Michael K. Powell ’85, D.P.S. ’02

Michael Powell first realized he could be a leader during his time as a William & Mary student. “My father taught me that sometimes people will see potential in you before you see it in yourself,” he says. “That was true for me at William & Mary, and because of that, I was able to thrive here.”

The son of the late Gen. Colin L. Powell D.P.S. ’88, P ’85, P ’87, P ’92, Michael attended W&M on an ROTC scholarship and became commander of the Corps of Cadets during his senior year. In the Army, he served as a cavalry platoon leader and troop executive officer, but a traumatic injury cut short his promising military career. He turned instead to civilian work, drawing on his government studies to serve as a policy advisor to then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney. Michael attended Georgetown University’s Law Center and eventually became chief of staff for the U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division.

He held leadership positions as commissioner and chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and later as president and CEO of NCTA — The Internet and Television Association during the transition into the digital age. He was responsible for the FCC’s National Security Emergency Preparedness function, including the 9/11 national crisis.

Michael has served his alma mater as rector of William & Mary’s Board of Visitors and chairman of the W&M Foundation, among other roles. He and his wife, Jane Knott Powell ’85, have established multiple scholarships at William & Mary, with a focus on leadership and opening doors for students from underrepresented backgrounds. For his many contributions to the university, he received the W&M Alumni Medallion in 2011.

Learn more about Michael

• Read about his induction into the U.S. Army ROTC Hall of Fame.
• Learn about W&M’s study-abroad scholarship honoring Michael and his father, Gen. Colin Powell.
• Watch an interview with Michael about the forces shaping today’s digital world.
• Listen to an oral history conducted by W&M Libraries.