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Student Affairs at William & Mary named a Most Promising Place to Work for 10th time in 11 years
It’s hard to miss everything that Student Affairs does for students at William & Mary. What may come as a surprise: the division is nationally recognized for being an amazing place to make a career.
The Division of Student Affairs at William & Mary supports a vibrant Student Life Neighborhood, health and wellness resources and academic support (including free tutoring), as well as student leadership opportunities, civic engagement and much more.
Yet behind the scenes, Student Affairs enjoys a stellar reputation as one of the best places to work in student affairs — across the nation. For the 10th time since 2014, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education recognized William & Mary as one of the Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see William & Mary receive this prestigious honor once again,” said Senior Vice President for Student Affairs & Public Safety Virginia Ambler ’88 Ph.D. ’06. “I am grateful to work with colleagues who share a deep, unwavering commitment to flourishing, both among the students we serve and within our own workplace.
“Our institutional values state it best: ‘We empower those who live, learn, and work here to make choices towards a healthy and fulfilling life.’”
In partnership with the American College Personnel Association (ACPA)-College Student Educators International, Diverse annually recognizes student affairs workplaces that are “vibrant, diverse, supportive, and committed to staff work-life balance, professional development, and inclusive excellence.” Now in its 12th year, The Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs list has included William & Mary 10 times. On this year’s list of 22 institutions, William & Mary is one of only two schools representing Virginia.
According to the report published by Diverse, recipients of this recognition don’t just do “one thing well,” but rather develop “a constellation” of policies and practices that provide employees with “a positive work environment, equitable pay, opportunities for advancement, and meaningful work.” The report recognized that this year’s recipients took “bold new steps for sustained transformational change,” encouraged collaborative work across silos, and fostered teamwork and belonging.
For Ambler, the recognition celebrates and affirms the day-to-day mission of student affairs — to create an engaging learning environment where community is strengthened and individuals flourish. “While we cannot always know what challenges will come our way, we can commit to aligning our actions with our core values,” she said. “Research tells us that when we act according to our values, we experience meaning. That sense of meaning and purpose contributes to our institutional and personal resilience.”
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education and ACPA recognized William & Mary alongside other awarded institutions during the ACPA25 Convention on February 7, 2025, in Long Beach, California.