News Stories 2008

With a few snips, a small group of scientists and leaders at William and Mary cut through a gold ribbon at the Integrated Science Center Thursday night, beginning a new era of research at the College.

The Muscarelle Museum at the College of William & Mary kicks off the national tour of Dutch artists of the "Golden Age."

Biologists complete a new aerial bird census of the Panama coastline. They logged more than 490,000 waterbirds—many of them familiar migrants.

The university registrar's office was recognized in the trade publication "Successful Registrar" for its use of Facebook and instructional video.

There will be much more at stake than I-64 bragging rights when William & Mary and the University of Richmond face off Saturday -- the winner likely will receive a berth in the playoffs.

Deborah Bronk of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at the College of William and Mary will help decide that nation's strategy for carbon-cycle research.

More than 1,200 high school students from across the nation converged on William and Mary over the weekend for the 22nd Annual William & Mary High School Model United Nations Conference.

AIDS Tanzania, a student-founded and student-run international service organization at William & Mary, is bringing its message home.

Hopkins was one of seven contestants competing in the first "Dancing with the Stars of William and Mary" charity fundraiser on Tuesday, Nov. 11. The event, organized by the Ballroom Dancing Club, offered the grand prize winner a portion of the money raised through ticket sales to donate to the charity of their choice.

William and Mary service leaders Meghan Dunne and Devin Oller agree there is something special about the culture of service at William and Mary.

The Committee on Sustainability at the College of William and Mary has awarded the first round of projects for a greener campus.

The Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations issued an independent task force report on the Ministry of Interior in Iraq Nov. 14.

The College of William and Mary was featured in primetime as part of a documentary on PBS regarding the visit of Queen Elizabeth to the United States.

The College of William and Mary's Information Technology recently received two awards from Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group for University and College Computing Services.

More than 400 general and special education teachers and administrators from across the Commonwealth recently converged upon the Williamsburg Marriott to participate in the 19th Annual Symposium on Professional Collaboration and Inclusive Education.

Legum Professor of History Scott Nelson’s children’s book, “Ain’t Nothin but a Man” was recognized in October by the American Folklore Society’s (AFS) 2008 Aesop Award.

The Earl Gregg Swem Library at the College of William and Mary no longer is constrained by traditional conceptions.

After extending its winning streak to five games with a 38-17 victory against Northeastern last weekend, the William & Mary football team continued to move up in the national polls. The Tribe is ranked 12th in the latest Sports Network FCS Poll and 15th in the FCS Coaches Poll. Last week, the Tribe was ranked 14th in the Sports Network Poll and 16th in the Coaches Poll.

The College of William and Mary recognized Veterans Day with a variety of events and observances this week, including the tolling of the Wren Bell today.

John Graves, a professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, has been named to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee of the Department of Commerce.

William & Mary Law School announces the creation of a new Veterans Benefits Clinic.

George Srour ('05), who visited his alma mater recently, is just one of several recent William and Mary alumni who have gone on to create their own nonprofit and service organizations.

Marin Hoplamazian (09)received a $2,500 research scholarship from the Virginia Community Criminal Justice Association to study victim-offender mediation programs in the state.

Homecoming weekend Oct. 23-26 was a success at every measure, said Karen Cottrell, executive vice president for the William and Mary Alumni Association. Thousands of alumni returned to Williamsburg to visit with old and new friends and attended a full lineup of events.

For the second time this school year, William and Mary was recognized before a national audience watching Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."

The Marine Technology Society bestowed its Lockheed Martin Award for Ocean Science and Engineering on VIMS associate professor Mark Patterson.

The vice provost for research at the College discusses his vision for research, the academic progression of students and the fact that "there are no excuses in the big leagues."

After extending its winning streak to four games with a 34-14 victory at Towson last weekend, the William and Mary football team continued to move up in the national polls. The Tribe is ranked 14th in the latest Sports Network FCS Poll and 16th in the FCS Coaches Poll. Last week, the Tribe was ranked 16th in the Sports Network Poll and 19th in the Coaches Poll.

Buoyed by that local enthusiasm -- and registration of William and Mary students -- Williamsburg has the highest percentage of new registered voters in Virginia this year, according to recent report by the State Board of Elections.

W&M Law Students will operate a voter assistance hotline on Election Day aimed at responding to difficulties students and community members face at the polls. This non-partisan hotline will be operated by student members of the school's Election Law Society (ELS).

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller spoke on campus Oct. 31 about the FBI in the age after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

PLAID researchers spend the summer--along with the rest of the year--updating development data.

The College of William and Mary recently received nearly $2 million in grants to help prepare students to become science and math teachers in high-needs schools.

The College of William and Mary remains one of the country's best values in public colleges, according to the latest ranking by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine. In its annual report, William & Mary ranks fifth among the magazine’s top 100 public universities that combine "outstanding economic value with top-notch education."

U.S. Senator Bob Bennett spoke Oct. 28 at the William & Mary Law School about the creation, negotiation and passage of the Financial Rescue Package.

William and Mary President W. Taylor Reveley III and Vice President for Finance Sam Jones hosted a campus forum Wednesday on pending reductions in state budget dollars. More than 150 faculty, staff and students attended the forum at the College's Sadler Center.

Ten cadets from the William and Mary's ROTC program recently competed in the 2008 4th Brigade, Eastern Region Ranger Challenge Competition at Fort Pickett, Va., between Oct. 24 and 26.

Faculty and staff members at the College of William and Mary are being asked to open their hearts - and their wallets - to help people in need through the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign. The annual fundraising campaign, which is held among state employees, began Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 15.

Three William and Mary professors not developed and choreographed the pieces in the upcoming Dancevent program, but they also perform in them alongside members of Orchesis and guest performers.

The Executive MBA program at the Mason School of Business has been named one of the best programs in the world by 'Financial Times.'

Out of context features faculty members from the College of William and Mary who are quoted in the national and international media.

John Marshall Professor of Government Ron Rapoport talks about the 2008 Presidential Race in days leading up to election.

The Alumni Association hosted an academic symposium at the Sadler Center on Oct. 24, including a session that examined the College's traditions and another that featured senior administrators briefing alumni on the College's current and future goals.

Thousands of William and Mary alumni and students gathered in Williamsburg between Oct. 23 and 26 for the College's annual Homecoming weekend.

A study led by VIMS researchers is the first to demonstrate that striped bass in the Chesapeake are succumbing to mycobacteriosis.

William and Mary received a $2.5 million gift to support the Earl Gregg Swem and a future library facility for the Mason School of Business.

During Homecoming 2008, which takes place Oct. 23-26, nine classes from 1963 to 2003 will gather on campus for their class reunions. The Class of 1959 will return in spring 2009 in celebration of their 50th Reunion. In addition to reconnecting with classmates, the reunion classes pull together for another reason: making a difference for the College.

The College of William and Mary's University Center Activities Board (UCAB) recently beat out over 50 other schools to win the Board of Excellence award at the National Association for Campus Activities South Conference.

During his 50-year career, Dr. William Hargis served VIMS as director, graduate dean, research scientist, mentor and friend.

Paul Davies, associate professor of philosophy, suggests that advances in neuroscience and psychology call into question the existence of free will.

The Wendy & Emery Reves Center for International Studies at the College of William and Mary will host a Global Forum Nov. 9, 2008 at the Williamsburg Lodge. The featured speaker will be Ambassador (ret.) Thomas R. Pickering who will address "The Next President: Foreign Policy Challenges and Opportunities." Tickets are required.

The College of William and Mary athletics department again ranked among the national leaders in graduating student-athletes, with 12 teams graduating 100% of their participants who enrolled between 1998 and 2001.

The current financial crisis gripping the United States and other nations will be severe but not reach proportions of the Great Depression, according to faculty experts at the College.

Students at William and Mary are serving the community in increasingly greater numbers. On Oct. 18, they will again prove that trend by participating in the annual Make a Difference Day.

History professor Scott R. Nelson was one of several W&M faculty members sought by the media for comment on the ongoing U.S. economic crisis.

Four William and Mary faculty members will address issues surrounding the current U.S. financial crisis in a forum on Oct. 15.

A panel discussion by W&M faculty on the fiscal crisis will be broadcast live via web stream at http://www.wm.edu/forum on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.

A special half-time ceremony is planned for women's head soccer coach John Daly during the Oct. 14 match against UNC.

The cupola was lifted in place on Miller Hall, future home of the Mason School of Business, on Oct. 10.

Four William and Mary faculty members will address issues surrounding the current financial crisis in a forum on Oct. 15.

William and Mary Theatre worked to bring the musical comedy "Damn Yankees" to life.

Family Weekend, held Oct. 3-5, opened with the President's Welcome Reception in the Wren Yard. The event boasted food, drinks and dozens of families that ducked in and out of the Wren building and the President's House for tours.

The School of Education is hosting its first annual Day for Prospective Students on Oct. 10 from 2 to 7 p.m. in the Sadler Center's Tidewater A room.

This year's Homecoming will be different for Sam Sadler ('64, M.Ed. '71) and Mary Liz Smith Sadler ('65). This trip down Duke of Gloucester Street will be one perhaps of relaxation, remembrance and revelry for Sam, because for the first time in 41 years, he won't be calling the shots. On June 30, Sam retired from the place he has worked for and loved for so long.

The College of William and Mary will host a forum, "Understanding the Current Financial: A Panel Discussion by William and Mary Faculty," Oct. 15, 2008 at 6 p.m. at the auditorium in the William and Mary Office of Admission.

Biosensors and other nanotech applications may hinge on gold-carbon films only a few atoms thick created by César Clavero and Ale Lukaszew.

The Devil's Advocate was named the winner of this year's Raft Debate, which challenged respresentatives from humanities, social sciences, and natural and computational sciences to defend their respective disciplines.

The Dominion Foundation has granted $350,000 to The Mason School of Business to underwrite a 60-seat classroom.

A committee of faculty, staff and students will steer what will become an annual strategic planning process for the College of William and Mary.

The College of William and Mary is launching a new initiative to address the challenge of environmental sustainability in a more comprehensive way.

William and Mary employees gave robust applause to several aspects of the College's new University Human Resources System during an opening presentation on the program.

The Seven Sociey, Order of the Crown and Dagger, recently placed a plaque in the Sadler Center to recognize the College's former vice president for student affairs.

The Institute of Bill of Rights Law at the William and Mary Law School hosts its 21st Annual Supreme Court Preview Sept. 26-27, 2008.

Three William and Mary professors are getting ready to duke it out in a battle of words, wits and cheap tricks during the annual Raft Debate, scheduled for Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Sadler Center.

The College continues to be recognized for progress in the area of environmental sustainability.

The College of William and Mary will roll out its University Human Resources System Oct. 1 holding forums on both the main and VIMS campuses.

William and Mary faculty are contributing to the Encyclopedia of Earth, which is described as "like Wikipedia with quality control."

A new video shows prospective students how diverse life can be at the College of William and Mary.

William and Mary Young Democrats sponsored a town hall meeting about the 2008 Presidential Election featuring Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Hundreds of William and Mary students, faculty, staff and alumni took to the Duke of Gloucester Street this morning to show their Tribe Pride on NBC's "Today" show.

Provost P. Geoffrey Feiss will retire at the end of June 2009 after serving William and Mary as a senior administrator for more than a decade.

Policy makers discussed how implementation of electronic health records could impact healthcare reform in Virginia.

NBC's Today show will broadcast live from Colonial Williamsburg on Sept. 24 from 7 a.m. until 9 a.m.

The Office of Undergraduate Admission has found a unique way to inspire prospective students as they fill out their College application form.

PLAID, an interdisciplinary program at the College of William and Mary, will receive nearly $2 million in grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

William and Mary students participated in the College's first combination service-learning, study-abroad trip to South Africa this summer.

The William and Mary Law School introduced a new program in comparative legal studies and post-conflict justice in the fall 2008 term.

Ravi Gupta, professor of religious studies at the College, thought it was a prank when he was first asked to meet the Pope.

William and Mary's theoretical physicists are anticipating the arrival of data that just may prove them wrong.

When marketing professor Don Rahtz returned to Cambodia with three students this summer, the objectives were personal.

William and Mary Police officers assisted in pursuit of a carjacking suspect who had already fired upon police.

Meghan Dunne ('09) received a 2008 President's Award for Service to the Community.

William and Mary chemist William Starnes is a member of the inaugural class of the Southwest Virginia Walk of Fame.

The College of William and Mary marked the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks today in a variety of ways.

Professor Dennis Taylor was recently awarded with one of the 2008 President's Awards for Service to the Community.

The award-winning marching band from Norfolk State University will perform during halftime ceremonies when the Tribe hosts the Spartans on Sept. 20.

Winnie, the record-setting shorebird that surprised researchers with her long-distance flights, is down.

Acclaimed composer and pops artist Marvin Hamlisch will kick off William and Mary's Lively Arts Series with a performance on Friday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. in Phi Beta Kappa Hall.

W. Taylor Reveley was sworn in as the 27th president of the College of William and Mary during a ceremony in the Wren Building.

The Board of Visitors of the College of William and Mary announced the appointment of its 27th president.

W. Taylor Reveley III named William and Mary's 27th president.

Bruce Bracken, a school psychologist and professor of educational foundations at the College of William and Mary, was recently awarded charter fellow status by the American Educational Research Association.

Mercury pollution is the subject of one of the first sustained Global Inquiry Groups at the College of William and Mary.

Interim President Taylor Reveley challenged new students toward moving William and Mary toward increased sustainability during his Opening Convocation remarks.

When associate professor of history Scott Nelson met rock star Bruce Springsteen backstage prior to a concert, their conversation reflected a chat between history buffs.

JP Morgan executive Rhian Horgan will speak at the annual Opening Convocation ceremony on Aug. 29.

Now a few select students can spend the summer getting a head start on honors thesis research

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine asked Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show, to recall his alma mater, The College of William and Mary, during a national telecast of the comedy show.

About 200 students spent Aug. 26 conducting service projects throughout the area as a part of the second annual Students Helping Out Williamsburg (SHOW) Day.

Ginger Ambler is gearing up to welcome W&M's students back to campus much like she has every other August for the last 17 years. But this time, she'll be doing it all with a new title.

The William and Mary internship at U.S. headquarters in Brussels for NATO is a unique opportunity for undergraduates at a unique time in history, according to Mitchell Reiss.

The College of William and Mary moved up to number 32 overall in the national rankings, according to U.S. News.

Plastic storage boxes, mirrors, TVs and bicycles covered the grounds as the incoming class of freshmen prepared to occupy their dorms at William and Mary.

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine visited the Integrated Science Center at the College of William and Mary as part of his Cabinet Community Day.

The College of William and Mary is welcoming one of its best, brightest and most accomplished groups of new students.

Eleven recent graduates of the College of William and Mary have been selected to receive Fulbright U.S. student or Austrian government scholarships.

Bruce Bracken, a school psychologist and professor of educational foundations at the College, has been recognized by the American Psychological Association.

For the second time in less than a month, Forbes magazine has recognized William and Mary as a top institution of higher education.

William and Mary anthropologist Barbara King has refuted what she calls the mischaracterization of apes in The Washington Post.

A global study led by Robert Diaz of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at William and Mary shows the number of dead zones in the ocean have increased by a third since 1995.

Some people go into a lab, look at the work in progress, and ask, "What is it good for?"

Two William and Mary alumni will play prominent roles in the Commonwealth of Virginia's finance and budget process, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has announced.

A story featuring a William and Mary chemist's work with highly colored molecules has been featured on the LiveScience web site, in cooperation with the National Science Foundation.

Actress Jodie Foster sported a William and Mary T-shirt in her 2008 feature film "Nim's Island."

William and Mary Interim President W. Taylor Reveley III will chair the Williamsburg First Night 2009 celebration.

Ah, fixed lifetime annuities. They're the sure thing: A check every month until you die. No matter what the market is doing - bull, bear or pig in a tutu - you're going to get paid.

Governor Timothy M. Kaine has announced that Colin G. Campbell, Timothy P. Dunn and Robert E. Scott will serve as members of William and Mary's Board of Visitors.

Randy Coleman, associate professor of chemistry, has been recognized by Campus Technology Magazine.

William and Mary launched its new Web site on July 31, 2008. Users will be treated to more photography, easier navigation and an overall friendlier experience.

So how do you put your best face forward when the audience is constantly changing?

Chris Ladnier, a mainstay in the Office of Student Affairs, serves part-time with the campus Police Department.

The College of William and Mary's libraries are among the best in the country, according to the latest rankings from the Princeton Review.

The Early Music Ensemble, which performs medieval, renaissance and baroque music, released its first CD.

Psychology professor Danielle Dallaire helps to assess a community program designed to help inprisoned parents build better relationships with their families.

Roshan Patel may not be the king of beasts, but he seems to have found his place in the circle of life.

William and Mary professor Martin Fusi and one of his students produce a feature film on the campus.

Professors who are retiring from the College this summer plan to remain as busy as ever.

Audio feature: Barbara King talks about the scholarship behind her book 'Evolving God.'

Taylor Reveley, interim president of William and Mary, served as co-director of the news-making National War Powers Commission.

Mitchell Reiss, vice provost for international affairs at the College of William and Mary, talks about the challenges of international negotiations.

A summer tradition in the chemistry department at the College involves making laboratory ice cream.

Ben Bolger, who joins the College faculty as a visiting professor of sociology, has overcome dyslexia.

The spirit of service at the College of William and Mary continued to thrive during the 2007-2008 academic year as students engaged in a variety of service projects around the world.

Staff members at the College of William and Mary took center stage during the annual Employee Appreciation Day festivities.

Students in professor Larry Evans government class created their own campaign commercials.