Irene Piscopo Rodgers

STEM Students Share Gratitude at UMW’s Celebration of Giving

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One of Hannah Stottlemyer’s most memorable moments at the University of Mary Washington came on a Global Medical Brigades trip to treat underserved communities in Panama. There, she put her majors in biomedical sciences and Spanish into practice when she extracted a patient’s tooth and watched his sudden relief.

The Celebration of Giving, held on Dec. 6, honored Irene Piscopo Rodgers '59 and other Mary Washington alumnae who majored in the sciences and gave back to support the University and STEM students. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
The Celebration of Giving, held on Dec. 6, honored Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 and other Mary Washington alumnae who majored in the sciences and gave back to support the University and STEM students. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

Having this experience as an undergraduate was possible because she earned an Alvey Scholarship, she said, providing her with full tuition, fees, and room and board. “I feel such gratitude toward my donor,” said Hannah, a Mary Washington senior who plans to apply to dental school this spring. “She achieved success and decided to selflessly invest in UMW students to ensure they also have opportunities to succeed.”

At the Celebration of Giving, Hannah shared her story, honoring her late donor, Irene Piscopo Rodgers, who passed away in July 2022. The 1959 alumna left the University a transformational $30 million estate gift for undergraduate STEM research and to establish four new Alvey Scholarships for out-of-state students, in addition to the eight she created in her lifetime. This year’s event, held Dec. 6 at UMW’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center, focused on the tremendous impact that Irene and other alumnae in the sciences have made at Mary Washington by prioritizing the University in their philanthropic giving.

“They overcame obstacles at a time when there were few women in STEM, found success in their fields, and gave back to their alma mater so students could follow their dreams and change the world,” said Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement Katie Turcotte, who shared highlights from the past fundraising year and thanked those who donated in 2023.

Seniors Hannah Stottlemyer (left) and Sofia Taylor, who both earned full-ride Alvey Scholarships established by Irene Piscopo Rodgers, pose with Ron Pohl, Irene’s friend and attorney. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Jerri Barden Perkins, MD ’61 at 2023’s Celebration of Giving with Harrison Miles ’15, ’23, the recipient of John C. and Jerri Barden Perkins ’61 College of Arts and Sciences Student Research Fellowship. Dr. Perkins has established six scholarships to support Mary Washington students. Proceeds from her book’s sales support UMW’s General Scholarship Fund. Photo by Karen Pearlman.
President Troy Paino and wife Kelly pose with Ron Pohl, attorney and friend of Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59, and his son, Remy Pohl, a 2016 alum of Mary Washington. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

2023 marked the most successful fundraising year in Mary Washington’s 115-year history, she told the 200-plus guests in attendance, who contributed toward the $21.3 million raised in donations and pledges over the past year in support of UMW students, faculty, and programs. “Through your philanthropy, your volunteerism, and your engagement, you have given so much back to the University, and our students see that and are inspired by each of you.”

Seated at tables adorned with microscopes, drones, and beakers and flasks filled with colorful liquids, guests embraced the evening’s science theme, especially a chemistry concoction for dessert created by UMW Catering. Showcasing a broad liberal arts and sciences education, junior Sasha Murphy, a biochemistry major and neuroscience minor, played flute, accompanied by Department of Music Professor and Chair Brooks Kuykendall on piano. Attendees then listened as a series of speakers thanked donors for their contributions.

With science as the theme of the evening, tables were adorned with beakers, flasks, and other laboratory tools. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
UMW Catering chefs cooked up a chemistry concoction for dessert. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Junior Sasha Murphy, a biochemistry major and neuroscience minor, played the flute, accompanied by Department of Music Professor and Chair Brooks Kuykendall. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

“When you invest in a student’s education, it not only transforms their lives, but they have the opportunity to go out and pay it forward,” President Troy Paino said. “You model exactly what we hope to instill in our students.”

Ron Pohl, Irene’s attorney and friend, spoke about how Mary Washington transformed her life. “Nothing made her happier than giving money to this school, creating Alvey Scholarships, seeing students get their tuition paid for, and watching them grow up and have careers,” he said.

Guests also heard from several recipients, including Harrison Miles, a 2015 alumnus pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree in conservation biology. His research using fungus extracted from the invasive spotted lantern fly earned him the John C. and Jerri Barden Perkins ’61 College of Arts and Sciences Student Research Fellowship at this year’s Summer Science Institute.

Dan ’07 and Ginny Clendenin ’09 at the Celebration of Giving. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
From left: Daryl-Sue Mueller, UMW sophomore Aloysius Kabonge, and Hunter Morin at the Celebration of Giving. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Joe Shepherd, Megan Carter Shepherd ’94, Jill Marmo, and Lou Marmo ’94 at the Celebration of Giving. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

“Dr. Perkins, I’m incredibly grateful to you for recognizing my research and for the invaluable role you played in my Mary Washington journey,” said Harrison, who will begin a Ph.D. in forestry this spring. “Thank you for contributing to my undergraduate education and that of so many others at UMW.”

Senior Sofia Taylor, who received an Alvey Scholarship to study psychology, neuroscience, and music, spoke about her close relationship with her benefactor, who often kept up with her recipients through emails, cards, and letters.

“Irene, I hope you know that everything I’m doing here at UMW was made possible because of your generosity,” Sofia said. “I will continue to make you proud as a woman in STEM and sing your praises for all past and future Alvey Scholars to hear.”

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 2023 Celebration of Giving.

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

UMW Reports Record-Breaking $21.3 Million Raised in 2022-23

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The University of Mary Washington closed the books June 30 on its most successful fundraising year to date, with $21,362,093 in gifts and pledges – more than triple last year’s number – made during the 2022-23 fiscal year to enhance the UMW student experience.

The University of Mary Washington announces its most successful fundraising year to date, with $21.3 million raised in 2022-23 to support UMW students, programs, faculty, and staff.
The University of Mary Washington announces its most successful fundraising year to date, with $21.3 million raised in 2022-23 to support UMW students, programs, faculty, and staff.

Private support from 4,829 generous donors, more than half of whom are alumni, helped Mary Washington continue its commitment to providing students with an outstanding public liberal arts and sciences education filled with impactful learning opportunities. Gifts benefited 301 areas across the University, including academics, arts, athletics, service and leadership initiatives, career services, and cultural programs.

“We are so grateful to the many new and longtime supporters across the UMW community, and I am thrilled to thank them all for our most successful fiscal year ever,” said President Troy Paino. “Our alumni, friends, families, students, faculty, and staff give generously and invest in this institution. These funds will be a critical piece of our ongoing efforts to recruit, retain, and graduate successful Mary Washington students.”

This year’s grand total was bolstered by a portion of a transformational $30 million gift from alumna Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59, who passed away in July 2022, leaving the largest donation in Mary Washington’s 115-year history. Rodgers’ gift, which will be paid out over multiple years, exponentially grows UMW’s undergraduate research program in the sciences. The gift also creates four new Alvey Scholarships, providing full tuition, fees, and room and board for out-of-state students for up to four years, adding to the eight already created by Rodgers.

Making a UMW education accessible and affordable remains a major priority at Mary Washington, with 790 scholarships and awards, totaling more than $2.1 million, given to 550 students in this fiscal year. Fifteen scholarships were awarded for the first time, including the Class of 1966 Scholarship and the Class of 1973 50th Reunion Scholarship, which illustrate the investment alumni continue to make in their alma mater and its students. Five incoming students have been awarded full-ride Alvey or Washington scholarships (for in-state students) for the coming academic year.

Recently recognized as a “Top Employer for Interns” by the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership, the University announced in April the William H. Leighty ’78 and Martha Kearns Leighty ’75 Fellows Program. The couple, who are both former Board of Visitors members (Bill also served as chief of staff to two Virginia governors), made a $100,000 philanthropic commitment to the program to support UMW juniors and seniors in pursuit of public service internships in the commonwealth.

“This year’s success is due to the dedicated alumni, friends, families, students, faculty, and staff who make the University of Mary Washington a priority in their philanthropic giving,” said Vice President for Advancement Katie Turcotte. “We are deeply grateful for the generosity of every donor and for their devotion to supporting UMW students, programs, faculty, and staff.”

Other 2022-23 highlights include:

  • The entire UMW community came together on April 4th’s Mary Wash Day, a high-energy celebration of school spirit, with alumni and friends sponsoring 52 challenges and matches to help raise $621,528 in 24 hours to support students, faculty, and programs.
  • Alumni donors spanning 84 years made gifts in FY23, totaling $10,135,909.
  • Current and former faculty and staff donors contributed $430,206 in FY23.
  • President Paino and his cabinet endowed the Charles Coleman Service Award for staff who demonstrate dedication to UMW and a concern for others. The first award went to Student Life Case Manager Betsy Southern, who served as COVID care coordinator during the pandemic.
  • UMW dedicated several spaces on campus, including the Weatherly Wing, the Mason Team Room and the Leigh Frackelton Classroom and Gibbons Team Room.

Donors also helped UMW reach its halfway mark of $500,000 for Beyond the Classroom, an initiative that supports undergraduate experiential learning such as independent research, study abroad, and internships. While BTC is already helping current students enhance their academic experience, the long-term goal is to create a $1 million endowment to generate tens of thousands of dollars for students each year.

The unrestricted Fund for Mary Washington received $687,052 in gifts and pledges, as well as a $2.2 million estate distribution to the Lynne Gourley Farrell ’62 Fund for Mary Washington Endowment, helping UMW address its most pressing needs.

This year also marked a full return to in-person advancement events that spotlight the power of philanthropy, including the Celebration of Giving and the Donor Appreciation Luncheon and Student Showcase. More than 3,100 alumni participated in regional network and affinity group gatherings, presidential events, Mary Talks, UMW Alumni on the Road trips, Homecoming, and Reunion Weekend, which saw over 850 alumni return to campus to celebrate their milestone years in June.

“I’m so impressed and energized by Mary Washington graduates who support their alma mater through their engagement, as well as the alumni team and volunteers who put each of our exceptional alumni events together,” Turcotte said. “We look forward to seeing even more of you in the future, and if you haven’t been back to campus in a while, we hope you’ll visit soon.”

Make a gift for FY24, which runs from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. To learn more about giving options, please contact the Office of University Advancement at advance@umw.edu or 540-654-1024. Explore upcoming Mary Washington alumni events.

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

Scholarship Recipients Give Thanks at Donor Appreciation Luncheon

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University of Mary Washington junior Norah Walsh ’24 remembers taking a strenuous uphill hike with classmates on the Spanish island of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe on a hot day last year. Their sweaty bus ride back was a bonding experience, she said, but it remains one of her most memorable moments since coming to Mary Washington.

“I would not have been able to go to Spain without the Abbott International Study Abroad Scholarship,” said Norah, a Spanish and philosophy major who earned four scholarships at UMW. “So, thank you very much, Marty Abbott.”

Junior Norah Walsh speaks at the 2023 Donor Appreciation Luncheon on March 25. The annual event, held in person for the first time in four years, celebrates donors who have established scholarships to support students. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Marty Abbott ’72, who established the Abbott International Study Abroad Scholarship, listens as Norah Walsh, her recipient, speaks about how her scholarships enabled her to study abroad in Spain. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

Norah expressed those words of gratitude at the 2023 Donor Appreciation Luncheon and Student Showcase on Saturday, March 25, at the Cedric Rucker University Center. Held in person for the first time in four years, the annual event honors supporters who have established private scholarships for students, as well as members of UMW’s Washington and Heritage societies, who have given or pledged significant funds to the University.

Guests mixed and mingled with scholarship recipients who displayed their academic pursuits and projects, then dined in the Chandler Ballroom and later listened as student speakers and UMW President Troy Paino thanked them for their generous gifts to Mary Washington.

Seniors Oscar León and Mina Sollars chat about costumes from UMW Theatre productions with Mark Ingrao ’81 and Lisa Taylor ’85 during the Student Showcase. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Deborah and James Llewellyn ’83 with the Llewellyn Scholarship in Psychology recipient, sophomore Robert Oehler. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Sophomore Docia Atanda, the recipient of the Bernard L. Mahoney Jr. Student Research Fellowship in Science chats with the late professor’s wife, Kathleen Mahoney. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
From left: Carolyn Gore-Ashe, Betty Fischer Gore ’49 and sophomore Saud Abdul Aziz, who received the Martha Fischer Leighton ’47 Memorial Scholarship and the Linda Loy Endowed Emergency Fund. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Ed Morawetz Jr. chats with Noel Shenk ’24, the recipient of the Christopher Edward Morawetz Scholarship, during the Donor Appreciation Luncheon. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

“You are making a dramatic difference in the lives of students so they can access a public liberal arts and sciences education,” said President Paino, announcing that the University awarded $2.2 million through 817 privately funded scholarships in the last fiscal year.

He also highlighted the “transformational” gift from the estate of Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59, who passed away last July. The $30 million gift will create four new full-ride Alvey Scholarships and exponentially grow UMW’s undergraduate scientific research program, he said. “We are so grateful to Irene and to all of you who invest in our students.”

Because of her own experience studying in Madrid as a Mary Washington student, Marty Abbott ’72 embarked on a career in foreign language education. Creating a scholarship to help UMW students experience travel overseas, she said, was the natural next step.

“Norah truly embodies the reason why I created this scholarship,” said Marty, who swapped stories about Spain with Norah at the luncheon. “I always appreciate hearing from students how scholarships have impacted them professionally and personally.”

Sophomore Davy Washington explains how the Susan Leavitt ’83 Scholarship helped them pay tuition after their mother passed away. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
President Troy Paino provided a university update, announcing that UMW awarded $2.2 million through 817 privately funded scholarships during the last fiscal year. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.
Sophomore Kaylah Lightfoot, recipient of the Balfour Scholarship for Leadership, served as emcee of the 2023 Donor Appreciation Luncheon. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

Serving as emcee, sophomore Kaylah Lightfoot ’25 shared how receiving the Balfour Scholarship for Leadership has helped her hone those skills and serve in campus leadership roles, including as the newly elected vice president of UMW’s Student Government Association.

Sophomore Davy Washington ’25, a creative writing major, said they needed the Susan Leavitt ’83 Scholarship, designed for students who experience a personal hardship, in order to help cover the cost of tuition.

“After my mom died unexpectedly, it gave me the chance to focus on my studies and live the ideal college student experience,” said Davy, who read a poem about their mother to the audience. “Being a student in need and knowing that there are donors who support students like me has been one of the most heartwarming experiences I’ve had in college.”

To learn more about establishing scholarships, please contact the Office of University Advancement at (540) 654-1024 or advance@umw.edu. View photos and videos from the 2023 Donor Appreciation Luncheon and Student Showcase.

Norah Walsh is the recipient of the Amanda Elizabeth Dresser ’95 Scholarship, the Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship, the Abbott International Study Abroad Scholarship, and the Fita Rivas Scholarship in Spanish.

Davy Washington is the recipient of the Susan Leavitt ’83 Scholarship.

Kaylah Lightfoot is the recipient of the Balfour Scholarship for Leadership.

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

UMW Receives Transformational $36 Million Gift for Undergraduate Research and Scholarships

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*Numbers have been adjusted to reflect the full amount of the gift, which totaled $36 million 

The University of Mary Washington has received a $36 million gift – the largest in the institution’s 115-year history – from the estate of Irene Piscopo Rodgers. A 1959 alumna and lifetime supporter of her alma mater, Irene passed away on July 18, 2022, in Huntington, New York.

Irene Piscopo Rodgers poses in 2017 with Mary Washington students Kelly McDaniel, Mary Hopkin, and Emily Ferguson. The young women represent just a few of the many students who have benefitted through the years from Rodgers’ generosity to her alma mater. Her final gift of $30 million – the largest ever received by the University – will be ‘transformational’ to UMW’s undergraduate research program, providing students with invaluable hands-on learning opportunities for decades to come.
Irene Piscopo Rodgers poses in 2017 with Mary Washington students Kelly McDaniel, Mary Hopkin, and Emily Ferguson. The young women represent just a few of the many students who have benefitted through the years from Rodgers’ generosity to her alma mater. Her final gift of $30 million – the largest ever received by the University – will be ‘transformational’ to UMW’s undergraduate research program, providing students with invaluable hands-on learning opportunities for decades to come.

Irene made a name for herself in the field of electron microscopy and helped pave the way for UMW graduates, especially women, to excel in STEM subjects of their own choosing. Mary Washington, as she often said, had “opened worlds” for her. Now, this generous gift – along with others that she made through the years – will carry on her legacy by helping the University prepare young scholars for successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and math for decades to come.

“Students who benefitted from Irene’s generosity welcomed her into their lives, so she was able to observe firsthand the transformative power of her gifts,” said UMW President Troy Paino. “This unprecedented donation guarantees that exceptional students will continue to have access to a UMW education that delivers the kind of high-impact learning experiences that Irene valued so much.”

Irene’s gift will grow UMW’s undergraduate research program, President Paino said. Students in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, computer science, and math will have even more opportunities to explore their research interests throughout the academic year and at the University’s Summer Science Institute, working alongside faculty mentors. Mary Washington also offers undergraduate, graduate, and accelerated pathways for students aspiring to study law, medicine, engineering, conservation biology, pharmacy, accounting, and business analytics through agreements with partner institutions.

The gift also supports the creation of four new Alvey Scholarships, providing full tuition, fees, and room and board for out-of-state undergraduate students for up to four years, in addition to the eight Alvey Scholarships that Irene already created.

To date, 93 students have earned awards through Rodgers’ generosity, including 16 Alvey Scholarship recipients, funded by Rodgers. Students have also received research fellowships, scientific presentation grants for conference travel, and other scholarships established by Rodgers.

UMW student Boramy Meng works with the transmission electron microscope Irene Piscopo Rodgers gifted to Mary Washington in 2004. Having made a name for herself in the field of electron microscopy, Irene trained UMW faculty and students to use the instrument. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.
Student Kristine Dadufelza works in UMW’s Jepson Science Center with the electron microscope gifted to the University by Irene Piscopo Rodgers. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.
Professor of Chemistry and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics Janet Asper (right) works with senior chemistry major Dorothy Haas in Experimental Methods, a course that has students separating and identifying the molecules within a mixture. Through the years, Irene’s generous gifts to her alma mater have bolstered students’ pursuit of science. Photo by Tom Rothenberg.
UMW’s recently renovated Jepson Science Center connects classrooms to labs and offers sophisticated instruments to enhance undergraduate research, including an electron microscope gifted to the University by Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59.

The funding will be offered to the most promising students, said UMW Provost Tim O’Donnell, and ensure that Mary Washington graduates will continue to be highly prized by employers and graduate schools.

“This gift will be transformational for UMW, establishing us as one of the premier institutions in Virginia, indeed in the country, for undergraduate STEM research,” Provost O’Donnell said. “The mentored experiences the University will be able to offer will be unparalleled. I don’t know of another institution, regardless of size or mission, with such a focused investment.”

Irene earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from what was then known as Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia, followed by a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Michigan. She worked for the American Cyanamid Company and Philips Electronic Instruments, where she met her husband, James “Don” Rodgers, who hired her at a time when there were few women scientists in her field.

Irene Piscopo Rodgers is seen here in the 1959 ‘Battlefield’ yearbook, during her senior year at Mary Washington. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the school, then known as Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia.
Irene Piscopo Rodgers (back row, second from left) with her 1959 classmates at her 60th reunion in 2019.
After her graduation from Mary Washington, Rodgers (shown here in a picture from 2013) went on to earn a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Michigan. She worked for the American Cyanamid Company and Philips Electronic Instruments, making a name for herself in the field of electron microscopy.

Attending Mary Washington had been a game-changer for Irene, whose appreciation has been acknowledged through her philanthropy and donations to her alma mater for more than 40 years, beginning with a $50 gift in 1980.

In 2004, she donated a transmission electron microscope to Mary Washington and trained students and faculty to use it. A decade later, UMW presented Irene with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for her service and contributions to the institution. She also named a microscopy lab and several Alvey Scholarships after her late parents, Justin and Helen Piscopo. This gift, in combination with gifts made during her lifetime, brings her total giving to Mary Washington to nearly $39 million.

“The University is so grateful to have been the beneficiary of Irene’s generosity during her lifetime and now as a lasting part of her legacy. This gift was made possible through relationships built over decades by numerous members of the Mary Washington community,” said UMW Vice President for Advancement Katie Turcotte. “Everyone who knew Irene knows how much she loved Mary Washington and helping our students pursue opportunities to conduct research.”

Irene poses in 2018 with a group of Mary Washington scholarship recipients who benefitted from her generosity. To date, 85 students have earned awards thanks to funding she provided.
“This gift was made possible through relationships built over decades by numerous members of the Mary Washington community,” said UMW Vice President for Advancement Katie Turcotte. Here, Irene poses for a picture with late Associate Vice President for Advancement Ken Steen at the University of Mary Washington’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center. Photo by Karen Pearlman Photography.

Irene often kept in close touch with her previous recipients, following their successes through graduate school and beyond.

She was a “fantastic lady,” said sophomore Ally Fletcher ’25, an Alvey Scholarship recipient majoring in the biomedical sciences. “I’m so grateful that she gave me this opportunity.”

Hannah Checkeye ’21, who also earned an Alvey Scholarship and is now a graduate student at The George Washington University School of Medicine, said her donor “paved the way” for her and other women in the sciences.

“Irene made it possible for me to go to Mary Washington and complete my pre-medical education,” Checkeye said. “She changed the lives of so many students.”

Learn more about the UMW Admissions process and the Full-Ride Scholarships that are available to UMW students.

For information on creating a named Washington Scholarship or Alvey Scholarship, please contact the Office of University Advancement at advance@umw.edu or 540-654-1024.

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