Schools
Hurley Inaugurated in Campus Ceremony
Hurley becomes ninth president of University of Mary Washington.
The University of Mary Washington now has its ninth president. Yesterday, incoming university president Richard Hurley was inaugurated in a ceremony at Dodd Auditorium at the George Washington Hall on campus.
In his remarks, Hurley noted the circitutious route which brought him to his present position. Hurley's resume includes time working at a power plant in New Jersey, as a soldier during the Vietnam War, or his beginnings in higher education at age 25, when he worked at a gas station to fund his studies.
In his speech, Hurley repeated a common mantra among UMW administration officials: to make UMW the premier public arts institution in the nation.
Find out what's happening in Fredericksburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“Our challenge for the future is not so much to create something new, as it is to preserve, enhance and build upon the best of what has already made Mary Washington so special,” said Hurley.
Hurley assumed UMW's presidency in July of 2010 following the resignation of then-president Judy Hample. He is the third person to be named president of the university since 2007.
Find out what's happening in Fredericksburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Hurley has worked at the university in various roles for 11 years and has more than 30 years in higher education under his belt. In addition to serving as the college’s chief financial officer, he has directed facilities and capital projects, public safety, human resources and business operations. He also has served as treasurer of the University of Mary Washington Foundation, where he was instrumental in developing the University’s first public-private partnership, Eagle Village.
Within the greater Fredericksburg community, Hurley also helped found the city's Town and Gown Committee. He serves as a director of the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the board of the Rappahannock United Way, the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance and Virginia Partners Bank.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.