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At Â鶹Æƽâ°æ, some first-year roommate pairings become part of a student’s story for all four years. Each spring, the university recognizes students who have lived with their first-year roommate for all four years. This tradition that celebrates the friendships, routines and shared experiences that often begin in residence halls and become central to a student’s time at W&M.

Evening of Excellence is a university-wide celebration, hosted by Student Affairs, honoring students, faculty and staff for outstanding achievement in leadership, scholarship, service, creativity and commitment. The award ceremony reflects the broad partnership between the university’s academic and co-curricular communities. This year’s ceremony took place Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

For the 11th time since 2014, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ has been recognized as one of the Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs nationwide by EduLedger and ACPA: College Student Educators International. The Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs award recognizes institutions that demonstrate excellence in areas such as workplace culture, professional development, inclusive practices and employee wellbeing.

Â鶹Æƽâ°æ students celebrated the process of making art by hand through a special Hart Gallery exhibit that coincided with the Ampersand International Arts Festival, an annual week-long celebration of the arts.

As Â鶹Æƽâ°æ ushers in the Year of Civic Leadership, students are embracing service and integrity through the new Civic Action Scorecard. This toolkit provides more than 80 opportunities for students to participate in democracy and civic leadership, record and reflect on participation, and be recognized for their efforts.

Â鶹Æƽâ°æ faculty, staff and students from across campus and disciplines gathered for a day of learning focused on student connection and belonging. The event explored The Connection Project, an evidence-based intervention for college students designed to address the epidemic of loneliness and social disconnection.

During spring break 2026, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ students embraced the pause from classes to pursue connection, service and exploration, on campus and around the world. University programs and student organizations supported the breadth of student interests by offering a wide range of spring break opportunities. 

Health & Wellness at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ has introduced online scheduling tools in the Student Health Center and Counseling Center, modernizing how students connect to care and offering greater flexibility when scheduling services. Walk-in appointments, phone scheduling and 24/7 virtual care remain available, so students can choose the scheduling option that works best for their needs and comfort levels.

This year, the Student Center for Inclusive Excellence (The Center) reimagined its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration as a summit that brought together students, faculty, staff and community members for a day of reflection, dialogue and action. A keynote address by Let Freedom Ring Foundation President Connie Matthews Harshaw, along with action-oriented breakout sessions, encouraged attendees to carry on Dr. King’s legacy through their own social action. This community emphasis reflects the spirit of the Year of Civic Leadership, launched as Â鶹Æƽâ°æ entered its 333rd year.

Student Affairs recently presented three annual and semi-annual awards to outstanding professional and support staff. These awards honor Sophie Proctor, Harriet Kandell, and Rossie Coleman, for their dedication and service to our community.

Under the vibrant hues of fall foliage, costumed Â鶹Æƽâ°æ students filled the brick paths, ready to celebrate Halloween. The festivities continued all week as students traversed campus and the wider community. With ample opportunities for celebration, students shared their favorite activities from trick-or-treating to haunted houses.

During Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, The Haven marked 10 years of supporting students impacted by gender-based violence with a brunch open to the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ community. As a confidential, welcoming, and inclusive resource center, The Haven celebrated its community impact and honored their student volunteers—past and present.

This past weekend, campus was buzzing as over 5,600 parents, families and supporters brought warm, sunny weather to campus, breaking the week of overcast skies. Donning class-year buttons and plenty of green and gold, families filled the brick paths, ready to reconnect with students and experience campus life.

Panhellenic sorority recruitment at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ drew the largest number of participants in decades. 506 students were fully engaged in the process, and ultimately over 410 accepted a bid to join one of the university’s 10 Panhellenic chapters.

As students returned to campus this fall, Student Affairs launched Weeks of Welcome, a six-week event series designed to help both new and returning students connect, get involved, and feel at home on campus.

Student Affairs recently recognized two outstanding staff members with its semi-annual Chambers-Reid and Freeman Awards.

Â鶹Æƽâ°æ’s Success Coaching Program, managed by Academic Wellbeing, has been named the 2025 Outstanding Success Coaching Program of the Year by NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

For the 10th time since 2014, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education recognized Â鶹Æƽâ°æ as one of the Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs.

Â鶹Æƽâ°æ hosted 75 students from across the region at the annual Active Citizens Conference featuring student-led workshops on developing civic identity.