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2020 News Stories

physics student holding a fire extinguisher
W&M Society of Physics Students wins Outstanding Chapter Award

William & Mary’s chapter of the Society of Physics Students put together an impressive slate of fun and educational activities for 2019-2020, and when a pandemic hit, they went virtual, barely breaking stride.

Illustration of laptop with graduation cap
W&M students support local elementary students as Virtual Learning Partners

With local schools closed for much of the fall semester due to the pandemic, Olwen Herron, superintendent of Williamsburg-James City County Schools, knew that partnering with William & Mary was one way the division could better support their K-5 students during virtual learning.

Melissa Moore portrait photograph
W&M alumna leads groundbreaking research platform at Moderna

Melissa J. Moore ’84 is the chief scientific officer of platform research at Massachusetts-based Moderna Inc.. She is a key part of the biotech company’s effort to produce 200 million COVID-19 vaccines for the U.S. government to distribute to Americans across the country.

Jaime Settle sitting at a computer
The science of political polarization and social media

To better understand how politics play out online, W&M News spoke with Jaime Settle, associate professor of government at William & Mary. She is the director of the Social Networks and Political Psychology Lab and her book, Frenemies: How Social Media Polarizes America, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2018.

Advisors to Operation Warp Speed view vaccine shipment facility
W&M alumni coordinate vaccine distribution with Operation Warp Speed

When the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization for the first coronavirus vaccine, Operation Warp Speed’s distribution plans sprang into action — and so did two William & Mary alumni.

A 3D printer emits material
W&M awards seven sustainability projects Green Fee grants

The William & Mary Green Fee, established in 2008 by student request, has provided over $1.6 million in funding for sustainability-related projects. This fall, the W&M Committee on Sustainability (COS) awarded Green Fee proposals for seven sustainability-related projects, totaling $24,038.

One person sits in a chair and another person stands by the chair inside a living room
The call of alma mater: Alumni opt to live near William & Mary

The idea seems to be gaining momentum among alumni for such reasons as: the opportunity to return to a familiar setting filled with treasured memories from the dawning of adulthood; to enjoy the cultural, recreational and intellectual benefits of living close to a university; and to strengthen bonds with others in the W&M community.

Exterior of W&M's School of Education
Minor in Educational Studies offers undergraduate students a new dimension to their major

When he started at W&M as a freshman with an interest in government, Aidan Gosset ’22 had no idea he’d end up creating his own major focused on education. It soon became his goal as he began taking classes within the interdisciplinary Minor in Educational Studies offered by the W&M School of Education.

Portrait photograph of Rebecca Green
Ask an election expert: What happens now?

Rebecca Green, co-director of W&M's Election Law Program, explains what comes next in the American democratic process.

Jen Psaki
W&M alumna named White House press secretary

William & Mary alumna Jen Psaki '00 has been named the next White House press secretary by U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, who will take office in January.

Nathan Knight shooting a basketball midair
Nathan Knight inks NBA two-way contract with Atlanta Hawks

Sitting in his hotel room Thursday night, Nathan Knight finally had a chance to decompress. The previous 24 hours had been a blur, one that took him through two excruciating rounds of the NBA Draft before agreeing to terms with the Atlanta Hawks.

Anna Laws collects gallons of milk for distribution
Farm to food bank: Alumna helps launch the FarmLink Project

Along with peers across the country, Anna Laws ’18 helped launch The FarmLink Project, a nonprofit that transports surplus produce from farms to food banks in need while restoring the jobs of farmers and truckers.

Carrie Dolan
Ask a health expert: How do I safely enjoy the holidays?

As we head into the holidays, W&M News spoke with Carrie Dolan, an epidemiologist, an assistant professor in health sciences and a member of William & Mary’s Public Health Advisory Board, about ways to enjoy the season safely.

Kibiriti Majuto
W&M students learn from Black-led community organizations as interns

As part of the sociology department’s Social Justice Policy Initiative at William & Mary, six students are doing internships this semester with three local organizations working in the areas of voter registration, legal redress, educational equity and African-American history.

Portrait photo of Wenye Qiu
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.

People wearing masks sit in a large grassy area
W&M announces plans for winter break, spring semester

As William & Mary prepares to complete the fall semester, the university informed its community about a series of policies and public health measures that will be in place over winter break and the spring semester.

A close up of the Yule log with a dove-shaped card that reads "happy holidays"
Yule Log, Charter Day, winter graduate recognition to be held virtually

Three annual traditions will be conducted in a new format as William & Mary adapts to public health guidelines to safeguard against COVID-19. Yule Log, Charter Day and winter graduate recognition will all be held virtually, the university announced this week.

Center for Conservation Biology’s Libby Mojica cradles a golden eagle
In ‘Science:’ CCB’s bird-tracking data added to Arctic Animal Movement Archive

Bryan Watts, the director of William & Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology, and Fletcher Smith, a research associate at the CCB, are part of an effort to share animal-tracking data to get a handle on what is ahead for the diverse animal populations of the changing Arctic and near-Arctic habitats.

red-cockaded woodpecker
Once in imminent danger, rare woodpecker reaches milestone in its recovery

The Piney Grove Preserve has shifted from receiving red-cockaded woodpeckers from other populations to donating woodpeckers. The movement marks a milestone in the recovery of the species and is a testament to the valuable work of W&M’s Center for Conservation Biology.

Julia Brown places her ballot in a mailbox
All eligible W&M student-athletes registered to vote, many for the first time

With another Election Day upon us, William & Mary’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is doing its part to improve turnout. Behind a department-wide initiative, the SAAC helped register all eligible student-athletes to vote in what, for most, will be their first presidential election.

Woman and child walk past "vote" sign
How to talk to kids about Election 2020

With Election Day less than a week away, Esther Kim, assistant professor of social studies, shares some strategies, tips and resources for educators and parents navigating conversations with children and young adults.

Portrait photograph of Rebecca Green
Q&A on election law with Prof. Rebecca Green

Rebecca Green has served as co-director of W&M's Election Law Program since 2008. Her research explores topics such as election administration transparency, redistricting transparency and candidate privacy.

Rendering of new Swem terrace
Swem announces plans for new patio

William & Mary Libraries is adding a new space with people who love the outdoors in mind. The Libraries announced it will begin constructing a patio outside of Swem in December.

A student dunks a piece of cloth into a large container of liquid
W&M Photomania students see through new lens amid COVID-19

This fall’s pandemic conditions have brought new challenges as well as discoveries for students participating in the COLL 100 photography class, which Lecturer of Art Eliot Dudik teaches.

Video screen squares containing Katherine Rowe and Maria Donoghue Velleca
W&M’s three new deans discuss leadership, innovation amid pandemic

William & Mary President Katherine A. Rowe discussed leadership during a pandemic during her latest virtual community conversation Oct. 20 as she hosted Education Dean Rob Knoeppel, Law School Dean A. Benjamin Spencer and Arts & Sciences Dean Maria Donoghue Velleca.

A gree W&M logo outlined in yellow on a gray background
William & Mary Athletics: The Path Forward

The university is reinstating Women’s Gymnastics, Women’s Swimming and Women’s Volleyball, which will continue as Division I varsity sports. By reinstating these sports, William & Mary will make significant progress toward achieving equity in participation in 2021-22.

Portrait photographs of new deans
Meet William & Mary’s new deans

This fall, as new students began classes at William & Mary for the first time and returning students adjusted to a semester unlike any other, they were joined by three new faces — William & Mary’s new deans of the Arts & Sciences, Law School and School of Education.

Small purple flags on the lawn in front of wellness center with three signs with mental health information
Support for mental health ramps up at W&M amid COVID-19

In the face of the stress and uncertainty of living through a pandemic, William & Mary has adapted its programs and services to offer expanded mental health and wellness resources. 

VIMS dean and director to retire in 2021

John Wells to retire at the end of the academic year, a national search for the next dean and director will be conducted.

Jeremy Martin
Interim AD outlines financial issues, vows to listen

Publicly addressing the William & Mary community for the first time since being named interim athletics director, Jeremy Martin outlined how a financial crisis led to the decision announced Sept. 3 to discontinue seven varsity sports. He also vowed to meet with those affected and listen to any ideas they might have.

Joan Gavaler
W&M professor adapts dance curriculum for remote learning

All three of William & Mary Professor Joan Gavaler’s dance classes this semester have a mix of in-person and remote students. This has made for challenging, but refreshing, turns in adapting her teaching.

Dr. Lisa A. Jackson
W&M alumna helps lead COVID-19 vaccine study

Dr. Lisa A. Jackson ’84 has conducted numerous vaccine studies, but the task before her in March was different — the timing compressed, the stakes higher — when her team launched one of the first human clinical trials for a vaccine to block infection from the virus that causes COVID-19.

Rendering of two brick and glass buildings side by side
W&M arts building construction continues

Construction on William & Mary’s new performing arts facilities is continuing this fall after being delayed early in the calendar year due to unforeseen increases in construction costs.

Kathleen Morgan
Duke Award winner Kathleen Morgan ‘knows her stuff,’ and it shows

Morgan, W&M's associate director for faculty personnel services in Arts & Sciences, received the Charles and Virginia Duke Award, which honors exemplary service to the university by someone who is not a student or instructional faculty member.

Cubicles in Swem Library
Swem relocates collection to expand study space

An expanded first-floor study area at Swem Library will provide ample study space for students, even under current physical distancing guidelines.

Illustration of laptop with "Homecoming" on screen
W&M to hold virtual Homecoming this October

What’s Homecoming without, well, coming home to campus? It’s a new opportunity to bring the beloved tradition directly to the William & Mary community, wherever that community may be.

A graphic says #4 Best Undergraduate Teaching U.S. News & World Report
W&M’s undergraduate teaching lauded by U.S. News

William & Mary offers some of the most exceptional undergraduate teaching in the country and boasts a higher alumni giving rate than any other public university, according to a report released today by U.S. News and World Report.

Shivani Gupta holding taper candle
W&M alumnae work to transform primary care

Dena Bashri ’20 and Shivani Gupta ’20 graduated from William & Mary to become two of the six inaugural fellows working remotely for Transforming Primary Care on projects such as ensuring telehealth access to those experiencing homelessness and tracking the supply chain of COVID-19 testing kits.

Three people wearing masks sit at a table
W&M responds to call for feedback on naming principles

The William & Mary community responded “emphatically and with a great deal of warmth toward our Alma Mater of a Nation” to principles drafted for naming and renaming of buildings, spaces and structures on campus.

Student reading on a bench on the Lake Matoaka pier
W&M's Parks Research Lab releases Campus Greenspace Map

For the past seven years, Dorothy Ibes has been using William & Mary’s outdoor space as a laboratory to understand the relationship between human health and human access to nature. 

A banner that says William & Mary 2024
W&M opens academic year with virtual ceremony

William & Mary kicked off the 2020-2021 academic year Aug. 19 with an online ceremony featuring words of welcome from administrators, alumni and students.

Laptop with screen showing graphic of Virginia map on left side and three women videoconferencing on right side
W&M establishes Social Justice Policy Initiative

William & Mary students and faculty have formalized and expanded several programs focusing on equity issues in the local community, and added new ones, with the establishment of the Social Justice Policy Initiative in the sociology department.

David Morales wearing a face mask
Campus libraries prepare to reopen to W&M community

As the fall semester grows close, staff members at William & Mary Libraries feel prepared to safely reopen and operate through the uncharted waters of a pandemic.

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Giving back, one mask at a time

Anna Mroch, W&M director of planning and assessment, has turned some 48 spools of thread and 102 yards of fabric into more than 1,300 face masks that were distributed to those in need throughout 10 states.

A graphic shows the website on multiple tablets and phones
W&M rolls out first phase of website redesign

The William & Mary website is getting a new homepage, updated menus and search function and refreshed page designs — the first steps in outfitting the university with better, more flexible and varied tools with which to build webpages.

Erica Smith head shot
Staying vigilant against the virus

Epidemiologist Erica E. Smith ’08 helps coordinate Delaware’s response to COVID-19

Wenliang “Bill” Li
Physics postdoc wins JLab prize to further ‘backwards’ research

A postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Physics at William & Mary, Wenliang “Bill” Li is studying proton structure — just like many people who conduct their nuclear physics research at Jefferson Lab. But he’s studying a new aspect of it: the backward perspective.

A chalkboard outside William & Mary's Integrated Science Center displays words of encouragement.
W&M announces Healthy Together Community Commitment

As William & Mary prepares for the start of the academic year during a pandemic, the university released Monday a statement of expectations – and a commitment to each other – for everyone planning to live, work and study together on campus this fall.

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Pandemics: Hope from history

Gérard Chouin, associate professor of history at William & Mary, discusses COVID-19 in the context of past pandemics.

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W&M’s $1B For the Bold campaign concludes

William & Mary completed its boldest fundraising campaign yet, with $1.04 billion raised, ties among alumni and alma mater strengthened and its status as the No. 1 public university for alumni participation cemented several years in a row.

Closeup of sundial at Swem Library.
W&M board hears updates on COVID, finances, antiracism

During a virtual meeting July 15, William & Mary administrators, faculty, students and staff updated the Board of Visitors executive committee on the university’s financial position, inclusion and equity efforts and plans for fall.

Swem Libary
W&M Libraries unveils evolving Antiracist Bookshelf

As Americans make efforts to learn more about the social justice and racial equity issues that are front and center in the nation right now, William & Mary Libraries has joined other institutions around the country in providing resources for self-education.

Illustration of researcher pulling back wall made from data
AidData sheds light on Chinese foreign aid

AidData, a research lab based at William & Mary’s Global Research Institute (GRI), has been building a new dataset that sheds light on China’s vast portfolio of grant- and loan-financed projects around the globe.

A student sits on a bench surrounded by fall foliage
W&M releases updates on Fall 2020 Path Forward

William & Mary recently released a series of updates about its plans for the fall semester. The updates contain new details about remote learning and work, physical distancing and safety measures, fall course offerings and planned use of space on campus.

An instrument takes reading from a pan of stir fry
Quarantine and the chemistry of the great indoors

As COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders upended life as we know it, W&M chemist Rachel O’Brien turned her kitchen into a makeshift laboratory. She and her lab students literally cooked up experiments in their homes by measuring aerosols released during cooking.

A portrait photo of Terri Watson
Wilderness leader: Alumna relies on small teams to achieve big goals

As the first woman to become president of the National Outdoor Leadership School, Terri Watson ’85 brings nearly three decades of experience in corporate and nonprofit roles to an organization that enrolls more than 25,000 students annually in programs around the world.

Jason Chen
JEDI Alliance: Building a coalition to advance equity, diversity in the geosciences

Jason Chen, Gerdelman Family Term Distinguished Associate Professor at the William & Mary School of Education, has secured a new grant from the National Science Foundation that aims to combat inequity by building a national alliance of researchers working together to effect large-scale change.

Shannon White
Creativity, serendipity enhance CGA's pivot to online classes

Faculty with William & Mary’s Center for Geospatial Analysis instill graduate and undergraduate students with the skills and understanding to use mapping and visualization techniques in projects ranging from art history to field biology.

Student wearing mask gives thumbs up
Social distancing at the outcrop: Separate cars, PPE and maybe snorkeling

William & Mary's geology department is going ahead with field work this summer, heading to their outcrops and fossil beds armed with more than their rock hammers. Faculty mentors have come up with an evolving set of creative ways to maintain social distance.

Moesha Parsons in cap and gown
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.

Sam Hayes
Hayes to lead, assess facilities management at W&M

Samuel Hayes III, a professional engineer and management consultant, has been selected to lead William & Mary’s facilities management department as interim chief facilities officer beginning July 1.

Robert Knoeppel
Robert C. Knoeppel to lead W&M’s School of Education

Robert C. Knoeppel, dean of the University of South Florida’s College of Education, longtime educator and noted scholar on educational finance innovation, has been chosen as the next dean of William & Mary’s School of Education.

Megan Casey stands dressed head to toe in personal protective equipment
Alumna uses experience combating Ebola to fight COVID-19

As an officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Megan L. Casey ’04 evaluated hospital and clinic infection control practices in Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Now she's taking her expertise stateside.

Photo of Amy Sebring
A coronavirus Q&A with Amy Sebring, VP for finance and technology

William & Mary News spoke remotely with Amy Sebring, vice president for finance & technology, to talk about how the university is confronting the financial challenges presented by COVID-19, and what to expect in the coming months.

Tess Ellis talks to a field hockey player on the field
Coach of the Year: CAA, ECAC honor seven leaders in W&M Athletics

For the 2019-20 athletic season, which ended prematurely on March 12 due to the coronavirus outbreak, W&M had five of its mentors named Coach of the Year in the Colonial Athletic Association. Two more were honored by the Eastern College Athletic Conference.

W&M's Raymond A. Mason School of Business on a sunny day
Boël gift expands Mason School international business initiatives

The Nicolas and Valentine Boël Endowment for International Business will enable Dean Larry Pulley to invest strategically in programs that cultivate a global mindset among undergraduate and graduate students.

Heather Kenny places a band on a bluebird
In a quiet world, research on noise and nesting bluebirds

Heather Kenny, a biology master’s student at William & Mary, has spent the past two years studying the parenting behavior of bluebirds. Specifically, she is working to understand how human-made noise influences nesting and productivity.

Arianna Afsari head shot
Seven W&M alumni selected to receive Fulbright Scholarships

The seven alumni are among more than 2,100 U.S. citizens who received the Fulbright U.S. Student Program award in 2020. The prestigious award provides students the funding they need to study, research and teach abroad.

Ben Spencer
A. Benjamin Spencer selected to lead W&M Law School

A. Benjamin Spencer, a nationally renowned civil procedure and federal courts expert and current professor of law at the University of Virginia will begin at William & Mary Law School July 1.

Patricia “Patti” Jarboe Dwyer
Honorary alumna: Patti Dwyer joins the W&M alumni family

Patricia “Patti” Jarboe Dwyer has been nominated by her peers and selected by the W&M Alumni Association Board of Directors to be inducted as an honorary alumna.

William & Mary board re-elects top two executive officers

William & Mary’s Board of Visitors voted Tuesday to re-elect John E. Littel P '22 as rector and William H. Payne II '01 as vice rector of the governing body of the university. Additionally, Barbara L. Johnson J.D. '84 was elected as secretary of the board.

A file photo of shops in Yorktown, Virginia
Help and hope for Virginia’s small businesses

To help Virginia’s small businesses during the pandemic, Pete Snyder ’94 and his wife Burson Snyder created the nonprofit Virginia 30 Day Fund.

The Wren building seen from above with students
W&M to celebrate 2020 graduates with virtual conferral ceremony

On May 16, William & Mary will mark the day that was previously reserved for this year’s Commencement exercises with its first-ever virtual conferral ceremony. The university plans to celebrate 2020 graduates in-person in the fall.

Closeup of sundial at Swem Library.
W&M announces SAT, ACT test-optional admission pilot

William & Mary will make standardized test scores optional for undergraduate applicants in the 2020-2021 admission cycle under a new three-year pilot program that responds immediately to difficulties high school students are facing in scheduling the standardized tests.

EdoReps students carrying items on freshman move-in day
W&M announces 2020 spring Green Fee projects

The William & Mary Committee on Sustainability has announced the spring 2020 Green Fee awards, which will be awarded to seven campus projects.

Earth week illustration with hand holding a plant
W&M, other universities collaborate on virtual Earth Week

The William & Mary community celebrated Earth Week virtually this spring, working with other Virginia universities to offer events accessible to the public through multiple online platforms.

Photo of the Trisuli River
Study shows wetter climate is likely to intensify global warming

Greater tropical rainfall may increase microbes’ release of CO2 from soils into air, according to a study conducted by an international team led by Dr. Christopher Hein of William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

The USNS Comfort
W&M alumnus on a mission of Comfort

Having completed a month-long mission of helping New York City hospitals that were overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic, the USNS Comfort has sailed back to Virginia with about 600 doctors, nurses and other crew members, including Dr. A. Scott Morris ’10, a lieutenant in the Navy’s Medical Corps and an alumnus of William & Mary.

exterior of cohen career center
W&M takes a ‘one team’ approach to career development

At a time when more than 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, William & Mary’s career development leaders are collaborating to share information and leverage resources across different departments and schools.

A person holds a box full of vegetables
Millions of meals: Alumnus-led food bank meets dire need

In his 20 years as president and CEO of the L.A. Regional Food Bank, Michael Flood '84 has seen earthquakes, wildfires and flooding. But nothing that compares to a global pandemic.

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Counseling programs help those in need, on and off campus

A new gift to W&M will support graduate students working in the New Horizons Family Counseling Center, which assists families of students in local public schools who are facing difficult times, and the New Leaf Clinic, which provides counseling to community members struggling with substance abuse.

Student reads textbook at library
Shouldering the heavy burden of textbooks

William & Mary Libraries has launched a Textbook Affordability Initiative on campus to address the rising costs of textbooks.

Mary Pelson
W&M students write home to local senior citizens

William & Mary students left campus to return to their homes because of COVID-19, but many of them have found a way to reach back and connect to the place they also consider home.

Dr. Jennifer Primeggia in uniform
On the front lines: A physician’s view of the pandemic

In early February, while most Americans were still going about their usual daily routines, Dr. Jennifer Primeggia ’02 and her fellow physicians working in infectious diseases at Virginia Hospital Center near Washington, D.C., were preparing for an influx of patients with COVID-19.

Barrels with trash
Study calculates true cost of food waste in America

A new study by Zach Conrad, assistant professor in William & Mary’s Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences, finds that the average American consumer spends roughly $1,300 per year on food that ends up being wasted.

Photo of Stephanie Bevan wearing personal protective equipment or PPE
W&M gymnastics alums working on the medical front line against COVID-19

William & Mary's gymnastics program has approximately 50 of its graduates in the medical profession, many on the front line against this global pandemic. Four of them were willing to take a few minutes out of their hectic days to discuss their work and how it's changed in the last several weeks.

Portrait photograph of Eden Maness in the lab wearing a lab coat
Finding a possible new way to treat schizophrenia

For her research into the underlying neurobiology of attentional processing in the context of schizophrenia drug discovery, Eden Maness is the recipient of the William & Mary Graduate Studies Advisory Board Award for Excellence in Scholarship in the Natural and Computational Sciences.

A great blue heron stands near a pond
Social distancing in birds

One of many things that the COVID-19 pandemic will be remembered for is the introduction of the term “social distancing” to the global lexicon. For bird behaviorists, the term and its variants have been in use for over a century.

Cellular image of circles and swirls
Immune-system cells of fish are ingesting plastic…and then dying

The research lab of Patty Zwollo, an immunologist and professor of biology at William & Mary, has discovered that just as whales swallow plastic thinking it’s food, some cellular components of the immune system in fish “swallow” bits of microplastic that they mistake for invading pathogens.

Group photo of AidData student researchers
AidData: 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.

Woman grocery shops while wearing a face mask
Grocery shopping tips for the age of coronavirus

With panic buying affecting grocery stores throughout the country, we spoke with Zach Conrad, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences, to discuss ways to food shop effectively.

Maria J. Donoghue Velleca
Maria Donoghue Velleca selected as William & Mary dean of Arts & Sciences

Maria Donoghue Velleca, an accomplished scholar and award-winning educator who served as senior associate dean for faculty affairs and strategic planning at Georgetown University’s College of Arts & Sciences, has been selected as William & Mary’s dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, President Katherine A. Rowe announced today.

Eva Hodgson dribbles the basketball down the court
W&M’s Eva Hodgson: Family, faith, basketball

Following her CAA Rookie of the Year season, Eva Hodgson has made history as a sophomore as the Tribe heads into CAA tournament play March 11-14 in Elon, N.C.

Nathan Knight and Dane Fischer hug
W&M rakes in major CAA honors

For the first time in 35 years as a member, William & Mary has the Colonial Athletic Association's Player, Coach and Defensive Player of the Year.

Two cartoon characters stand on a beach
Postponed: W&M's Raft Debate

William & Mary's 2020 Raft Debate will be held in the Sadler Center's Commonwealth Auditorium March 19 at 6:30 p.m.

A series of planting pots containing Mars-like soil
How scientifically accurate is 'The Martian'? Ask W&M’s budding astrobotanists

Jon Kay, a visiting assistant professor of geology at William & Mary, is using the hypothetical situation Matt Damon’s character finds himself in — being stranded on Mars and forced to grow his own food — as a real research question for students in his new COLL 150 class Science and Science Fiction.

Mellody Hobson
Mellody Hobson to speak at W&M’s 2020 Commencement ceremony

Mellody Hobson, former chair of DreamWorks Animation and a nationally recognized voice on financial literacy, will speak at William & Mary’s 2020 Commencement ceremony, slated for 8:30 a.m. May 16 in Zable Stadium.

Jefferson Lab's experimental Hall B is full of equipment to study the strong force
In ‘Nature’: Researchers probe the space between protons and neutrons

In the first direct probes of the core of the nuclear interaction, researchers find that leading theories on interactions between protons and neutrons describe them well, even in conditions where the protons and neutrons strongly overlap, such as in neutron stars.

An artists's depiction shows a figure in the top of a pill helping another at the bottom climb up
Hope in crisis: Tackling the nation's opioid epidemic

William & Mary alumni, parents and faculty have played a role in addressing the nation’s most lethal public health crisis since the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.

Kelebogile Zvobgo
Discussion helps launch International Justice Lab at W&M

William & Mary students, scholars and community members gathered Jan. 31 to celebrate the launch of the International Justice Lab at the university with a roundtable discussion on “International Law and Justice: Challenges and Challengers in the 21st Century.”

Swimmers hold up a blue CAA champs sign
W&M men's swimming wins CAA championship for 6th consecutive year

The William & Mary men's swimming team won its sixth consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship on Saturday night, doing so in record-setting fashion in a week filled with individual event records.

Plastic debris on a remote Gulf of Alaska beach
'Grand Challenge' review stresses global impact of microplastics

Professor Rob Hale of William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science is lead author of a new “Grand Challenges” paper commissioned to mark the 100th anniversary of the American Geophysical Union, the world’s largest association of Earth and space scientists with more than 60,000 members in 137 countries.

Closeup image of William & Mary Police Chief Deb Cheesebro
Chief Cheesebro to lead VACLEA

William & Mary Police Chief Deborah Cheesebro elected president of the Virginia Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

Millie West
Remembering Millie West

Millie West had a significant impact on influence on W&M athletics.

Andy Van Vliet shoots the basketball over an opposing defender
W&M post player reveling in final basketball season

After transferring to William & Mary, Andy Van Vliet ’20 is playing a key role on a team in title contention making a stretch run to post-season play for the first time in his college basketball career.

A MERS coronavirus shows its namesake crown-like structure under the microscope.
A coronavirus Q&A with a virologist

Kurt Williamson is a virologist, an associate professor in William & Mary’s Department of Biology who specializes in the study of viruses. He offers some scientific context for the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

A diver writes on a notebook underwater above a field of seagrass
Research reveals unique reproductive trait for seagrass

A joint Australian-U.S. team reveals that one group of seagrasses, Australian species of the genus Posidonia, has evolved yet another remarkable adaptation for ocean survival: a winged seed whose shape harnesses the force of underwater currents to hold it on the seafloor for rooting.

A great heart outlined in white on a yellow background
Making a HEART-felt impact

The newly established Health Emergency and Resources for the Tribe — or HEART — Fund provides vital funds that serve students in meaningful and transformative ways.

Yusef Salaam
King commemoration speaker turned ‘pain into purpose’

Yusef Salaam spoke at William & Mary’s 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration before a crowd of faculty, staff, students and community members who filled the Sadler Center’s Commonwealth Auditorium.

A truck drives through flooding on a roadway
Sea-level report cards: 2019 data adds to trend in acceleration

The annual update of their sea level “report cards” by researchers at William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science adds evidence of an accelerating rate of sea-level rise at nearly all tidal stations along the U.S. coastline.

Frances Engoron
Three to receive W&M Alumni Medallion

The Alumni Medallion is the highest and most prestigious award given by the Alumni Association. Meet our 2020 recipients, who represent outstanding dedication, commitment and assistance to William & Mary; exemplary professional accomplishments; and leadership in civic engagement.

Students stand in the gallery of the Virginia State Capitol
Students lobby for W&M at 24th annual Road to Richmond

Road to Richmond, sponsored by the W&M President’s Office and the Office of Government Relations, offers students a platform to represent their interests before members of the Virginia General Assembly.

Students in dining hall
W&M eliminates single-use plastics in dining halls

As part of the university’s ongoing sustainability efforts, William & Mary Dining Services implemented a phase-out to use up its remaining stock of single-use plastics on the way to switching to alternatives.

W&M's Raymond A. Mason School of Business on a sunny day
W&M's online MBA ranked 28th in nation by U.S. News

In U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online MBA Program rankings, William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business jumps to 28th overall and ranks even higher for veterans, coming in at 22nd.

A child gives a thumbs-up while holding a tennis racket
Kids, volunteers connect at ACEing Autism tennis camp

With the help of local volunteers ranging from children to retirees, the camp gave 14 kids on the autism spectrum the chance to not just gain tennis skills, but to build connections — and confidence.

Inga Carboni
Q&A: Inga Carboni on networking in the New Year

Inga Carboni, an associate professor at William & Mary's Raymond A. Mason School of Business, is the author of 2019’s “Connect the Dots How to Build, Nurture, and Leverage Your Network to Achieve Your Personal and Professional Goals.”

Jean Berger Estes ’75 and Robey Estes ’74
Estes’ endowment affords opportunity

$1.5 million gift to fund scholarships at William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business.