William & Mary Foundation

The William & Mary Foundation is thrilled to welcome Darcy Curran '87, P '24, Maisie O'Flanagan '89, and Will Payne '01 to the Board of Trustees! We are also enormously grateful to the six trustees who just retired from the Board -- their collective efforts to support William & Mary are unparalleled. The Foundation is truly blessed with smart, caring and dedicated trustees.

We are one week out from election day in the United States, and it is more apparent than ever that higher education plays a vital role in the success of our democratic experiment—the Alma Mater of the Nation is focused on this task. From large acts of impact to personal moments of connection, I see reflected in the William & Mary community an optimism and strength that lies at the heart of our American democracy. Read more of my thoughts in my latest article, "Out of many, we are one Tribe." https://lnkd.in/efjUAekF

That’s a wrap! Here’s to the memories we made together during this year’s Homecoming & Reunion Weekend. View photos from the weekend at homecoming.wm.edu/photos

Congratulations to the University Advancement at W&M team for creating an immersive and stunning evening to celebrate Jane Batten's historic gift!

The William & Mary Foundation (WMF) Board of Trustees held its fall meeting last week in conjunction with several important university events around Homecoming & Reunion Weekend. Our theme was "transformation" as we celebrated significant gifts that will forever impact our nation & world as well as learning at William & Mary. Last Thursday evening, the Board took part in the spectacular immersive experience and celebration for the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences. Philanthropist Jane Batten HON '17, LHD '19 made a $100 million gift, the largest in the university’s history and the largest to any school of marine science, that will position W&M as the premier destination for developing solutions to threats to oceans and coastlines--building on the Virginia Institute of Marine Science's strong scientific reputation and unmatched expertise in coastal resilience. Another historic celebration included the groundbreaking for Gates Hall. The soon-to-be renovated and expanded building, named in honor of Chancellor Robert M. Gates '65, L.H.D. '98, was made possible by a gift from an anonymous W&M Foundation trustee. The new space will be the future home of the William & Mary Global Research Institute, Institute for Integrative Conservation, and William & Mary Whole of Government Center of Excellence. We were honored to have Secretary Gates with us at the groundbreaking to celebrate the transformational innovation and collaboration that will take place here. During the meetings, the Board heard funding proposals from university colleagues for financial support for strategic university initiatives. President Katherine Rowe shared an update on the significant progress toward cornerstone initiatives with Vision 2026, the university’s strategic plan. The Board also met with Dean D. Derek Aday to discuss plans for the university’s Water initiative as a result of the transformational gift from Mrs. Batten. Finally, the Board commemorated the enormous contributions of six trustees whose nine-year terms had come to an end. We also welcomed three fantastic new trustees to the Board: Darcy Curran '87, P '24, Maisie O'Flanagan O’Flanagan '89 and Will Payne '01. We are profoundly grateful for the leadership, philanthropy and valuable counsel the WMF trustees, led by our exceptional Chair, Janet Atwater ’84, P ’17, P ’18, P ’20, and Vice Chair, Darpan Kapadia ’95, provide to us throughout the year. Go Tribe!

Thank you to William & Mary Foundation Vice Chair Darpan Kapadia '95 for meeting with William & Mary students last week. The students shared experiences from their summer internships that were made possible by the FUSE program!

The William & Mary Global Research Institute continues to be a global phenomenon, transforming the educational experience for our students and shining a light on impactful projects around the world. Kudos to Mike Tierney for building GRI into what it is today and for leading a remarkable team that is making a global impact. A huge thanks to Jennifer Mackesy and Thomas McInerney for their leadership gifts, and to all GRI donors and friends for their ongoing support. Onward to $10 million and beyond! https://lnkd.in/eCsbaJcr

Congratulations to Caroline Letourneau on her well-deserved promotion to Director of William & Mary Foundation Operations and Director of Development!

The William & Mary Foundation is thrilled to welcome Douglas Schmidt '84, MA '86 back to William & Mary as the dean of the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics!

Gratitude! This is Tag Day at William & Mary, where we make visible all around campus the impact of the generosity of our donors in supporting everything from buildings to great people. Thank you to the tens of thousands of donors who help to create the conditions for opportunity! #WMTagDay