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2018 News Stories

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Food without borders

Every fall and spring since 2014, William & Mary has welcomed chefs from around the world. They have represented the cuisines of China, Chile, Netherlands, Ireland, Colombia, Poland, Russia, Sweden and Malaysia.

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In time for the holidays: A sweet version of the Wren Building

Williamsburg resident Kris Costa has created a gingerbread version of the Sir Christopher Wren Building, the oldest college building still standing in the United States. Her work is on display at Governor's Land at Two Rivers Country Club.

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Grace Perkins '14 is electrifying sub-Saharan Africa

Grace Perkins ’14 is part of a U.S. government–led initiative to enable electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa by adding 30,000 megawatts of power generation and connecting 60 million new households and businesses to power by 2030.

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Smart home security devices may be vulnerable to smart hackers

Internet-connected computing objects collectively known as smart home products have become increasingly popular with consumers. The systems provide a bridge between the digital and physical worlds, which is convenient for automation, but risky for security, a team of W&M researchers has found.

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The project of listening to W&M

The President's Office has gathered and categorized more than 700 data points in support of the strategic listening initiative examining W&M's role in the Future of Knowledge, Future of Work and Future of Service.

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Symposium highlights role of women in building post-war constitutions

A Nov. 12 symposium hosted by W&M Law School's Center for Comparative Legal Studies and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding, focused on the substantive constitutional work women have been doing for decades in countries recovering from conflict.

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W&M professor honored for contributions to national estuary network

William Reay of William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science was honored with the highest award given by the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) and its non-profit arm during their annual meeting in early November.

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New course looks at long history of slavery

Jessica Stephens, visiting assistant professor of classical studies William & Mary, is teaching a new course on comparative slavery from ancient to modern times this semester.

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Using a CAREER award to turn over a new energy leaf

The energy generated by mimicking photosynthesis has the potential to one day power everything from our electric grid to rockets, says William McNamara, an associate professor of chemistry at William & Mary.

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Book defends the value of face-to-face diplomacy

Marcus Holmes, associate professor of Government at William & Mary, has authored a new book, “Face to Face Diplomacy: Social Neuroscience and International Relations,” in which he credits social neuroscience for restoring face-to-face interaction as an effective diplomatic measure.

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W&M recognized for workplace wellness

William & Mary’s recently established health & wellness program for faculty and staff has earned the university a state certification.

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Lab studies the science of picky eating

As any parent will tell you, there is an art to getting kids to eat vegetables. For Catherine Forestell, it is also a science.

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Blockchain innovation, from Williamsburg to South Korea

Troy Wiipongwii MPP ’18 and Professor Mike Tierney ’87, co-director of W&M’s Global Research Institute. joined forces on a project that uses a new technology to make foreign aid programs more efficient and effective.

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An exchange of ideas on excellence in university teaching

Nine faculty from William & Mary’s sister university, the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, are spending the fall semester studying the pedagogical approaches of W&M faculty as part of the inaugural cohort of the Excellence in University Teaching Program.

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VIMS welcomes new research vessel

William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science officially welcomed its new flagship research vessel — the R/V Virginia — at the Yorktown waterfront Friday.

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W&M Football Coach Jimmye Laycock's last game is Nov. 17

After 39 seasons as head coach of the William & Mary football program, Jimmye Laycock will coach his final game when the Tribe hosts long-time rival Richmond for Senior Day at Zable Stadium on Nov. 17.

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A bit of Civil War history survives … in an unlikely place

Archeologist Christopher Shephard led a team to the median of an interstate to excavate the site of a Civil War battle. They encountered something the men of the Sixth South Carolina never had to face in 1862— the summer beach traffic of I-64.

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Jodi Kantor talks private lives becoming public with GSWS students

Jodi Kantor, Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent for The New York Times, spoke with a William & Mary gender, sexuality and women's studies class Tuesday as part of her visit as the university's 2018 Hunter B. Andrews Fellow in American Politics.

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Providing hope to soldiers and veterans

William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business announced a $1 million commitment from Dan Akerson and his late wife, Karin Akerson, to create a scholarship for students who are active duty or veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces enrolled in the business school.

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New curriculum, initiatives modernize GSWS at W&M

What traditionally was known as women’s studies has changed and evolved, leading William & Mary’s Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Program to do the same.

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Coastal Policy Conference highlights collaboration

If there was one underlying current to William & Mary Law School’s sixth annual Virginia Coastal Policy Center Conference on “Building a Resilient Virginia,” it was collaboration.

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W&M professors, students climb aboard history

Visiting Professor of English Kevin Kritsch and Professor Suzanne Hagedorn of Medieval and Renaissance studies accompanied students to Norfolk to see the world’s largest Viking sailing ship built in modern times. The excursion lent rarely available texture to their studies.

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Supporting deeper learning practices in Lancaster County

A new partnership between Lancaster County Schools and William & Mary’s Center for Innovation in Learning Design will help teachers and administrators re-imagine their curriculum, incorporate project-based learning and inspire deeper learning

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Unraveling another secret of spider silk — it’s a cable!

A strand of spider silk is five times stronger than a steel cable of the same weight, said Hannes Schniepp of the Department of Applied Science at William & Mary. His lab has been unraveling the secrets behind the strength of the brown recluse spider.

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Women in CS: Taking the 'brogrammer' out of the algorithm

Today, women earn just 22 percent of computer science degrees, a number that has remained stagnant for the past decade. At William & Mary, there has been a different story. Women are earning computer science degrees at rates well above the national average.

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AidData contributes to good news for rare birds

New research evaluating World Bank development projects, including those that pose the most environmental risks, finds no harm to important bird and biodiversity habitats.

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W&M field hockey wins overtime thriller for CAA crown

The William & Mary field hockey team won its first-ever conference tournament crown on Sunday, overcoming a 1-0 deficit to defeat No. 14 Delaware 3-2 in overtime in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship game.

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Government professor's book examines social media, polarization

Frenemies: How Social Media Polarizes America, is the culmination of William & Mary Associate Professor of Government Jaime Settle's years-long research into the impact of social media and political discourse in this country.

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Inspiring storytelling: scholarships luncheon 2018

President Katherine A. Rowe announced that she will be leading the charge in William & Mary’s Affording Opportunity scholarships effort, in which the university is seeking an additional $100 million to meet its $350 million scholarships goal.

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VIMS issues annual dead-zone report card for the Chesapeake Bay

Annual model-based report on low-oxygen conditions in the Bay during 2018 indicates a total volume of "hypoxic" waters very similar to the previous year, but with a sharp drop in hypoxia during late July due to mixing by strong winds. The duration of hypoxia in 2018 was greater than in recent years.

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‘Thinking Forward’ about service to others at W&M

Attendees from a range of roles across campus brainstormed their vision of how William & Mary will influence service locally and out into the wider world in the future.

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Juvenile striped bass maintain average abundance in Virginia waters in 2018

Preliminary results from an ongoing long-term survey conducted by researchers at William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science suggest an average year class of young-of-year striped bass was produced in Virginia tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in 2018.

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W&M iGEM team decodes the signals of cells

The William & Mary iGEM team is preparing to compete in the world’s largest synthetic biology competition for the fifth year in a row. The students have spent the past six months finding a multidisciplinary approach to cracking the code for how cells interpret signals.

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Growing peace through education in Bosnia

Participants in William & Mary’s American Bosnian Collaboration Project spent part of last summer working with teachers and students in Sarajevo, continuing a tradition that is now 20 years old.

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One more reason to love the striped bass: antimicrobials

A team of scientists at William & Mary led by Myriam Cotten is investigating a virtue of the striped bass: The fish contain biomolecules that have shown promise for therapeutic use in human medicine.

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Donaldson offers fresh take on young Hemingway's life, love

Scott Donaldson, the Louise G.T. Cooley Professor of English, Emeritus, at William & Mary, chronicles the tumultuous six-year marriage of Ernest Hemingway to Hadley Richardson, the woman he loved the most, in his new book, The Paris Husband.

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VMFA fellowships support W&M professor, student

Potter Mike Jabbur, associate professor of art and art history at William & Mary, and painter Norah Peterson '22 received Virginia Museum of Fine Arts fellowships this year.

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W&M Athletics to unveil Tribe Plaza

William & Mary Athletics today announced plans for Tribe Plaza, a new gathering point for fans and alumni at the entrance of Walter J. Zable Stadium.

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Beijing Normal dance students visit W&M for academic exchange

As part of William & Mary's ongoing partnership with sister university Beijing Normal, dance students and faculty from BNU participated in workshops and master classes with W&M students and faculty, and gave a performance last weekend.

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Homecoming comedy show to feature Beth Stelling, Rae Sanni

Stand-up comedian, writer and actress Beth Stelling will perform during William & Mary’s 2018 Homecoming & Reunion Weekend. Rae Sanni, a comedian and writer, will open the Oct. 20 show in the Chesapeake Room of the Sadler Center.

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William & Mary Homecoming & Reunion Weekend on campus Oct. 18-21

The entire William & Mary and local communities are invited to participate in a wide variety of events, including the annual Homecoming Parade, which will take place Friday, Oct. 19 at 4:30 p.m.

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Hawthorne continues to give her all to W&M

For 35 years, Peel Hawthorne '80 has been an integral part of the community as a student-athlete, coach and Athletics Department administrator.

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New study helps explain recent scarcity of bay nettles

A new, long-term study of how environmental conditions affect the abundance and distribution of Chesapeake Bay jellies helps explain the widely reported scarcity of bay nettles during the past few months and raises concerns about how a long-term continuation of this trend might harm bay fisheries as climate continues to warm.

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Got questions about Congressional whips? Evans' book has answers

William & Mary Government Professor C. Lawrence Evans, assisted by 50 W&M students, reviewed 30,000 photocopied documents of roll call votes, personal interviews with lawmakers and staff, as well as the personal papers of dozens of former House and Senate leaders, especially former whips.

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First woman board member at W&M honored

The sundial area near Swem Library has been named in honor of the first woman member of William & Mary’s Board of Visitors, Mary-Cooke Branch Munford.

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Mordijck to lead U.S. Department of Energy milestone initiative

Saskia Mordijck, assistant professor of applied science, will serve as the global leader of the Joint Research Target for the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, working with labs throughout the world to solve the complicated problem of refueling fusion reactions.

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Society of 1918 raises $2.65M to support W&M alumnae

With more than 470 women gathered together for the first-ever William & Mary Women’s Weekend, members of the Society of 1918 presented President Katherine A. Rowe with a $2.65 million check in support of an endowment benefiting alumnae.

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Inspiring, empowering and leading at W&M Women's Weekend

More than 470 alumnae, family and friends gathered on campus for the weekend, a signature event in the yearlong commemoration of 100 years of coeducation at William & Mary.

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Remembering and saluting W&M's 1953 'Iron Indians'

The football team had just 24 players, but finished the season with a winning record. They'll be honored at Saturday's home opener against Elon with a special video presentation.

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Crusades class a hot ticket at W&M

History Professor Philip Daileader may not think he’s a rock star, but admission to his Crusades class has been one of the hottest tickets on the William & Mary campus for years.

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W&M is studying the future, now

President Katherine Rowe presided over The Future of Knowledge Tuesday, part of an ongoing effort by the new president to gather feedback from the William & Mary community around three themes: the future of knowledge, the future of work and the future of service.

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Diverse cast brings 'The Children’s Hour' into modern era

William & Mary theatre's "The Children's Hour" will provide a fresh take on Lillian Hellman's 1935 play, which centers around the repercussions of a lie, during its Oct. 4-7 run at the Kimball Theatre.

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Coastal wetlands will survive rising seas, but only if we let them

A new study predicts such wetlands will survive rising seas to buffer the world’s coastlines against future storms and provide their many other ecological and economic benefits, but only if humans preserve the room needed for the wetlands to migrate inland — what scientists call “accommodation space.”

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100 years of coeducation at W&M

When women came to the university, Mary didn’t just join William, she saved William.

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W&M to host #SameHere Sit-Down Campus Tour

William & Mary will host the #SameHere Sit-Down College Campus Tour presented by mental health non-profit We're All A Little "Crazy" on Sept. 26 at Kaplan Arena.

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Pocket full of sunshine

Pocket Sun '13 is changing venture capital. And she's only 27.

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W&M has 28th most-cited law faculty in the nation

William & Mary rose 16 spots to rank as the 28th most-cited law faculty in the country, according to the latest Scholarly Impact Ranking.

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Fall Tack Lecture rescheduled for Oct. 9

The Tack Faculty Lecture on Oct. 9 will be delivered by Anne Rasmussen, professor of music and ethnomusicology and the Bickers Professor of Middle Eastern studies at William & Mary. She'll strip away the many misconceptions Westerners hold about music, women and the Muslim world.

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AidData study looks at impact of Chinese infrastructure projects

In a new AidData Working Paper released Sept. 11, a team of economists and political scientists from William & Mary, Leibniz University Hannover, Heidelberg University, Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg and Harvard University leverage a new geolocated dataset of Chinese Government-financed projects worldwide to evaluate how these investments alter the geographic distribution of economic activity within provinces and districts in low- and middle-income countries.

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New study puts marine migrations in geopolitical context

A new study involving the work of Kevin Weng of William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science uses tracking data for 14 species of migratory marine predators — from great white sharks to leatherback turtles and blue whales — to show how their movements relate to the geopolitical boundaries of the Pacific Ocean.

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Changes in methodology impact W&M’s spot in U.S. News annual list

The 2019 undergraduate rankings by U.S. News & World Report were released Monday and significant changes in the ranking’s methodology resulted in greater shifts than usual for some of the nation’s top-ranked colleges and universities, including William & Mary.

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W&M begins offering Early Decision II, Coalition Application

Starting this fall, the W&M Office of Undergraduate Admission is offering Early Decision II with a deadline of Jan. 1. And, for the first time, the office is allowing prospective freshmen to apply via the Coalition Application.

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W&M Provost to step down at end of academic year

Simply known on campus as “The Provost,” Michael R. Halleran has announced he will step down from that position at the end of the 2018-2019 academic year to return to the classroom.

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A Camp Launch first

NyJey Pope is the first Camp Launch participant to attend William & Mary since the program began in 2012.

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In ‘Nature’: A nanoscale discovery with big implications

A recent discovery by William & Mary and University of Michigan researchers transforms our understanding of one of the most important laws of modern physics. The discovery has broad implications for science, impacting everything from nanotechnology to our understanding of the solar system.

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William & Mary’s business school to launch Center for Online Learning

William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business is launching a new Center for Online Learning to grow its portfolio of online graduate business degree programs and to build on its tradition of delivering high-engagement and student-centric experiences.

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Convocation 2018: a celebration of firsts

It wasn’t William & Mary’s first Opening Convocation ceremony, but firsts were front and center at the Aug. 29 event in the Wren Yard.

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Wellness center provides education, support from multiple angles

The new center, which was dedicated Tuesday, brings together William & Mary’s Office of Health Promotion, Counseling Center, Health Center, and Campus Recreation’s wellness programing under one roof along with the new Center for Mindfulness and Authentic Excellence.

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Longtime special events supervisor hands over keys to the Wren

Raymond Bernard Bowman Sr. usually watched William & Mary Convocation from the Wren Building’s passage or piazza. His spot will sit unoccupied at this year’s Aug. 29 event, as the longtime caretaker of the Wren has handed over his keys to complete a 36-year commitment to tending the space.

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Ideas wanted for memorial to the enslaved

A competition is being launched today to solicit conceptual ideas for a Memorial to African-Americans Enslaved by William & Mary.

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How will humans adapt to climate change? Ask a Viking

Popular culture portrays Vikings as violent marauders who raided the coasts of Europe with impunity, but new research indicates the Vikings were vulnerable to at least one threat: a changing climate.

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VIMS scientist helps lead NASA-funded ocean expedition

Professor Deborah Steinberg of William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science set sail in early August aboard a major NASA-funded research expedition to the North Pacific Ocean.

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W&M family moves new students in with style

Freshmen and transfer students moved into campus housing at William & Mary Friday, greeted by new President Katherine Rowe fresh off of her move into the President's House.

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Freshmen profiles: a preview of the class of 2022

Freshmen students will bring a variety of talents and interests from far and wide when they arrive on the William & Mary campus Friday; read about a few of them in our freshmen profiles.

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A night at the ballpark

Nationals Stadium was filled with green and gold Aug. 7 as 1,650 alumni, students, family and friends celebrated William & Mary with a night of baseball.

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Investigating Uber's claim as an accident deterrent

W&M student Brittany Young '20 spent her seven weeks as a fellow with the Summer Research Program sponsored by the Schroeder Center for Health Policy, looking into the impact of Uber on motor vehicle accidents in Virginia.

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Department of Energy awards William & Mary $1M for fusion research

It’s a question that has vexed fusion scientists for decades: What would it take to refuel the sun? Now, thanks to a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and a team of William & Mary researchers, we will be closer than ever to figuring it out.

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'The time was right,' Laycock says of plan to retire

Jimmye Laycock '70 made the decision to step down after this season during the summer. He promised Monday that he and his team will give their full attention to the upcoming football season.

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Kristin Wustholz named 2018 Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar

William & Mary adds yet another Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar to its ranks as Kristin Wustholz, associate professor of chemistry, was selected as one of eight professors in the nation to receive the coveted award.

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Philosophy professor examines passion versus reason

William & Mary Philosophy Professor Elizabeth Radcliffe’s new book says both passion and reason are necessary for action, supporting the theory of 18th-century philosopher David Hume and disagreeing with those who argue against him.

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Students moved by modern memorials of Holocaust sites

William & Mary students toured Holocaust sites this summer to look at the Third Reich, national socialism and the Jewish people in Germany and Prague through a modern lens.

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Service project enlightens Kenyan, W&M students

Eleven W&M students just completed a five-week project in which they worked with Kenyan children ages 11 to 13 on health, hygiene and the value of prolonging their education.

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Plastic pollution hits home for OspreyCam followers

Followers of the live OspreyCam video stream offered by William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science were subjected to a gut-wrenching display last week as one of this year’s two chicks became entangled in fishing line brought to the nest by a parent.

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W&M citizen lawyers abroad

For the 17th consecutive summer, William & Mary law students have left the comfort of Williamsburg to work in challenging environments, contributing to post-conflict reconstruction efforts and the rule of law in countries struggling to recover from war, genocide and chaos.

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With a name like Smucker's ...

In May 2016, Mark T. Smucker ’92 took the helm of The J.M. Smucker Company, based in Orrville, Ohio.

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Jason Brotkin '18 nationally recognized for his leadership in TribeTHON

After four years of active participation and leadership at TribeTHON, Brotkin’s continued drive to serve his community and distinct willingness to develop new and creative traditions as Executive Director earned him national recognition: the 2018 Miracle Network Dance Marathon Distinguished Leadership Award.

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Taylor Reveley: a decade of stories

W&M News recently looked back at articles that captured many of the milestones in 27th president’s tenure, from strategic planning and the building boom of facilities to academic excellence to record fundraising to diversity and community initiatives.

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Business school launches new minor

The Raymond A. Mason School of Business will unveil its new innovation and entrepreneurship minor in the fall.

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Taylor & Taylor: A talk about higher education in Virginia

W&M President Taylor Reveley and Alan Taylor, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, entertained and enlightened a capacity audience at Kimball Theatre on June 14 with their reflections on the history of higher education in the state.

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W&M Wind Ensemble performs in England, Scotland

As part of a May trip emphasizing cultural exchange, William & Mary's Wind Ensemble toured sites and learned about educational opportunities while performing in England and Scotland.

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W&M law professor selected as LAPA Fellow

William & Mary Law School Professor Jay Butler is among five scholars selected for fellowships by Princeton University’s Program in Law and Public Affairs (LAPA) for the 2018-19 academic year.

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Virginia governor announces W&M Board appointments

Victor K. Branch ’84, Bank of America senior vice president and corporate affairs market manager, has been appointed to the William & Mary Board of Visitors, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced today.

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Jim Barbour, W&M's Father Time, marches on

Officer Jim Barbour has been a member of the W&M police force for 55 years. He will be recognized on June 13, as will more than 200 other employees.

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Ready, set, teach: reducing teacher turnover in Richmond

The James E. and Barbara B. Ukrop Richmond City Public School Teacher Scholarship provides annual funding for students at the William & Mary School of Education pursuing a master’s degree in teaching.

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William & Mary celebrates For the Bold in Chicago

Chicago’s skyline came alive last night during a For the Bold campaign celebration with William & Mary’s colors illuminating several iconic landmarks in honor of the nearly 24,000 alumni, parents and friends in the Central region.

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Rosie Cheng ’20 is acing life

Rosie Cheng ’20 brought her tennis skills across the Pacific to play for William & Mary.

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International team studies world’s last uncharted major river delta

A joint U.S.-Myanmar research team is now using a two-year, $545,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study the geologic and oceanographic processes that control the fate of this vulnerable coastal area and its 50 million inhabitants.

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Counseling students win national fellowship

Nancy Chae Ph.D. ’20 and Jenna Dickerson M.Ed. ’19 will receive funding and training to support their educational goals and research plans.

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W&M Law alumni now helm both U.S. attorney's offices in Virginia

In news from the Justice Department yesterday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed William & Mary Law School alumnus Zachary Terwilliger J.D. ’07 as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

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Aceto Award honors Zuber’s service to students’ writing

Sharon Zuber, senior lecturer of English and film and media studies and director of the Writing Resources Center at William & Mary, will receive the 2018 Shirley Aceto Award for exceptional commitment to excellence in service to the campus community.

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Class of 1968 makes history

Fifty-six percent of the class gave back to W&M in honor of their 50th reunion.

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An everlasting legacy

William & Mary Law School receives a $1 million scholarship bequest from the Spainhours.

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W&M law student wins writing competition

The Environmental Law Institute has chosen an article by Kristin McCarthy, a rising third-year student at William & Mary Law School, as the winner of its 2017-2018 Henry L. Diamond Constitutional Environmental Law Writing Competition.

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The road to artificial intelligence is paved with calculus

Before computers develop intelligence, they need to learn to process information via neural networks. A small group of computer science students are mastering the complex art of neural networks — one problem set at a time.

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W&M holds first Lavender ceremony

Twenty-seven LGBTQ students participated in an event witnessed by about 150 friends, family and well-wishers, with a keynote speech delivered by Board of Visitors member Doug Bunch ’02, J.D. ’06.

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Honorary Alumni inducted into Alumni Association

Last Friday, the William & Mary Alumni Association inducted six new honorary alumni into its ranks at the annual Honorary Alumni Ceremony.

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Dykes writing the script for his life

Denzel Dykes played defensive back at William & Mary for four years but soon developed his passion for writing, acting and directing. He graduates on Saturday, and acknowledges he had a lot of help along the way.

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Obasanjo's book more than a memoir

Assistant professor of kinesiology and health sciences Iyabo Obasanjo’s book, African President's Daughter, details her experiences and offers her expert opinion on how to improve women's health in poor countries, international development, corruption in government and the perils of being in a political family.

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In ‘Nature’: drilling down into the secrets of the weak force

A new result from the Q-weak experiment at the Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility provides a precision test of the weak force, one of four fundamental forces in nature.

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Costume shop prepares for big move out of PBK

As Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall at William & Mary closes for renovations, relocating the theatre department's costume shop to the Dillard Complex is one of the biggest tasks.

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Home sweet home: Alumni House to expand significantly

Once complete, the historic building will more than double in size to approximately 55,000 square feet, making it one of the largest social gathering places on campus and in Williamsburg.

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Spring Green Fee projects announced

The William & Mary Committee on Sustainability announced which groups will receive a total of $74,466 to be dedicated to sustainability projects around campus.

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Jim Golden honored with 2018 Prentis Award

Jim Golden, volunteer counselor to the president and former vice president for strategic initiatives at William & Mary, will receive the 2018 Prentis Award.

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Hershner receives Environmental Leadership Award

Carl Hershner was honored with the Erchul Environmental Leadership Award by the Virginia Military Institute’s Center for Leadership and Ethics during its annual Environment Virginia Symposium in Lexington on April 5.

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W&M law professor honored with Francis Lieber Prize

William & Mary Law School Professor Jay Butler was recently recognized with the Francis Lieber Prize by the American Society of International Law for the most outstanding article published in 2017 in the field of law and armed conflict.

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Council presents 2018 Award for Excellence to DuPaul

The New England Fishery Management Council has presented its 2018 Janice M. Plante Award for Excellence to Virginia Institute of Marine Science Emeritus Professor Bill DuPaul, a pioneer of cooperative research in the Atlantic sea scallop fishery.

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Dalton Bennett ’10 wins Pulitzer Prize

W&M alumnus Dalton Bennett '10 was among the Washington Post staff members who received a Pulitzer for their investigative reporting.

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2018 Plumeri Award recipients announced

As William & Mary celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Plumeri Awards for Faculty Excellence, these are just a few of the distinguished professors to receive that honor.

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W&M, Richard Bland gearing up for Promise Scholars debut

W&M has chosen the first six professors to be involved in the program. Iyabo Osiapem, senior lecturer of Africana studies and linguistics, and Bev Sher, senior lecturer of chemistry and the university’s chief health professions advisor, will lead off.

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Live from W&M: CNN hosts town hall with James B. Comey '82

The stage of Phi Beta Kappa Hall was transformed last night into a national broadcast studio as CNN hosted a town hall meeting with former FBI director and William & Mary alumnus James B. Comey ’82, LL.D. ’08.

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Underwater grasses in Chesapeake Bay continue record growth

An annual survey led by researchers at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science mapped an estimated 104,843 acres of underwater grasses in Chesapeake Bay in 2017, the highest amount ever recorded and the third consecutive year of record-breaking abundance.

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Faculty to come together at Teaching & Learning Symposium

The Office of University eLearning Initiatives in conjunction with William & Mary Libraries, the Center for Liberal Arts and Charles Center, is hosting William & Mary’s first Teaching & Learning Symposium on May 2.

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The Lemon Project: A journey of reconciliation

As the long-term Lemon Project effort prepares for the next chapter, a Board of Visitors resolution apologizes for W&M’s history of owning slaves and racial discrimination.

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W&M Board of Visitors approves 2018-19 budget

The William & Mary Board of Visitors on Friday unanimously approved the fiscal year 2018-19 budget, which continues to support financial aid and other priorities identified in the university’s six-year plan.

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COLL 300 visitor discusses sustainability with students

Environmental activist Vandana Shiva, as part of her visit to give the COLL 300 lecture and participate in Earth Week activities, visited a class to discuss sustainability and decolonization.

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From freshman lab mates to NSF fellows

Two William & Mary undergraduates will soon enter into research careers, each backed by a strong vote of confidence from the National Science Foundation.

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Wife honors late husband’s legacy with $1 million gift

The late Richard “Dick” Perles ’62 will impact generations of faculty at William & Mary through a $1 million gift made in his memory to fund a government professorship at the university.

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Reveley reflects on the past decade

In this feature from the winter 2018 issue of the W&M Alumni Magazine, Taylor Reveley reflects on his presidency.

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VIMS dedicates new building

William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science today dedicated a new building — Davis Hall — to centralize and upgrade research and office space for people in a number of existing programs. It is the first LEED-certified building on VIMS’ Gloucester Point campus.

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IDEA grant projects working to expand diversity & inclusion

Whether offering undergraduate students mentorship opportunities in marine science, developing workshops that increase awareness of issues related to DACA or offering nuanced training to Health Outreach Peer Educators, William & Mary’s 2017-2018 IDEA grantees are working to achieve a more inclusive environment, on and off campus.

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W&M grad students aid Virginia's battle against flooding

Commissioned by Sea Grant Virginia and Wetlands Watch, Taylor Goelz, Lauren Pudvah and Peter Quinn-Jacobs prepared reports on 16 communities, from Barnstable, Massachusetts, to Miles City, Montana. They wanted to know how those communities worked at producing their Community Rating System, thus saving money for residents with government issued flood insurance.

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Lifelong service: NPHC at W&M builds on tradition

At William & Mary, just 50 years after the university accepted its first African-American residential students, six National Pan-Hellenic Council chapter organizations continue the traditions started by their founders while evolving to address modern issues.

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It's no joke: Sheila Johnson wins Duke Award

The preschool teacher at the Williamsburg Campus Child Care Center, a 26-year employee there, will be honored on April 23 at 4:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Wren Building.

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Students build awareness of local refugee community

Continuing to try to make students more aware of refugees in the local community, W&M music Professor Anne Rasmussen and her Middle Eastern Music Ensemble will host a benefit concert April 21 at the Kimball Theatre.

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Has the James River reached peak eagle?

Scientists at the Center for Conservation Biology are surveying the James River for signs of natural population decline, markers that the tributary has reached peak eagle.

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W&M Libraries partners with Williamsburg Regional Library to expand reach

In celebration of National Library Week, William & Mary Libraries and Williamsburg Regional Library announce a unique partnership that will significantly benefit local residents and the W&M community by expanding access to library resources.

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Zutshi works to tell a complete story of Kashmir

History Professor Chitralekha Zutshi's latest book, "Kashmir: History, Politics, Representation," is a compilation of essays by eminent as well as junior scholars that Zutshi commissioned, edited and to which she contributed a chapter.

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W&M cyber conference examines digital data at risk

William & Mary’s law and business schools recently partnered to host “Another Day at the Breach: Cyber Intrusion — A Conference of Experts.”

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W&M chemistry student awarded Goldwater Scholarship

The Goldwater Foundation has announced that William & Mary student Christopher Travis ‘19 has been named a Goldwater Scholar. Ruth Ann Beaver ‘20 was also named an Honorable Mention.

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William & Mary celebrates For the Bold in Richmond

Home to nearly 23,000 alumni, parents and friends, greater Richmond was ignited with Tribe Pride last night as the William & Mary community gathered together at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to celebrate For the Bold.

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Losh separates news from fake news

In her Tack Faculty Lecture on March 22, Associate Professor of English and American Studies Elizabeth Losh described the history of fake news (it's been around longer than many think) and delved into its many nuances.

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Learning from the past to shape the future

The W&M School of Education hosted alumni and emeritus faculty who were among the first African-Americans to join William & Mary as students and faculty for a discussion March 15.

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Nikki Giovanni headlines Lemon Project Symposium

Giovanni, a distinguished university professor at Virginia Tech who has authored more than 27 poetry collections, urged her audience to acknowledge that the first slaves played a crucial, often ignored, part in the formation of America.

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Classics students learn drawing, 3-D modeling

Students in Professor Jessica Paga's classical studies class The Archaeology of Ritual are learning to do scale drawings and use photogrammetry to make 3-D computer models of artifacts.

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Natural and computational sciences escape island in annual Raft Debate

Armed with his tousled wig, bountiful box of donuts and distinctly fervent enthusiasm, Associate Professor of Chemistry Doug Young bore the attire of Buddy the Elf as he claimed his hard-fought victory for the natural and computational sciences at William & Mary’s annual Raft Debate.

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Building a community of support for students in recovery

A new student-led initiative, the W&M Collegiate Recovery Program, seeks to offer a safe space and a community of support for students in recovery — while also reducing the stigma of addiction on campus

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At the symposium: Insights into the monarch-milkweed relationship

Monarch butterflies are, along with honeybees, among the most charismatic insects of North America. David De La Mater has been researching the Eastern population of the butterflies, and most specifically Asclepias syriaca — the common milkweed.

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Exposing the ghost in our machines

The threat started making headlines around New Years. Publications around the globe warned of the biggest computer chip vulnerability ever discovered. Dmitry Evtyushkin had been studying the root of it for years.

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Researchers issue first-annual sea-level report cards

Researchers at William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science are launching new web-based “report cards” to monitor and forecast changes in sea level at 32 localities along the U.S. coastline from Maine to Alaska.

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More events honor 50 years of black students at W&M

William & Mary continues to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first African-American students in residence with special events, performances, exhibitions and guest speakers.

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Ceramics professor makes objects for ‘moments’

For Mike Jabbur, associate professor of ceramics in art and art history at William & Mary, teaching and creating his own utilitarian pottery inform one another.

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Tack Faculty Lecture: Fake news for real people

William & Mary Associate Professor of English and American Studies Liz Losh will delve into one of the hottest issues in media today during her Tack Faculty Lecture on March 22.

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McLaughlin set to sail the seven seas

Chosen to be a crew member aboard the Picton Castle, Andrew McLaughlin '20 will cover 30,000 sea-miles on a voyage that achieves a five-year goal, part of which is to distribute medicine and books to island people in dire need of both.

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Jaime Settle is W&M's latest 'Rising Star'

The State Council for Higher Education in Virginia will honor her as such on March 1 as part of its annual Outstanding Faculty Awards presentation.

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William & Mary announces Katherine Rowe as 28th President

William & Mary’s Board of Visitors today unanimously elected Katherine A. Rowe, currently provost of Smith College and a leader in digital innovation of the liberal arts, as the 28th president of the university. She will begin on July 1.

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Data science: Because data isn’t just for scientists

William & Mary's new data science program was designed to give students in any discipline the computational chops to create and analyze giant data sets. So far, it has exceeded expectations.

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'Transformational' teacher Braxton wins Jefferson Award

Joanne Braxton, the Francis L. and Edwin L. Cummings Professor of the Humanities and director of the W&M Middle Passage Project, will be honored at Charter Day for her 37 years of service to the university.

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Despite divisions, Gates optimistic about America’s future

Although the Washington Post once called him “the Eeyore of national security,” former Secretary of Defense and William & Mary Chancellor Robert M. Gates ’65 is optimistic about the nation’s future.

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New ombuds is eager to help W&M community

Mark Patterson, who retired after 24 years of service as a military lawyer, is William & Mary’s new university ombuds.

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Drunkenness and cosmology in Sufi poetry

Associate professor of religious studies Oludamini Ogunnaike discusses his efforts to bring West African Sufi poetry to a wider audience.

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4th annual #WMGoldRush set for Saturday

The William & Mary Athletics Department and Tribe basketball will host its annual Gold Rush Game on Saturday, Feb. 10.

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Likhitha Kolla ’18 awarded Thomas Jefferson Prize in Natural Philosophy

Likhitha Kolla is this year’s recipient of William & Mary’s Thomas Jefferson Prize in Natural Philosophy. The award is endowed by the trustees of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation to recognize excellence in the sciences and mathematics in an undergraduate student.

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2018 Global Film Festival opens Feb. 15

The 11th annual event features four days of films, special guests, workshops and receptions. Nearly 20 alumni working in the arts will be present to facilitate workshops on their area of expertise.

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TribeLink a 'Rising Star'

W&M's first year of work on a student engagement platform that would better support student organizations is honored by Campus Labs, the company that partnered with it. It is the only university so feted.

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Chick-fil-A coming to Tribe Square

The William & Mary Real Estate Foundation has announced that Chick-fil-A will open in Tribe Square for the fall 2018 semester.

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22nd annual Road to Richmond: Putting knowledge into practice

Jan. 16 marked the university’s 22nd annual Road to Richmond, an event sponsored by the W&M President’s Office and the Office of Government Relations as an opportunity for students to act as lobbyists, engaging with members of the General Assembly and the governor’s office during the legislative session.

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2018 Alumni Medallion recipients announced

The highest and most prestigious award given by the Alumni Association, the Alumni Medallion recognizes outstanding alumni for commitment, dedication and assistance to William & Mary.

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#MeToo continues to evolve, says W&M professor

Visiting Assistant Professor of government Caitlin Brown studies social movements. By strictest definition, #MeToo didn't qualify as one at its inception. But times have changed.

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Performances, music and art fill a busy spring of arts at W&M

The Muscarelle Museum of Art will present "In the Light of Caravaggio: Dutch and Flemish Paintings from Southeastern Museums" as the new semester brings with it a vast array of opportunities for people to enjoy the arts at William & Mary.

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Century-old botany records may hold key to monarch butterfly survival

Jack Boyle has been using the web to mine millions of century-old botany records to track abundance patterns of milkweed in America. His hope is to solve the puzzle of how innovations in agriculture have affected the natural habitat for monarch butterflies.

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Buddy: The worm that launched a million ‘icks’

Buddy, the worm, died in December, 2012, shortly after Jon Allen peered into his bathroom mirror and fished the nematode out of his cheek. The worm may be no more, but Buddy, the legend, lives on in social media.

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2017 President’s Report now live

William & Mary’s 2017 President’s Report is now available online, offering all members and friends of the university a review of the last calendar year at the Alma Mater of the Nation.

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Educating the leaders of tomorrow

Stuart Flanagan, professor emeritus, believes education can improve both individual lives and society at large.

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Miller Hall wing named for MBA graduate

The graduate wing of Alan B. Miller Hall is now officially the Edward T. Tokar Graduate Wing.