Faculty/Staff/Coach Awards

The W&M Alumni Association Board of Directors will present this year’s awards at a ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, during Charter Day Weekend. The ceremony will be held in the Sadler Center’s Commonwealth Auditorium at 10 a.m. and will be followed by a reception in the Alumni House.

VICENTE “JUNE” LAO

Vicente “June” Lao is an indispensable member of the W&M facilities management team, helping make each Alumni House event a success. From custodial support to event setup and breakdown, Lao ensures the Alumni House always looks its best, ready to welcome the next guests who walk through its doors.

At each of the last three Homecoming & Reunion Weekends, Lao devoted over 14 hours of his Saturday to supporting the many tailgates and events on the Alumni House lawn. He was there from start to finish, late into the night — with a smile on his face and a constant willingness to help. Lao’s dedication is a true reflection of W&M’s values in action.

“June’s work ethic, humility and dedication set an inspiring example for us all. His contributions are essential to the success of our events, and his presence is a source of reassurance to everyone on our team,” says Virginia Hall, senior director of alumni experiences & business development. “Simply put, the Alumni House would not operate as smoothly as it does without him, especially during major events.”

STEVE TEWKSBURY

During his 22-year tenure at William & Mary, culminating with his retirement in June 2025 as executive director of university events, Steve Tewksbury brought W&M’s most cherished traditions to life. A gifted and gracious leader, Tewksbury managed a small team to execute some of William & Mary’s largest events. His work touched everyone in the community, from new students passing through the Wren Building during Opening Convocation to alumni and their families returning to campus. He orchestrated over 60 board meetings, 10 Convocations and 14 Charter Day celebrations in addition to countless other events.

Representing the university with pride, Tewksbury never settled for anything less than excellence. Despite the complexity of major campus events, his quick thinking and calm demeanor smoothed many a last-minute wrinkle, helping to ensure everything ran seamlessly. These skills were especially appreciated during the 14th Dalai Lama’s visit to W&M in 2012 and the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 2007.

“Steve is the epitome of service — to the Alumni Association, to the boards, to President Rowe, to the university and to our community. His impact ripples through every event for which he is responsible — directly or indirectly — and he ensures that each event bears the highest quality of his exacting standards,” says Lisa Roday HON ’23, P ’13, P ’14, a former member of the Board of Visitors. “He is truly a treasure and one of the finest people I have the pleasure of working with at W&M.”

ERIN DICKERSON DAVIS

Not long after Erin Dickerson Davis arrived at William & Mary in 2022, she began making history. In her first season as head coach of the women’s basketball team, she led the team to 18 wins, the most of any first-time coach. This March, she helped the Tribe realize a long-sought-after dream: its NCAA basketball tournament debut. The William & Mary Alumni Association Board of Directors is proud to name her Coach of the Year.

Heading into the 2025 CAA Championships, W&M Women’s Basketball was ranked No. 9 out of 14. Dickerson Davis, or as her players call her, “Coach E,” galvanized her team, transforming this string of losses into the most spectacular winning streak W&M Basketball has ever seen. Defying the odds, they won four games in four days and clinched their first-ever CAA Championship, securing their spot at the Big Dance. They went on to win their first March Madness matchup against High Point before ceding victory to No. 1 ranked Texas. The key to this historic turnaround was a deep self-belief and determination, instilled in them by a coach who never doubted their potential.

“At the end of the day, Coach E is always pushing us to be better women on and off the court,” said fifth-year center Kayla Beckwith ’23, M.B.A. ’25. “She expects the best from us at all times and wants to push us outside of our comfort zone as players because she believes in us.”