Senior Madeline Brunt began studying ballet at age 5, but by the time she enrolled at the University of Mary Washington, the pandemic had put her passion on pause. A year later, once restrictions were easing up, she discovered UMW’s Performing Arts Company and auditioned on a whim.
“It’s a strange combination,” Madeline said of her biological sciences major and her art form, which both involve performing a sequence of steps to achieve a successful result. “Biology exercises my logical thinking, while dance allows for creative expression.”
Dance – especially her role as president of the Performing Arts Company – also gives Madeline a respite from her rigorous research into genetics, an area that hits close to home due to hearing loss she and twin sister Meredith were diagnosed with as children. Earning private scholarships has meant that Madeline, who graduates on Saturday, has been able to enhance her academics with extracurriculars and experiential learning opportunities that will prepare her for life after Mary Washington.
“When I’ve told my sister about my studies, she’s blown away that I’m doing this level of research here,” said Madeline, who grew up in Gainesville, Virginia. Her parents, Amy Acker ’94 and Andrew Brunt ’96, are both alumni. “I really enjoyed having a one-on-one relationship with my professors, which you don’t always get at larger universities.”
Under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Ginny Morriss, Madeline used fruit flies to investigate how mechanisms in mytonic dystrophy type 1 can lead to muscle wasting. She recently presented her findings at the 2024 Donor Appreciation Luncheon and Student Showcase and earned an undergraduate grant award for her research, which she also shared at the annual meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists in March.
Madeline added a minor in ethics to her biology major after taking a medical ethics course with Professor of Philosophy Jason Matzke. “Sitting on a hospital board or a clinical ethics committee is so intriguing to me,” said Madeline, who is considering pursuing a master’s degree in bioethics and perhaps going to law school in the future.
She also served as the treasurer of UMW’s Cap and Gown chapter of Mortar Board, the historian of the Pre-Health Society, and a member of the Chi Beta Phi, Delta Alpha Pi, and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies.
But the Performing Arts Company is where Madeline has felt the most at home. Joining as a sophomore, she became the student-led organization’s treasurer and then president last year. Overseeing the production of a “big” and “small” show each semester, she weighs in on decisions about choreography, costumes, sets, lighting, and more. “I’ve made so many relationships with students outside my major whom I never would have met,” she said.
Private donor support has enabled her to pursue all these passions. Madeline earned the Deb Stanley Leap ’72 Scholarship in Biology, the Earl G. Insley Chi Beta Phi Scholarship, and the Sally Brannan Hurt ’92 Study Abroad Scholarship, which gave her the chance to take a faculty-led trip to study the flora and fauna of the Galápagos Islands.
She also received the Vicky Nichols Wilder ’80 and Florence Overley Ridderhof ’50 Scholarship in Dance. At this year’s Donor Appreciation Luncheon, she met Vicky and her husband, former UMW Chief of Staff Marty Wilder, and learned about her benefactor’s own experiences dancing at Mary Washington.
“She offered great insight into keeping dance in my life after graduation,” said Madeline, who knows that her alma mater and her fellow alumni will be there for her throughout her life. “UMW truly cares about your success and will provide anything necessary to help you reach your goals.”
Find scholarship opportunities that are available to UMW students. Learn more about establishing scholarships and how private support makes a difference in the lives of UMW students who receive scholarships, research fellowships and internship grants.
– Article written by Advancement intern Tabitha Robinson ’24
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