Welcome to the 2018-2019 President’s Report. This report illustrates the exciting work we are pursuing at William & Mary today, as well as our aspirations for the future of knowledge-making, work and service. As the second-oldest institution in the country, William & Mary was the start-up lab for U.S. higher education. So being old and being new are equally familiar to us. We embrace this seeming contradiction as readily as we embrace the & in our name.

In this report, dynamic videos and stories, news highlights and infographics show how William & Mary students, faculty, staff and alumni are leading in many different fields. These stories — which reflect the shared values and aspirations gleaned from our “Thinking Forward” conversations this fall — also illustrate how the experiences of learning, discovery and work at William & Mary can bind us together with a shared sense of purpose.

The William & Mary community prizes deep, human connections, and the bonds forged here last lifetimes.”

This refrain is one I heard repeated throughout the fall, when I invited the community to reflect together on our future.

We also honor the surprising conjunctions symbolized by the & in our name, recognizing that the integration of diverse modes and methods represent a key strength of a William & Mary education — and one that is increasingly valuable in communities and workplaces around the world. And we embrace diversity and difference as powerful catalysts for innovation.

I hope you will enjoy the stories of students, faculty and staff members gathered here, and that their discoveries, insights and dedication to serving others are as inspiring to you as they are to me.

Katherine A. Rowe
President, William & Mary