student Showcase. More than 3,100 alumni participated in regional network and affinity group gatherings, presidential events, Mary Talks, UMW Alumni on the Road trips, Homecoming, and Reunion Weekend, which saw over 850 alumni return to campus to celebrate their milestone years in June.

“I’m so impressed and energized by Mary Washington graduates who support their alma mater through their engagement, as well as the alumni team and volunteers who put each of our exceptional alumni events together,” Turcotte said. “We look forward to seeing even more of you in the future, and if you haven’t been back to campus in a while, we hope you’ll visit soon.”

Make a gift for FY24, which runs from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. To learn more about giving options, please contact the Office of University Advancement at advance@umw.edu or 540-654-1024. Explore upcoming Mary Washington alumni events.

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

Why I Give: Lou Marmo ’94

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When Lou Marmo moved back to Virginia nearly a decade ago, he was looking for a fresh start in his corporate career. On a whim, he emailed Cedric Rucker ’81, then associate vice president and dean of student life at the University of Mary Washington, to ask for advice.

Lou Marmo '94
Lou Marmo ’94

“He called me 30 seconds later, looking to connect me with other people in his network,” said Lou, who soon landed a position on his own. But he credits that conversation with Cedric with reigniting his passion for his alma mater.

“I had donated $50 here and there, but I started to give more to Mary Washington after that,” said Lou, who went on to establish the Louis A. ’94 and Jill Marmo Scholarship five years ago, giving students at Richmond’s Midlothian High School a chance to attend UMW. He and wife Jill later created a second scholarship through local college prep program Partnership for the Future, geared toward students aspiring to study business administration, his own major in college.

“I wanted my community to be more aware of Mary Washington and the kinds of opportunities that exist for high school students,” said Lou, whose scholarship recipient, Zoe Hammond ’23, graduated from UMW with a biomedical sciences degree on May 6.

Lou with Zoe when she learned she'd received the Louis A. '94 and Jill Marmo Scholarship.
Lou with Zoe when she learned she’d received the Louis A. ’94 and Jill Marmo Scholarship.

Receiving the scholarship from Lou and Jill gave Zoe the opportunity to continue her education and helped cover necessary expenses. Next up, she’s applying to dental school. “I’m so excited for my future and feel so grateful to the Marmos for helping me get there,” she said.

Growing up in Holmdel, New Jersey, Lou hadn’t heard of Mary Washington until a family friend put it on his radar. He was sold when his parents told him he could keep his car if he attended college in Fredericksburg, but he also fell in love with the beauty of Mary Washington. “If you can get a student to visit here, the campus is a great selling point,” he said.

Beyond his major, Lou took liberal arts courses like history, geography, and English, which were beneficial as he began traveling abroad for work, he said. “When I visited South Africa, I already had some background on the continent.”

He also got to know faculty members like Leigh Frackelton, Bill Crawley, and the late Dick Palmieri, often hanging out with them outside of class. “Once I entered the workforce, I found that being able to build relationships with adults was an important skillset to have,” Lou said.

Now, as a member of the College of Business Executive Advisory Board, Lou – who also earned an MBA at New Jersey’s Monmouth University – uses his decades of experience as a C-suite executive to prepare Mary Washington students for their own journeys into the business world.

After retiring three weeks before his 50th birthday last year, he visits campus whenever he can and enjoys hearing how his scholarships are setting students like Zoe up for success.

“At this point in my life, it’s all about helping folks,” said Lou, who hopes to inspire others to give. “If you enjoyed your time in college, you can play a part in helping someone else experience Mary Washington.”

Q: What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?
A: If you’re responsive, decisive, and conscientious, you’ll be ahead of 95 percent of the people out there.

Q: What has been the most meaningful achievement of your career?
A: I was told that you shouldn’t be friends with people who work for you, but building relationships with my team has meant a lot to me.

Daughters Ally (left) and Danni at the fountain on Palmieri Plaza in 2014.
Daughters Ally (left) and Danni at the fountain on Palmieri Plaza in 2014.

Q: What’s your most memorable Mary Washington moment?
A: My friends and I were walking back to our residence hall in the rain one Friday around midnight. Ball Circle was a swamp, so we started slipping and sliding around in the mud. I guess we were too loud, because campus police came by and told us to have fun but keep it down!

Q: What’s your favorite spot on campus?
A: The fountain on Palmieri Plaza (named for the late professor) in front of Monroe Hall. My college roommate’s aunt even made a painting of it for me.

Q: How do you spend your free time?
A: I go to the gym, read, network, and serve on a few nonprofit boards. I also spend as much time as I can with my family. I just flew to Barcelona to meet up with my daughter, who studied in Rome this semester, to see Bruce Springsteen in concert with her.

Q: What might surprise your fellow alums to learn about you?
A: I have an MWC Eagle tattoo. Cedric was admiring it at Homecoming last fall, so I got the chance to remind him how much his phone call meant to me.

To learn more about establishing scholarships, please contact the Office of University Advancement at (540) 654-1024 or advance@umw.edu.

This story originally ran in the Advancing Mary Washington newsletter and was written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04. 

Sixth Annual Mary Wash Giving Day is One for the Books

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Cullen ’90 and Rosemary Seltzer ’91 made a perfect match when they met in college.

The entire University of Mary Washington community came #TogetherUMW for the sixth annual Mary Wash Giving Day April 4, raising $621,528 to support UMW students, faculty, and programs.
The entire University of Mary Washington community came #TogetherUMW for the sixth annual Mary Wash Giving Day April 4, raising $621,528 to support UMW students, faculty, and programs.

Recently, the alumni couple, who will celebrate 30 years of marriage this summer, made another perfect match – this time at the University of Mary Washington’s sixth annual Mary Wash Giving Day. The Seltzers sponsored a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $6,000, to inspire their fellow 1990s alums to give to the Fund for Mary Washington, which addresses the University’s areas of greatest need.

“Mary Washington will always have a special place in our hearts,” said Rosemary, whose sister, Anne Golden Danforth ’94, and daughter, Kate Seltzer ’21, are also alums. “We are delighted our match was met and can’t wait to see what the future holds for our beloved alma mater.”

They were among the 2,224 supporters – a number that includes 455 donors who made their first-ever gift – who came #TogetherUMW to raise a grand total of $621,528 on April 4 to support Mary Washington and its students.

For the first time, donors in all 50 states (plus Washington, D.C.) and seven countries participated in the 24-hour fundraising extravaganza, unlocking a $5,000 gift from Marty ’80 and Vicky Wilder ’80. They made 2,985 gifts to 124 different areas across the University, benefiting academics, arts, athletics, service, career, and cultural programs.

The Fund for Mary Washington received the most support on Giving Day, followed by UMW Theatre, Friends of Women’s Basketball, the Geography Alumni Scholarship, and the Beyond the Classroom Endowment.

“It’s truly inspiring to see how the UMW community continues to make a meaningful investment in our students, faculty, and programs,” said Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14. “The gifts that were made this year are already providing students with impactful learning opportunities, such as research with faculty mentors, study abroad, internships, and more.”

UMW students took pictures in the Cedric Rucker University Center to express their gratitude toward the 2,224 donors who gave on the sixth annual Mary Wash Giving Day.
The areas that received the most gifts included UMW Theatre, which encouraged donors to “Be a Part of It.”
Donors made 2,985 gifts to 124 different areas across the University, benefiting academics, arts, athletics, service, career, and cultural programs.

Alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and friends helped make the day a success, sponsoring 52 challenges and matches that doubled and tripled the impact of each gift. They also inspired others to donate by serving as Giving Day Ambassadors on social media, and posted photos of their pets donning Mary Washington bandannas, courtesy of the Office of Alumni Engagement.

The festivities continued at the Giving Day student headquarters with games, pizza, and prizes in the Cedric Rucker University Center and at an evening bingo game in the Underground, hosted by Patti Boise Kemp ’69 and Clark Billups ’17.

Videos posted on social media throughout the day showed UMW President Troy Paino and Vice President for Student Affairs Juliette Landphair quizzing students on Mary Wash trivia while driving a Cash Cart (based on the early 2000s game show Cash Cab) down Campus Walk.

Young alumni donors, who graduated in the last decade, topped last year’s gifts, making 365 donations totaling more than $24,000.
Alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and friends helped make the day a success, sponsoring and participating in 52 challenges and matches that doubled and tripled the impact of each gift.
Alumni and students spanning 81 classes, from 1945 to 2026, donated on Giving Day.

Here are some of the other highlights of Mary Wash Giving Day 2023:

  • Alumni and students from the classes of 1945 to 2026 donated on Giving Day.
  • The Class of 1973 – celebrating their 50th reunion in June – made the most gifts, followed by the classes of 1995 and 2022.
  • Goats won Devil-Goat Day this year, but the Devils eked out a Giving Day win, with 889 gifts from odd-year graduates versus 881 from even-year graduates.
  • Young alumni donors, who graduated in the last decade, topped last year’s gifts, making 365 donations totaling more than $24,000.
  • By sharing their referral links, 149 Giving Day Ambassadors inspired their networks to give 257 gifts totaling nearly $22,000.

If you missed Giving Day, or want to support Mary Washington students even more, there’s still time. The University’s giving year ends on June 30, and online gifts can be made at umw.edu/gift.

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

UMW College of Business Classroom Named for Longtime Accounting Professor

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When Professor Emeritus Leigh Frackelton retired from the University of Mary Washington’s College of Business (COB) in 2021, the pandemic left little room for fanfare.

Rob Strassheim ’96 wanted something more for his former professor, who taught business law and accounting at the University for 35 years.

The University of Mary Washington dedicated the Leigh Frackelton Classroom on April 20 in honor of Professor Emeritus Leigh Frackelton (center) and the Gibbons Team Room, thanks to a generous gift from Bill, Susie, and Michelle Gibbons ’16. Both spaces are in Woodard Hall, home of UMW’s College of Business. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.
The University of Mary Washington dedicated the Leigh Frackelton Classroom on April 20 in honor of Professor Emeritus Leigh Frackelton (center) and the Gibbons Team Room, thanks to a generous gift from Bill, Susie, and Michelle Gibbons ’16. Both spaces are in Woodard Hall, home of UMW’s College of Business. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

“Leigh is an institution here at Mary Washington,” said Rob, who now serves as vice rector of UMW’s Board of Visitors. He helped raise tens of thousands of dollars to name a classroom for Frackelton. “I felt this would be a fantastic endeavor to thank someone who has been so impactful in the classroom and in the community.”

Former students and colleagues, family, and friends finally had the chance to fête the longtime faculty member, dedicating the Leigh Frackelton Classroom, as well as the Gibbons Team Room, in Woodard Hall on Thursday, April 20.

Gathered in the airy, technology-rich space, COB Interim Dean Ken Machande ’94 and guests swapped stories about “Frack,” known for using his own career experiences – and golf games – to illustrate key business concepts. The dean also announced a scholarship for accounting students that Frackelton was instrumental in creating, before giving the professor himself an opportunity to share more tales.

“I always enjoyed hearing his real-world examples,” said Michelle Gibbons ’16, who majored in business administration. “He helped ignite my desire to pursue a career in accounting.”

Michelle attended with her parents, Bill, a member of COB’s Executive Advisory Board, and Susie, a former certified public accountant (CPA), who named a team room in their daughter’s honor. Machande thanked the Gibbons family for their generous gift, which will benefit business students for years to come.

Frackelton, who grew up in a neighborhood next to UMW, majored in history at Washington and Lee University. He later earned a law degree at the University of Richmond School of Law and a Master of Law in Taxation from the College of William and Mary. He also became a CPA, studying for the exam with several of his students.

Hired by Mary Washington in 1986, he spent over three decades in the classroom. He now serves as counsel at Parrish Snead Franklin Simpson, PLC, while supporting numerous area community organizations.

From left: Rob Strassheim ’96, COB Interim Dean Ken Machande ’94, and Professor Emeritus of Business Law and Taxation Leigh Frackelton in front of the classroom. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.
Michelle Gibbons ’16, with her parents, Bill and Susie Gibbons, holds the BOV resolution naming the Gibbons Team Room, a collaboration and study space that will be used for business students for years to come. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.
Leigh Frackelton and wife Justin laugh as guests share stories about the professor emeritus, who retired from UMW in 2021. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

At UMW, he developed a reputation for being a tough grader. “He had high expectations of his students,” said Rob Whitt ’93, who attended the dedication. Both he and his daughter, Emily Whitt ’23, took classes with Frackelton and enjoyed comparing notes. “He was always enthusiastic and loved the material and teaching,” Rob said.

But beyond his gruff exterior, “you’ll find someone who truly has a passion for helping his students,” said Machande, sharing an anecdote about a time when Frackelton paid a semester’s tuition for a senior who was struggling financially.

“I heard from alums who said Leigh was singlehandedly the reason they made it through accounting,” Rob Strassheim said. “He once opened his home in Richmond to a student who needed a place to stay for his internship.”

And Frackelton was always focused on concerns of others, Rob said. In return, David and Nancy Honeywell, of the Honeywell Charitable Fund, issued a generous challenge grant, which motivated others to give toward Mary Washington’s goal of raising $100,000 for the COB Endowment.

Leigh Frackelton, who taught at Mary Washington for 35 years, shares a few stories of his own in the Woodard Hall classroom named for him. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.
Leigh Frackelton, who taught at Mary Washington for 35 years, shares a few stories of his own in the Woodard Hall classroom named for him. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

Finally, it was Frackelton’s turn to speak.

“If I had a classroom like this, I might have taught for 55 years,” he joked, before thanking those who cheered him on throughout his career, calling them his “balcony people.”

He acknowledged many of those individuals, including his wife and children, his father-in-law, and his favorite professor, who encouraged him to practice tax law instead of teaching. Years later, the man was pleased that Frackelton was able to do both.

“That’s what I always told my students,” Frackelton said. “Do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do.”

To learn more about naming gifts or establishing scholarships at the University of Mary Washington, please contact the Office of University Advancement at (540) 654-1024 or advance@umw.edu. 

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

Scholarship Recipients Give Thanks at Donor Appreciation Luncheon

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University of Mary Washington junior Norah Walsh ’24 remembers taking a strenuous uphill hike with classmates on the Spanish island of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe on a hot day last year. Their sweaty bus ride back was a bonding experience, she said, but it remains one of her most memorable moments since coming to Mary Washington.

“I would not have been able to go to Spain without the Abbott International Study Abroad Scholarship,” said Norah, a Spanish and philosophy major who earned four scholarships at UMW. “So, thank you very much, Marty Abbott.”

Junior Norah Walsh speaks at the 2023 Donor Appreciation Luncheon on March 25. The annual event, held in person for the first time in four years, celebrates donors who have established scholarships to support students. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Marty Abbott ’72, who established the Abbott International Study Abroad Scholarship, listens as Norah Walsh, her recipient, speaks about how her scholarships enabled her to study abroad in Spain. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

Norah expressed those words of gratitude at the 2023 Donor Appreciation Luncheon and Student Showcase on Saturday, March 25, at the Cedric Rucker University Center. Held in person for the first time in four years, the annual event honors supporters who have established private scholarships for students, as well as members of UMW’s Washington and Heritage societies, who have given or pledged significant funds to the University.

Guests mixed and mingled with scholarship recipients who displayed their academic pursuits and projects, then dined in the Chandler Ballroom and later listened as student speakers and UMW President Troy Paino thanked them for their generous gifts to Mary Washington.

Seniors Oscar León and Mina Sollars chat about costumes from UMW Theatre productions with Mark Ingrao ’81 and Lisa Taylor ’85 during the Student Showcase. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Deborah and James Llewellyn ’83 with the Llewellyn Scholarship in Psychology recipient, sophomore Robert Oehler. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Sophomore Docia Atanda, the recipient of the Bernard L. Mahoney Jr. Student Research Fellowship in Science chats with the late professor’s wife, Kathleen Mahoney. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
From left: Carolyn Gore-Ashe, Betty Fischer Gore ’49 and sophomore Saud Abdul Aziz, who received the Martha Fischer Leighton ’47 Memorial Scholarship and the Linda Loy Endowed Emergency Fund. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Ed Morawetz Jr. chats with Noel Shenk ’24, the recipient of the Christopher Edward Morawetz Scholarship, during the Donor Appreciation Luncheon. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

“You are making a dramatic difference in the lives of students so they can access a public liberal arts and sciences education,” said President Paino, announcing that the University awarded $2.2 million through 817 privately funded scholarships in the last fiscal year.

He also highlighted the “transformational” gift from the estate of Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59, who passed away last July. The $30 million gift will create four new full-ride Alvey Scholarships and exponentially grow UMW’s undergraduate scientific research program, he said. “We are so grateful to Irene and to all of you who invest in our students.”

Because of her own experience studying in Madrid as a Mary Washington student, Marty Abbott ’72 embarked on a career in foreign language education. Creating a scholarship to help UMW students experience travel overseas, she said, was the natural next step.

“Norah truly embodies the reason why I created this scholarship,” said Marty, who swapped stories about Spain with Norah at the luncheon. “I always appreciate hearing from students how scholarships have impacted them professionally and personally.”

Sophomore Davy Washington explains how the Susan Leavitt ’83 Scholarship helped them pay tuition after their mother passed away. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
President Troy Paino provided a university update, announcing that UMW awarded $2.2 million through 817 privately funded scholarships during the last fiscal year. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Sophomore Kaylah Lightfoot, recipient of the Balfour Scholarship for Leadership, served as emcee of the 2023 Donor Appreciation Luncheon. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

Serving as emcee, sophomore Kaylah Lightfoot ’25 shared how receiving the Balfour Scholarship for Leadership has helped her hone those skills and serve in campus leadership roles, including as the newly elected vice president of UMW’s Student Government Association.

Sophomore Davy Washington ’25, a creative writing major, said they needed the Susan Leavitt ’83 Scholarship, designed for students who experience a personal hardship, in order to help cover the cost of tuition.

“After my mom died unexpectedly, it gave me the chance to focus on my studies and live the ideal college student experience,” said Davy, who read a poem about their mother to the audience. “Being a student in need and knowing that there are donors who support students like me has been one of the most heartwarming experiences I’ve had in college.”

To learn more about establishing scholarships, please contact the Office of University Advancement at (540) 654-1024 or advance@umw.edu. View photos and videos from the 2023 Donor Appreciation Luncheon and Student Showcase.

Norah Walsh is the recipient of the Amanda Elizabeth Dresser ’95 Scholarship, the Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship, the Abbott International Study Abroad Scholarship, and the Fita Rivas Scholarship in Spanish.

Davy Washington is the recipient of the Susan Leavitt ’83 Scholarship.

Kaylah Lightfoot is the recipient of the Balfour Scholarship for Leadership.

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