Giving Stories

Campus Rec Scores Mary Washington Healthcare Sponsorship

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The University of Mary Washington is getting a big boost from Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC), which has committed to a sponsorship that will provide support for Campus Recreation (CREC) over the next five years.

A new sponsorship by Mary Washington Healthcare will provide $100,000 in funding to Campus Recreation throughout the next five years.
A new sponsorship by Mary Washington Healthcare will provide $100,000 in funding to Campus Recreation throughout the next five years.

“Mary Washington Healthcare exists to improve the health of all people in the region,” said MWHC Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Eric Fletcher. “Part of that commitment is to promote wellness, so partnering with UMW in these efforts is a natural connection. We hope our sponsorship helps students, faculty, and staff stay healthy and enjoy life to the fullest.”

A portion of the funds will go toward campus events that encourage wellness, exercise, and outdoor activities, like last week’s Big Ash Bonfire and Campout with Residence Life, and November’s Largest Gratitude Meditation.

But Director of Campus Recreation Kelly Shannon said the sponsorship will mainly help expand operating hours for the fitness center. More than 70 percent of the student body takes group classes, works out, or participates in other activities such as intramural or club sports, she said. “MWHC’s sponsorship is helping us better serve our mission of promoting student success, learning, and personal wellness.”

Students attend the recent Big Ash Bonfire and Campout, sponsored by MWHC and hosted by Campus Recreation. Photo by Paige Shiplett.
Students attend the recent Big Ash Bonfire and Campout, sponsored by MWHC and hosted by Campus Recreation. Photo by Paige Shiplett.

That’s a win for senior Kendall Wilkinson, facilities student coordinator, who said the fitness center’s atmosphere was different during the pandemic due to limited hours and CREC’s reservation system.

“COVID posed a challenge because students weren’t able to work out together, make friends, and find their community,” she said. “We’re now also able to sell outside memberships once again to bring in revenue.”

Fifth-year student Kevin Dougherty said those memberships are critical for him, as he is paid by the number of people who take the yoga classes he teaches. “I’ve definitely seen an uptick in attendees this semester,” he said, touting the benefits of regular exercise. “Any kind of movement is helpful physically, but it can also help you cope with stress.”

Fifth-year student Kevin Dougherty says that the fitness center's expanded hours mean that more people are able to attend the yoga classes he teaches.
Fifth-year student Kevin Dougherty says that the fitness center’s expanded hours mean that more people are able to attend the yoga classes he teaches.

Sophomore Olivia Pearce, a fitness center attendant, is a fan of the monthly professional development workshops – also covered through the MWHC sponsorship – that CREC employees are required to take.

She recently participated in one featuring a representative from UMW’s Office of Disability Resources, in which she and her peers discussed how they might help a patron in a wheelchair. “It makes you think a little harder about what you are responsible for in your job,” she said.

Joining UMW’s Club Swim team during her freshman year, senior Tess Wilhelm is now the student club sport coordinator for 20 teams. She said that CREC offers so many great career opportunities where “students can both work and workout.”

“Being a part of Campus Recreation has been vital to me both as a student and young professional,” Tess said. “This funding from MWHC has helped to ensure that this invaluable community resource is able to not only continue, but to thrive.”

For information on sponsorships 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

Why I Give: Jerri Barden Perkins ’61

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Jerri Barden Perkins, MD, came to Mary Washington aspiring to become a doctor. Growing up in a home where money was tight, a “small scholarship” of $100 made a huge difference, she said.

Jerri with her grandchildren
Jerri with her grandchildren

Now she’s helping current students succeed through her own gifts to UMW, including the John C. and Jerri Barden Perkins ’61 College of Arts and Sciences Student Research Endowment, which awarded scholarship funds to rising seniors Ava Spencer ’23 and Kevin Leong ’23 at the 2022 Summer Science Institute in July.

“At Mary Washington, I found the best possible education and professors who ensured that I was prepared for my career,” said Jerri, who paid her way through college with government loans and part-time jobs. A chemistry major, she says her liberal arts and sciences education also exposed her to lifelong passions like opera, art, dance, and golf.

Jerri later attended the Medical College of Virginia in her hometown of Richmond and earned a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, where she conducted trailblazing research on rheumatoid arthritis. She then became an FDA medical officer, recommending approval for one of the first drugs to combat AIDS. She presented her work around the world and opened Perkins & Perkins, a consulting firm to protect the rights of patients in clinical trials, in partnership with husband Cal, a Harvard grad who practiced internal medicine.

Jerri meeting Pope Francis several years ago in Rome, which she says was one of the highlights of her life.
Jerri meeting Pope Francis several years ago in Rome, which she says was one of the highlights of her life.

Her first gift to Mary Washington was in the same amount as that scholarship that helped her get started as an undergrad all those years ago – but she didn’t stop there. She soon funded one in her own name and became a member of UMW’s Washington and Heritage societies.

“Whenever students phoned to ask for donations, Cal always encouraged them to call me Dr. Perkins,” she said. “We attended a study abroad luncheon once, and he was so impressed with the quality of education at Mary Washington. He told me that my school would benefit more from our gifts than Harvard.”

When Cal passed away in 2009, Jerri worked with UMW’s Jan Clarke to establish three endowments in her late husband’s honor. One provides funds for UMW students studying abroad, while another supports the Classics, Philosophy, and Religion department, one of Cal’s particular areas of interest.

Helping Mary Washington students succeed is incredibly rewarding, she said. “It brings me such joy to support students during my lifetime.”

Q: What would you say to fellow alums who are considering endowing a scholarship?
A: Do it now so you can see the benefits and help UMW students learn and grow just the way you did.

Q: What’s your most meaningful Mary Washington memory?
A: Receiving the Distinguished Alumna Award in 2019.

Q: Where did you like spending time on campus?
A: I loved the library in Trinkle (now James Farmer Hall) as a student. I have donated artwork that’s now in the Classics department and love visiting the Zen Garden outside the building.

Jerri with President Troy Paino, Jay Sinha '07, and Abas Adenan '85, after receiving Alumni Association Awards at Reunion Weekend in 2019.
Jerri with President Troy Paino, Jay Sinha ’07, and Abas Adenan ’85, after receiving Alumni Association Awards at Reunion Weekend in 2019.

Q: What was your favorite Mary Washington tradition?
A: Celebrating May Day. I love the campus when it’s in full bloom. I had a professor who taught astronomy, and I can recall stargazing on a spring night.

Q: How do you spend your free time?
A: Sailing, skiing, biking, and traveling. I’m excited to return to Paris this fall and recently went sailing near my home in Hilton Head, South Carolina, with Jan Clarke and Vicki Sprague Ravenel ’77.

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. 

Alums Establish Mental Health Endowment in Friend’s Honor

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Two years ago, Jake Kelly received a humorous text from his friend and former University of Mary Washington roommate, Phil Smith. But, just a week later, Jake and friends Jonathan Wigginton and Jeremy Wood, all 2010 alums, were shocked to learn that Phil had taken his own life.

From left: 2010 graduates Jake Kelly, Jonathan Wigginton, Jeremy Wood, and Phil Smith in their UMW college apartment. When Phil took his life in 2020, his friends worked with Mary Washington to establish the Phil Smith '10 Talley Center Endowment to provide more mental health and suicide prevention resources to UMW students.
From left: 2010 graduates Jake Kelly, Jonathan Wigginton, Jeremy Wood, and Phil Smith in their UMW college apartment. When Phil took his life in 2020, his friends worked with Mary Washington to establish the Phil Smith ’10 Talley Center Endowment to provide more mental health and suicide prevention resources to UMW students.

“It totally hit us out of the blue,” said Jake, who returned to UMW with Jonathan to speak to incoming freshmen during Orientation, right before September’s Suicide Prevention Month. “We asked ourselves questions we couldn’t answer. Why did he do it? What did we miss?”

What they did know is that they wanted to memorialize Phil at Mary Washington, where their friendship began during their first week of classes. And they wanted his death to help spark discussions about mental health and suicide prevention.

With the blessing of Phil’s family, they began working with UMW’s Office of Advancement to establish the Phil Smith ’10 Talley Center Endowment, which will provide more counseling services, education and training, and other resources for current and future Mary Washington students. The endowment is on the verge of being fully funded, thanks to many generous donors, including Betty Dobbins Talley ’68 – her significant gift gave the Talley Center for Counseling Services its name – who gave $5,000 on Giving Tuesday in 2021 as part of a dollar-for-dollar match.

UMW also announced this week the rollout of an after-hours and weekend service through ProtoCall. Students now can access critical counseling care through the Talley Center as well as outside licensed professionals, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We have already seen an unprecedented volume of students coming in to see us, certainly in response to Jake and Jonathan’s presentation to freshmen,” said Talley Center Director Tevya Zukor. “As a firm believer that proactive treatment and intervention are the best way to prevent crises, it has been gratifying to see so many Eagles attending to their mental health needs.”

From left: Jeremy, Jonathan, Phil, and Jake at Jonathan's wedding. Phil's friends emphasized to UMW freshmen during their presentation the importance of checking in on loved ones and being aware of one's own mental health.
From left: Jeremy, Jonathan, Phil, and Jake at Jonathan’s wedding. Phil’s friends emphasized to UMW freshmen during their presentation the importance of checking in on loved ones and being aware of one’s own mental health.

Phil’s friends emphasized to the UMW freshmen the importance of seeking counseling, especially when navigating challenges all college students face, coupled with the lingering effects of isolation and trauma from the pandemic.

But they also encouraged them to check in on each other and their friends and family. “I had no idea Phil was fighting those battles,” Jake said.

He and Jonathan recalled Phil’s wit, his penchant for quoting his favorite movies, and how he always remembered details about his friends that others might have found insignificant. They admired his love for his wife and two children, and how he used his business and accounting degree from Mary Washington to start his own tax consulting firm.

But they also reflected on how Phil often struggled with overwhelming feelings. “There’s definitely cues we missed,” Jonathan said.

That’s why they’re glad their story is resonating with UMW students. Several came up to thank them after the presentation, give their condolences, or share that they too had lost friends to suicide.

The alums have already made plans to speak at next year’s Orientation, Jonathan said, and they look forward to reaching their goal of funding the endowment so the Talley Center can ramp up its services. “It’s nice to see that our hard work on Phil’s behalf is already making a difference at UMW.”

Make a gift to the Phil Smith ’10 Talley Center Endowment here. 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

Theatre Alum and Scholarship Recipient Creates Costumes For Hit Shows on Hulu, HBO

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Alicia Austin ’16 had never even attended a play before coming to the University of Mary Washington. But after her first costume design course, she realized theatre was the perfect fit.

Alicia Austin '16 earned a bachelor's degree in theatre at Mary Washington and an MFA at Yale University. She has recently worked on the costume design teams for remakes of HBO’s 'Sex and the City' and Steven Spielberg’s 'West Side Story,' as well as the Hulu hit 'Only Murders in the Building.'
Alicia Austin ’16 earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre at Mary Washington and an MFA at Yale University. She has recently worked on the costume design teams for remakes of HBO’s ‘Sex and the City’ and Steven Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story,’ as well as the Hulu hit ‘Only Murders in the Building.’

“It was so interesting to me that I changed my major,” said Alicia, who planned to study psychology but found elements of that in her new field. “I discovered that costuming could be a visual language to express each character’s personality.”

Now she’s putting those sartorial skills to work. After earning a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Mary Washington – and the UMW Performing Arts for the Community Scholarship and Rosemary Ingham Scholarship in Theatre – Alicia completed an MFA at Yale University. Graduating just before COVID shuttered Broadway, she made a leap from stage to screen, joining design teams for remakes of HBO’s Sex and the City and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, as well as the Hulu hit Only Murders in the Building, which just began its second season.

It’s a success story she’s been stitching together a little at a time.

“I grew up sewing out of utility, because it was cheaper to buy fabric and make clothes myself,” said Alicia, who began coursework at Mary Washington, but took a break from her studies to open an upscale consignment shop in downtown Fredericksburg. “I’m not someone who goes around saying ‘I love fashion,’ but clothing always held a deeper meaning for me.”

She sold funky jackets and floral frocks, designer jeans and buttery leather boots at Madeline Ruth and later Forage. With a prime location in a college town, her small secondhand business was booming. But she still wanted to earn a college degree, so she returned to Mary Washington.

At Mary Washington, Alicia designed costumes for Leslye Headland’s workplace satire, ‘Assistance.’ In the photo: Madeleine Dilley ’17. Photo by Geoff Greene.
Alicia also designed costumes for UMW Theatre’s production of Bryony Lavery’s chilling drama, ‘Frozen.’ In this photo: Jackie Filicko ’16 and Jake Crowley ’16. Photo by Geoff Greene.
Alex Newton ’17 and Lauren Frautschi ’18 in UMW Theatre’s production of Leslye Headland’s ‘Assistance,’ wearing costumes designed by Alicia Austin ’16. Photo by Geoff Greene.

Choosing from an ensemble of electives, Alicia discovered fabric modification, patterning and costume design. She had no idea what these courses entailed, she said, “but they sounded very cool.” So she reached out to Department of Theatre and Dance Chair Gregg Stull about switching majors and fast-tracking the next two years of her degree.

“Alicia brought both intention and passion to everything she did – every class, production and project,” Professor Stull said. “She’s a remarkable and gifted artist, and I’m eager to see the great work in her future.”

Though she continued to operate her shop, Alicia said the UMW Performing Arts for the Community Scholarship and Rosemary Ingham Scholarship in Theatre were the key to helping her flourish in college.

“The financial freedom they provided allowed me the time to focus on my classes and work on productions,” she said. “Receiving these scholarship awards gave value to my academic and artistic pursuits.”

Running her own business also helped Alicia set the stage for the pressures of doubling up on classes, while creating costumes for UMW Theatre productions like Frozen and Assistance.

“The caliber of education I had at Mary Washington prepared me to seek the same level of academic experience at Yale,” Alicia said.

After UMW, Alicia earned an MFA at Yale School of Drama, where she designed costumes for theatre productions like William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest.’
Alicia also designed costumes for regional theatre productions such as Baltimore Center Stage’s production of Noah Diaz’s ‘Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally.’ Photo by Teresa Castracane.
At Yale School of Drama, Alicia showcased the skills she developed at UMW, designing costumes for Em Weinstein & Michael Breslin’s ‘Arden,’ an adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It.’ Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

She thrived in the notoriously rigorous three-year theatre program at the Ivy League school, earning the prestigious Princess Grace Award, for budding theatre, dance and film artists, in 2019.

Now based in Brooklyn, Alicia still loves the stage, but her work on Only Murders, a streaming show about three amateur podcasters who attempt to solve a homicide in their fancy New York apartment building, allows her talent to reach a wider audience.

“The caliber of education I had at Mary Washington prepared me to seek the same level of academic experience at Yale,” Alicia says.
“The caliber of education I had at Mary Washington prepared me to seek the same level of academic experience at Yale,” Alicia says.

Her team’s dapper designs – including Selena Gomez’s marigold faux-fur coat, Martin Short’s royal purple attire and Steve Martin’s dashing fedora – have landed in the likes of Elle, InStyle and Buzzfeed. But Alicia says the real stars are the leaders of the all-female costume crew.

“They’ve taught me so much about the kinds of clothes you put on characters to represent who they are,” said Alicia, who might not have captured her current role without the education and scholarships she received at Mary Washington.

“If you’re ambitious and can figure out what you want,” she said, “there will always be someone at UMW to guide you and help you reach those goals.”

– Article written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04. Betty Emrey of Mindpower Inc. contributed to the reporting and writing of this story, which originally ran on the UMW news site. 

For information on endowing scholarships at the University of Mary Washington, please contact the Office of University Advancement at advance@umw.edu or 540-654-1024.

Summer Science Students Earn Perkins Research Awards

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As temperatures soared near triple digits last Wednesday, the weather formed a compelling case for Ava Spencer’s research on how extreme heat impacts Fredericksburg’s most marginalized communities.

“I wanted to look at these issues from a sociological perspective, in a way that could help people,” said Ava, a rising senior majoring in environmental science at the University of Mary Washington.

She was one of a pair of students who took home the top prizes at UMW’s Summer Science Institute (SSI), which engages undergraduates in an intense 10-week research experience with professors and peers. At a public symposium held in the Hurley Convergence Center’s Digital Auditorium, she and physics major Kevin Leong were chosen by a panel of faculty judges to each receive a scholarship award through the John C. and Jerri Barden Perkins ’61 College of Arts and Sciences Student Research Endowment. The funds will help the students continue their projects through the upcoming school year.

Participants in Mary Washington’s 2022 Summer Science Institute pose for a picture with their professors and peers. “I have witnessed the power of SSI to transform lives and send students down career paths that they would have never considered before,” says Associate Professor of Chemistry Randall Reif (front row, center), who led this year’s cohort with Assistant Professor of Mathematics Jeb Collins. Photo credit: UMW’s Summer Science Institute.
Last Wednesday, UMW students, faculty, staff, family and friends came to the Hurley Convergence Center to listen to presentations delivered by participants in the 2022 Summer Science Institute. Photo credit: UMW’s Summer Science Institute/Ava Spencer.
Students presented their posters to professors and peers in the Hurley Convergence Center. Photo credit: UMW’s Summer Science Institute/Ava Spencer.

Second place winners were Curtis Kasiski for his research on determining the dietary diversity of bumblebees, and Orianne Mbuyi Mujinga Kazadi for her work identifying fungal strains that can destroy invasive spotted lanternflies.

“I hope this award inspires them to open their minds to possibilities in life,” said Dr. Jerri Barden Perkins, who watched the presentations via Zoom. She was amazed at the variety and relevance of topics, she says, from fighting antibiotic resistance with phage therapy to using sockets to create video games. “The liberal arts and sciences education students find at Mary Washington broadens their perspectives and prepares them for the real world.”

Dr. Perkins earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Mary Washington and a M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia. She went on to conduct her own trailblazing research into rheumatoid arthritis and approved one of the first FDA drug therapies to combat AIDS. Her endowment, one of several she established at UMW, is in honor of her late husband, Cal, who practiced internal medicine.

“The Perkins scholarship award will allow us to recognize UMW students demonstrating exemplary performance,” said College of Arts and Sciences Dean Keith Mellinger. “This elevates SSI to a professional level.”

Rising senior Kevin Leong, a physics major, presented his poster detailing how he created a solar-powered cell phone charging station for the homeless with Assistant Professor Desmond Villalba. Photo credit: UMW’s Summer Science Institute.
Rising senior Ava Spencer, an Earth and environmental science major, presents her research on how extreme heat impacts Fredericksburg’s most marginalized communities, which she conducted with Assistant Professor Pamela Grothe. Photo credit: UMW’s Summer Science Institute.

Kevin, a rising senior, received the “Best Poster” award for his creation of a solar-powered cell phone charging station for homeless people. Working with Assistant Professor of Physics Desmond Villalba, he used a 3-D printer, and created and programmed circuits, to assemble a functioning prototype he hopes can be replicated in Fredericksburg.

“I feel so honored to have won the Perkins award,” said Kevin, adding that SSI has inspired him to pursue a career or further education in research. “The entire experience has been fantastic.”

Ava, who won the “Best Presentation” award, collaborated with Assistant Professor of Environmental Science Pamela Grothe ’06 and a team of volunteers to map temperatures across Fredericksburg.

They discovered that some neighborhoods historically zoned for African Americans were up to five degrees warmer than others due to lack of tree canopy and green spaces. “Research like this has been performed in larger cities, but not smaller communities like ours,” Ava said.

Receiving the Perkins award, she said, will help her continue the research through the fall semester. She hopes her findings will eventually aid local officials with the city’s climate action plan. “It’s a great feeling to be recognized for a project you’ve poured your time, energy and love into.”

For information on endowing scholarships 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