Students search for rubber ducks hidden around Ball Circle in hopes for the prize for most ducks collected in an hour.
Violet Ayers / The Weekly Ringer
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New chain fence blocking popular desire path elicits strong response from students
EMMA
KINGKEO AND MEAGHAN VAN DYKE Associate Editor and News Editor
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Chloe McCann
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On the morning of Sept. 4, students were greeted with a chain-link fence that spanned the distance between Custis Hall and the University Center, blocking a popular desire path that connects to campus walk. According to Assistant Vice President of Facilities Brian Gorham, this was done due to “an ongoing safety concern.” The blockage elicited a largely negative response from students, both on campus and online.
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Bell tower logo designed by Bernadette D’Auria ‘22
“It has made me feel that they might be slightly disconnected from the way in which people use the campus.”
- Megan Gumaer
“I think this is more subtle for students who are not familiar with the path, but more overt for me that this is one of the ways the university prioritizes looks over student experience,” said senior sociology major Alexis Pineda-Bautista.
Desire paths, or a faster path used by pedestrians over a more formal, planned route such as a sidewalk, are popular ways for many students at UMW to travel in between classes.
The distance saved from this path made a difference to students like junior English major Sarah Moon, who had to walk the length of the campus to get from one class to another in a short amount of time.
“I know for my freshman year, I had a class all the way in the HCC and I had 10 minutes to get from there back to Combs, so that path usually made it easier for me,” said Moon. “In accessibility terms, it’s a lot easier to get from one place to another.”
The response from students did not go unnoticed by administrators.
On Sept. 5, an apology was issued from Gorham to the President and Vice President
of the Student Government Association for the lack of communication and impact on students’ campus experience, which was then posted on the SGA Instagram.
“We are sorry that we failed to connect with student leaders first about this issue, and we very much understand your valid concerns about communication and inclusion,” Gorham wrote in the email.
SGA confirmed in the caption of the post that SGA President Amira Said, a senior environmental sustainability and policy major, met with Gorham to address students’ responses to the fence’s construction, and said that an effort will be made to establish the inclusion of student voices in the future.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with University Facilities and the Division of Student Affairs to ensure that student perspectives are considered as both safety concerns and pedestrian traffic are addressed in the area moving forward,” the caption said.
Gorham also confirmed that there have been issues with the fence chain being ignored and vandalized. However, the fence’s construction presented more safety issues than it solved, according to Pineda-Bautista, as boulders were placed on the other side of the fence to block off a safer part of the desire path.
Pineda-Bautista also went on to say that the fence did not accomplish its original goal of deterring students from the path. Some students have been observed stepping over the chain or walking around it closer to the edge, further defeating the purpose of the initial block.
“I saw that, and I was just like, ‘Are you serious?’ Because, yeah, maybe it deters some people, but it’s not enough to make me, like, turn around and take the stairs,” they said.
The gaps in communication that have led to discontent among the campus community are acknowledged by Vice President of Student Affairs Mike Walsh.
“We truly understand the very valid frustrations we caused by not working with students ahead of time to discuss the safety issues with this path and our need to find a solution due to those safety issues,” he said.
While the specific safety concerns over the path were not confirmed, the desire path runs along the top of a brick stationary wall facing the UC drop-off loop, where if a student were to fall over the edge, the impact could cause personal injury. For students like Moon, installing a barrier next to the path could provide a compromise for students and faculty concerned about safety.
“When I walk the ledge, sometimes I get a little nervous,” Moon said. “But it’s kind of second nature for most students I feel like.”
While many other desire paths are frequented around campus by students, Gorham confirmed that Facilities has no plans to close off any others at this time.
“Facilities is not aware of other paths that pose a similar safety concern,” said Gorham. “We are working through feedback from SGA and conversations continue as the landscaping work is in progress.”
“While missteps happen, I hope that students understand that we are people too, who make mistakes.”
- Mike Walsh
Given the central location of the path, and its popularity among students and staff, some felt that the university should have known better than to rope it off without warning.
“I still respect their authority and understand that they want people to be safe, but I don’t think you needed to ‘connect with the students’ to realize how often that path was used—new mulch gets put down and is flattened within a day or two,” said Megan Gumaer, a junior historic preservation major. “It has made me feel that they might be slightly disconnected from the way in which students use the campus outside of organized group or school activities.”
Gumaer continued, “I’d argue that making this unofficial path into an official one would make getting to the main floor of the UC or to the center of campus more accessible, as well as cut some of the time it takes to get from Combs to the center of campus.”
As some in the community express frustration with UMW staff and faculty for the decision, Walsh reminds students that the miscommunication was not intentional.
“While missteps might happen, I hope that students can understand that we are people too, who make mistakes. And most importantly, that we are people here for students and whatever work we do is in service to them,” he said.
Students continue to use the desire path despite the new fence. Violet Ayers / The Weekly Ringer
September 12, 2025
Recycling bins don’t work when used like trash cans
CAROLINE PREUSS Staff Writer
Every time I walk past a recycling bin on campus, I see a similar pattern: nonrecyclable waste, like plastic bags, stuffed inside with greasy containers tossed on top. While Mary Washington provides the necessary tools for personal sustainability, many students just don’t seem to care enough to use them properly.
The UMW Office of Sustainability’s website explains how to correctly recycle on campus, complete with a helpful information sheet. The recycling guide is easy to find, and UMW has put real thought into making recycling accessible for everyone. Still, too many ignore these simple steps, and instead contaminate the bins with waste.
Marco Veroni, a communication and digital studies major participating in a foreign exchange program at UMW, agrees that students could take sustainability more seriously on campus.
“For example, I don’t see many students recycling,” he said.
“I try to be careful personally, but I know a lot of students either don’t know the rules or just don’t bother themselves with it.”
- Darine Djellel
Recycling bins are conveniently located around campus and labeled with what items are recyclable. There are also dedicated spots on campus to recycle different materials. Cardboard, paper, glass, certain types of plastics, aluminum and bi-metal cans are all accepted, while food waste, plastic bags, pizza boxes and other contaminated items are not.
Not all plastics are created equal and that’s why not everything can go in the recycling bins. On campus, plastic number one to five and seven are accepted recyclables. According to Eartheasy, these numbers are found inside the tiny recycling triangle on an item and show what type of plastic it’s made of.
Plastics number one to five include common items like water bottles, milk jugs, yogurt cups and clean food containers. They’re easier to recycle and are often turned into new products. Plastic number seven is a mixed category for other plastics that don’t fit into the other groups, like reusable water bottles.
So if you see a number one through five or seven inside the little recycling triangle, it belongs in the recycling bins on campus. The instructions are simple, but following them seems to be the challenge for some students.
“I see people tossing things in the wrong bin pretty often, like pizza boxes with food residue in the paper bin or plastic cups in the trash,” said Darine Djellel, a junior political science and international affairs double major. “I try to be careful personally, but I know a lot of students either don’t know the rules or just don’t bother themselves with it.”
“Each choice we make, from items we buy to the way we dispose of them, contributes to a larger environmental impact.”
- Caroline Preuss
Dirty plastic wrappers and leftover food often end up in the recycling bins, while perfectly recyclable plastics get tossed in the trash. Many students don’t check the information on the packaging or compare it with what’s actually accepted in the bins. It’s easier to throw things in the nearest bin without taking a few extra seconds to make sure it’s the correct place. Next time, take a moment to check the packaging; a quick glance is usually enough to know which bin it belongs in.
Even with the university providing the right infrastructure, sustainability ultimately depends on the choice students make. Simple actions can have a meaningful impact. Check the numbers on plastics, rinse out recyclable containers before tossing them and make sure items end up in the correct bin. It only takes a few seconds to check if it’s recyclable and if you’re unsure, you can always refer to UMW recycling cheat sheet.
In addition, bring your own water bottle or coffee cup to refill your drinks. Almost everyone already has a Stanley Cup or Owala bottle, which are perfect for this purpose. When it comes to food, taking only what you can finish helps reduce waste, and using your own or reusable containers for takeout avoids unnecessary packaging.
“Many people in the dining hall get so much food and then don’t care how much they’re getting. Like, you get a ton, and you eat just a bite, then you need to throw the
rest away,” said Veroni.
Small, everyday actions can make a big difference. You don’t have to do everything every time, but even occasionally remembering can make a real impact.
But the challenge of sustainability on campus isn’t just about recycling; the campus environment itself plays a big role. UMW is trying to reduce waste and wants to enhance green practices, but there is still room for improvement. Outside of the University Center, most dining options prioritize convenience, which means disposable plastic utensils, cups, containers and individually wrapped straws are the norm. Disposable plastic bags for takeout or grocery shopping, even books at the bookstore are wrapped in plastic and the air conditioning is constantly running across university buildings.
Small changes could make a big difference.
“They could reduce single-use plastics in cafeterias and make reusable options more accessible,” Djellel said.
Offering paper straws, replacing disposable utensils with wooden cutlery, handing out paper bags, selling books without any wrapping or serving coffee in recyclable paper cups would all help reduce plastic waste and encourage greener habits on campus.
Each choice we make, from items we buy to the way we dispose of them, contributes to a larger environmental impact. Change doesn’t happen on a global scale overnight, but it starts with individual decisions we make on campus every day.
Plastics labeled numbers 1 - 5 or 7 are recyclable on UMW campus. Other plastics are not. Anna Goodman / The Weekly Ringer
For more information about recycling, students can go to the UMW Office of Sustainability’s website. Ella Cordle / The Weekly Ringer
Although recycling bins are placed all around campus, UMW students fail to use them correctly. Anna Goodman / The Weekly Ringer
Eagles flock to UMW Galleries for “Take a Painting” exhibit
EMMA GREER Staff Writer
The UMW community crowded duPont Gallery for the opening reception of Pennsylvania-based artist Erika Stearly’s “Take a Painting” exhibition on Sept. 4. At the exhibit, students were encouraged to make artwork of their own and, in exchange, to take a piece off the wall.
“It invites the audience to take a painting, which is weird in a gallery; you can never take paintings in a gallery, but also to replace one,” said MacKenzie Martin, a senior studio art major.
“The idea of having art be interactive is really important. I think it allows people to feel like they have agency in a gallery space and that the artwork itself sort of contains them and their creativity.”
- Tracy Stonestreet
According to the Director of UMW Galleries, Tracy Stonestreet, interactive exhibitions where the viewer can actually touch, change and contribute to the art itself are special.
“The idea of having art be interactive is really important,” she said. “I think it allows people to feel like they have agency in a gallery space and that the artwork itself sort of contains them and their creativity.”
“Take a Painting” has been traveling to various college
campuses since 2013, when it started with only Stearly’s work being hung on the wall. Every time the installation is shown in a new place, the primary pieces are changed by those who have exchanged their own painting for one on the wall. Now, in 2025, it is uncertain if any of Stearly’s original work remains in the exhibition.
“I like to think of it as a wheel where the artwork goes
“I think it’s really special knowing that it’s somebody’s hard work that’s out there that I get to take home, and also being able to make my own work for somebody else to enjoy.”
- Chloe Lipinski
in, and you don’t know who’s made it,” said Stonestreet. “[Stearly] has created this process of exchange, which is pretty special.”
Stearly’s piece engages with the audience to raise questions about the artist-to-art relationship, the permanence of art and the role of the viewer in a museum setting.
The opening reception was well-attended, with every seat at the art-making table occupied and others squeezing their way in for a place to stand. Students across majors, graduation years and skill levels united at the gallery to contribute to Stearly’s installation.
“I think it’s really special knowing that it’s somebody’s hard work that’s out there that I get to take home, and also being able to make my own work for somebody else to enjoy,” said freshman Chloe Lipinski.
The take-home aspect of the exhibition drew a lot of attention.
“I got a cute little thing,” said Isabella Ellenberger, a senior theater major. “ I loved grabbing it. I have a cute little memento of the art gallery.”
Lipinski described the reception as incredibly supportive.
“I was in there, and I was really struggling, and the people around me were like, ‘No, just keep going, this is what art is. You struggle through it, but you make something in the end,’” she said.
Perhaps it was the large communal table or the glitter glue, but attendees agreed the nature of the installation felt very child-like in the best way possible.
Erika Stearly’s interactive “Take a painting” exhibit highlights creativity, community and connection at the University of Mary Washington’s galleries where students’ talent shines. Emma Greer / The Weekly Ringer
Stearly’s exhibit inspires UMW students to hone their own artistic style and create with her. @umw_galleries / Instagram
One blank canvas and a splash of paint is all it takes for students to take part in something greater. @umw_galleries / Instagram
Eagle artists display their skills in interactive showcase
“It felt like I was a kid. I didn’t care what I was making, if it was good or bad, I was just playing with a bunch of little materials,” said senior studio art major Lily Price.
Freshman Clara Johnson felt similarly to Price, comparing her experience to an elementary classroom.
“Everyone kept saying it felt like kindergarten again,” said freshman Clara Johnson. “Everyone was interested in what other people were making and that was really cool.”
Stearly’s work resonated across the UMW community.
“UMW is full of a lot of very creative people,” said Stonestreet. “I think the students like opportunities to engage; they have an innate sense of curiosity and creativity that this allows them to act upon.”
Some students, such as Johnson, came to the gallery because it gave them an opportunity to make art. Others, like Lipinski, simply enjoy museums and viewing the work of others.
“I was in there, and I was really struggling, and the people around me were like, ‘No, just keep going, this is what art is. You struggle through it, but you make something in the end.”
- Chloe Lipinski
“I had to drop an art class this semester, and I didn’t want to, and so it was nice to be able to come here and do a little bit of art,” said freshman Kenley Martin. “It was a nice little catharsis.”
While everyone had a different, specific reason for coming, a love and appreciation of art was common amongst peers.
“Take a Painting” will remain in duPont Gallery until Oct. 10, when all of the art pieces made at UMW will be shipped back to Stearly to be cut down to size and used in future exhibition locations.
“It felt like I was a kid. I didn’t care what I was making, if it was good or bad, I was just playing with a bunch of little materials.”
- Lily Price
In addition to Stearly’s installation at duPont Gallery, “Intersection,” an exhibition by artists David Carlson and Chee Keong Kung, is on display at Ridderhof Martin Gallery until Oct. 10.
Interactive art provides students with a unique gallery experience for every showcase. @umw_galleries / Instagram
Aprons
A UMW student takes part in the exhibit. Emma Greer / The Weekly Ringer
TICKETS ARE $5 w/ UMW ID AT THE KLEIN THEATRE BOX OFFICE IN THE LOBBY OF DUPONT HALL (Limit TWO tickets per UMW ID)
OPEN in klein theatre SEPTEMBER 17*-28
UMW Dining announces new additions for 2025-2026 year
COLE RASMUSSEN Staff Writer
Ahead of the new semester, UMW Dining introduced changes to meal options around campus, including a new Simply Taco station in the Top of the Cedric Rucker University Center and a new bakery vending machine kiosk in Eagle Landing.
The new vending machine, called JustBaked kiosk, is made by Sodexo and ART, which is a “premier hot food technology supplier for the food service industry,” according to their website. The kiosk provides an array of hot food options including pork bao, glazed donuts, breakfast burritos and White Castle burgers. Unlike traditional vending machines, the JustBaked kiosk is able to dispense hot food at any time. They dispense items using a robotic arm inside the machine that pulls the product from the shelves into the convection oven to warm up before being given to the student.
Kyle Kouri, the district manager with Sodexo who manages Mary Washington, says the new kiosks are making their debut in Eagle Landing because of the lack of campus dining options across the pedestrian bridge. The new kiosks accept EagleOne dollars and credit cards, and will have a seasonally rotated menu, with the exception of some classics, so students can have some variety throughout the year.
According to Kouri, if the machines in Eagle are successful, they may put more across campus in places like Goolrick Gym, the Link, Lee Hall or even Eagle’s Nest.
At the Top of the CRUC, Simply Taco replaced a global dining station, that previously featured Mexican cuisine. Kouri says that students missed having dedicated Mexican options all the time, and Simply Taco is meant to fill that gap.
“The year following the replacement of Serranos, we really found and had a lot of student feedback that they missed having dedicated Mexican options all the time,” said Kouri. “So Simply Tacos felt like a really easy, no brainer way to expand our dietary offerings and accomplish having a cuisine that students were really saying they missed having.”
The new station is an extension of the Simple Servings section of the dining hall, meaning it is free of the top eight allergens in the country. All the food is prepared without milk, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts and sesame. According to Kouri, because of these new changes, the UMW now has the largest Simple Servings platform in the United States.
“We offer the largest amount of dietary restrictions in a campus setting in North America for Sodexo,” he said.
The chefs have worked to create a vegan and gluten free queso for the station that is similar to normal queso.
“The station is designed so that it is rotational,” said Kouri. “Every so many days, the proteins change, some of the toppings change, and then we’ll be able to do tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burrito bowls, burritos.”
According to Kouri, feedback for Simply Taco has been positive so far. This station has been well-received by students because it expands options with dietary restrictions and brings back a Mexican food option.
“I think the variety at simply taco is nice,” said Emmy Beach, a senior theatre major. “I think there’s something for everyone.”
The inclusive dining choices at Simply Taco gives more freedom to students with dietary restrictions and preferences. As a vegetarian, Beach appreciates another station in the dining hall with more green plate options.
“It’s a consistent option that I can always have,” Beach said.
Sodexo has also changed the aesthetics of the brand, leading to design changes in the dining hall.
“Uniforms were updated, and the one and all brand is really meant to encapsulate the feeling for every single person who comes in there, that there is one place for everyone,” said Kouri. “Everyone is welcome. We have inclusive options.”
Crime Column
MEAGHAN VAN DYKE News Editor
Larceny of bikes
On Sept. 4 at 12:17 a.m., there was a case of larceny of bikes at the UMW NY Pizza Deli. This case is pending.
The Crime Column is based on UMW Police reports from Sept. 3 to Sept. 10.
Vandalism
On Sept. 4 at 1:02 a.m., there was a case of vandalism at Woodard Hall. This case is pending.
Simply Tacos replaced Showcase as a Mexican food option in the dining hall. The section offers food free from the top eight allergens in North America, making the station inclusive for most students. This structure closely resembles Simply Servings, a station that also offers food for students who may not be able to eat at other dining station in the CRUC.
Violet Ayers / TheWeeklyRinger
Sports
Student weightlifters use campus gym to create community and build strength
AVA NJORE Staff Writer
While NCAA athletes train under structured programs, campus weightlifters unaffiliated with UMW athletics create their own unique space that’s self-motivated, often overlooked and driven by personal goals rather than external rewards.
As for junior business administration major Natnael Ermias, who lifts five days a week, weightlifting is a way to keep himself disciplined as the semester ramps up.
“Training is part of my daily routine, I don’t see it as another task I have to accomplish, so it comes easily,” he said.
A weightlifter’s lifestyle tends to structure their day around more activities that are beneficial to their weightlifting journey. This includes when to schedule workouts, between general times like a morning, noon or night session. When to eat, and what, so the protein goal can be achieved, and for weightlifters that are also athletes, when to go to practice, lifts or things like team meetings. An NCAA athlete would most likely schedule their day around these things, due to their different priorities.
For Ermias, weightlifting is about consistency and creating attainable goals outside of the classroom.
“If I don’t train, I feel like I’ve lost control,” he said. “Like, I’m not worthy of the goals I set for myself. The gym is where I prove I deserve them.”
While Ermias has a strict routine and lifting regimen for himself, other weightlifters on campus are amateurs who prefer to keep it casual. Some students, like junior history and education double major Annie Dwell, value these different skill levels because it can be intimidating to get started in the gym.
“The only thing that stops me from picking it up would be not knowing where to start or the additional time in my day it would take up from my normal routine,” she said.
Dwell continued, “I think there’s always just going to be that fear/worry of being judged.”
However, Ermias assures that weightlifters in the campus gym are so focused on their own workouts that they are not concerned with judging those around them.
“The gym looks intimidating at first; it’s loud, it’s sweaty and everyone seems to know what they’re doing. But that fear? It’s just brain-fog,” he said. “Once you push through, it’s nothing.”
Liliana Hancock, a freshman, agrees that in order to get better, you have to get out of your comfort zone, even if it means going to the gym alone.
“On the positive side of not knowing anyone every time I go makes it way easier to form that physical community of plentiful people to be gym buddies for and or with,” she said.
Whether it is the structured grind of NCAA athletes, the hesitant first steps of amateur lifters, or the quiet discipline of everyday gym goers like Ermias, weightlifting is an increasingly popular workout on UMW’s campus.
For an athlete like junior psychology major Danyela Rivarola, a player on the UMW field hockey team, weightlifting is a crucial part of her training. She has required team lifts twice a week.
“We train multiple times a week with a clear plan that our weightlifting coach gives us,” Rivarola said. “These workout plans focus on strengthening, conditioning and injury prevention.”
Rivarola said that during the season, practices are catered towards their specific sport, but during the offseason athletes are more focused on general muscle building through weightlifting.
“During our lifts, we focus on what can make us better athletes by creating workouts that benefit our specific sport,” Rivarola said. “But out of season, we focused on strength, so I would say they are mildly hard. It depends on how committed the athlete is to getting stronger.”
While campus weightlifters workout for a variety of reasons, they agree that the community is worth the time and dedication.
“I feel like it’s the best thing that has happened to me,” Ermias said. “Ever since I got into it, I started handling my emotions better. No matter what I am feeling after my workout, I just feel stress relieved and also in a better mood. After a while, it also boosts confidence because of what you have achieved.”
“On the positive side of not knowing anyone everytime I go makes it way easier to form that physical community of plentiful people to be gym buddies for and or with.”
- Liliana Hancock
ENYA CEA-LAVIN Sports Editor
Men’s Soccer (3-1)
Sept. 5 vs. Regent University (5-0)
Sept. 7 vs. Washington and Lee University (2-1)
Sept. 13 at Washington College
Sept. 17 at University of Lynchburg
Sept. 20 at Virginia Wesleyan University
Women’s Soccer (4-0)
Sept. 6 vs. North Carolina Wesleyan University (4-0)
Sept.13 Virginia Wesleyan University
Sept. 20 at Methodist University
Women’s Tennis (0-0)
Sept. 13 at CNU Invitational
Volleyball (1-6)
Sept. 5 at Washington and Lee University (0-3)
Sept. 6 vs. Southern Virginia University (0-3)
Sept. 6 vs. St. Mary’s College of Maryland (3-0)
Sept. 13 vs. Marymount University
Sept. 13 vs. Marymount vs. Va. Wesleyan
Sept 13. vs. Virginia Wesleyan University
The campus gym provides barbells and other weightlifting equitment. Violet Ayers / The Weekly Ringer
University of Mary Washington student weightlifters establish routines and maintain self-discipline throughout the busy academic year.
Violet Ayers / The Weekly Ringer
From NCAA student athletes to novice gym goers, the weightlifting community on campus encourages students of all skill levels to participate. Violet Ayers / The Weekly Ringer