2024 Service Awards
This year’s awardees are actively connecting alumni to W&M and each other
January 16, 2024
By
Claire De Lisle M.B.A. ’21
,
Mary Beth Bauermann ’24
and
Gabriela Trauttmansdorff ’26
Editor's note: This was a preview of the Civic & Humanitarian Leadership Award article and 2024 Service Awards article that appear in the winter edition of the W&M Alumni Magazine. The awards were bestowed at a ceremony during Charter Day Weekend at the Sadler Center.
Alumni Civic & Humanitarian Leadership Award
In 2023, the William & Mary Alumni Association Board of Directors created the Alumni Civic & Humanitarian Leadership Award to recognize alumni who are significantly improving or enhancing the lives of others. Recipients exemplify the university’s values, dedicating significant time, leadership and energy to serve humanity. Through their volunteer efforts, participation in charitable work and selfless actions, they make a meaningful impact on communities and society as a whole. Those who receive this award are compassionate citizens who devote their knowledge, skills and time to serve the greater good.
The award is bestowed during Charter Day Weekend as part of the Alumni Medallion & Service Awards Ceremony. To nominate deserving alumni for this award, please visit wmalumni.com/awards.
Steven E. “Steve” McNamee ’81
Steve McNamee is a teacher who transforms lives by going the extra mile for his students in and out of the classroom. For nearly 25 years, he has inspired and educated low-income and at-risk students in Richmond, Virginia. Principals and friends tell stories of how he helped move a student’s family out of unsafe housing, uses his own resources to take his students to local sporting and cultural events, and sets them on the path to success, academically and socially.
“Steve is in the trenches every single day all day long with his fifth grade students, so many of whom live in enormously challenging circumstances, whether it's living in public housing communities or coming from generations of poverty. I’ve never met anyone who, day by day, hour by hour, cares so deeply for students, works so diligently and intentionally with them, and has such a long-term impact,” says Michael Maruca, the head of school at the independent, faith-based Anna Julia Cooper School, where McNamee teaches.
After graduating from William & Mary in 1981 with a business degree, McNamee worked in the insurance industry for 15 years before answering the call to help students in need as an educator. At Swansboro Elementary School, part of Richmond Public Schools, he led the “Men of Swansboro” program for boys in third through fifth grades to learn life skills and etiquette. With the late David Murphy ’84, P ’18, he launched the Mr. Mac Foundation so the business community, school alumni and supporters could provide funding for applied learning and extracurricular experiences for his students.
At William & Mary, McNamee is one of the co-founders of HEYFARL (Hundred Each Year for a Rising Letterman), which has funded more than $2 million for football scholarships to walk-on football athletes. Several of these walk-ons have gone on to careers that raise William & Mary’s profile on the national scene, including Buffalo Bills Coach Sean McDermott ’98. More than 800 former players currently make annual gifts to HEYFARL, and the initiative continues to bring Tribe athletes together across generations. For his leadership of HEYFARL and in recognition of his achievements playing W&M Football as a student, McNamee was inducted into the W&M Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995.
Douglas N. Morton ’62 Young Alumni Service Awards
The Douglas N. Morton ’62 Alumni and Young Alumni Service Awards recognize alumni who are constantly working to engage and support alumni, connecting them to each other and the university. The W&M Alumni Association Board of Directors presents the awards at a ceremony during Charter Day Weekend. To nominate deserving alumni, please visit wmalumni.com/awards. The deadline for nominations is April 1, 2024.
Kelsey M. Carpenter ’15, M.P.P. ’16
As a recent alumna, Kelsey Carpenter wasted no time in giving back to the William & Mary community after her graduation. She has served on the W&M D.C. Metro Board since 2017, including a term as its president from 2021-2023. Kelsey led the group through virtual programming during the COVID-19 pandemic and helped ease the transition back to in-person in 2021. To encourage more alumni to participate in events, Kelsey has created a wide variety of programs, including a D.C Metro Charter Day event, a tour of the Watergate hotel and a trivia night to fundraise for the Greater D.C. Chapter Scholarship. She keeps beloved William & Mary traditions alive in D.C. as well, such as Yule Log and the annual embassy event. Kelsey has also worked to diversify the network, inviting leaders from W&M Alumni Association affinity and identity groups to D.C. Metro board meetings.
In recognition of her consecutive years of giving, Kelsey is a Cobblestone member of the Bell Society. She is also a member of the Young Guarde Council, which represents alumni who graduated within the past 10 years, and the Association of 1775, a network for alumni who serve or have served in the military and federal government. She has also developed a close partnership with the W&M Washington Center as a mentor to students.
“William & Mary has always provided me with a sense of community and family. When I graduated and moved to the D.C. area, I attended alumni events to meet new friends and explore the city,” she says. “I wanted to stay involved with William & Mary to help other alumni and current students do the same … Since graduating, I come back to the intellectual curiosity William & Mary sparks in its students. I know my drive to always learn new things started in Williamsburg and continues today.”
Alexandra G. “Ally” Phillips ’16
One of eight William & Mary graduates in her family across three generations, Ally Phillips has a connection to W&M that continues to run deep in her life as a young alumna. Ally is a founding member of the class ambassador program for the Class of 2016, encouraging her classmates to connect with and give back to the university. She was nominated to the Annual Giving Board just two years after graduating and has served on the volunteer engagement, participation and development committees.
Ally has seen firsthand the impact of alumni giving and the power of the alumni network for current students and graduates alike. She frequently speaks with prospective students about all that W&M has to offer and is passionate about keeping students and alumni connected to their alma mater — a mission that began during her time as an undergraduate student. “I have been lucky to be a part of groups who believe the same, including the Senior Class Gift Committee,” she says.
During her time at W&M, Ally served as the president of the Student Alumni Council and led the merging of three organizations into what is now known as Students for University Advancement. As co-president of the 2016 Senior Class Gift Committee, she helped achieve an impressive 73% class participation rate, and the class continues to give at a high rate each year.
“I am most proud of the work we’ve done through the Senior Class Gift Committee and the Annual Giving Board to create a culture of giving back and keeping alumni engaged,” she says. Ally is committed to her role of promoting and facilitating alumni engagement, which she has done by speaking at a One Tribe One Day event for the Washington, D.C., alumni network, serving as a lead class ambassador and attending Class Ambassador Academy weekend four times.
While devoting her time to her alma mater, Ally leads a busy professional life working as a policy director at the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She also takes time to speak with W&M graduates interested in national security careers.
“I’m proud to be a part of the William & Mary community,” she says. “I believe in paying it forward for future members of the Tribe.”
Carlton R. Smith ’15, M.Ed. ’17
As a co-chair of the Young Guarde Council and the Young Guarde’s representative on the W&M Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, Carlton Smith advocates for alumni who graduated within the past 10 years. Carlton has been proud to be part of the Young Guarde Council since he graduated in 2015, contributing to launching and continually improving the young alumni engagement program at William & Mary as a staff member from 2015-2016 and also as a volunteer leader.
Among Carlton’s contributions are several new initiatives, including “Welcome to the City,” a series focused on fostering connections and helping graduates transition from students to alumni, as well as the Young Guarde blog and a partnership with Students for University Advancement to form a pipeline of volunteers for the Council.
“William & Mary was such a transformative experience for me, so I naturally gravitated toward avenues that would allow me to not only give back to the institution that gave me so much, but that also allow me to bridge that gap between students and new alumni,” Carlton says.
Carlton graduated from W&M with a bachelor’s degree in government and returned for a master’s degree in higher education administration. He went on to earn a doctorate with an emphasis on college student affairs administration from the University of Georgia. Carlton has served as the director of multicultural affairs at the University of North Carolina Asheville since 2022. In Asheville, Carlton connects fellow Young Guarde members in the area, working to develop and promote the W&M community in the city.
In October 2023, he served as one of the judges in the William & Mary Homecoming Parade. Looking out for the next generation of alumni, Carlton says, “It’s on us as alums — just like it was on us as students — to help guide the next generation to have a better path than we did. We aren’t students anymore, but our ability to drive change is still there.”
Carlton is a member of the Bell Society for giving annually to William & Mary. He is also a fierce advocate for alumni service, saying, “Do you see places where we can improve or give back? Get involved! Advocate!” He adds, “Being active means that when students look for help to bring positive change, they may look to us.”
Douglas N. Morton ’62 Alumni Service Awards
Ashley V. Glacel ’02
Ashley Glacel is dedicated to building William & Mary’s culture of engagement and philanthropy so her alma mater continues to thrive. A volunteer leader, she served as a member of the Annual Giving Board from 2013 to 2019, including a term as its chair, as a member of the For the Bold West Coast Regional Campaign Committee and on her 10th reunion committee. She has been a class ambassador since 2015. Even though she resides in Los Angeles, Ashley frequently returns to campus and brings Williamsburg to the West Coast by hosting One Tribe One Day and other W&M events in her area.
Ashley is part of a multigenerational William & Mary family. As part of the university’s commemoration of the 100th anniversary of coeducation, Ashley participated in an oral history with her grandmother, the late Virginia Forwood Pate Wetter ’40, D.P.S. ’06, P ’68, P ’70, G ’98, G ’02; her mother, Barbara Pate Glacel ’70, P ’98, P ’02; her aunt, Kennon Pate McKee ’68; and her sister, Jennifer Glacel ’98. Dedicated to increasing women’s engagement and philanthropy at the university, Ashley is a charter member of the Society of 1918 and has served on the steering committee since 2021.
In addition, Ashley helped establish the Adrienne Vaughan Memorial Scholarship Endowment in honor of fellow alumna Adrienne Vaughan ’00, who passed away in a tragic boating accident this past August. Ashley worked with Vaughan’s husband, Mike White ’00, and five more of her friends from W&M to create the scholarship to provide need-based support for students from the Portsmouth, Virginia, region.
“I started volunteering for William & Mary as a way to give back to the institution that shaped me, but the result has been that it has continued to give me more. By serving alongside other alumni — all of whom are fascinating, community-minded and generous with their time — I’ve expanded my William & Mary friendships to include alumni of all ages,” she says. “My hope is to preserve and foster the institution and its community, which have enriched my life so deeply. I’d like to think that generations beyond mine will be able to benefit from William & Mary in the way that I have.”
Katherine “Kathy” Dalton Mika ’79, P ’09
A busy pediatrician, Kathy Mika makes time to promote the green & gold in Charlottesville, Virginia. She has served on the W&M Charlottesville-Highland network leadership team since 2006, including terms as secretary, treasurer and president. Kathy helped recruit the first Young Guarde and Olde Guarde representatives to the board in 2010, increasing the board’s diversity. She continues to be involved in the network’s events and has served as volunteer lead for many of them, including the popular polo match at King Family Vineyards and service days at James Monroe’s Highland.
Her generosity to William & Mary is recognized through her membership in the Milestone level of the Bell Society, which represents 15-24 years of consecutive giving. She also served on her 35th reunion committee.
It is clear that service to William & Mary runs in Kathy’s family. Her father, the late Gov. John N. Dalton ’53, LL.D. ’79, P ’79, G ’09, and her grandfather, the late Hon. Theodore Roosevelt Dalton 1924, B.C.L. 1926, LL.D. ’72, P ’53, G ’79, both received the Alumni Medallion, the highest award given by the W&M Alumni Association. Her daughter, Alison Mika Schutte ’09, continued her mother’s legacy of service as a member of the Charlottesville-Highland leadership team, including as its president.
“My William & Mary years were foundational for my life,” says Kathy. “Staying involved in the alumni community keeps me connected with the traditions and memories of the past. It also engages me with peers of many generations whose shared W&M experience is a foundation for friendship and a jumping-off place for new learning, new experiences and an opportunity to pay it forward.”
Luis H. Navas ’82, P ’13
On the Latinx Alumni Advisory Board and its precursor, the Latinx Alumni Leadership Circle, he has thoughtfully designed programs that reach members of the W&M Latinx community of all ages, creating opportunities to bridge generational gaps and promote lasting relationships. In 2019, Luis and his wife, Dolores Urcuyo Navas P ’13, and their daughter Gloria Navas ’13 participated in W&M’s Latinx Oral History Project and recorded their reflections on their William & Mary experiences for posterity.
In 2018, Luis and Dolores created the Jorge Alberto Urcuyo Scholarship, which aids W&M students whose immigration status prevents them from receiving financial aid or federal assistance. The scholarship is inspired by his own experience and is named in honor of his late brother-in-law, Jorge, who was killed as a teenager while volunteering as a teacher in the aftermath of the Nicaraguan Revolution. They also supported health outreach and sustainability efforts in Nicaragua through student service projects. These efforts and others demonstrate Luis’ thoughtful leadership and passion for service.
“William & Mary has made an enormous impact in my life. You could say that even though I physically left W&M back in 1982, I never truly left,” says Luis. “The friendships that I made have lasted more than 40 years now. I learned so much from my professors and especially hold the honor code as a personal motto. I’ve always enjoyed staying involved with the university and alumni community.”
Coach of the Year
Coach Mike London
In 2022, W&M Football advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs as conference champions with a school-record 10 wins during the regular season. The 2023 season exhibited the Tribe’s growth as a football program. Behind the team’s continued success is head football coach Mike London.
“I am most proud of the opportunity to achieve the levels of success we’ve had since I’ve been here,” he says. “I arrived at W&M in 2019, a season where we went 5-7.” Only allowed to play three games in the 2020 season due to COVID-19, the Tribe missed a year of competitive collegiate activity. Despite the setback, the team went 6-5 in 2021, a winning record for the first time since 2015. “Then, obviously, we had a tremendous year in 2022, with the opportunity to go beyond into the FCS playoffs,” he adds. “Those experiences have been highlights of the years I’ve been here thus far.”
Coach London believes in supporting the team’s success not only on the field, but in the classroom and the community as well. Record numbers of players were named to the Coastal Athletic Association Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll during his tenure, with 69 players in fall 2020 during the height of the pandemic and 55 players in spring 2023. He has also been instrumental to the success of the All Incampaign, which raised $55 million for W&M Athletics, built community and continues to reimagine the home for the Tribe.
He adds, “I’m tremendously proud of the engagement our players have had in community service projects, such as their involvement with Be The Match, an initiative that raises awareness for bone marrow donors, recipients and education. We have had players who have been recognized as matches for individuals throughout the United States and have selflessly given their bone marrow samples to save lives.”
In future seasons, Coach London sees ample opportunities for the football program to thrive.
“We are looking forward to continued levels of growth and success, the opportunity to compete for championships, and to be a model of graduation rates,” he says. “We want to be models of those individuals who embrace the fact that you can get a world-class degree and you can play competitive football on the field here at William & Mary. You can truly have the best of both worlds.”
Staff Service Award
Roxane O. Adler Hickey M.Ed. ’02, Ed.D. ’23
Director of the W&M Washington Center Roxane Adler Hickey is the definition of a campus leader and an alumni engagement advocate.
Arriving at the W&M Washington Center in 2006 as a program director, Adler Hickey became associate director in 2015 and served as interim director from 2019 to 2021. As director, she has consistently prioritized building stronger connections between W&M’s University Advancement and Alumni Engagement offices, creating a true campus community in Washington, D.C.
With a large concentration of W&M alumni living and working in Washington, Adler Hickey consistently brainstorms ways to engage W&M alumni in the D.C. metro area and use alumni connections to open doors to internships and experiential learning opportunities for students. She also assists in planning and executing regional alumni engagement events and offers the W&M Washington Center as a home base for her colleagues throughout the university.
Working alongside W&M’s Office of University Advancement, in 2018 Adler Hickey established the W&M Washington Center Advisory Board, which supports students financially to increase accessibility to the Center’s programs and provides a platform for alumni input into the Center’s goals and activities.
She advocates for the opportunities the W&M Washington Center and alumni create for students, such as through scholarships. “Over the last 17 plus years, I am proud to have helped build a center with programs that give students what they need. Our students have the opportunity to work individually with our team members, who offer a personalized experience in a small setting so that they can support each student where they are and help them get where they want to go,” she says. “I am proud to be a part of an incredible team and to collaborate with so many people and units across the university. I am proud to work with dedicated alumni who connect with our students in D.C. and help them find fulfilling careers.”