When Eagles come together, truly amazing things happen. The entire University of Mary Washington community recently demonstrated that, rallying to raise over $1.33 million on Mary Wash Day to support students, faculty, and programs.
A total of 2,565 donors helped crush participation goals, making 3,654 gifts during the 24-hour celebration of philanthropy and engagement, held April 2-3 from noon to noon. Alumni, families, friends, faculty, staff, and students collectively unlocked hundreds of thousands of dollars in challenges and matches sponsored by generous donors, doubling and tripling the impact of each gift.
“This achievement isn’t just about surpassing a financial goal – it’s a powerful testament to the extraordinary commitment of the UMW community to invest in the University’s mission,” said Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14.
Mary Wash Day saw a 58 percent increase in giving over last year’s event and passed the million-dollar mark for the first time in Mary Wash Day’s eight-year history, she said. “This milestone shows that when Eagles unite around a shared purpose, there’s no limit to how high we can soar or what we can accomplish together.”
Donors from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., as well as those from overseas, made gifts to 124 different areas across the University, benefiting academics, arts, athletics, service, career, and cultural programs.
The unrestricted Fund for Mary Washington, which underpins every aspect for which UMW is known and loved – a leading liberal arts and sciences education, small class sizes, personal relationships with professors, and low student debt upon graduation – received the most gifts. Other popular designations included UMW Theatre, the College of Education, Women’s Basketball, Simpson Library, and the Marshall E. Bowen Scholarship, honoring the late geography professor.
“Breaking the million-dollar mark for the first time on Mary Wash Day is a truly historic moment for the University of Mary Washington,” President Troy Paino said. “These gifts directly enhance the student experience, empower our faculty, and strengthen the programs that define a Mary Washington education. We are deeply grateful, and this milestone affirms the enduring impact of our collective commitment to UMW’s future.”
Festivities kicked off with a celebration on the patio of the Cedric Rucker University Center, which served as the Mary Wash Day headquarters. Students played games, won prizes, took photos with UMW mascot Sammy D. Eagle, made gifts, and wrote thank you messages to the donors who made their Mary Washington experience possible. They also were treated to performances by the UMW Pep Band and the Symfonics a cappella group, as well as a campus-wide scavenger hunt to find stuffed eagles and win donations for the areas of their choice across the University.
The Fredericksburg Regional Alumni Network held a happy hour and trivia night that evening at the Hurley Convergence Center, and the Cedric Rucker University Center and Jepson Science Center were illuminated in Mary Wash blue. Faculty, staff, and students gathered for a brisk walk the next morning from the Anderson Center to the Bell Tower, sponsored by Campus Recreation.
Other giving highlights of Mary Wash Day include:
- 2025 marks the first year Mary Wash Day giving has surpassed seven figures.
- Alumni and students from almost every class year between 1948 and 2028 made a gift.
- Student giving more than doubled from last year, and the Class of 2025 was among the top 10 classes to make the most gifts.
- Mary Wash Day saw a 59 percent increase in first-time donors, with 649 new supporters making gifts in 2025.
- The classes that made the most gifts (starting with the greatest amount) were 2020, 2004, 2024, 2002, and 2010.
- The classes that raised the most funds (starting with the greatest amount) were 1973, 1968, 1969, 1971, and 1974.
- Goats (even-year graduates) bested the Devils (odd-year graduates), with Goats making 1,082 gifts versus the Devils’ 851. The Goats also won the 99th annual Devil-Goat Day in April.
- Giving from Friends of the University nearly doubled, with 290 making gifts in 2025.
If you missed Mary Wash Day or want to support UMW 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 by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04
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