Happy New Year and welcome to the spring semester! It’s hard to believe our students will be experiencing their last semester and that we are in the homestretch to Commencement – May 19-22, 2022!

Class of 2022 graduates may request tickets during the Commencement registration period (February 1 - March 31). We recommend that parents and family members sign up to receive email updates leading up to Commencement Weekend. W&M uses that information to also keep you updated on any changes or inclement weather during Commencement weekend. More details about Commencement can be found here.

Until then, we are excited to celebrate Charter Day on February 11, 2022. Learn about the weekend’s events and access the live stream here.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Mary Hallahan Kushan ’85, P ’22 and Jeff Kushan ’85, P ’22

February 4: Last day to add/drop

February 4: Deadline to file Minor Declaration form for May or August graduates

February 5: Withdrawal period begins

February 9: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Event

February 11: William & Mary Charter Day

February 15: Online graduation application opens for 2023

February 18: 2022 Spring Career and Internship Fair

We are excited to share our Parent & Family Calendar for the 2021-2022 Academic Year! This calendar contains important academic dates, highlighted resources, and William & Mary

traditions.

We hope you will use this calendar as a resource to connect with your student and support their W&M experience.

The William & Mary Parent & Family Resource Guide is designed to be an interactive overview of frequently referenced resources.

The digital pdf will be updated once per year and posted for those who wish to print out our Resource Guide. For the most up-to-date information contained in this guide, revisit this website.

This month, Parent & Family Programs partnered with the Office of Community Engagement to create a post about how to get involved in the Williamsburg Community and opportunities for your student during the spring semester. Check out the Supporting Your Student blog to learn more about these opportunities!

Get informed about any emergencies or campus alerts by registering with RAVE. and providing some basic contact information. After doing so, you will receive official emergency notifications from the W&M Emergency Management Team via text message and email.

Families are also encouraged to follow William & Mary News on Facebook and Twitter for news from and about William & Mary.

Throughout the spring semester, the Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement will host several different fairs. All updates regarding attending employers and locations will be listed in TribeCareers. Upcoming events this month include:

Parents and families can now place their “Senior Ads” for this year’s yearbook by going to the Herff Jones Online Ad Creation page. To begin designing your ad, select “Buy a Yearbook Ad” under Yearbook Ads. When starting your ad, you will need to add your student to the system. Prices for ads range from $30 to $200 depending on how large your ad is. Ads should be ordered no later than February 15th. If you have any questions, please email colonialecho@email.wm.edu.

Spring Senior Portrait sessions will be taking place the week of February 7-11. Seniors should check their email and TribeLink events for more information about signing up for a portrait session.

All students will enjoy free ice skating and skates every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday while the rink is in operation. Students provide their student ID at the rink for free admission and skates.

Free hot chocolate, coffee, or cider provided with student ID during the free skate days and nights.

In just a few short months your daughter will be graduating from W&M and stepping out into the world. Could she benefit from a network of over over 500 amazing W&M women who can support her as she starts adulting? The Society of 1918 is a collective of women who are committed to W&M and to their sister members. Giving a Young Guarde membership in the Society of 1918 to your daughter as a graduation present will be the gift that keeps on giving. In addition to an instant and amazing network, membership provides access to unique personal and professional development opportunities.

If interested, please contact Valerie Cushman or use this link to learn more.

The Ring Ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 27th at 2pm. Students who purchased their rings in both the Fall of 2020 and Fall 2021 will be recognized at the event.

Prior ring purchase is required. More detailed information will be provided to the students who have purchased/received their rings already.

Interested for the future? Later this spring, students with 60 credit hours or more will be invited to purchase their rings (and will be honored at the Ring Ceremony that will take place during Family Weekend 2022).

Join W&M alumni and friends for W&M Professionals Week 2022, Feb. 28-March 4! In this series of virtual live events, experts will address today’s pressing topics — such as redesigning your career path, managing today’s workforce challenges and building community in your workplace. There will be plenty of opportunities to enhance your networking skills and build connections, no matter where you are in your career journey. All are welcome! #OneTribeOneNetwork

Join us for our Climate Change & Water: Daily Work of Justice Conversation on March 1. These small group facilitated conversations feature guest speakers with direct experience of the health, economic, and flooding impacts of the climate change and water in VA. This includes policy makers, scientists, local residents, activists, farmers, business owners, government officials, and more.

At William & Mary, no one should ever be demeaned or exposed to harm in their efforts to be part of campus life. The goal of the Hazing Prevention Coalition is to empower all members of the W&M community to recognize hazing in its various forms, to know what to do when they see hazing activity or experience it directly, and to feel confident in taking action. We want to empower the community through awareness, education, and access to resources. Please visit the resource page of the Hazing Prevention Coalition where we share different resources, including a section for parents & families.

Join the Highland community for our monthly virtual book clubs! Discussions are lively and topics wide-ranging. Events are free and open to the public in Williamsburg, Charlottesville, and beyond! For details on titles, times, and registration, check out Highland's events page.

The Center for Legal & Court Technology (CLCT) at William & Mary Law School has developed a series of introductory law classes for high school and college students. This program gives students interested in law and government, as well as business and technology, the opportunity to experience classes in the comfort of their homes using an interactive videoconferencing platform. Classes are offered in June and July and last between eight and 14 hours. This program offers students an exceptional opportunity to gain valuable knowledge for their future careers.

The Institute is a 4-week program comprising asynchronous learning and synchronous keynote speakers, small group discussion, and facilitated reflection. This innovative institute will expose 10th, 11th, and 12th grade high-school students from across the U.S. to some of William & Mary’s most distinguished faculty and alumni across education, public policy, and nonprofits. Through moderated discussions with W&M students, participants identify and refine their values and rumble with vulnerability on the road to becoming more compassionate and courageous leaders. Students who complete the program will receive a certificate of completion from William & Mary’s Courageous Leadership Institute, and emerge better equipped to step into their values, especially when it is hard.

Each institute is limited and is free to all students.