Opening Convocation Postponed Due to Weather
Ginger Ambler, vice president for student affairs, sent the following message to the campus community on Sept. 8, 2021. - Ed.
Dear William & Mary Community,
With lightning and thunderstorms rolling through the area this afternoon and a chance for more this evening, we made the difficult decision to postpone tonight’s Opening Convocation festivities. We are moving Opening Convocation to 8:00 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 10. While an additional delay is disappointing, we want the Classes of 2024 and 2025, our transfer students, and new graduate students to be able to enjoy this signature W&M event fully and without safety concerns.
The forecast is calling for beautiful weather Friday night. I look forward to seeing you then as we celebrate the start of this new academic year with all appropriate pomp and circumstance!
Ginger Ambler
Opening Convocation Planning Committee
Opening Convocation Time Change to 8:00 p.m.
Ginger Ambler, vice president for student affairs, sent the following message to the campus community on Aug. 31, 2021. - Ed.
Dear William & Mary Community,
Following discussions with members of our Jewish faith community, we will be moving the start time of next week’s Opening Convocation Ceremony on September 8 from 5:15 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. so that those who are observing Rosh Hashanah may do so fully.
A two-day celebration, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year. This year, the holiday begins at sundown on Sept. 6 and ends at sundown on Sept. 8. I apologize for our having scheduled the Opening Convocation ceremony prior to sundown on Sept. 8. We want all in our community to have the opportunity to attend Convocation in celebration of the start of a new academic year, while respecting this occasion for Jewish members of the W&M family to practice their faith and observe its traditions.
The later timing of this year’s ceremony will offer us some unique opportunities, including special illumination of the Wren Building and the traditional walk for entering classes. It may also provide us the additional benefit of cooler temperatures in which to celebrate our new students and the start of the academic year.
Please join us for what will surely be a night to remember. I look forward to seeing you there.
Ginger Ambler
Virginia M. Ambler
Vice President for Student Affairs
Chair, W&M Opening Convocation Committee
Co-Chair, W&M Emergency Management Team
Opening Convocation Weather Postponement to 9/8
Ginger Ambler, vice president for student affairs, sent the following message to the campus community on Aug. 30, 2021. - Ed.
Dear William & Mary Community,
Due to heavy rain and possible thunderstorms expected in the area on Wednesday from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, we have decided to move our Opening Convocation Ceremony back by one week. The ceremony will now take place at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8 in the Wren Yard.
All other aspects of this special event will remain the same. Judge John Charles Thomas HON ’18 will be our speaker, and we will celebrate the new students who have joined us this fall and those students who started in August or January of the last academic year and have yet to experience their own in-person Opening Convocation celebration. We look forward to seeing the Classes of 2024 and 2025, our transfer students, and new graduate students take part in the traditional procession through the Wren Building.
While W&M is not in the projected path of Ida, we want to take every precaution to make sure our community may fully enjoy this annual tradition. As always, we will monitor the storm and update the campus on its status, if necessary.
While the weather may delay us, nothing will dampen our enthusiastic welcome for William & Mary’s newest students and our kick-off to the academic year.
I look forward to gathering with you all next week.
Ginger Ambler
Vice President for Student Affairs
Chair, W&M Opening Convocation Committee
Co-Chair, W&M Emergency Management Team