Message from the Senior Vice President

University Advancement is leading the charge to build a lifelong culture of engagement and philanthropy at William & Mary. Our mission is simple, yet bold. We create the conditions for opportunity – human, financial & experiential – by garnering and stewarding the resources that advance William & Mary. For more than three centuries, the alma mater of the nation has produced generations of principled achievers by providing its own distinct brand of education. The William & Mary experience is defined by powerful faculty-student interaction, emphasis on collaboration and innovation in teaching and research across disciplines, and opportunities to influence change. University Advancement was created to help continue and enhance that legacy of excellence, and it is exciting to be part of that effort.

William & Mary’s ability to deliver a world-class education depends greatly on generous private support. The university also relies on active involvement by alumni, friends, parents, students, employers, corporations, foundations, faculty and staff committed to securing its position in the 21st century. In that same vein, belonging is a key W&M value and diversity and inclusion are critical to creating an environment of excellence in which all can thrive. In the past several years, the university has secured funds for critical diversity and inclusion projects and programs including the Bray School Lab, Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved, the Lemon Project, and scholarships for first-generation and underrepresented identity groups, among others. In 2021, William & Mary received INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award for the fourth consecutive year.

University Advancement guides many of the efforts to engage the William & Mary community in meaningful ways to maximize impact on our beloved institution. We foster deep connections between alumni, friends and the university through a wide range of events, inspiring storytelling that raises W&M’s profile worldwide and volunteer opportunities that make a difference. Every partner plays a critical role in fueling William & Mary’s success, including through gifts of time and treasure, internship and employment opportunities for students and alumni, transformative leadership gifts and consistent annual support. It is a privilege to see so many answer the call to shape the university’s future.

Join us today as we support the next generation of leaders, creators, champions and engaged community members — there is no comparison to the W&M experience, and you can ensure it continues for all time coming.

The William & Mary community is a diverse, committed, and impact-oriented family that shares a strong sense of unity and purpose. The University Advancement team is dedicated to ensuring that we all work in concert to propel William & Mary further, now and evermore.

With all best wishes,

Matthew T. Lambert ’99
Senior Vice President for University Advancement