UMW Bachelor of Liberal Studies Program

The 2025 BLS Distinguished Alumni Award winner, Justin Woerhle. So proud of you, Justin!

Congrats Kathleen Trenchard and John Mabry (August grad).
Read about these two outstanding BLS students.
https://giving.umw.edu/blog/2025/03/11/umw-studio-art-major-paints-a-new-path-as-a-nontraditional-student/

Congratulations to our BLS Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society inductees for 2025!
From left: Ana Chichester (Director), Mike Billeaud, Greta Hammen, Ryan Smith, Kathleen Trenchard, Justin Woehrle and Kristen Fairbanks (Associate Director).

We are proud of all our graduating seniors.

Congratulations to BLS senior, Shanna Aberle!

Shanna Aberle is graduating with a Bachelor of Liberal Studies in Studio Art, Contemplative Studies Minor, and Business Administration Minor. Shanna was awarded the Award of Excellence, 2022, Sculpture, Coopered Stand." Multiple artworks by Shanna were selected to be exhibited in the 2022, 2023, & 2024 Annual UMW Student Art Exhibitions, and recently exhibited "Tapestry in Motion" in the 2024 UMW Studio Art Senior Exhibition. "I'm excited to continue my artistic journey by exploring new mediums, techniques, and styles while immersing myself in the vibrant and diverse art world." Best wishes Shanna!

Congratulations, Jerry Slezak!

Our next senior is Jerry Slezak! He is graduating with a Bachelor’s of Liberal Studies, majoring in Historic Preservation. We wish him luck in the future!

“As an employee at UMW, one of the benefits we have available to us is to enroll in courses. In January of 2017, I decided to take advantage of this and took my first Historic Preservation course – Planning History and Practice with Dr. Andrea Smith. I enjoyed it so much that it led me down a path where I took one course a semester for seven years, eventually completing a Bachelor of Liberal Studies in Historic Preservation this past December. It was a great opportunity to be part of a program that had me in the attic of Historic Kenmore, the basement of Mary Washington House, searching historic deeds, surveying the College Heights neighborhood, researching the material culture of Lionel trains, understanding preservation laws, studying museums, creating bike routes through Fredericksburg, building digital models, drafting historic structures, participating in archeology digs, and repointing mortar on historic buildings. Another benefit of “getting to be a student” was that it helped me in the departments where I worked. I was able use that insight to improve the services provided by the IT Support Services and the Digital Knowledge Center. And during our pivot to online courses during COVID, it gave me an important window into the challenges students and faculty faced and how I could assist them in my role as the director of Digital Learning Support. My experience with the Historic Preservation program has been a highlight of my time at UMW. The range of topics and the “hands on” approach of the courses allowed me to grow personally and professionally while also applying the experience to my work. I’ve been fortunate to have had the privilege to share classes with so many great students and be taught by such accomplished faculty, and to truly experience the special learning community we have at UMW.”

We congratulate our graduating seniors on their accomplishments.

Our next senior is Blaine Howard! He is graduating with a bachelor’s of Liberal Studies with a Studio Art major. We wish him luck in the future!

“As a passionate UMW graduate, I have dedicated myself to creativity through my studio art degree. Over 6 semesters, I have explored diverse artistic avenues, deepening my understanding of art and art history. Maintaining a 4.0 GPA, I have earned membership with the esteemed honor societies of Alpha Sigma Lambda, Mortar Board, and Phi Beta Kappa. My works have been showcased in two Annual Student Art Exhibitions and I have had work featured at Brompton House. As a returning adult learner, I cherish the invaluable opportunities UMW has provided, and I am thankful for this amazing opportunity that will follow me into the next chapter of my life!”

UMW’s Bachelor of Liberal Studies program offers greater flexibility than a traditional bachelor’s degree & helps you translate your career & life experience into academic credit.
Check out our ONLINE major in Leadership & Management >> https://www.umw.edu/admissions/adult/liberal-studies/

UMW’s Bachelor of Liberal Studies program offers greater flexibility than a traditional bachelor’s degree & helps you translate your career & life experience into academic credit.
Check out our ONLINE major in Leadership & Management >> https://www.umw.edu/lcpw/coffee-talk/

UMW’s Bachelor of Liberal Studies program offers greater flexibility than a traditional bachelor’s degree & helps you translate your career & life experience into academic credit.
Check out our ONLINE major in Leadership & Management >> https://www.umw.edu/admissions/adult/liberal-studies/

UMW’s Bachelor of Liberal Studies program offers greater flexibility than a traditional bachelor’s degree & helps you translate your career & life experience into academic credit.
Check out our ONLINE major in Leadership & Management >> http://ow.ly/bcXo50OlPiL