W&M Welcomes New Students

The university welcomed nearly 1,900 first-year and transfer students to campus this fall. The newcomers include students from across the United States and around the world, representing 45 states plus Washington, D.C., and 23 countries. International students make up 3% of the class. In addition, 9% are first-generation college students, and there are a record number of Pell Grant recipients.

Darpan Kapadia ’95, chief operating officer of LS Power and incoming chair of the William & Mary Foundation Board of Trustees, was speaker for this year’s Opening Convocation. He said hard work and determination are a cornerstone of the student experience, but Kapadia encouraged students not to get caught on the “treadmill of life”: Don’t just check boxes, but take risks.

“We want to give you the freedom to try new things, to explore new passions,” he said, noting his support for internships and applied learning experiences for students. “The prescribed and predictable rarely lead to something truly worthwhile.”

Read more and explore at magazine.wm.edu/convocation-2025.