The University of Mary Washington is getting a big boost from Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC), which has committed to a sponsorship that will provide $100,000 for Campus Recreation (CREC) over the next five years.

“Mary Washington Healthcare exists to improve the health of all people in the region,” said MWHC Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Eric Fletcher. “Part of that commitment is to promote wellness, so partnering with UMW in these efforts is a natural connection. We hope our sponsorship helps students, faculty and staff stay healthy and enjoy life to the fullest.”

A portion of the funds will go toward campus events that encourage wellness, exercise and outdoor activities, like last week’s Big Ash Bonfire and Campout with Residence Life, and November’s Largest Gratitude Meditation.

But Director of Campus Recreation Kelly Shannon said the sponsorship will mainly help expand operating hours for the fitness center. More than 70 percent of the student body takes group classes, works out or participates in other activities such as intramural or club sports, she said. “MWHC’s sponsorship is helping us better serve our mission of promoting student success, learning and personal wellness.” Read more.

The University of Mary Washington is a premier, selective public liberal arts and sciences university in Virginia, highly respected for its commitment to academic excellence, strong undergraduate liberal arts and sciences program, and dedication to life-long learning. The university, with a total enrollment of about 4,000, features colleges of business, education and arts and sciences, and three campuses, including a residential campus in Fredericksburg, Va., a second one in nearby Stafford and a third in Dahlgren, Va., which serves as a center of development of educational and research partnerships between the Navy, higher education institutions and the region’s employers.