Honorary Alumni

This year, two extraordinary individuals have been nominated by their peers and selected by the W&M Alumni Association Board of Directors to be inducted as honorary alumni. Valerie Foradas and Michael Halleran are recognized for their exceptional service, support, advocacy and commitment on behalf of William & Mary and its schools, departments, organizations and boards.

Valerie Foradas has loved William & Mary since 1974, when she began visiting campus to see her future husband Michael Foradas ’78. Together, they have hosted numerous alumni events in Chicago, including the For the Bold campaign celebration, and Valerie was instrumental in arranging several key events during W&M Weekend in Chicago in 2008. During Michael’s eight years on the W&M Foundation board, Valerie attended almost every gathering, demonstrating at every turn her boundless enthusiasm for the Tribe and her warm, gracious and sincere care for the W&M community. In 2018, the Foradases were inducted into the James Blair Society, recognizing donors who have contributed $1 million or more to the university.

Michael Halleran retired in 2019 as provost of William & Mary after 11 years of dedicated service. In that time, he skillfully oversaw all of the university’s academic and research programs and strategic development. He helped launch the St Andrews Joint Degree Programme, expanded online and graduate programming, oversaw the creation of an engineering minor and implemented the COLL curriculum, among other accomplishments.

As a professor, an administrator and a friend, Halleran is known as a wise counselor and a careful listener. He is an advocate for and generous supporter of scholarships and led the university’s implementation of the William & Mary Promise. He has also made significant gifts to the Lemon Project, professorships and other initiatives. As he often said at Convocation, William & Mary is the “best university on the planet!” and his love of his honorary alma mater shines through in both word and deed.

To learn more about this honor and nominate deserving individuals, please visit wmalumni.com/awards. Nominations are due by November 15, 2021.