2020 Stories

Bell Society Stories: Hodan Seager ‘18

Hodan Seager ’18, a Cornerstone member of the Bell Society, has given for four consecutive years. She’s a perfect donor, which means she has made at least one gift to William & Mary every year since her graduation.

On the Write Track

At a time when social interactions are limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic, one-on-one sessions between students and peer consultants through the Writing Resources Center provide a valuable human connection.

Design for W&M’s memorial to the enslaved unveiled

A finalized design concept for the Memorial to the African Americans Enslaved by William & Mary was presented to the Board of Visitors. Fundraising targets for the project have been met, with more than $1 million raised in private gifts, which will be matched by the Board of Visitors.

Blackbaud Data Security Incident

William & Mary takes the privacy of its community members and supporters seriously and values the trust placed in the university when personal data is shared.

DC Summer Institutes ‘opened a world for me’

When COVID-19 reduced internship opportunities for William & Mary's DC Summer Institutes participants, program leaders reached out to the Washington Center's alumni network to help find placements for students.

Alumni Engagement Stronger than Ever

Expanded programming and resources helped alumni forge new connections with each other and alma mater throughout the For the Bold campaign.

Lighting the Way

University Advancement Vice President Matthew T. Lambert '99 reflects on how the For the Bold campaign reshaped the experience of W&M students, faculty and alumni for all time coming.

New deans lead schools of Arts & Sciences, Law, Education

This summer, William & Mary welcomed new deans to three of its schools: Maria Donoghue Velleca as dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences; A. Benjamin Spencer as dean of the W&M Law School; and Robert C. Knoeppel as dean of the School of Education.

Recent grad leaves legacy for Minorities in Medicine

As a student, Moesha Parsons ’20 founded Minorities in Medicine, a student organization for pre-med students of color. Though she has graduated, the organization will continue to support future students like her.

Tech Support

The Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation played a pivotal role in supporting William & Mary's shift to remote classes this spring. Now, the challenge is to move from short-term triage to longer-term thinking and planning.

Experiential Learning Across the Globe

The Global Research Institute’s Summer Fellows Program sends dozens of students around the globe each year to work with William & Mary faculty and local NGOs to solve real-world problems.

Data Feast Debuts

The inaugural Raymond A. Mason School of Business Data Feast competition challenged teams of business analytics graduate students to test their technical and business acumen skills using real data.

Bell Society Stories: Sophia Perrotti ’16

Sophia Perrotti ’16, assistant director for Phonathon for the Office of University Advancement, is a Cornerstone member of the Bell Society and has a perfect giving record, having made at least one gift every year since her graduation.

Legacy Gift Features Women Artists, Picasso, Matisse

Works by Picasso, Matisse, Dorothea Tanning and Lisette Model are among 100 pieces of art in a collection that pioneering women's health rights attorney Sybil Shainwald '48, LL.D. '19 is donating in a legacy gift to the Muscarelle Museum of Art at William & Mary.

Bell Society Stories: Sara Strehle Duke ’06

Sara Strehle Duke ’06 is a Cobblestone member of the Bell Society and has a perfect giving record, having made at least one gift to William & Mary every year since her graduation.

Help and Hope for Virginia’s Small Businesses

To help Virginia’s small businesses during the crisis, Pete Snyder ’94 and his wife Burson Snyder created the nonprofit Virginia 30 Day Fund. They have partnered with fellow alumni and members of the William & Mary, Williamsburg and greater Virginia communities, and the fund has also become a model for similar efforts in other states and municipalities.

W&M takes a ‘one team’ approach to career development

To help students and alumni navigate today’s uncertain economic climate and find meaningful careers, W&M is taking a “one team” approach to expand professional networking and job preparedness programs.

Counseling programs help those in need, on and off campus

S. Stuart Flanagan, a professor emeritus who taught mathematics education at William & Mary for almost three decades, is continuing his family's legacy of helping others through a new $2 million gift to the School of Education.

A Time of Quiet Reflection

The bell in what is now the Sir Christopher Wren Building has sounded at significant moments throughout the history of William & Mary and the nation. This is such a time.

Resilience and Kindness

In recent weeks, I have witnessed an outpouring of care from every corner of our far-flung W&M family. So many have reached out to ask: What can I do? As we continue to chart a path forward together, I feel honored to be part of this community.

A Helping Hand

Emergency funds support W&M students and faculty during the COVID-19 outbreak

Powerful Lessons in Global Development

As a research lab of the university’s Global Research Institute, AidData facilitates innovative research projects that bring students and faculty together to solve global problems.

Alumni House Construction Update, March 2020

If you’ve been back on campus lately and passed by the corner of Richmond Road and Zable Stadium, you will have noticed the Alumni House is looking a little different lately.

What do you want your story to be?

All of the people we celebrated over Charter Day weekend have a unique story to share. They each exemplify excellence in a different way.

At Charter Day, a Glimpse of a Bold Future

At this year's Charter Day Dinner, one alumnus and two students — each embodying William & Mary’s approach to teaching and learning, research and innovation, and flourishing and engagement — described their experience at the university.

A Survivor’s Story

Fabian visited William & Mary for a series of talks earlier in February, made possible by donors who have contributed to the Arts & Sciences Annual Fund, Department of English, Reves Center and Judaic Studies Program.

Investing in W&M’s future

Pamela Jordan Penny ’77, HON J.D. ’16 and James D. Penny J.D. ’83 are paying it forward via their estate plans.

Making a HEART-felt impact

William & Mary’s newly established HEART (Health Emergency and Resources for the Tribe) Fund exists to shepherd students referred to Student Affairs through emergencies big and small.