Board Notes
The fall meeting of the William & Mary Alumni Association Board of Directors
October 7, 2024
By
University Advancement Staff
The fall meeting of the William & Mary Alumni Association Board of Directors was held at the William & Mary Alumni House on Sept. 12-13, 2024.
The board welcomed five new members:
- Milan Chakraborty ’00
- Aaron Mosby ’05
- Barbara “Barb” L. Ramsey ’75
- JoAnn Adrales Ruh ’89, P ’22
- Laura Pinnow Sheehan ’99
Board members then voted to approve the following awardees, who will be recognized during the Alumni Medallion & Service Awards Ceremony on Feb. 8, 2025, during Charter Day Weekend:
- Coach of the Year — Jessica Giuggioli, head coach of women’s tennis
- Faculty Service Award — Anne Humphries Arseneau ’89, M.A.Ed. ’92, director of student leadership development
- Staff Service Award — Casey Prats, moving and event services supervisor for facilities management, and Jessica Anton, custodial support for the Alumni House
After discussion, the board voted to move their endowment to the 1693 Management Co., which holds the endowments of the W&M Foundation.
Matthew L. “Matt” Brandon ’92, chief executive officer, reminded members of their role as “ambassadorial leaders,” and asked each member to reach out to five alumni contacts and encourage them to be more active participants at the university. He emphasized that the road to Full Engagement begins with just doing one thing, which leads to one more thing and onward. He recommended signing up for W&M’s online networking platform, One Network, as an easy first step.
The board then heard from Isabella Esposito ’25, chair of Students for University Advancement, and Grace Liscomb ’23, assistant director of student & young alumni engagement, on initiatives for students and young alumni:
- 73% of the Class of 2024 participated in the Senior Class Gift, the highest percentage since 2016. More than 570 members of the Class of 2025 made their gift in the first two weeks of classes, showing continued momentum.
- Students who make gifts three out of four years become members of the Sunken Garden Society and gain a cord for graduation.
- More than 200 students attended a spring semester “study hall,” sponsored by the Olde Guarde, in the Alumni House.
- Senior Brunch in the spring had 850 attendees, and students provided their contact information for after graduation, filled out Next Generation Surveys and learned about the Alumni Association.
- Fall events include Cheers to Your Senior Year on Oct. 20, in partnership with One Network; and Welcome to the City events in eight cities for young alumni, with special emphasis on the Class of 2024.
Jim Taylor ’69 provided an update from the Olde Guarde (alumni who graduated 50 years ago or more). Their council meets twice yearly in December and June and emails updates to the approximately 15,000 members. He shared that Kathleen I. Powell, chief career officer, will be the speaker at this year’s Olde Guarde Brunch during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, the Olde Guarde will participate in the Homecoming Parade, and there will be a postgame gathering in Williamsburg after the last home football game. He also reminded the board that starting in 2025, the 55th and 60th reunions will be held during Traditions Weekend in April instead of Homecoming in October.
Matthew T. Lambert ’99, senior vice president for university advancement, and Mark Begly, associate vice president for development and chief development officer, provided updates on advancement initiatives. These included W&M & You interactive events, the first of which was held Oct. 8 in New York City; the pilot for autonomous fundraising with Givezy; the naming of the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciencesthrough the largest gift in William & Mary’s history; and increased funding for internships, allowing the university to provide financial support to 100% of students who requested it this past summer.
Kelly S. Holdcraft, executive director for alumni success, provided an update on W&M Weekend planning. The next W&M Weekend will be held in 2026 in Washington, D.C., and the board is seeking committee members, sponsors and programming ideas. Robbie Bantom Graham, executive director of stewardship and advancement events, also provided an overview of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, Oct. 17-20.
Amanda Devlin Lindbom, associate director for alumni engagement and inclusion Initiatives, updated the board on Women’s Weekend, which will be held on campus in September 2025. It will be preceded by a series of events nationwide and online called the Road to Women’s Weekend. Valerie Brown Wilkins M.Ed. ’08, director of alumni admission and engagement and inclusion initiatives, provided an overview of Mosaic Weekend, which will be held on campus in June 2025. Mosaic events bring together APIM (Asian-Pacific Islander-Middle Eastern) Alumni Association, the Crim Dell Association (LGBTQ+), the Hulon Willis Association (Black and African descent) and Familia (Latino), and all are welcome to attend.
After a briefing on the Annual Giving Board of Directors’ year ahead, the W&M Alumni Association board concluded for the day.
On Sept. 13, the board reconvened to hear about plans to expand the William & Mary Memorial Garden, which is in the Matoaka Woods near the Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheatre at Lake Matoaka. It was dedicated in November 2010 and serves as the final resting place for members of the William & Mary family. A plaque on the surrounding brick wall commemorates each person whose ashes are placed in the garden, but there is no more space remaining on the wall and reservations remain popular. The board approved a $2.5 million expansion of the garden, which will include a columbarium, a new entry gate and pathway, benches and landscaping. Naming opportunities will be available.
The Board Development Committee presented the next slate of candidates for the board, which will be voted on by the alumni population this winter. The committee also shared results of the board satisfaction survey.
The Awards and Recognition Committee decided to move the Annual Meeting on Feb. 8 from the Alumni House to the Sadler Center to promote alumni participation. The board will also host a table at registration during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend for interested alumni to learn more about board members and engagement opportunities.
The next regular meeting of the Board of Directors will be Feb. 6-7, 2025, at the W&M Alumni House, during Charter Day Weekend. The next annual membership meeting will be held on Feb. 8 at the Alumni House, immediately prior to the Alumni Medallion Ceremony.