Wilmarie Rodríguez

About Wilmarie

Dr. Rodríguez serves as a key strategic leader at William & Mary, providing executive oversight for the Office of Academic Wellbeing, Care Support Services, and Student Accessibility Services. Her leadership is central to advancing initiatives aligned with the Student Success Thematic Area, supporting divisional priorities, and making meaningful contributions to the broader university mission.

Since joining William & Mary in 2014 as an academic advisor, Dr. Rodríguez has held progressively senior roles, including assistant dean of students, associate dean and director of academic enrichment programs, and senior associate dean of students & executive director of student success. She also served as associate dean of student affairs at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, further broadening her institutional and regional impact.

With over a decade of experience spanning multiple functional areas in higher education, Dr. Rodríguez brings a dynamic and collaborative leadership style to her work. Her areas of expertise include academic support and intervention, student success and retention, cross-campus service integration, relationship-building, and team development. She is deeply committed to fostering environments that promote both student development and staff wellbeing.

Dr. Rodríguez's approach is guided by a philosophy of holistic student success—preparing students not only to thrive at William & Mary, but to lead meaningful lives beyond college. She also prioritizes cultivating workplace cultures in which the professionals she leads feel valued, empowered, and supported. Drawing on lessons from her own mentors, she champions intentional leadership, mentorship, and reflective growth within her teams.

Her contributions have been recognized at both institutional and national levels. Dr. Rodríguez is the recipient of the Chambers-Reid Award for Professional Excellence at William & Mary, the NASPA Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community Mena-Valdéz Outstanding Senior Student Affairs Officer Award, and the NASPA Region III John Jones Award for outstanding leadership as a senior student affairs officer.

Dr. Rodríguez holds a doctorate in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education Administration from William & Mary. Her research centers on the retention of student affairs professionals and effective strategies for implementing supportive, sustainable programmatic change. She also holds an Ed.S. and M.Ed. in Adult Education and is a graduate of the Harvard Management Development Program. A proud veteran of the U.S. Army, she brings a disciplined, service-oriented ethos to all aspects of her work.

Outside of her professional role, Dr. Rodríguez enjoys spending quality time with her family, exploring new places through travel, and cheering on her favorite sports teams.