The parents of the students at the College of William and Mary have an active organization through which they may become involved in the life of the College. A description of the Parents Association is included for your information. If you are interested in working with the Association, please contact one of the members of the Steering Committee listed or the to indicate your interest.

• Membership
• Purposes
• Officers
• Meetings
• Steering Committee Members (updated list forthcoming)

The William and Mary Parents Association is composed of the parents of undergraduates at the College of William and Mary and those parents of graduates who maintain a continuing interest in the welfare of William and Mary.  Interested grandparents of both current and former students are included in the membership.

Return to Top

Purposes

The William and Mary Parents Association is organized to:

1.  Promote a better understanding of William and Mary's educational programs, policies, and goals among the parents of students through mailings from the College, through meetings with University representatives, and through personal contact.
2. Interpret the benefits of an education in the liberal arts and sciences and the professions offered by the College to friends, neighbors and parents of prospective students.  Members of the Parents Association become emissaries of William and Mary because of their unique position from which they can carry the story to others in their daily contacts.
3. Aid whenever possible in the placement programs of William and Mary, helping to expand the career opportunities, and information available to students.
4. Promote the development of William and Mary by lending personal financial support and by assisting in gaining support from corporations, foundations, and other parents.  It is the desire of the Parents Association that William and Mary continue to be one of the leading universities, and it recognizes that leadership can be maintained only through continued  improvement of  programs and facilities  through private support.

The Parents Association Steering Committee votes to use a portion of the private gifts received each year to fund deserving projects at the College.  In the past, the Parents Steering Committee has supported items such as substance abuse education, lights above the emergency telephones on campus, services for students with disabilities, and summer community service and research grants for students.  All William and Mary parents are encouraged to participate by responding to mail and phone appeals for support of the Parents Fund during the academic year.

Return to Top

Officers

A 45 to 50-member Steering Committee conducts  the affairs of the Association.  The officers of the Parents Association Steering Committee include a Chair (or Co-chairs in the case of a parent-couple who share  leadership responsibilities), a Secretary, and a Chair (Co-chairs) of the Parents Fund.  The Committee is representative of the geographical distribution of the  undergraduate student body.  It is selected from the parents of the four classes in residence.  The Vice President for  Student Affairs (who serves as University Liaison for the Association) and the Vice President for Development serve as ex-officio members.

Return to Top

Meetings

The Parents Association holds its annual meeting on the William and Mary campus during Family Weekend. The Steering Committee meets twice yearly on campus, once during Family Weekend and once during the spring semester.

Return to Top