Together, we create a world informed & inspired by research | |
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Director's Message
Liberal arts in action
W&M’s unique combination of a highly personal liberal arts education with the opportunities of a research university is my favorite thing about this place.
Whether through research grants, research-based internships, or our honors or scholars programs, the Charles Center helps undergraduates put their liberal arts skills into practice beyond the classroom and across disciplines.
Over the course of a summer or semester, it’s amazing to see our students transform their academic training into career competencies through applied learning, only to bring those experiences back into the classroom for further growth.
None of this is possible without collaborative campus partners and our generous donors who share our passion for preparing students for lives and livelihoods of purpose. Thank you.
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Charles Center Community News | | |
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Grant supports internships, faculty mentorship
The Charles Center joined forces with the Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement in securing a $150,000 grant to enhance the undergraduate internship experience by pairing students with faculty mentors and creating greater curricular opportunities than ever before.
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Hundreds attend Homecoming rededication of Monroe Hall
Since 1924 more than 12,000 William & Mary students have called Monroe Hall home, making memories, forging friendships, and in more than a few cases, finding future life partners in the iconic dorm. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Oct. 19 as part of festivities to mark the hall's recent renovation and reopening.
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1693 Scholars celebrate 20 years of community, curiosity
The 1693 Scholars Program celebrates two decades of dedicated faculty mentoring, research support, and vibrant hands-on programming. Among the scholars in the Class of 2025 will be the program’s 100th graduate, who will join a community of alumni scholars that includes artists, cheesemakers, and union organizers!
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Catron exhibition celebrates artistic development
More than 65 faculty, staff, students, and family members joined this year's ten Catron Scholars Nov. 14 in Sadler Center's Hart Gallery to learn about students' research experiences last summer dedicated to exploring their artistic interests.
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Home is where the art is
Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood near campus, over 700 works of art line the walls of Dr. Carol Woody and Robert Woody's home. Since 2015 the couple have supported students’ passion for public history, art history, and museums through the Woody Internship in Museum Studies.
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Journalism masterclass
tackles media ethics
Students attending the second Charles Center journalism masterclass led by Denise Watson, features editor of The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press, were faced with the gravest of hypotheticals: how does one cover a newsroom shooting ethically, responsibly, and respectfully, while working under a tight deadline?
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Honors program sees record enrollment, nurtures curiosity
Encompassing all major disciplines and spanning over 36 departments, W&M's departmental honors program, administered by the Charles Center, saw a record number of applicants this year seeking to design their own research and write an honors thesis.
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Arts masterclasses convene world-class performers
During the 2024-25 academic year, the Charles Center is sponsoring a new arts masterclass series in partnership with the Office of the Arts at William & Mary dedicated to creating opportunities for artistic exploration and discovery across disciplines, from music to dance and everything in between.
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Students' research illuminates, amplifies Indigenous voices
For Monroe Scholars Max Kaminski ‘26 and Sabine Mead Mexia ‘26, research is more than an intellectual enterprise – it is driven by their passion for illuminating underrepresented Indigenous narratives. Both received funding from the Charles Center to conduct their summer research.
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Noah Robertson '19 shares wisdom from Pentagon beat
Sharp Journalism Seminar alum Noah Robertson '19 discussed his role as Defense News Pentagon reporter to a packed house in the Grimsley Board Room Oct. 28. Robertson, who was an English and government double major at W&M, offered students practical advice on pursuing a career in journalism.
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Passion for community, chemistry drives Lewis-Johnson '25
Senior Kyle Lewis-Johnson has earned national awards for research in chemistry while pursuing his passion for mentoring, community engagement, and African American history through the Sharpe Community Scholars Program.
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Ghost forests present coastal Virginia with haunting reality
Sophia Heilen ’26, a data science and environment & sustainability double major, is uncovering evidence of a new kind of unnatural shapeshifting quietly occurring around us: many of the state’s coastal forests are being killed in a transition to saltwater marshes due to recent sea level rise.
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Sarah Berliner '26 scores swag by sharing her inspiring research story!
Many thanks to junior Sarah Berliner, who shared her research story with us using this link--you can too!
"My William & Mary research story began last summer when I had the incredible opportunity to join the 2024 American-Bosnian Collaboration (ABC) project. The ABC Project is a unique initiative that brings together students from William & Mary and the University of Sarajevo to run a 3-week summer program for children in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Our team focused on researching how educational approaches, specifically through children’s literature, can foster intercultural competency and bridge cultural differences.
This experience broadened my horizons beyond my STEM studies in biology, as I was able to delve into my passion for teaching as well as my love of being abroad and a strong personal connection to the Balkans region of Europe. Beyond the research, the relationships I built were the most impactful part of the project. Not only did I meet three wonderful students from William & Mary who traveled with me to Bosnia, but I got to work with a co-teacher from the University of Sarajevo and we ended up becoming good friends.
I fell in love with Bosnian culture and interacted with so many interesting people that I still often think about my time in Sarajevo even now, many months after the program's completion. This research experience reinforced my commitment to engaging in meaningful work that actively promotes positive change in the community. It also solidified my desire to return to Europe for graduate school, as I continue to explore opportunities that align with my passions for education, research, and intercultural collaboration. The ABC Project has been a transformative part of my journey at William & Mary, enriching my college experience in ways I couldn’t have anticipated!" --Sarah Berliner '26
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Summer research funding
Feb. 17, 2025
The Charles Center offers a wide range of grants to fund summer undergraduate research in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors are eligible to apply.
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Honors Fellowship funding
Feb. 17, 2025
Honors Fellowships support students conducting research for departmental honors projects the summer before senior year.
An Honors Fellowship is a grant of up to $5,000 to conduct 10 full-time weeks of pre-honors summer research.
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Catron Grant funding
March 3, 2025
Catron grants support artistic growth over the summer in the creative and performing arts through off-campus educational experiences, either through a formal educational institution or structured hands-on experiences in the U.S. or abroad.
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Charles Center Staff Spotlight | |
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Congratulations to the amazing Dr. Monica Griffin on her 20th anniversary as Director of the Sharpe Community Scholars Program!
Thank you, Dr. Griffin, for your visionary leadership, humor and spirit, and unwavering dedication to your students, colleagues, and community partners!
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Dr. Monica Griffin '88
Director of Engaged Scholarship and the Sharpe Community Scholars Program
At different stages of academic and career development spanning over 30 years, Monica Griffin ’88, Director of Engaged Scholarship and the Sharpe Community Scholars Program, found William & Mary to be a place to grow and thrive. Dr. Griffin enjoyed early experiences in writing and research as an English and sociology double major, which led her to pursue MA/PhD studies in sociology at that other school in Charlottesville. Her career experiences span public and private sectors in the Virginia/DC region, including outreach, teaching, and advancement positions in several Virginia universities and government agencies from local to federal. In addition to serving as director of the Sharpe Community Scholars program in the Charles Center, Monica enjoys her work in engaged scholarship, advising City Research Scholars during their summer academic internships. She values sustained relationships with community partners as part of an organization’s most effective functioning.
Celebrating 20 years as director of the Sharpe Community Scholars Program, Dr. Griffin specializes in teaching courses in health inequality/disparities, social and cultural change, and qualitative research methods across departments including sociology, American studies, interdisciplinary studies, and W&M’s School of Education. A continuing and active researcher, she has published on curriculum development in community-engaged programs, cultures of silence for POC in higher education, narrative medicine and women’s health, participatory justice in higher education, and most recently, the value of community health workers in Richmond, VA. She believes in deep collaboration with faculty and community partners to facilitate active student learning, and especially loves working with students from their earliest ideas to career fulfillment in supporting their growth.
Monica enjoys spending time with her family, long walks on warm days, creative writing, and lately she is obsessed with crochet. She recently leaked to Sharpe Scholars that she is also a KPop fan, which tracks naturally from her days writing a dissertation on African American identity and hip-hop music.
Meet the rest of the Charles Center team here!
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Your Support Makes a Difference! | |
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Giving to the Charles Center Fund ensures your gift will support the areas of greatest need and student impact. In all we do, we seek to put our values in action: inclusivity & accessibility, collaboration & connection, and inquiry & innovation.
Thank you for your generosity.
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