Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants

UMW’s ‘Soft Landings’ Program Smooths College Transition for Neurodivergent Students

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Nicole Martin couldn’t wait to begin her college experience at the University of Mary Washington. Yet, as an incoming first-year student, she felt overwhelmed by the thought of a packed schedule of activities, unfamiliar faces, and new situations.

This semester, UMW officially launched 'Soft Landings,' a pre-arrival program to help incoming students with autism spectrum disorder acclimate to the UMW campus. The program was funded through a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant, which helped purchase textbooks and pay stipends for mentors.
This semester, UMW officially launched ‘Soft Landings,’ a pre-arrival program to help incoming students with autism spectrum disorder acclimate to the UMW campus. The program was funded through a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant, which helped purchase textbooks and pay stipends for mentors.

“Thankfully, I learned about ‘Soft Landings,’ which provided support that I didn’t even know I needed,” Nicole said of UMW’s new pre-arrival program that helps students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) acclimate to Mary Washington. “It’s made a huge difference in how I’m adjusting to college life.”

As UMW observes Disability Awareness Month in October, Nicole is one of 11 students enrolled this fall in the first cohort of ‘Soft Landings,’ which provides activities and campus tours, as well as personal introductions to key staff members, to help ease the transition to UMW before other students arrive on campus. The program also helps neurodivergent students hone critical skills for college success, such as learning how to solve problems and adapt to new situations, practicing self-care, preparing for academic courses, socializing, and learning to self-advocate.

“UMW has a sizeable population of students with ASD, in part because of our emphasis on small class sizes and individualized attention,” said Assistant Dean of Students Chris “CJ” Porter, who oversees the program. More than 100 current students have disclosed an ASD diagnosis, with 85 seeking accommodations, said Director of Disability Resources Alex Ecklund.

A staff member since 1999, CJ was already familiar with the kinds of challenges that neurodivergent students can face in college, like knowing when to speak up in class, staying on top of assignments, and engaging in social interactions with peers and professors.

“This is the first time many of these students are navigating life on their own,” said CJ, who spent a year researching how to get the program off the ground. “But it’s very expensive to raise a child with special needs, so we needed to find a way to make it affordable for parents.”

Last spring, CJ secured a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant through a new program piloted by UMW’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement that awarded $25,000 in donor-funded grants to eight projects and initiatives sponsored by students, faculty, and staff.

Assistant Dean of Students CJ Porter pitched ‘Soft Landings’ to the Alumni Association Board of Directors and Young Alumni Council last spring. The Impact Grant that she received, worth $3,500, helped cover the cost of textbooks for the program and mentor stipends. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
From left: Alumni Board Past President Vicki Sprague Ravenel ’77, member Katherine Redmiles ’15, and Board President James Llewellyn ’87, examine sensory toys that CJ handed out before her presentation. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

The $3,500 grant she received covered the cost of purchasing a textbook, Going to College with Autism, for each student, as well as stipends for five UMW student mentors, all of whom identify as having ASD. Families whose students participate in the program are charged a small fee for meals.

“CJ had seen my work as an orientation leader and thought I’d be a great fit,” said sophomore theatre major Oleander Neleski, who is currently serving as a mentor. “Being neurodivergent, I was able not only to answer questions, but also be an example of someone who’s making it work as a college student.”

The Impact Grant for 'Soft Landings' covered the cost of a textbook, 'Going to College with Autism,' seen here with a collection of fidget toys to help students when they feel overstimulated. The book is filled with success stories of students with autism spectrum disorder. Photo courtesy of CJ Porter.
The Impact Grant for ‘Soft Landings’ covered the cost of a textbook, ‘Going to College with Autism,’ seen here with a collection of fidget toys to help students when they feel overstimulated. The book is filled with success stories of students with autism spectrum disorder. Photo courtesy of CJ Porter.

Nicole said that participating in the program influenced her decision to become a future mentor – and to major in psychology so she can help others with ASD. “I’m also working on creating a campus organization to help neurodivergent students at UMW connect with each other.”

First-year student Lauren Tant appreciated all aspects of the program, from getting a chance to move into her residence hall early to exploring Simpson Library, the Cedric Rucker University Center, and other campus hubs through a UMW-themed scavenger hunt.

“With so many activities and so much information, it could be easy to get overwhelmed or overstimulated, but we had sensory breaks, mentor check-ins, and ample time for relaxation,” Lauren said. “The entire program was incredibly accommodating to our individual needs.”

UMW’s Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants program is made possible through donors’ gifts to the Fund for Mary Washington. These gifts are vital to the University’s ability to improve the student experience and support faculty, providing crucial flexibility to respond to emerging challenges and seize opportunities as they arise.

When alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff give to the Fund for Mary Washington, they are choosing to be part of a community that is committed to giving back and making the world a better place – enabling students to make positive change through programs like the Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants.

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

UMW Impact Grant Helps Senior Take Steps Toward ‘Preventing Period Poverty’

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Senior Martina Nicholson has spent the last year stocking free menstrual products in baskets in public bathrooms at the University of Mary Washington. The tampons and pads are tiny enough to fit in a purse or pocket, yet they’ve made a huge impact on her fellow students.

Passionate about preventing period poverty on the UMW campus, senior Martina Nicholson received a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant totaling $4,000, which helped her purchase four Aunt Flow machines and enough free menstrual products to last the campus a year. Photo by Sam Cahill.
Passionate about preventing period poverty on the UMW campus, senior Martina Nicholson received a Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant totaling $4,000, which helped her purchase four Aunt Flow machines and enough free menstrual products to last the campus a year. Photo by Sam Cahill.

“I’ve never needed to worry about where my next tampon or pad is coming from, but it’s a concern for so many people,” Martina said. She cites a national study that shows that one in five college students has skipped a class due to lack of period products, which have increased in cost because of inflation. “We live here, so having access to simple necessities is important.”

The Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant that Martina received this spring helped her purchase four new Aunt Flow machines and enough products to last the campus for the next year. Sleek, shiny, and silver – and easily accessible for those with visual or physical impairments – the dispensers were installed over the summer in high-traffic buildings like the Cedric Rucker University Center, the Eagle’s Nest, the Hurley Convergence Center, and the UMW Fitness Center.

Piloted by Mary Washington’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, the inaugural Impact Grant program awarded $25,000 in donor-funded grants, ranging from $1,200 to $5,000, to eight projects or initiatives pitched by students, faculty, and staff on behalf of recognized campus organizations. Applications for 2025 Impact Grants will open in the spring.

“It helped us achieve a long-term goal in such a short period of time,” said Martina, a double major in communications and digital studies and philosophy: pre-law, who learned about period poverty through the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Student Association.

After consulting with Dean of Students Melissa Jones and Facilities Operations, her original plan located 10 baskets with donated period products across campus, which she and other students maintained using funding from the UMW Finance Committee.

But Martina felt that her project was taking away from other student activities and wanted to find a more sustainable solution. That’s how the Impact Grant program came into play. She and her classmates crafted a proposal, “Preventing Period Poverty,” which she pitched in April to a committee composed of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and Young Alumni Council.

The Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grant program, piloted by UMW’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, awarded $25,000 in donor-funded grants to eight projects or initiatives pitched by UMW students, faculty, and staff this spring. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
Martina Nicholson pitched ‘Preventing Period Poverty’ in April, before a committee composed of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and Young Alumni Council. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

“I had never applied for a grant before, but I realized that passion was all that it takes,” said Martina, who encouraged UMW faculty and staff to ask her probing questions so she could prepare. With plans to work for a nonprofit before going to law school, she said the experience improved her writing, research, and public speaking skills. “Taking a simple idea and seeing it to fruition was so valuable.”

Her presentation helped her secure funding totaling $4,000, covering the cost of not only the dispensers but 4,000 tampons and 4,000 pads, which the Aunt Flow company provided at a discounted price. Every machine can hold 50 of each menstrual product, twice the amount her baskets can hold, and includes Braille labeling for visually impaired students.

Each Aunt Flow machine can hold 50 tampons and 50 pads (which read ‘Changing the world one cycle at a time’ on the packaging). Machines also feature Braille for visually impaired students and are easy to reach for those who are physically impaired. Photo by Sam Cahill.
The Aunt Flow machines can be found in the Cedric Rucker University Center, the Eagle’s Nest, the Hurley Convergence Center and the UMW Fitness Center. Martina will continue stocking menstrual supplies in baskets in other public bathrooms across campus. Photo by Sam Cahill.

As a commuter student, junior Tonia Attie said she feels relief knowing that she can grab a pad or tampon if she doesn’t have one in her bag. “And these products are often expensive, so getting them for free in an easy-to-reach location is truly helpful.”

Recent graduate Eliana Nachman ’24 said having the Aunt Flow machines on campus supports students while reducing stigma around periods.

“I think it’s integral to ensuring that UMW continues to be an environment that prioritizes accessibility for its students,” said sophomore Caty Taylor, who felt inspired by the initiative. “Martina has helped foster a culture of acceptance around Mary Washington, one that is warmly welcomed.”

Martina Nicholson has been the recipient of the Marjorie Jean Frost ’44, Sylvia McJilton Woodcock ’61, and Dr. George Van Sant scholarships and the Penelope Ann Parrish Internship in Journalism. She was also named the 2025 recipient of the Grace Mann Launch Award. 

UMW’s Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants program is made possible through donors’ gifts to the Fund for Mary Washington. These gifts are vital to the University’s ability to improve the student experience and support faculty, providing crucial flexibility to respond to emerging challenges and seize opportunities as they arise.

When alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff give to the Fund for Mary Washington, they are choosing to be part of a community that is committed to giving back and making the world a better place – enabling students to make positive change through programs like the Fund for Mary Washington Impact Grants.

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