Giving Stories

Olivia-Lena De Veaux, a senior international affairs and Spanish major at the University of Mary Washington, has embraced study abroad in college, spending a semester in Mexico and going on a faculty-led trip to Guatemala over spring break.

“It’s been exhilarating to expand my horizons in ways I couldn’t have imagined four years ago,” said Olivia-Lena, who earned the Gail Madden Shedlick ’78 Scholarship, which helped fund her summer internship working at a hotel in Prague. “It was my first experience navigating professional life in a foreign culture. I learned to translate my academic studies into real-world action – skills I’ll carry forward into my career.”

Olivia-Lena was one of several students who spoke at the Celebration of Giving, sharing how donor-funded scholarships and awards that support internships, study abroad, and undergraduate research have prepared them for Life After Mary Washington. With a theme of UMW pride and school spirit, the Nov. 13 event welcomed more than 200 guests to thank donors who contributed to the University’s success and celebrate its historic fundraising year and impressive college rankings.

Olivia-Lena, before speaking at the Celebration of Giving last fall, posing for a photo with Student Alumni Ambassador Cameron Gittings ’27. K Pearlman Photography.

The UMW Pep Band and Pep Dance with its leader, Matt Case, adjunct professor of percussion and music technology (front, second from left), pose for a photo in the Cedric Rucker University Center before performing at the Celebration of Giving. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

The 2025 Celebration of Giving was held in the Cedric Rucker University Center’s Chandler Ballroom. Lights illuminated the center’s College Avenue entrance. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

The UMW Pep Dance group performed with the Pep Band. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

The UMW Pep Band played rousing renditions of Mary Washington’s fight song, Kool & The Gang’s ‘Celebration,’ and other hits during the 2025 Celebration of Giving. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Tables were adorned with lanterns featuring UMW’s impressive national rankings. Guests enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by UMW Dining. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

President Troy Paino, who hosted the event with wife Kelly, thanked donors for the meaningful impact they’ve made on the lives and future careers of UMW students. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

The evening opened with the UMW Pep Band filling the Cedric Rucker University Center’s Chandler Ballroom with rousing renditions of fan favorites like the Mary Washington fight song, “Soar Eagle Nation, Soar.” Guests then heard from a lineup of speakers, beginning with Katie Turcotte, vice president for advancement and alumni engagement and executive director of the UMW Foundation.

She thanked supporters for contributing $37.8 million in gifts and pledges and helping UMW’s endowment surpass $100 million. She also highlighted several milestones, including Mary Wash Day exceeding $1 million in donations for the first time, and the Fund for Mary Washington receiving more than $1 million in unrestricted support. Donors funded 824 scholarships totaling $2.3 million for 553 students this year.

“Transformational impact isn’t about the size of the gift – it’s about purpose,” she said. “Every contribution, every volunteer hour, every act of support helps move this University forward.”

Janet Hedrick ’73, a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and UMW Reference and Humanities Librarian Emeritus Jack Bales attend the 2025 Celebration of Giving. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Curry Roberts and Irene Cimino Roberts ’86, a member of the UMW Foundation Board of Trustees, share a laugh with Kelly Paino. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Ginny Tapscott Clendenin ’09 and Dan Clendenin ’07, a member of the UMW Foundation Board of Trustees. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Kate Stoneman ’26, a senior environmental science major who had an internship with the Chesapeake Water Watch, served as a student speaker at the Celebration of Giving. Here, they pose with their parents, Jamie Simpson ’97 and Phil Stoneman ’94. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Sarah Gildersleeve Strassheim ’01 (left), a member of the UMW Foundation Board of Trustees, and Angela Mills ’01. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Xavier Richardson (left), a member of the UMW Foundation Board of Trustees, and John Loughran. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

UMW President Troy Paino acknowledged the University’s strong showing in prominent college guides, including U.S. News & World Report and the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Yet, the most meaningful recognition to him, he said, was The Princeton Review ranking Mary Washington as #11 in the nation for “schools that make an impact.”

“Your gifts allow us to impact not only these individual students’ lives, but the communities in which they’ll live and serve,” President Paino said. “The rippling effect of the investments you make in Mary Washington is profound. And tonight is about helping you see that.”

From left to right: Mary Turner Boyd ’67, Meganne Lemon ’11, and Gloria Shelton Gibson ’69. Meganne serves on UMW’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Marcy Weatherly Morris ’50 and UMW Director of Gift Processing and Records Management Lee Ann Reaser ’98. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Linda Coker (left) and Kelly Paino, wife of UMW President Troy Paino. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

UMW Chief of Staff Emeritus Marty Wilder ’80 (left) and Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Emeritus Cedric Rucker ’81. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Matthew Baker ’11, a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and Brooke Kelly. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Donors also heard from Kate Stoneman, a senior environmental science major who conducted fieldwork with their faculty mentor on a small island in the Potomac River that is disappearing due to rising sea levels. The research helped Kate secure a summer internship with Chesapeake Water Watch, a NASA-funded project that uses satellite remote sensing to monitor water quality and assess ecosystem health.

“I’m so grateful to my donors who helped fund my Shark Tooth Island research adventure,” said Kate, recipient of the Carrol Adair Gury ’68 Environmental Sciences Scholarship and the Mary Siegrist Hinz ’81 Leadership Award. “I would not be where I am today, with multiple conferences and internships under my belt, without your help.”

Blake Bauer, a senior historic preservation major who received the UMW Alumni and Friends Scholarship and Veronica S. Johnson ’89 Scholarship for Historic Preservation, reflected on the unexpected opportunities that donor support made possible. One memorable experience, he said, was engaging in archaeology research to locate Mary Washington’s gravesite.

“When I declared my major, I never could have imagined I’d be using ground-penetrating radar to search for the final resting place of our University’s namesake,” said Blake, who also interned with the National Park Service and the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library as a Bowley Scholar.

Blake thanks his donors for his scholarships at the Celebration of Giving in fall 2025. K Pearlman Photography.

From left: Jennifer Orr ’95, Colette Strawn Johnson ’97, Sean Lynch ’95, Justyn LeFebvre, Brendan Kelly ’95, and Courtneay Henson Kelly ’96. Colette and Brendan serve on UMW’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Assistant Director of Annual Giving Cadi Treviño Pinto ’22 (center) with Student Alumni Ambassadors (from left) Maggie Alt ’28, Sophia Heinbach ’27, Sydney Hawes ’28, Ryan D’Angelo ’26, Jay Hooker ’26, and Elaina Dongieux ’27, who helped staff the event. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Brittany McBride Doughty ’18 and Theo Doughty ’17. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Olivia-Lena was among the student speakers who shared their stories at the 2025 Celebration of Giving. K Pearlman Photography.

Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History William Crawley and Trenda Powell Jacocks ’82. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Kate Stoneman ’26, a senior environmental science major, speaks about the internship they completed at UMW, which was funded by scholarships established by donors. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Video production courses at UMW led Blake to a summer position with a PBS affiliate, where he helped produce a documentary about the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in Southwest Virginia, which premiered last weekend. He currently serves as a Lively intern, another donor-supported project through University Communications, developing a video series on the history of campus buildings. He also earned the Barbara Alden International Scholarship to travel to Peru as part of a digital storytelling course next spring.

“Your support hasn’t just eased the financial burden of college; it has opened doors I didn’t know existed,” Blake said. “You’ve allowed me to explore, take risks, grow, and discover passions I never knew I had. You’ve invested not just in my education, but in my future and in the person I’m becoming.”

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 2025 Celebration of Giving.

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

University of Mary Washington senior Carly Radgowski closes her eyes and pictures her friend’s rooftop in Paris, with French music playing softly as the Eiffel Tower begins to sparkle.

“In that moment, I felt such a sense of relief and gratitude,” she said, “that I could be in this beautiful place with this wonderful group of friends.”

Carly had always imagined studying abroad in France, where her mother once lived, and even attended a French immersion school for several years near her home in Vienna, Virginia. But it wasn’t until she received private donor support at UMW that her dream began to take shape — and she discovered a career path combining her French and conservation biology majors.

That path is especially fitting during International Education Week, Nov. 17–21, which provides an opportunity for colleges and universities to celebrate the value of cultural exchange through campus events. UMW’s Center for International Education (CIE) holds its own weeklong celebration in early October, with an Education Abroad Fair, student panels, and a Global Café co-sponsored by UMW Dining. The University sends between 250 and 300 students abroad each year through more than 120 approved programs in 35 locations.

For Carly, earning the Elizabeth Baylor Neatrour ’54 and Mary Ellen Stephenson Memorial Scholarship in French and the Carlos and Carol Muldoon Martel ’68 Scholarship for International Studies made studying in both Paris and Provence possible.

“Living and learning in France was suddenly just as affordable as attending Mary Washington,” said Carly, who took courses in French cinema, philosophy, and grammar while exploring Europe in her free time. She visited castles in the Loire Valley, strolled the streets of Strasbourg, and trekked to Dublin and Madrid with her father and aunt.

She also took a tandem language course abroad, speaking French with classmates who practiced English with her. “It helped me develop conversational skills and connect with students from different cultures,” she said.

Carly (right) and Hannah Anacko ’26 in El Retiro Park in Madrid. Both students, who are co-presidents of UMW’s French Language and Culture Club, studied abroad in France during their time at Mary Washington. Photo courtesy of Carly Radgowski.

Carly (right) and Brianna Kenealy ’25 attended a production of ‘I puritani’ at the Opéra Bastille during their study abroad in Paris. Photo courtesy of Carly Radgowski.

Carly and a friend she met through the MICEFA program visited Nyhavn, a historic 17th-century harbor in Copenhagen, Denmark. MICEFA (Mission Interuniversitaire de Coordination des Echanges Franco-Américains) is a nonprofit that brings together 18 French universities with over 65 partners in North America. Photo courtesy of Carly Radgowski.

Carly with a friend from the MICEFA program in Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. Photo courtesy of Carly Radgowski.

That experience has been invaluable to her work in CIE, where she serves as international student liaison, helping more than 100 degree-seeking students from other countries — as well as those visiting for a semester or a year — navigate life at Mary Washington.

“There is so much more to being a UMW student outside of academics,” said Sarah Moran, CIE’s assistant director, who earned a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant last spring to help cover the cost of passports for students new to studying abroad. “Carly is warm and friendly, and she understands the need for connection when a student is far from home.”

At Mary Washington, Professors Leonard Koos, Brooke diLauro, and Scott Powers have sharpened her language skills and deepened her passion for French. Their encouragement also inspired her to become co-president of the French Language and Culture Club, organizing movie nights, picnics, and crêpe-making events.

Across campus, Professors Alan Griffith, April Wynn and Andrew Dolby have provided similar support for her conservation biology major. Carly has worked in the herbarium and recorded plant data in the Jepson Science Center, and conducted research on bird species living on the Rappahannock River.

“Dr. Dolby and I explored turbidity and how it affected great blue herons and ospreys,” said Carly, who hopes to study in Francophone West Africa before attending graduate school in France, where she’ll continue her focus on conservation. “There’s a strong emphasis on sustainability in Paris, from recycling to greener transportation.”

Whether she chooses to focus on the environment or pursue other passions, she feels ready, thanks in part to UMW’s Center for Career and Professional Development, which she first visited as a sophomore.

“I’m profoundly grateful to everyone who has helped me in college,” Carly said. “I’m prepared for my next steps, whether they’re here or on the other side of the globe.”

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

On a sunny autumn afternoon, University of Mary Washington students flock to a table on Campus Walk. While snacking on sandwiches and cookies donated by local businesses, they’re learning about UMW’s Talley Center for Counseling Services and contributing to an increasingly prevalent discussion about mental health on college campuses.

“We’re young adults who are on our own for the first time, and that can be a challenging transition,” said senior James Turgeon, an applied physics major who stopped by Talley Treats. Held on Thursdays throughout October – a month dedicated to mental health awareness and education with events across the globe – the initiative promotes student well-being and connection at a point in the semester that can feel overwhelming to students. “I’m glad to know these resources are here at UMW.”

The enthusiasm surrounding the event helps explain why the University earned national recognition, as #15 for Best Student Support and Counseling Services in Princeton Review’s The Best 391 Colleges guide for 2026.

Talley Center staff Amira Niori (right), Jimmy Nguyen (left), and Debbie Huff (not pictured), along with Marissa Miller (center), director of UMW’s Center for Prevention and Education, hand out cookies and sandwiches on Campus Walk during Talley Treats. Held on Thursdays throughout October, the initiative promotes well-being and connection at a point in the semester that can feel overwhelming to students. Local vendors, including several alumni, provide the treats and gift cards for raffles.

‘Worry Worms’ crocheted by UMW alumna Analisa Ayala ’24, who donated the trinkets to the Talley Center. “Students like to put them on their backpacks to remind others about the Talley Center resources,” said Debbie Huff, the center’s office manager.

During Talley Treats, held every Thursday through October, staff share brochures and other information about the Talley Center’s resources with students, along with stickers, trinkets, and fidget toys to help calm them during stressful moments.

Staff Counselor Jimmy Nguyen passes out information about the Talley Center to students while wearing a T-shirt designed by UMW alum Ty Duenas ’16 of Archaic Artisans.

Under new leadership, the Talley Center is building on its strong foundation of providing high-quality clinical care, such as individual consultations, group therapy, crisis intervention, and more, at its locations in Lee Hall and Tyler House. Betty Talley ’68, who made a generous naming gift over a decade ago and has continued to support the Talley Center through her philanthropic giving, visited earlier this month to meet with its new director, Dr. Chad Sims. Together, they discussed his vision for the future of counseling at UMW, bringing a fresh focus on mental health promotion through campus partnerships.

“What drew me to the Talley Center is UMW’s strong commitment to student success and holistic development,” said Sims, who holds a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Ball State University. He also earned a master’s degree in counseling and counselor education from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Betty Talley ’68, who made a generous gift over a decade ago to name the Talley Center, meets with Dr. Chad Sims, the center’s new director. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Dr. Sims listens to Betty Talley, who shared that there were limited-to-no resources for mental health when she was a student at Mary Washington in the late 1960s. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Dr. Juliette Landphair (left), associate vice president for health and well-being at Mary Washington, shows Betty Talley a copy of Princeton Review’s ‘The Best 391 Colleges’ guide for 2026, which lists Mary Washington at #15 Best Student Support and Counseling Services. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

“The national conversation about well-being has led to an increased willingness among UMW students to pursue treatment or just someone to talk to,” said Juliette Landphair, associate vice president for health and well-being. After serving as UMW’s vice president for student affairs for over a decade, she transitioned to the new role this year, overseeing the Talley Center, Student Health Center, Campus Recreation, and Center for Prevention and Education. “Dr. Sims’s holistic approach to mental health and well-being aligns perfectly with what students need and are seeking. We’re so lucky to have him leading the Talley Center at this time.”

Sims previously served as associate director of training at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Christine F. Price Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, where he developed programs to enhance student well-being in a supportive campus environment. He was also a clinician at Virginia Commonwealth University, working to destigmatize mental health among marginalized populations, a priority he hopes to focus on at Mary Washington.

“These experiences taught me the importance of building strong, intentional partnerships across campus to meet students’ diverse needs,” said Sims, who plans to increase accessibility, expand digital outreach, and enhance virtual counseling services through TimelyCare. He also aims to provide more professional development opportunities for his team of six clinicians and two office administrators. “I’m so impressed with their desire to learn and build upon the skills they’ve already acquired.”

Dr. Chad Sims came to UMW after serving as associate director of training at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Christine F. Price Center for Counseling and Psychological Services and as a clinician at Virginia Commonwealth University. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Betty Talley chats with Katie Turcotte, vice president for advancement and alumni engagement and executive director of the UMW Foundation, as well as Talley Center Director Chad Sims. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Betty Talley ’68 (center), who made the generous gift to name the Talley Center over a decade ago, along with Talley Center staff. From left: Chad Sims, Jimmy Nguyen, Rebekah Michael, Glorya Askew, Betty Talley, Krysta Thomas, Melissa Palguta, Debbie Huff, and Demi Thompson. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Foreground: Betty Talley (left) chats with Melissa Palguta, a staff counselor in the Talley Center. Background: Glorya Askew (left), a licensed clinical social worker and trainee, and Krysta Thomas, a staff counselor, converse. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

“We chose to support the two institutions that gave us our initial start in our careers,” said Betty Talley ’68. She and her late husband, Page, were both lifelong counselors and educators. When they developed their estate plans, they established endowments to support the counseling centers at Mary Washington and his alma mater, Western Kentucky University. Photo by K Pearlman Photography.

Betty said there was limited-to-no access to mental health care when she was a college student in the late 1960s. After earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology, she received a master’s degree in education from Florida Atlantic University, then embarked on a counseling career spanning four decades.

When she and late husband Page, also a lifelong counselor and educator, developed their estate plans, they established endowments to support the counseling centers at Mary Washington and his alma mater, Western Kentucky University.

“We chose to support the two institutions that gave us our initial start in our careers,” said Betty, who requested that “psychological” not be included in the name, to reduce stigmas that often hinder students from seeking mental health care.

Her generosity has inspired both the Class of 1970 and a group of 2010 graduates to establish their own endowments to support the Talley Center.

“After spending 45 years as a counselor in public education,” she said, “to see counseling services at UMW thrive in an environment where services are so needed is such a fulfilling end to my career.”

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

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