financial aid

Following the Music

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Scholarship helps student pursue dreams.

Morgan Anderson ’22 already has three degrees from Germanna Community College, including one in early childhood education. She now is majoring in music at the University of Mary Washington and plans to teach elementary school.

“I have always prioritized education and believe it is the critical foundation for success,” says Morgan.

She is grateful to be the 2020-2021 recipient of the Myrtle Hollins Isbell Scholarship. The scholarship honors the life and memory of Myrtle Hollins Isbell, who graduated from Mary Washington College in 1923 and became a home economics teacher.

As a full-time student at UMW, Morgan works several jobs to help pay for school. She is currently a part-time teaching assistant at a preschool in her hometown of Culpeper and also babysits on the weekends. The Isbell Scholarship offers Morgan financial reassurance during her time at Mary Washington and provides her with the opportunity to make her education the top priority.

After graduation, Morgan plans to enroll in UMW’s Master of Education program to earn her teaching license for music education, but her plans do not stop there.  “As an educator, you are continuously learning and thriving with the children you encounter,” says Morgan. Her passion and dedication to learning and educating others makes Morgan successful and serves as an inspiration to all.

Written by Darlene Mugisha ’21

Mapping Success

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Scholarships help student discover route to success.

English is her first major, but Beth Devine ’21 fell in love with the UMW geography department after taking an Intro to GIS course with Dr. Stephen Hanna and a Weather and Climate course with Dr. Jackie Gallagher. After seeing the passion and the tight-knit community within the Geography department, Beth declared Geography as a second major.

She was grateful for the help of three separate scholarships during her time at Mary Washington. Beth is the current recipient of the Geography Alumni Scholarship, and she previously received the Marguerite J. Helbush Scholarship in English, and the Susan J. Hanna Endowed Scholarship in English.

Outside the classroom, Beth has been awarded numerous opportunities to work in geography with professors and other students. In the summer of 2019, she assisted Dr. Marco Millones in editing and preparing labs for an introductory GIS course for Spanish speakers.

 In 2020, Beth had the opportunity to work on Dr. Hanna’s plantation research team, which visited presidential plantations and observed how these museums presented the lives of enslaved people who once lived there. Beth was also invited to join Dr. Hanna’s cartography practicum, where she and two other students created a campus accessibility map for UMW’s Office of Disability series of hiking trail maps for an official hiking guide of Hocking Hills, Ohio.

In addition to Geography and GIS, Beth also works as a department aide for the Geography department. Beth helped restructure the Geography Club, and she currently serves as its president. Last summer, Beth also served as a Cartography intern with the Federal Government.

After graduating from UMW, Beth plans to pursue a master’s in Geography, Cartography, or International Relations. “Geography has become a special part of my UMW experience, and I owe a lot of my success to the Department’s constant support.” says Beth.

Written by Darlene Mugisha ’21

Finding Stability

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Scholarships help UMW senior find balance.

Matt Smith ’21 is the proud recipient of three UMW scholarships: The Biology Departmental Scholarship, Celtic Art Scholarship, and the Stanley A. Owens Scholarship.

He also is a beekeeper and is currently conducting research with the biology department on pollinator foraging patterns in the Fredericksburg area. The purpose of his research is to see if human-designed landscapes are adequate replacements for natural landscapes or pollinator forage. Matt says this is important because many native pollinators have suffered population declines within the last two decades due to forage and habitat loss.

In addition to this scientific research, Matt maintains a 3.9 GPA while holding leadership roles in several clubs, including the Ecology Club, Boxing Club, and the UMW Eagle Bagpipe Band. Matt especially enjoys the creative outlet from participating in the Eagle Bagpipe Band with Professor Lauren McMillan. ”

“Bagpipes have provided a unique opportunity for me to grow outside of the academic sphere at UMW,” says Matt.

Privately funded UMW scholarships help make college more affordable and – together – they allow Matt the time to pursue his scientific and creative interests. Matt’s post-graduation plans include finding a job in geospatial analysis or in field biology, and working in the field for a few years before going to graduate school.

Written by Darlene Mugisha ’21

Finding a Spark

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Scholarship helps student discover passion for history. 

One reason students come to UMW is because of the wide range of opportunities and possibilities for majors and minors. That is the case for Gillian Brown ’22, who is majoring in historic preservation with a minor in museum studies.

“I chose these subjects because of my love for history,” says Gillian. “I was drawn by the practical aspect of historic preservation and my ever-growing love of the museum experience.”

Gillian is a recipient of the Mansheim Scholarship in Historic Preservation, and she is grateful that it allows her to pursue her passion for history and have time for extra-curricular activities. In her free time, she is an intern at Pro-Rep Sales; she is the secretary for the Museum Student Society; and she enjoys swing dancing. At one time, she worked at the Rising Sun Tavern Museum, a living history museum in downtown Fredericksburg.

Gillian does admit that it is a bit challenging being a student during the COVID pandemic, but says UMW is an amazing community. “UMW has encouraged me and my classmates to reach out to each other either in class or outside of class,” she says. “They want us to learn from each other and with each other.”.

Gillian is fortunate to have found her passion. After graduation, she hopes to work in museum administration or collections management in a museum.

Written by Darlene Mugisha ’21