Friday, September 1, 2006, 4:30 p.m.
The Courtyard of the Sir Christopher Wren Building

photo by C.J. Gleason/VISCOM

At the conclusion of the ceremony each year, the official party leads those in attendance around the building to the Wren Yard.  According to our tradition, all students who are new to the College remain at the ceremony site with the College President.  Then, at the tolling of the Wren Building bell, the President leads the group in a special procession through the portico of the building to the Wren Yard where the new students are warmly welcomed by current members of the College's faculty, staff, and student body.  A festive campus-wide picnic dinner with live entertainment is then held there in the Wren Yard.

Not unlike the Commencement exercises which mark the close of an academic session, this ceremony is a time of affirming and enhancing the sense of community which exists at William and Mary.  It is a time of achieving focus, of highlighting themes we know to be important to our current condition, and of reaffirming those things we value and share.  We welcome you to join us each fall as we honor our newest William and Mary students!