Giving Stories

Sixth Annual Mary Wash Giving Day Brings #TogetherUMW

March 28, 2023 Leave a Comment

Clark Billups ’17 was a senior when he made his first-ever gift to the University of Mary Washington.

Now, he’s sponsoring his first Mary Wash Giving Day challenge, encouraging other young alumni to make their first-ever gift on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. All donations during this 24-hour fundraising celebration – themed #TogetherUMW – go to supporting Mary Washington students and programs.

“I owe so much to my alma mater,” said Clark, who majored in business and now works at Liberty Mutual in Fredericksburg. After donating on every Mary Wash Giving Day since its inception, he pledged to give $1,000 this year to the unrestricted Fund for Mary Washington to help address UMW’s most critical needs. “I want to ensure that current and future students have access to the same public liberal arts and sciences education that I did.”

He’s not alone. Generous donors have committed to challenges and matches to inspire the entire UMW community – alumni, students, faculty, staff, families, and friends – to participate on Giving Day. Every gift, regardless of size, can help Mary Washington reach its goal of 2,600 gifts and 400 first-time donors, said Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14.

Hazel Lam-Mackintosh and Harper Thaden (left) make bead bracelets with UMW students Jenny Vuong and Boramy Meng at last year’s Multicultural Fair. Challenges and matches during Mary Wash Giving Day will help ensure favorite campus events – and other Mary Washington traditions – continue. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

UMW students Jessica Oberlies (left) and Jazmine Montecino return from a hike during a ‘UMW in Spain’ study abroad trip. Mary Wash Giving Day totals help provide learning experiences like this one at UMW. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

UMW men’s soccer player Nelsar Castillo (16) makes a run during last year’s NCAA tournament. Donations made during Mary Wash Giving Day help support UMW athletics and so much more. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

With $211,000 in challenges and matches waiting to be unlocked at givingday.umw.edu, every donation has the potential of doubling and even tripling its impact, resulting in thousands of extra dollars to be invested in UMW student success. This year’s goals also include:

1,908 gifts (celebrating UMW’s founding year) to unlock a total of $5,000 for the Fund for Mary Washington from Board of Visitors (BOV) Rector Devon Cushman ’93 and member Deborah Santiago ’90
2,600 gifts to unlock an $18,000 gift from Steve Gladis and Donna Sheehan Gladis ’68
When 400 first-time donors participate, BOV member Rob Strassheim ’96 and Sarah Gildersleeve Strassheim ’01 will contribute $5,000
200 gifts to the Fund for Mary Washington from alumni will result in a $15,000 gift from an anonymous donor
Sylvia McJilton Woodcock ’61 has pledged $5,000 when 10 individuals make a President’s Council-level gift ($500 for classes 2013-2022, $1,250 for classes 2008-2012, $2,500 for everyone else) to support the Fund for Mary Washington
Rob Whitt ’93 and Dodie Denison Whitt ’95, who are parents of a UMW student, will make a $2,500 gift when 500 current and former parents donate
Patti Boise Kemp ’69 will give $15,000 to the scholarship of her choice when $15,000 is raised for scholarships
A group of 1973 alums will match every gift to the Class of 1973 Reunion Scholarship up to $10,000
Former Chief of Staff Marty Wilder ’80 and Vicky Nichols Wilder ’80 will give $5,000 if UMW receives a gift from all 50 states

In addition, a Devil-Goat contest by Mike Charnoff ’95 and Katie Valentine Charnoff ’04 will encourage friendly competition between odd- and even-year graduates. Justin Gerbereux ’97 and Allison Coleman Gerbereux ’96 have sponsored a challenge for alumni who are married to other Mary Wash graduates. And 2008 grads Jeremy Bloom, Kate LeBoeuf, Alyssa Lee and Jeremy Vaughn will give $1,000 – and take a pie in the face – if 30 of their 2008 classmates give on Giving Day.

The Cedric Rucker University Center will serve as Giving Day headquarters, with games, prizes, food and fun for students. Clark Billups will also host a Bingo game that evening in the Underground.

Kevin Dougherty uses the UMW Fitness Center. Mary Wash Giving Day donations fund everything from the arts to campus preservation projects. This year’s goal is 2,600 gifts. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

UMW students participate in the annual Into the Streets community service event. Each gift during the 24-hour Mary Wash Giving Day event contributes to enhancing life and experiences for UMW students. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

UMW historic preservation students worked with the Patawomeck and Rappahannock Indian tribes on a Native American heritage driving trail in King George County. Mary Wash Giving Day gifts help fund hands-on research and academic experiences, and contribute to areas across campus. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

Dynamic leaderboards will track progress throughout the day. Meanwhile, over 100 Giving Day Ambassadors have signed up online to receive a unique referral link and digital tool kit to help spread the word on social media. Data shows that each ambassador post inspires three additional gifts. Alums and friends can also follow Mary Wash Giving Day on Facebook to learn which areas are still in need.

The Mary Washington Alumni Association will provide free pet bandannas with a fresh design to alums, who are asked to share their photos on social media, tagging #MaryWashDay and @UMWAlumni.

On the Mary Wash Giving Day Donor Wall supporters can spotlight their names and gifts or remain anonymous. Contributions can be made online, over the phone or in person toward the Fund for Mary Washington, academics, arts and cultural programs, athletics, diversity and inclusion initiatives, campus preservation projects and much more.

Learn more by visiting the Mary Wash Giving Day FAQ page or by contacting Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando at sorlando@umw.edu or 540-654-1361.

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

Why I Give: Shaun McBride ’22

March 14, 2023 Leave a Comment

Shaun McBride set the stage, saving up for his generous gift weeks before the University of Mary Washington’s Giving Day last year. Shaun, then a senior at Mary Washington, woke up that morning, grabbed his credit card, and donated $1,000 to UMW’s Department of Theatre and Dance.

“I was nurtured by our incredible faculty and staff,” said Shaun, a theatre major and arts administration minor who mastered aspects of his craft at Mary Washington, including acting, running the box office, and managing the house.

Shaun’s donation contributed to the more than $55,000 that UMW Theatre raised that day through its Take the Stage With Us Challenge. He hopes to inspire others to give to the theatre department, and other areas across the University, on the sixth annual Mary Wash Giving Day, which will be held on Tuesday, April 4. With a theme of #TogetherUMW, the entire Mary Washington community is invited to take part in the 24-hour event, raising funds to support students and programs.

“We see Mary Wash Day as a celebration of who we are, what we do, and what we can achieve together,” said Jon Reynolds ’07, UMW Theatre’s director of marketing and audience services.

Shaun served as the narrator in UMW Theatre's production ofThe Rocky Horror Show in November 2022. — Shaun served as the narrator in UMW Theatre’s production of
The Rocky Horror Show in November 2022.

Making the gift was a “pay-it-forward” moment for Shaun, who earned the Albert R. Klein Memorial, Edward Alvey Jr., and Lee Wingate Pappandreou ’40 scholarships, which helped cover the cost of tuition and made his future more attainable, he said. An aspiring theatre teacher, he’s now pursuing a master’s degree and PreK-12 licensure through UMW’s College of Education.

“Shaun’s curiosity and joy are an inspiration,” Theatre Department Chair Gregg Stull ’82 said. “His passion, skill, and empathy will create an amazing space for his students to learn and grow.”

Shaun’s penchant for performing began in Amherst, Virginia, where he appeared in school pageants, community theatre, and show choir. “I had teachers who encouraged me to break out of my shell and pursue a career that I loved,” he said.

At Mary Washington, he found the same kind of support from classmates and faculty members like Stull, Helen Housley, and Cate Brewer. He also served as a resident assistant and joined PRISM and UMW’s NAACP chapter.

Cast as Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing, Shaun prepared to take the stage for the first time in college, but even rehearsals couldn’t have prepared him for the production’s online pivot due to the pandemic. Still, UMW Theatre persevered, and so did he, embracing new technologies, virtual classes, and pertinent projects. “It gave me the motivation and optimism to keep moving forward,” he said of his role in organizing UMW Theatre’s archives.

Live performances returned for Shaun’s senior year, giving him the chance to be involved in all four productions, including serving as assistant to the director for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. “It made my heart happy,” Shaun said. “It was truly gratifying.”

So was his decision to make his Giving Day donation, Shaun said. “I want to help other students have the same incredible experience at UMW that I did.”

Shaun on UMW Theatre's New York City trip in 2022. — Shaun on UMW Theatre’s New York City trip in 2022.

Q: What would you say to encourage donors to give to UMW Theatre on Giving Day on April 4?
A: Your gifts can help the Department of Theatre and Dance continue to offer students the same supportive atmosphere that I found at Mary Washington. UMW students know they can always call on a faculty or staff member for advice, to seek their opinions, or even for just a laugh. You can help students by funding scholarships, internship assistance, production opportunities, and much more.

Q: What’s your favorite place on campus?
A: I’ve made so many happy memories at Klein Theatre. But the new theatre (set to break ground in 2024) will offer better accessibility and empower the feeling of community on campus. It’s important that those who create art have facilities that support student growth.

Q: What’s your most meaningful Mary Wash memory?
A: The opening of the first show I ever directed in Studio 115. The play was White, by James Ijames, about a white gay artist who hires a black actress to portray the creator of his painting so that the work will be accepted into a prestigious exhibit featuring artists of color. I had the immense pleasure of working with talented students to design, act, and produce this show in our black box theatre. It was an unforgettable experience that will help define my career.

Learn more about Mary Wash Day.

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

UMW Receives Transformational $36 Million Gift for Undergraduate Research and Scholarships

March 9, 2023 Leave a Comment

*Numbers have been adjusted to reflect the full amount of the gift, which totaled $36 million

The University of Mary Washington has received a $36 million gift – the largest in the institution’s 115-year history – from the estate of Irene Piscopo Rodgers. A 1959 alumna and lifetime supporter of her alma mater, Irene passed away on July 18, 2022, in Huntington, New York.

Irene Piscopo Rodgers poses in 2017 with Mary Washington students Kelly McDaniel, Mary Hopkin, and Emily Ferguson. The young women represent just a few of the many students who have benefitted through the years from Rodgers’ generosity to her alma mater. Her final gift of $30 million – the largest ever received by the University – will be ‘transformational’ to UMW’s undergraduate research program, providing students with invaluable hands-on learning opportunities for decades to come.

Irene made a name for herself in the field of electron microscopy and helped pave the way for UMW graduates, especially women, to excel in STEM subjects of their own choosing. Mary Washington, as she often said, had “opened worlds” for her. Now, this generous gift – along with others that she made through the years – will carry on her legacy by helping the University prepare young scholars for successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and math for decades to come.

“Students who benefitted from Irene’s generosity welcomed her into their lives, so she was able to observe firsthand the transformative power of her gifts,” said UMW President Troy Paino. “This unprecedented donation guarantees that exceptional students will continue to have access to a UMW education that delivers the kind of high-impact learning experiences that Irene valued so much.”

Irene’s gift will grow UMW’s undergraduate research program, President Paino said. Students in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, computer science, and math will have even more opportunities to explore their research interests throughout the academic year and at the University’s Summer Science Institute, working alongside faculty mentors. Mary Washington also offers undergraduate, graduate, and accelerated pathways for students aspiring to study law, medicine, engineering, conservation biology, pharmacy, accounting, and business analytics through agreements with partner institutions.

The gift also supports the creation of four new Alvey Scholarships, providing full tuition, fees, and room and board for out-of-state undergraduate students for up to four years, in addition to the eight Alvey Scholarships that Irene already created.

To date, 93 students have earned awards through Rodgers’ generosity, including 16 Alvey Scholarship recipients, funded by Rodgers. Students have also received research fellowships, scientific presentation grants for conference travel, and other scholarships established by Rodgers.

UMW student Boramy Meng works with the transmission electron microscope Irene Piscopo Rodgers gifted to Mary Washington in 2004. Having made a name for herself in the field of electron microscopy, Irene trained UMW faculty and students to use the instrument. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.

Student Kristine Dadufelza works in UMW’s Jepson Science Center with the electron microscope gifted to the University by Irene Piscopo Rodgers. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.

Professor of Chemistry and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics Janet Asper (right) works with senior chemistry major Dorothy Haas in Experimental Methods, a course that has students separating and identifying the molecules within a mixture. Through the years, Irene’s generous gifts to her alma mater have bolstered students’ pursuit of science. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.

UMW’s recently renovated Jepson Science Center connects classrooms to labs and offers sophisticated instruments to enhance undergraduate research, including an electron microscope gifted to the University by Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59.

The funding will be offered to the most promising students, said UMW Provost Tim O’Donnell, and ensure that Mary Washington graduates will continue to be highly prized by employers and graduate schools.

“This gift will be transformational for UMW, establishing us as one of the premier institutions in Virginia, indeed in the country, for undergraduate STEM research,” Provost O’Donnell said. “The mentored experiences the University will be able to offer will be unparalleled. I don’t know of another institution, regardless of size or mission, with such a focused investment.”

Irene earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from what was then known as Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia, followed by a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Michigan. She worked for the American Cyanamid Company and Philips Electronic Instruments, where she met her husband, James “Don” Rodgers, who hired her at a time when there were few women scientists in her field.

Irene Piscopo Rodgers is seen here in the 1959 ‘Battlefield’ yearbook, during her senior year at Mary Washington. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the school, then known as Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia.

Irene Piscopo Rodgers (back row, second from left) with her 1959 classmates at her 60th reunion in 2019.

After her graduation from Mary Washington, Rodgers (shown here in a picture from 2013) went on to earn a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Michigan. She worked for the American Cyanamid Company and Philips Electronic Instruments, making a name for herself in the field of electron microscopy.

Attending Mary Washington had been a game-changer for Irene, whose appreciation has been acknowledged through her philanthropy and donations to her alma mater for more than 40 years, beginning with a $50 gift in 1980.

In 2004, she donated a transmission electron microscope to Mary Washington and trained students and faculty to use it. A decade later, UMW presented Irene with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for her service and contributions to the institution. She also named a microscopy lab and several Alvey Scholarships after her late parents, Justin and Helen Piscopo. This gift, in combination with gifts made during her lifetime, brings her total giving to Mary Washington to nearly $39 million.

“The University is so grateful to have been the beneficiary of Irene’s generosity during her lifetime and now as a lasting part of her legacy. This gift was made possible through relationships built over decades by numerous members of the Mary Washington community,” said UMW Vice President for Advancement Katie Turcotte. “Everyone who knew Irene knows how much she loved Mary Washington and helping our students pursue opportunities to conduct research.”

Irene poses in 2018 with a group of Mary Washington scholarship recipients who benefitted from her generosity. To date, 85 students have earned awards thanks to funding she provided.

“This gift was made possible through relationships built over decades by numerous members of the Mary Washington community,” said UMW Vice President for Advancement Katie Turcotte. Here, Irene poses for a picture with late Associate Vice President for Advancement Ken Steen at the University of Mary Washington’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

Irene often kept in close touch with her previous recipients, following their successes through graduate school and beyond.

She was a “fantastic lady,” said sophomore Ally Fletcher ’25, an Alvey Scholarship recipient majoring in the biomedical sciences. “I’m so grateful that she gave me this opportunity.”

Hannah Checkeye ’21, who also earned an Alvey Scholarship and is now a graduate student at The George Washington University School of Medicine, said her donor “paved the way” for her and other women in the sciences.

“Irene made it possible for me to go to Mary Washington and complete my pre-medical education,” Checkeye said. “She changed the lives of so many students.”

Learn more about the UMW Admissions process and the Full-Ride Scholarships that are available to UMW students.

For information on creating a named Washington Scholarship or Alvey Scholarship, 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

Come #TogetherUMW for Sixth Annual Mary Wash Giving Day, April 4

March 7, 2023 Leave a Comment

What matters to you at the University of Mary Washington? Perhaps it’s giving students the chance to conduct real-world research alongside faculty mentors. Or supporting their desire to study abroad and immerse themselves in other cultures. Maybe you wish to help them make a difference through service and leadership.

The University of Mary Washington will hold its sixth annual Mary Wash Giving Day on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.

The entire UMW community will have the opportunity to give to the areas where their passions lie when the University holds its sixth annual Mary Wash Giving Day on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. This 24-hour fundraising celebration – which has a theme of #TogetherUMW – shows what we can accomplish when we unite to support current and future students, and academic, arts, athletics, leadership, service, career, and cultural programs at Mary Washington.

Last year’s event exceeded previous years’ records for most dollars raised, said Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14. She also encourages gifts of any amount, noting how they can add up and urging everyone who loves Mary Washington – alumni, students, faculty, staff, families, and friends – to pitch in with a gift to help UMW reach its goal of 2,600 gifts and 400 first-time donors in 2023.

“The University has benefited from strong private support for more than a century,” she said. “Together, we’re ensuring that students for generations to come can continue to have access to an outstanding public liberal arts and sciences education, filled with impactful learning experiences.”

Every gift made on Giving Day, regardless of size, has the potential of doubling and even tripling its impact, thanks to challenges and matches sponsored by generous donors. Alumni can engage in friendly competition through class and decade challenges and can earn bragging rights through a Devil-Goat themed contest, an extension of UMW’s annual Devil-Goat Day tradition.

Dynamic online leaderboards will help participants track progress in real time, building momentum and excitement throughout the day. The Cedric Rucker University Center at the heart of campus will transform into a Mary Wash Giving Day headquarters, with games, prizes, food, and fun for students.

UMW students Chloe Jones, Sarah Hybl, and Fiona Archer spread mulch for Tree Fredericksburg during last fall’s Into the Streets event. More than 70 students participated in an array of community service projects during the event, coordinated by UMW’s COAR. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

UMW students Jessica Oberlies (left) and Jazmine Montecino return from a hike to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe last summer during a ‘UMW in Spain’ study abroad trip. The experience is one of Mary Washington’s three longest-running faculty-led study abroad programs offered through the Center for International Education. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

Student researchers Carolyn Willmore and Talia Tanner seine fish (a method of fishing that employs a net) for banded killfish near a Virginia power plant. They worked with Assistant Director of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tyler Frankel. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

Matthew Monaghan, Alex Anthes Rojas, Cameron Hovey and Ben Lechtman collaborate on a tabletop puppet production. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

UMW soccer player Diego Guzman shows the crowd some love during the NCAA semifinals late last year. Mary Wash Giving Day gifts support the success of UMW athletes, artists, scholars and so much more. #MaryWashDay #TogetherUMW

Donations can be made directly on the Giving Day website to support the General Scholarship Fund and the Technology Assistance Fund, as well as the unrestricted Fund for Mary Washington, which addresses the University’s most pressing needs. Gifts can also help UMW expand its diversity and inclusion initiatives and bolster campus preservation and other areas that enhance the quality of life on the Mary Washington campus.

In addition, members of the UMW community are invited to serve as Giving Day Ambassadors to inspire others to contribute. Anyone can sign up at givingday.umw.edu to receive access to a customized dashboard and toolkit.

Meanwhile, the Alumni Association encourages alums to request a UMW pet bandana through an online form and to post pictures of dapper dogs and chic cats – not to mention turtles, parrots, lizards, guinea pigs, and other animal friends – with the tag #MaryWashDay and #UMW Alumni.

More information about Mary Wash Giving Day can be found on the FAQ Page. To sponsor a challenge or match, please contact Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14 at sorlando@umw.edu or (540) 654-1361.

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

Launch Award Gives Seniors a Boost in Service and Next Steps

December 15, 2022 Leave a Comment

Brianna Reaves ’22 said it was humbling to receive the Grace Mann Launch Award at the University of Mary Washington’s annual Eagle Awards ceremony in the spring of 2022.

“To be considered selfless, committed, and honorable like Grace Mann was a lot to take in,” Brianna said. “She planned to change the world.”

After Grace’s death in 2015, her parents, Thomas and Melissa Mann, worked with the University to establish an endowment to honor their daughter’s memory and support Mary Washington seniors on the verge of “launching into the world.” Like Grace, each of the seven recipients who have received the award spent their college years building coalitions, empowering their peers, and encouraging the UMW community to live up to its ideals. They’re now carrying on Grace’s legacy by continuing to work for peace and justice just as she planned to do.

“Grace grew up discussing social justice issues around the dinner table, in school, and at our synagogue,” Melissa Mann said. “In Judaism, there’s a common phrase, Tikkun Olam, that means ‘repair the world.’ Grace gravitated toward that idea from the start.”

At UMW, Grace majored in American studies and minored in practical ethics. She became a campus leader, joining People for the Rights of Individuals of Sexual Minorities (PRISM), Feminists United, and the Student Government Association Senate. She advocated tirelessly for the rights of women, the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, and underrepresented citizens, and for protecting the environment. And she aspired to become a lawyer to help survivors of sexual assault.

Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Emeritus Cedric Rucker presented Brianna Reaves '22 with the Grace Mann Launch Award at the annual Eagle Awards ceremony last spring. Photo by Kayla Zegada. — Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Emeritus Cedric Rucker presented Brianna Reaves ’22 with the Grace Mann Launch Award at the annual Eagle Awards ceremony last spring. Photo by Kayla Zegada.

“I met Grace on her first day at Mary Washington and her commitment to social justice was already so apparent,” said Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Emeritus Cedric Rucker.

For the past seven years, he has chaired the award committee to select each year’s recipient, a responsibility has been passed on to Dean of Students Melissa Jones after his retirement earlier this year. Award nominations open in the spring semester and are due in early March.

“For us, it’s about giving these students financial support so they can pursue their own passions,” said Melissa Mann, who attends the Eagle Awards each year to meet and congratulate the recipients. Winners have their own goals, Dean Rucker said, “but each recognizes they are inheriting Grace’s commitments.”

The award first went to Megan Blosser ’16, who shared Grace’s interest in survivor advocacy, volunteering at Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault while she was a UMW student.

“It was such an honor to be the inaugural Grace Mann Launch Award recipient,” Megan said. She put the funds toward books and other necessities while earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and now works in the justice system. “I feel that it’s a proactive way of addressing violence because many offenders have experienced trauma in their own lives. I want to help break that cycle.”

Brittany Greene ’17 served as a sexual assault peer educator at UMW. Now a registered nurse at an OBGYN clinic, she advocates on behalf of women and LGBTQ+ patients, helping them feel empowered in making their own medical decisions. And she is particularly passionate about improving Black maternal care.

“It’s important that my patients know they can trust me,” said Brittany, who used the award’s funds to pay nursing school tuition at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she graduated with honors in 2020. “Every day I hope I’m making Grace proud.”

After graduation, Ahad Shahid ’18 took a job with the nonprofit New Virginia Majority, cultivating a multiracial movement focused on civic engagement, issues advocacy, and community organizing. But traveling to college campuses around the state took a toll on his car, so the award’s funds helped him put a down payment on a new one.

Now Ahad works at the Wilderness Society, creating digital campaigns to make public lands more accessible, equitable, and approachable for all, especially marginalized communities.

“Grace was a persistent and brave fighter who advocated for those in need that have been systemically wronged,” he said. “We should all be more like Grace. I’m striving to honor her legacy.”

Coming out during high school was a milestone for Erin Shaw ’19. At Mary Washington, they aspired to make the campus more inclusive through serving in prominent roles with PRISM, Safe Zone, and the Multicultural Leadership Council.

Employed by the Human Rights Campaign, Erin is now focused on encouraging corporations to adopt LGBTQ+ supportive policies. “I want to honor Grace’s legacy by doing whatever I can to make forward progress,” they said.

Born in Tanzania, Nehemia Abel ’20 and his family settled in the Fredericksburg region in 2008. He later worked with UMW’s Center for Economic Development to start UBUMWE, using the Grace Mann Launch Award funds to support his community organization’s work unifying and empowering Burundians as they pursue higher education and careers. “Receiving the award reminded me that I’m following in Grace’s footsteps,” he said.

After graduating from UMW, he earned the Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship, which covered the cost of his master’s degree in global human development at Georgetown University. Studying refugee and humanitarian assistance, he plans to join the USAID foreign service.

“Being even tangentially related to Grace’s legacy remains the proudest moment of my life,” said Jessica Lynch ’21, who relied on the award’s funds during her AmeriCorps position with New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia. “I even brought the award in to show my colleagues and tell them about Grace and her impact on me.”

A historic preservation and American studies major, Jessica now serves as a museum technician for the park, creating social media campaigns highlighting artifacts to teach visitors about the history of women and African Americans living in Appalachia, whose stories are often untold.

Growing up, Brianna Reaves ’22 had a “big and boisterous voice” that she used to speak out against racial injustice. At Mary Washington, she helped found and lead UMW’s NAACP chapter, was a member of JFMC’s inaugural Farmers Fellows program, and served as a peer mentor for underrepresented students. She also made history as the first Black female Student Government Association president at the University.

Now that she has graduated from UMW, Brianna intends to use her experiences and the award’s funds to launch Black Girl at a PWI, a nonprofit to provide emotional, financial, and social support to Black students, especially women, at predominantly white institutions. She’s also beginning graduate programs in international peace and conflict resolution, as well as theological studies, at American University and Wesley Theological Seminary, respectively.

“I am not deserving of the award simply because I lead well – Grace was deserving of a full life so she could live out her purpose,” Brianna wrote on social media last spring. “I plan to honor her legacy by walking in my purpose as a change agent for social justice in the face of oppression.”

To make a gift to the Grace Mann Launch Award or for information on endowments at the University of Mary Washington, please contact the Office of University Advancement at advance@umw.edu or 540-654-1024.

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

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