Weekly Messages to Faculty
Five Things to Prepare Faculty for the Week Ahead
Messages from the previous academic year are archived annually in August.
- November 27, 2023
It’s wonderful to be back on campus and kick off the final leg of the semester!
- November 13, 2023
I’m proud to share that W&M’s iGEM team won gold and ranked among the top 10 out of 400 undergraduate teams at the iGEM Grand Jamboree. The students saw a gap in the scientific community’s understanding of soil synthetic biology, so they researched and developed a soil bacterium that can help address degradation that is happening across the globe. Their interdisciplinary work also earned them first prize for measurement.
- November 6, 2023
Last week, a message was issued by President Rowe affirming support during a time when many feel especially vulnerable. I encourage you to keep this message in mind as many in our community contend with global events on a deeply personal level. As Dean Raitt wrote on Friday, all of the President’s messages are available to read online at W&M News.
- October 30, 2023
Recalling another successful Family Weekend, thank you for welcoming our students’ loved ones, whether that was by opening your classroom or greeting and guiding them as they walked through campus. Parent & Family Programs greeted 4,000+ family members on campus! Your volunteerism and warmth enables our students and their families to consider W&M a second home. Looking ahead, Danielle Moretti-Langholtz, the Thomasina E. Jordan Director of the W&M American Indian Resource Center, will deliver the fall 2023 Tack Faculty Lecture, “Reconnecting Native Narratives to the Brafferton Indian School,” on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Sadler Center Commonwealth Auditorium. As this year commemorates the 300th anniversary of the completion of the Brafferton Indian School, it’s an excellent time to hear from Danielle on her work uncovering new perspectives on this complex story.
- October 23, 2023
What a fabulous Homecoming & Reunion Weekend! Whether you attended the parade, football game, or maybe even the Saturday Night Bash, I hope you enjoyed the fun. I had a great time kicking off the Year of the Arts with the Arts Quarter dedication, and I look forward to experiencing the many events, performances and gatherings that our community has planned for that space. Those able to attend the dedication with Glenn Close ‘74, D.A. ‘89, H.F. ‘19 heard a heartwarming and inspiring reflection on the performing arts at W&M. Close generously shared how meaningful it was to return to her “first true community, … to the place that looked on me as a whole human being with unlimited potential.” As always, her homecoming was a testament to the university’s unique ability to spur student talent and to inspire alumni to lives of remarkable accomplishment.
- October 16, 2023
I hope you enjoyed Fall Break and that you found time to do something fun and restorative. As we begin the next phase of the semester, here are this week’s Top 5 Things to Know.
- October 9, 2023
As you know, W&M students have an affinity for civic engagement and we have an excellent way to honor their efforts through our James Monroe Prize in Civic Leadership. The award is for an undergraduate student “who exemplifies the acceptance of just responsibility through leadership for the greater good.” If you know a student or two who meets the criteria, please consider filling out the nomination form by Oct. 30.
- October 2, 2023
While September closed out with another successful Board of Visitors meeting, October has brought colorful leaves of fall to our campus. This means it’s nearly time for Homecoming, an energizing and fun tradition and also an opportunity to nurture relationships with a vast and passionate W&M community. In the meantime, I look forward to the work of the week ahead, including visiting the W&M Washington Center to participate in “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights: One Year Later,” held by William & Mary, Data & Society and the Center for Democracy & Technology.
- September 25, 2023
I was glad to attend last week’s New Faculty Orientation event, and have the chance to welcome our new colleagues in person. These orientation events, and other community-building activities we do with any and all members of the William & Mary community, are particularly important as we welcome new members and help them ease into their roles any way we can. As someone who was new to this campus four years ago, I can attest to the power of developing a strong sense of belonging from the beginning. Speaking of belonging— I loved to see so many wearing the new W&M “I belong” pins shared at Friday’s D&I Symposium!
- September 18, 2023
Last week, I welcomed the new cohort of faculty participants to the Mid-Level Academic Leadership program. The group shared compelling early ideas on what they are curious about pursuing on campus. We are fortunate to have engaged faculty at William & Mary contributing their creativity, ideas for innovation, and inspiration to others.
- September 11, 2023
It has been a pleasure seeing so many of you during these first few weeks of the semester, particularly to connect with colleagues and friends with new ideas and fresh energy for the fall semester.
- September 5, 2023
With the first official few days of our entire campus being back in action, I have to say: It feels great! I was delighted to see so many new and familiar faces at our Opening Convocation and at the faculty welcome and reception on Friday. I look forward to more opportunities to connect with each of you this year.
- August 28, 2023
Welcome – and welcome back! The excitement of a new academic year is upon us and I hope to see many of you at our Opening Convocation ceremony this Wednesday, Aug. 30, where we will welcome our new and returning students, and hear remarks from Carolyn ‘Biddy’ Martin ‘73, L.H.D. ‘12. This annual tradition truly is one of my favorite experiences at William & Mary. The energy is infectious, and it’s a delight to see the new members of our community walk through the Wren building as they embark on their academic careers. For those unacquainted with the communications cadence from my office, you can expect a weekly message from me on Mondays during the academic year, with the Top 5 Things to Know for the week. The objective is to identify at a glance topics of significant and timely interest to our faculty.
