An Extraordinary Year for William & Mary
Record-breaking philanthropy positions William & Mary to lead
July 24, 2025
By
Claire De Lisle M.B.A. ’21
The past fiscal year was a watershed year for William & Mary: a resounding affirmation of the university’s mission. With more than $240 million raised, it was the most successful fundraising year in our 332-year history. Even more important than this extraordinary generosity is what it makes possible: bold ideas in motion, solutions for the most pressing issues of our time and a university poised to lead globally with distinction.
That momentum was made possible by gifts from 33,084 alumni, families, friends, faculty, students and staff. Among the year’s landmark achievements: the largest gift ever made to establish a school of coastal and marine sciences, and the most significant scholarship gift to date — making the university’s new coastal and marine sciences degree tuition-free for all time coming.
“William & Mary leads where it matters most, with innovative teaching, learning, and research,” said Katherine A. Rowe. “Many hands and hearts make our work possible, and we warmly thank the donors whose generosity powers alma mater. This rising tide of support lifts our country’s first university ever higher.”
In FY25:
- Gifts of $100 or less collectively added up to $1.3 million.
- Corporations and foundations contributed $18.5 million, the most ever.
- An unprecedented number of seniors — 84% of the Class of 2025 — gave to W&M as part of their Senior Class Gift.
- One Tribe One Day raised $4.4 million for 994 separate designations across campus, thanks to the contributions of 13,004 donors, the highest number since 2019.
- More than $63.5 million was raised for scholarships during the year, including record-breaking gifts to the Scholarships Impact Fund on One Tribe One Day.
- The W&M Alumni Association recorded more than 47,000 alumni touchpoints, including event registrations, volunteer engagements and more.
- One Network, William & Mary’s platform for professional networking, reached 10,000 members.
Extraordinary Milestones
This fiscal year spanned the Year of the Arts in 2024 and the Year of the Environment in 2025. The university celebrated several milestones, including the approval of the new School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics by SCHEV; the dedication of The Martha Wren Briggs Center for the Visual Arts, which houses the Muscarelle Museum of Art and is a state-of-the-art venue for world-class exhibitions, such as the recent Michelangelo exhibit, academic programs and community events; the groundbreaking of Gates Hall, a hub for research and teaching that spans disciplines and addresses global challenges; and the topping off ceremony for the Mackesy Sports Performance Complex, known as “The Mack.” Other capital improvements included progress on West Woods, Cedar Hall, Old Dominion and ISC4. The Campus Comprehensive Plan efforts advanced to create the framework to ensure campus development reinforces the university’s mission.
Earlier this year, William & Mary was designated as an “R1” research institution by the Carnegie Classification system and was named one of “The New Ivies” by Forbes for “attracting the best and the brightest and graduating students that are outpacing most Ivy Leaguers in the eyes of employers.” Fans nationwide followed the women’s basketball team’s underdog journey to become CAA champions and play in the NCAA tournament — a first-time appearance for either the men’s or women’s teams in the university’s history. William & Mary also made headlines this year for archaeological discoveries related to the 18th-century Williamsburg Bray School.
Leadership Giving
Last summer, a $100 million gift from Jane Batten HON ’17, L.H.D. ’19 — the largest in W&M’s history and the largest ever for a school of coastal and marine sciences — launched the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences. Mrs. Batten’s gift establishes W&M’s Batten School & VIMS as the global leader for coastal resilience — delivering solutions to the effects of global change impacting billions of people living on coastlines and beyond, industries and economies, as well as national security.
Building on that momentum, a $50 million gift from Dr. R. Todd Stravitz ’82 and the Brunckhorst Foundations, announced over Charter Day 2025 to kick off the Year of the Environment, will provide full tuition support for students pursuing the new bachelor’s degree in coastal & marine sciences. The R. Todd Stravitz Scholars Program ensures that top students can afford opportunity without financial barriers — building the talent pipeline needed to confront some of the biggest challenges facing humanity. This is the university’s largest scholarship gift to date.
At the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, a $15 million gift from Rob W. Estes ’74, P ’06 and Jean Berger Estes ’75, P ’06 will establish the Estes Center for Excellence in Accounting. The Estes family’s vision is to transform the image of modern accounting — elevating it from the back room to the board room — by strengthening student experiences, deepening career understanding and expanding real-world networking opportunities.
In October, the Global Research Institute launched the GRI Accelerate Initiative with $3 million in gifts, including lead support from Tom McInerney P ’07, Jennifer Tepper Mackesy ’91 and D. Scott Mackesy ’91. The initiative aims to raise $10 million for this key research center, with the primary goal of increasing the number of internships and mentored research opportunities for students. About 250 William & Mary students currently work with GRI’s nine labs, including AidData, as research assistants or participants in credit-bearing applied learning experiences. The Accelerate Initiative seeks to double those numbers.
Private philanthropy also fueled student career preparation. Internship courses are now integrated into every undergraduate major, and the Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement guaranteed a funded internship opportunity to every student who sought one.
“Donors are investing in William & Mary because they see a university aligning big ideas with real-world solutions, one that has a long record of building trust among our community, the nation, and world and delivers measurable impact at scale,” says Matthew T. Lambert ’99, senior vice president for university advancement.
Increased Engagement
This fiscal year, a new series of events, William & Mary & You, drew more than 600 alumni, family, and friends in Washington, D.C., and New York City. More than gatherings, they were powerful reminders of W&M’s enduring impact — a community that challenges our people, supports them, and opens doors wherever life takes them. The evenings were designed to spark meaningful conversations, grow career networks, and showcase how W&M continues to lead in a rapidly changing world.
Homecoming & Reunion Weekend brought more than 4,000 members of the William & Mary community to campus Oct. 18-20. Events hosted by the W&M Alumni Association and university partners celebrated all that makes William & Mary distinctive, including the lifelong connections we forge with each other and alma mater. Special events included a Presidential Conversation and Student Talkback with award-winning writer and director Cord Jefferson ’04, a celebration of the Batten gift and the groundbreaking of Robert M. Gates Hall.
In April, Traditions Weekend brought together the 50th reunion class of 1975, Olde Guarde (alumni who graduated 50 years ago or more) and the Boyle Legacy Society (those who have included W&M in their estate plans) for special events and programs. This annual signature event is sponsored by the university and the W&M Alumni Association. The Class of 1975 raised nearly $35 million, representing gifts from 50% of the class, and included about $12 million in planned giving, such as through wills and estates. Part of the gift funded the creation of the Class of 1975 School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics Speaker Series Endowment, the first endowment for the new school. It will support preeminent speakers to provide lectures, seminars and discussions.
In June, the William & Mary Alumni Association also held its inaugural Mosaic Weekend, which brought together alumni, including the Hulon Willis Association, the Crim Dell Association, the APIM Association and Familia — as well as friends, students and staff. The weekend celebrated the varied backgrounds, experiences and identities that make up the university’s vibrant community.
Professional Development Week, now in its seventh year, attracted nearly 1,000 participants to sessions covering everything from artificial intelligence in the workplace to board service. Year-round, W&M’s One Network provides alumni, students and parents a platform to connect easily for advice, professional growth and meaningful career conversations. The platform just exceeded 10,000 members.
For more highlights from this fiscal year, watch the 2024-2025 Year in Review.