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Update your Beneficiary Information

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Review all account forms for accuracy

Now is a great time to check all financial account and insurance policy information and to consider the use of transfer and payable on death designations.

Types of accounts or policies that may allow for a beneficiary designation for Transfer on Death (TOD) include checking or savings accounts. Those eligible for Payable on Death (POD) beneficiaries include investment and retirement accounts, mutual funds, stocks and bonds held in a brokerage account, life insurance policies, and some types of personal property. Assets in these accounts can pass directly to the person or charitable organization you designate without going through the probate process or being counted as part of your taxable estate.

Heritage SocietyBeneficiary information for UMW may be listed as:
University of Mary Washington Foundation
1119 Hanover Street
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: 540-654-2064
Tax Payer ID (TIN) 54-0169-627

For more information, contact jclarke@umw.edu or 540-654-2064.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity

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Use your IRA now to fund a gift annuity and support UMW in the future

If you are 70½ or older, you have an opportunity this year to transfer up to $53,000 from your traditional IRA to fund a charitable gift annuity. This giving option allows you to satisfy a portion of your required minimum distribution (RMD),  create a fixed rate of income for yourself, and support students and programs at UMW.

This option can be used only once in each person’s lifetime. Here are a few guidelines:
• Your IRA administrator must transfer the funds directly to the University of Mary Washington Foundation.
• You will not pay income tax on the transfer of funds, nor will you receive an income tax deduction for the gift.
• Once established, you can begin receiving regular annuity payments at a fixed rate from the UMW Foundation.
• Since the funds in your IRA had not previously been taxed, you will need to pay taxes on the annuity payments. The upside on this form of income and related tax liabilities is that all will be spread out over several years.
• If two spouses are of the qualifying age, each may be able to transfer up to $53,000 for a charitable gift annuity, and each may receive annuity payments.
• At the time you create a charitable gift annuity, you may request any residuals from your gift benefit the Fund for Mary Washington, an academic department, or other University programs.

To learn more about creating a charitable gift annuity through your IRA, contact Jan Clarke in the Office of Gift Planning at jclarke@umw.edu or 540-654-2064. As always, please consult with your financial advisor and plan administrator.

A Love of All Things French

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Scholarship offers essential support to French and international business major

As a child, Hadley Mantia began learning simple French phrases from her grandmother, a long-time French teacher in Kentucky. “I just loved hearing my dad’s mom speak the language,” says Hadley. “I thought it was the coolest thing on the planet.”

Hadley enhanced her vocabulary through French classes during both middle and high school. When embarking on her college search, she stumbled upon a unique opportunity at UMW: a combined French and business course.

Hadley Mantia ’24 enjoys the sights and sounds of France.

“I thought the French business class was great, but then I fell in love with the small campus and the entire community,” says Hadley.

An unexpected change in her family’s financial situation complicated Hadley’s college plans, but it did not stop her. She immersed herself in campus life, became a resident assistant, and began working in Dodd Auditorium. She also applied for and received the A. Haskin Jackson and Edith Nunnally Jackson Scholarship funded by Heritage Society member Judith Jackson Jones ’68.

“This scholarship has been a huge help in paying my way, and I actually met Mrs. Jones last year at a luncheon,” says Hadley. “She was such a bright light, telling me stories and motivating and inspiring me to go for my goals.”

In addition to her classes and campus employment, Hadley also joined the UMW Performing Arts Company (PAC) to pursue her interest in dance, and she and a friend helped restart UMW’s French Club. In the summer of 2023, Hadley went abroad to work as a marketing intern for Opened Mind JPA in Aix-en-Provence, France.

“Getting a glimpse into the French business world gave me a lot of insight,” says Hadley. “I now have a greater appreciation for the country and the people.”

With graduation near, Hadley is busy scheduling interviews. Her ideal job is one that effectively merges her international business education with her proficiency and love for the French language.

For information about becoming a member of the Heritage Society, contact Jan Clarke at jclarke@umw.edu or 540-654-2064.

Article by Donna Harter, University Advancement

 

 

Alumna, Author Uncovers Hidden Black History in Great Lives Lecture, Feb. 8

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An archaeological dig revealed the remnants of a notorious slave jail in Richmond. The groundbreaking discovery led journalist and Mary Washington graduate Kristen Green ’95 to use different tools to unearth information about Mary Lumpkin, a formerly enslaved woman who began her family’s quest for freedom on that site.

Kristen, an award-winning reporter and author, utilized the writing, critical thinking and rigorous research skills she honed through her college journalism courses to piece together a riveting portrait in her 2022 book, The Devil’s Half Acre (the jail’s nickname). Documents, deeds, death certificates, and more weave a tale of a woman all but erased from the American narrative.

Journalist and author Kristen Green '95 will share the story of enslaved woman Mary Lumpkin as part of UMW's Great Lives Lecture Series on Feb. 8.
Journalist and author Kristen Green ’95 will share the story of enslaved woman Mary Lumpkin as part of UMW’s Great Lives Lecture Series on Feb. 8.

“We know figures like Harriet Tubman, but most enslaved women didn’t try to escape because they wouldn’t have left their children behind,” Kristen said. “Instead, Mary Lumpkin used her agency … to secure an education and freedom for her children, nearly a decade prior to the Civil War.”

Kristen will shed light on Lumpkin’s story – including how she became known as the mother of Virginia Union University, one of the country’s oldest Historically Black Colleges and Universities – on Thursday, Feb. 8, for the William B. Crawley Great Lives Lecture Series. A part of UMW’s 2024 Black History Month Celebration, Mary Lumpkin: Enslaved Woman, Liberator will be held in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by LINKBANK, the lecture is open to the public and free of charge and will be posted online shortly after the event.

The lecture reunites Kristen – a member of UMW’s inaugural Alumni of Distinction class – with series founder and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History William Crawley. She cites him as the reason she chose to attend Mary Washington, after a chance encounter when she was working at her high school job in a furniture store.

“I naturally followed Kristen’s progress with great interest, while she was a student and in her journalism career,” Dr. Crawley said. “I’m so proud of what she has accomplished.”

Kristen said taking courses in history, religion, historic preservation, and English pointed her toward the interdisciplinary American studies major. She also registered for every class with Steve Watkins, who taught journalism at UMW for over two decades.

“I came from a small town and had never encountered anyone like him,” said Kristen, who joined the student newspaper, then called The Bullet. “He encouraged me to question everything.”

With that curiosity, she earned a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and wrote for the Boston Globe, San Diego Tribune, and Richmond Times-Dispatch. Covering other communities inspired her to take a closer look at her own hometown.

Her New York Times bestseller, Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County, investigated how the Virginia community shuttered public schools, rather than admit Black students, after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision.

Kristen Green pieced together the story of Mary Lumpkin using letters, court documents, slave manifests, census and city directories, and more, as well as interviews with formerly enslaved people from the early 20th century.
Kristen Green pieced together the story of Mary Lumpkin using letters, court documents, slave manifests, census and city directories, and more, as well as interviews with formerly enslaved people from the early 20th century.

“I had only been told parts of the story,” said Kristen, who explored her own family’s role, learning that her grandfather helped open the segregated private academy that she herself attended as a child. “That’s what my books have become – this history hidden in plain sight.”

That’s what drew her to Mary Lumpkin, who was forced to bear the children of a brutal slave trader, Robert Lumpkin, but used her limited resources to help them have a better life. And Kristen wanted to share the stories of other enslaved women who were exploited during the domestic slave trade.

She used the Library of Virginia and Ancestry.com to trace Mary Lumpkin’s journey through personal correspondence, court documents, wills and deeds, census and city directories, slave manifests, advertisements, news articles, and birth, marriage and death certificates.

“There are so many little records that seem like nothing, but when you put them together, a story starts to form,” said Kristen, who also used recorded interviews with formerly enslaved people from the early 20th century to round out what Mary Lumpkin’s life might have looked like.

Mary Lumpkin saw a different future after Robert died, Kristen said. “She … found freedom, mobility and love and carved out a life of her own.”

A complete lineup of Great Lives lectures, including dates, speakers and sponsors, can be found at umw.edu/greatlives. Learn more about Kristen Green’s work at kristengreen.net. Read more about UMW’s inaugural Alumni of Distinction class.

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

Baseball Executive, Alum Encourages Students to Take Risks, Build Relationships

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When Jin Wong ’97 was applying for an internship with the Atlanta Braves during his senior year at Mary Washington, he was given a choice. Did he want to interview with baseball legend Hank Aaron over the phone or in person?

“I told them, ‘Tell me where and when,’” said Jin, who flew south to meet the Baseball Hall of Famer, spending some time getting to know the player who held onto the record for most career homeruns for 33 years. “It’s all about making connections and building relationships.”

Now a Major League Baseball executive himself, Jin shared those words of wisdom when he returned to the University of Mary Washington earlier this month to speak with College of Business students, student-athletes, and the UMW baseball team. The Alumni Association Board of Directors also presented an evening Q&A for alumni with board member Karmel James ’13 as host.

Jin Wong ’97 poses for a picture in the College of Business. A business administration major at Mary Washington, he recently accepted the position of assistant general manager for baseball administration with the Chicago White Sox, after 24 years with the Kansas City Royals. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.
UMW President Troy Paino with Jin Wong ’97 during the Mary Washington graduate’s recent visit to his alma mater. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.
Jin Wong speaks to students in UMW’s College of Business. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.

Jin, a business administration major and Division-III All-American outfielder at Mary Washington, shared insights from his 24 years with the Kansas City Royals and his recent decision to move to the Chicago White Sox. Named to the University’s inaugural Alumni of Distinction class, he also had a chance to visit his plaque in the first-floor gallery in George Washington Hall.

“The best advice he gave was to take risks and jump headfirst into any position in sports you can find,” said junior Thomas Martinez, who plays third base for UMW and aspires to work in sports marketing.

As a student, Jin followed his own recommendation when his advisor, Professor Emeritus of Management and Psychology Larry Penwell, found him the internship in Atlanta, next securing an entry level job with the team’s minor league affiliate, the Richmond Braves.

Two years later, he landed in Kansas City, where he rose through the ranks over the next two decades. He became vice president and assistant general manager for baseball operations in 2015, helping contribute to the team’s World Series win that year. Every step of the way, his relationships played a role in helping him find his next opportunity, Jin said.

Now, he’s ready for a larger market, accepting an assistant general manager position with the Chicago White Sox, which made national headlines this month. In his new role, he’ll oversee all aspects of baseball administration, including contract negotiations, salary arbitration, budgeting and payroll management, compliance with MLB rules and regulations, and the collective bargaining agreement.

“The job will be stressful, but all the responsibilities are in my wheelhouse,” said Jin, who appreciates that he’ll have more work-life balance. “It’s also an opportunity to change an organization from the inside.”

Jin Wong ’97 speaks to the UMW baseball team in the Leigh Frackleton Classroom in the College of Business. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.
Jin Wong’s 2015 Kansas City Royals World Series Championship ring. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.
Jin Wong speaks to the UMW baseball team. He was a Division III All-American outfielder as a student. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.

He reassured UMW students that there are jobs in professional sports for any major, with a willingness to work hard, be a team player, treat others with respect, act with integrity and accountability, and not focus more on ambition than one’s current position.

“Most importantly, remember that failure is inevitable,” said Jin, recalling how he quit the baseball team for a year to improve his grades in college, as well as the times he didn’t get hired for jobs he wanted. “Learning resilience and perseverance will help get you through those tough moments.”

Jin also encouraged students to use him and other alumni working in sports as a resource. He singled out Tad Dickman ’12, a former UMW basketball player who now directs communications for the Pathway/PGA Tour. Others include Emily Badis ’15, who played field hockey at UMW and is now manager of football administration with the Minnesota Vikings, as well as Shelby Harris Carey ’16, a former UMW tennis player who now manages events at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

For example, Jin said, he recently helped Xavier Herring ’23 – who was named UMW’s Male-Scholar Athlete of the Year last season – score an internship with a Chicago White Sox minor league team.

Senior Marie Butler, a geography major and business administration minor who plays on the UMW volleyball team, said she’s already taken Wong up on his offer to help.

“As a young woman looking to break into sports management, I learned from him that I need to put myself out there and use the connections I have,” said Marie, who was interested to hear Jin speak about the kinds of jobs available for liberal arts and sciences majors. “If you are confident, passionate, and willing to work hard, there’s a career out there for you.”

Jin Wong ’97 is the recipient of the UMW College of Business Distinguished Business Alumni Award, a member of the UMW Athletics Hall of Fame, and is featured among Mary Washington’s Alumni of Distinction. 

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