Welcome to the University of Mary Washington, a public arts and sciences institution in Fredericksburg, Va., that attracts intellectually curious undergraduate and graduate students in search of rigorous academics. The university – located midway between Richmond, Va., and Washington, D.C. – provides a rich array of academic, research, internship, leadership, and recreational opportunities that not only train students for the real world but allow them to interact closely with faculty members.

University of Mary Washington

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Expert Inquiry

Open Sans

Leads UMW’s Software Engineering course, where students collaborate with nonprofits to design and deploy web/database systems. Past partners include Gwyneth’s Gift, STEP VA, and Empowerhouse.

Community-Engaged Software Development

Co-founder of an initiative promoting free and open-source software tailored for nonprofit use, emphasizing collaboration between students, nonprofits, and technology partners.

Nonprofit FOSS Institute (NPFI)

AI Intersections: Ethics, Education, and Technological Philosophy

Big Interview, Big Deal: Connecting Academic Experiences to Careers with Interview Practice

Industry Trends in Software Engineering: Alumni Perspectives

Student Perceptions of Computer Science Course Experiences During and After the COVID Pandemic

Survey of COVID online teaching methodologies and how they can be used in the traditional classroom

Interdisciplinary research experience in computer science and biological sciences

Playing to Learn: Using Hands-on Activities to Boost Learning in Computer Science

A Curriculum Model Featuring Oral Communication Instruction and Practice

Enhancing software engineering education using teaching aids in 3-D online virtual worlds

It is time to stand up and communicate

CPSC 106 Digital Storytelling

CPSC 110 Introduction to Computer Science

CPSC 220 Computer Science I

CPSC 302 Computer Ethics

CPSC 340 Data Structures

CPSC 430 Software Engineering

CPSC 440 Game Programming

CPSC 444 Computer Graphics

Jennifer A. Polack-Wahl, Professor of Computer Science, earned a Ph.D. in computer science and engineering from the University of South Florida, an M.S. in computer science from Pace University, and a B.S. in computer science from the University of Scranton. She is the recipient of a Special Project Grant from the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (ACM SIGCSE), one of the world’s leading communities of computing educators.

At the University of Mary Washington, Professor Polack teaches courses ranging from Introduction to Computer Science and Data Structures to Computer Ethics, Game Programming, and Computer Graphics. A dedicated educator, she strives to inspire students and equip them with the skills and perspectives to navigate today’s interconnected world. In her Software Engineering course, student teams partner with nonprofit organizations to design and deploy real-world web and database systems. She also co-founded the Nonprofit FOSS Institute, which develops open-source software solutions tailored to the needs of mission-driven organizations.

Computer Science

Computer Science Education

STEM Education

Software Development for nonprofits

AI in Computer Science Education

Software Engineering

Community Driven Software Developement

Apps for Education

UMW Develops Software for Step VA

UMW Software Development for Empowerhouse 

Jennifer Polack, Professor Of Computer Science

Special Project Grant for Innovative Curriculum Work on 3-D Virtual Collaboration Environments

Professor of Computer Science

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