William & Mary Foundation

From all of us with the William & Mary Foundation, we wish you a wonderful holiday season!

William & Mary Foundation CEO Matthew Lambert and Chair Emeritus Michael Powell will serve as the opening keynote speakers at the 2025 AGB (Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges) Forum in January.

President Katherine Rowe often describes our University Advancement at W&M team as the "Innovation Sandbox" and we very much take that to heart. As we continue to pilot new opportunities to engage with our entire Tribe, we believe #AI has the potential to create even more connections with our alumni, parents, friends and partners. So.....I am delighted to introduce "Wren," William & Mary’s first Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO)!   We are excited to welcome "Wren" to the William & Mary community as our AI partner to enhance our alumni engagement and philanthropy through cutting-edge AI. W&M is proud to be one of just 13 institutions in the inaugural cohort of Givzey's Version2.ai Innovation Partnership Program. We will likely never have enough Advancement staff to reach every member of our community, so "Wren" will augment (not replace!) the work of our talented colleagues who build a culture of engagement & philanthropy. I'm grateful to Meghan Dauler Palombo for leading the way on this initiative and to Adam Martel for his vision and drive to bring this vision to reality. Emily Groccia has been helping us every step of the way.....together with the other pilot partners innovating with us to create more pathways for engagement. Let's go, "Wren!" Learn more about our innovative VEO program at: williammary.ai

On this #GivingTuesday, I’m reminded of the wisdom of William & Mary Chancellor Robert M. Gates '65: "If you want to succeed in life and leadership, learn to put others first." Philanthropy is about investing in people and their potential to do good in the world--putting others first. Today, we celebrate the power of generosity to transform lives and communities. Through time, talent, and treasure, every act of giving makes a difference. https://lnkd.in/etC2--6X #Philanthropy #Leadership #GivingBack #MakingADifference

For the 19th time in the last 20 years, William & Mary produced the highest Federal Graduation Rate among all Division I public institutions in the NCAA. We are proud that our athletes succeed on the fields and courts as well as in the classroom and after graduation. Athletics Director Brian Mann and his team are leading the way in showing how to do athletics the right way--Go Tribe! https://lnkd.in/euJnGy9T

Study-abroad opportunities are synonymous with William & Mary! The William & Mary Foundation is proud to have many endowed funds that support study-abroad scholarships for students.

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!