Mary Baldwin University

06/15/2026

Mary Baldwin University and the Heifetz International Music Institute are continuing a beloved Staunton summer tradition.

Through a new three-year agreement, MBU will remain the summer home for Heifetz, welcoming exceptional young musicians from around the world to live, learn, rehearse, and perform on campus and throughout the community.

Each summer, this partnership brings music, energy, and world-class artistry to Staunton — and we’re proud to help it continue.

New three-year agreement continues a longstanding arts and education partnership that brings world-class young musicians to Staunton each summer. Each summer, Mary Baldwin University’s historic…

06/03/2026

We’re proud to introduce Dr. Gary Daynes as Mary Baldwin University’s Interim President, effective July 1. Dr. Daynes brings three decades of experience at small, distinctive institutions. He’s the author of How to Be a Small College — which tells you something about his priorities. He and his wife, Kristine, will move into the president’s house on our historic Staunton campus. He is arriving as a neighbor, not just a leader. Read more: https://marybaldwin.edu/news/2026/06/03/mary-baldwin-names-dr-gary-daynes-as-12th-president/

05/21/2026

What does hands-on learning look like at MBU? On cool Saturday mornings, it looks like a group of students fanning out across wooded sites near campus, lifting boards, collecting data, and watching salamanders glow under UV light.

Through SPARCNet — a national research initiative funded by the National Science Foundation — MBU students have been working alongside researcher Shelby Shartzer to study Eastern Redback Salamander populations in the Shenandoah Valley. Along the way, they've documented biofluorescence patterns in colors that hadn't been recorded before.

For biology major Micah Joyner '26, the experience reshaped her entire thesis and solidified her plans for graduate school. "This helped me see what that kind of work actually looks like," she said.
The research continues — and so do the opportunities for students to get involved.

Read the full story → https://marybaldwin.edu/news/2026/05/21/students-and-researchers-explore-salamanders-in-the-shenandoah-valley/

05/18/2026

Congratulations to all the students recognized on the Dean's and Honors lists!

Congratulations to all the students recognized on these two distinguished lists!

05/15/2026

Sometimes the best academic opportunities aren't on the course catalog.

When Leo Myers '27 — an English major with minors in criminal justice and sexuality and gender studies — needed an additional SGS course to stay on track for early graduation, none were available. So faculty members Dr. Abby Wightman and Dr. Paige Reed proposed something better: a direct inquiry course built around Leo's own research questions.

The project that grew from that conversation explored what it means to be transgender in higher education — how visibility, risk, and self-disclosure intersect for both students and faculty. Leo and Dr. Reed presented their findings together at the Keystone Conference in Harrisburg, PA.

"I learned a lot about self-confidence, since this was a difficult topic for both of us," Leo said. "But it was really nice to connect with someone while we worked on it."

That connection — between a curious student and a faculty mentor willing to go beyond the syllabus — is exactly what a Mary Baldwin education is built on.

Read the whole story here: https://marybaldwin.edu/news/2026/05/15/how-leo-myers-27-turned-an-independent-study-into-something-bigger/

05/06/2026

For her senior thesis, Amiyah Anglin ’26 brought together biology, art, and the MBU community to create Collections of Curiosities—a one-of-a-kind Hunt Gallery exhibition exploring the stories behind what we keep. Featuring everything from taxidermy to vinyl records to personal mementos, the exhibit challenges what “counts” as art and invites us to see creativity in everyday life. Read more: https://marybaldwin.edu/news/2026/04/30/dead-rats-and-pokemon-cards-how-one-student-united-the-mbu-community-with-her-senior-thesis/

05/06/2026

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