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Mission, Vision & Diversity

mission, vision and diversity statements
Reves Center Mission Statement

Our mission is to support and promote the internationalization of learning, teaching, research and community involvement at William & Mary. We do this through programs for education abroad, international students and scholars, and global engagement across the university.

Reves Center Vision Statement

We aim to further strengthen internationalization at William & Mary by:

  • Catalyzing international engagement and understanding.
  • Fostering a diverse and inclusive environment of respect and reciprocity.
  • Forging a network of global interpersonal and institutional connections.
  • Providing opportunities for global learning at home and abroad for scholars, students and staff.
  • Building a community of global leaders.
University Diversity Statement

William & Mary is a community that shares values of belonging, curiosity, excellence, flourishing, integrity, respect and service. We support the right to free expression of a range of ideas and work to create an educational environment that draws on diverse  backgrounds and perspectives to foster mutual respect, collaboration, critical thinking and meaningful relationships. We affirm the vital role of the university in recognizing and fostering equity, inclusion and belonging related to social identities and positions that have been excluded or marginalized in our community, including differences such as ability, class, country of origin, gender identity and expression, language, race and ethnicity, religion, sexuality, and other cultural or political affiliations.

For William & Mary to fulfill its educational mission and become a place that is itself diverse, equitable and inclusive, we must acknowledge the uncomfortable truths of our history and consider the ways in which historical patterns of exploitation and exclusion may continue to shape our university.

We take seriously our obligation to speak up when we see bias, whether it be in our classrooms, workspaces or the university community at large. We embrace our shared responsibility to create change where we fall short of our goals. William & Mary strives to be a place where people of all backgrounds are able to learn and grow, and where each individual takes responsibility for upholding the dignity of all members of the community.

- Approved by the W&M Board of Visitors, February 2022

Reves Diversity Statement

August 2020

We, the staff of the Reves Center, affirm both individually and collectively this Diversity Statement of beliefs and plans of action in our lives and our work. We consider this statement to be a living expression of our beliefs, and therefore we will periodically assess -- and if necessary amend -- the statement to reflect our growing awareness of, and responses to, current and future challenges.

Our core beliefs: The foundation for all we do
  • We believe in and stand for values of inclusion, equity and justice.
  • We are committed to social justice and an end to oppression in all its forms.
  • We condemn racism, sexism, ageism, religious discrimination and xenophobia in rhetoric, action or systems.
  • We welcome all people and recognize the rights of individuals to live their lives with dignity, free of discrimination based on their faith, race, age, gender identification, sexual orientations, physical or neural challenges, national origin or immigration status.
  • We will continue our work in making our services and programs accessible and open to all individuals.
  • We support William & Mary's Office of Diversity & Inclusion in its efforts to ensure that all faculty, staff, and students feel supported and affirmed.
  • We affirm that advancing equity and inclusion is critical to our success as educators and citizens.
Our beliefs in action: An ongoing and sustainable plan
  • Reves staff members are committed to this Diversity Statement, and we will use it to inform and guide our work and interactions across campus.
  • We believe it is essential not only to abide by these core beliefs, but also to call out injustice and inequity when we witness it.
  • In addition to our individual efforts, Reves staff will work through the Reves Diversity Committee (a permanent committee consisting of two members each from the Global Engagement Team, Global Education Office and International Students, Scholars & Programs) to address diversity issues within Reves Center and to support the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.
  • Staff Education & Conversations: We will engage proactively in seeking better understanding of diversity and inclusion issues in all we do -- including hiring and equitable opportunities for professional development -- and developing the means to assess our efforts and to be more effective. We are committed to participating in workshops, research and continuing education.
  • Equity in Funding: We will create a framework to track our scholarship and funding activities across all three divisions—the Global Education Office, the Office of International Students, Scholars, and Programs, and the Global Engagement Team—to ensure that we are providing opportunities to all constituencies (especially those that are underserved) and are equitable in our distribution of funding to students, scholars, faculty and staff.
  • Education about Transnational Racism: As racism is a transnational phenomenon, we will create a resource section on our website with links to written and multimedia materials. We will also contribute suggestions as appropriate to other William & Mary resources sections, such as the Anti-Racist Bookshelf created by W&M Libraries. Visit the Reves Resource Page on Transnational Racism
  • Increase Outreach to Constituencies: We will enhance our ongoing partnership with WMSURE to expand and improve ways to reach out to students and encourage their participating in a global experience.
  • University Partners: We will create partnerships with diversity efforts in all schools of the university to ensure that we are hearing and meeting the needs of our entire community.
  • External Education & Conversations: We will establish a series of virtual roundtables and discussions on issues of equity around the world, inviting scholars, public policy officials, alumni, students and media to participate.
  • International Partners: We will bring international visitors to William & Mary and create opportunities to introduce them to other campus partners.
  • Exploring New Opportunities: We will continually explore additional ways to keep diversity and inclusion as priorities that are integral to all we do.
Members of the Reves Diversity Committee - Spring 2022

Email: [[international,Reves Diversity Committee]]

University Land Acknowledgement

William & Mary acknowledges the Indigenous peoples who are the original inhabitants of the lands our campus is on today – the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway), Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Mattaponi, Monacan, Nansemond, Nottoway, Pamunkey, Patawomeck, Upper Mattaponi, and Rappahannock tribes – and pay our respect to their tribal members past and present.

For more information please visit the American Indian Resource Center

It is recommended the following practices be implemented when using the statement:

  •  For Faculty, Staff & Students events: read and show the statement at the beginning of any major and/or special event and program.
  •  Faculty Syllabi and Classes: include the Land Acknowledgment in course syllabi; we recommend that the statement be read to students at the beginning of the semester.

Following these guidelines is important for events featuring guest outside of William & Mary, as they may not be informed or acquainted with the statement.

Statement on Slavery and Its Legacies

The Board of Visitors acknowledges that William & Mary enslaved people, exploited them and their labor, and perpetuated the legacies of racial discrimination. The Board profoundly regrets these activities, apologizes for them, expresses its deep appreciation for the contributions made by the African and African American members of its community to the vitality of William & Mary then, now, and for all time coming, and commits to continue our efforts to remedy the lingering effects of past injustices.  

It is recommended the following practices be implemented when using the statements:

  •  For Faculty, Staff & Students events: read and show the statements at the beginning of any major and/or special event and program.
  •  Faculty Syllabi and Classes: include the Land Acknowledgment and Statement on Slavery and its Legacies in course syllabi; we recommend that the statements be read to students at the beginning of the semester.

Following these guidelines is important for events featuring guest outside of William & Mary, as they may not be informed or acquainted with the statement.