2023 FAMILY NEWSLETTER
September 2021
Hello Class of 2023 Families!
Welcome to an exciting new year at William & Mary! We are Lin Chen P ’23 and Robin Lau P ’23 from Atherton, CA and we are excited to serve as your Class of 2023 Representatives. To all Virginia, out-of-state, and international families: we look forward to staying in touch with you through this monthly newsletter and sharing useful tips and information about upcoming programs.

As our students enjoy their semester at William & Mary, make sure to stay connected with Parent & Family Programs through the website, social media, and email. Our engaged and supportive presence in the community helps students flourish!

We want to call out a couple immediate ways to be involved. First, sign up by October 1st to host an externship during winter break – more info about that from the Cohen Career Center below. And, we hope to see you all on campus for Family Weekend, September 24-26. 

In the meantime, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out!

Sincerely,
Lin Chen P ’23 and Robin Lau P ’23
Register for Family Weekend 2021
September 24-26

You are invited to join us for Family Weekend 2021! We are excited to showcase the William & Mary community to you in new and innovative ways. Learn about world-class faculty and their work both in and out of the classroom, experience special performances from one of many talented student groups, and connect with families from across the nation.

Whether you are with your student or on your own, Family Weekend is a great opportunity to connect to the William & Mary community and we can’t wait to see you there!
Resources for You
Read the Supporting Your Student Blog!

This month, we partnered with the Cohen Career Center and Parent & Family Council to learn more about the internship and externship opportunities available to your students.
Parent & Family Calendar
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.
Parent & Family Resource Guide
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.
Gaining Experiences with the Cohen Career Center
The Cohen Career Center offers career development programs, services, connections, and resources, empowering students to achieve their career goals. We are available to all undergraduate students and graduate students in the Arts & Sciences, School of Education, & VIMS throughout their time at W&M, as well as three years after graduation. We encourage students to engage with our office early and often.

Join us on Tuesday, September 14 at 7 PM ET for a brief overview of our office, staff members, and events and programs we offer. We’ll also be sharing information about the internship & externship process.
Host An Externship Experience Over Winter Break!
William & Mary’s Externship Program invites parents, family members, and other employers to generate positive job shadowing experiences for students. An externship is a brief (1- or 2-day) job shadowing opportunity during Winter Break. Externships give students an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the fields they are considering and strengthen their professional networks.
 
Please consider hosting an extern – virtually or in person – this winter! The deadline to post an externship opportunity in TribeCareers is October 1. Contact Lisa Randolph at lrandolph@wm.edu for assistance or questions.
News from Around Campus
Opening Convocation 2021
Continuing a tradition that was re-inaugurated during the university's tercentenary in 1993, William & Mary begins each fall with our Opening Convocation to celebrate the start of the academic session. On the first day of fall classes, early in the evening, faculty, staff and students gather at the Sir Christopher Wren Building to signify the beginning of the academic year and to officially welcome all of our entering William & Mary students.

For Fall 2021, our current plan is to gather together in the Wren Yard on Wednesday, September 8 at 8:00 PM to welcome our newest community members and celebrate the presence of those students who joined our community during the 2020-2021 academic year. Read about updates to the event, including new keynote speaker, Judge John Charles Thomas HON ’18.
Study Abroad Fair
Is your student interested in studying abroad? The Global Education Office’s annual Study Abroad Fair will be held this year during W&M Family Weekend on Saturday, September 25 from 11:30am – 2:30pm. Learn more about study abroad and funding opportunities! Featuring: W&M faculty-led, sponsored, exchange, and third-party study abroad programs. Have questions? Visit our website for information on study abroad program options and informational workshops.
Indoor Mask Mandate Implemented Through End of September
William & Mary announced on August 9, 2021 that it will require masks indoors in public spaces through the end of September in part to allow time for those who need to receive their second vaccine dose by the Sept. 17 deadline. By Oct. 1, we will evaluate the need to continue wearing masks indoors based on guidance from public health officials and current data from our community.

Masks will not be required outdoors. They are recommended if you are in a large gathering outdoors. Vaccinated or not, if you feel a mask would afford you greater protection or help protect those around you, please do not hesitate to “mask up.” There are any number of reasons students, faculty or staff members may wear a mask over their nose and mouth some or all of the time on our campuses.
Post Office Changes
The William & Mary post office has converted to a virtual mailbox system. This means that your student will not have a physical mailbox to check. Instead, your student will receive an email notification anytime they receive mail, whether it is a letter or a package. One hour after receiving the email, they can come to the window with your Tribe ID to pick up their mail.

We are also planning to add our first three banks of parcel lockers during the fall semester to allow customers to pick up packages without waiting in line.
Upcoming Career Center Events
The month of September is very busy with recruiting events. Encourage your students to log into tribecareers.wm.edu to see when and where fairs will be taking place. Some of our event highlights include:

September 2: On-Campus Student Employment Fair, Sadler Center, 9:00 am to 11:00 am (in person)
September 8: Career Diversity Expo, 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm (virtual)
September 10: Meet the Firms, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm (virtual)
September 16 & 17: Fall Career and Internship Fair, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm (virtual)
September 24: Graduate and Professional School Fair, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm (virtual)
September 30: From DoG Street to Wall Street, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (hybrid)

The Cohen Career Center is also partnering with JCPenney in Newport News for Suit Up, a private shopping event for W&M students where they'll receive 30% off all professional clothing. Have your students save the date for Sunday, Sept. 12!
Did you know W&M does public history outside of Williamsburg?
William & Mary’s Highland is a historic site located outside Charlottesville, Virginia and most known as the home of W&M alumnus and 5th U.S. President, James Monroe. However, the site’s history does not begin or end with Monroe. Highland shares a multi-vocal narrative about the past, including the histories of marginalized communities, through its new exhibits, public education and community collaboration. In this work, Highland is proud to partner with a Council of Descendant Advisors, made up of individuals whose ancestors were enslaved at Highland. The site is open to the public daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and offers educational programs, history walking tours, and many other special events throughout the year. Admission to the site is free to W&M students, staff, and alumni. Interested in planning a visit or learning more about Highland? Visit our website and stay tuned for more announcements coming your way!
Auxiliary Services
W&M Dining
  • Students may change their meal plan online at mealplan.wm.edu through September 10
  • Information about dining operations such as hours of operation, menus, occupancy trackers and more can be found online at dining.wm.edu or the W&M App in the dining section.
  • The BiteU app allows students to place mobile orders, and view menus with nutritional & dietary information. Visit your app store to download
  • Follow wmdining on social media for the latest updates & special events
W&M Bookstore
  • Students may place textbook orders online at bookstore.wm.edu
  • The W&M Bookstore price matches with Amazon.com and BN.com (some restrictions apply)
  • In-stock orders may be picked up from Unity Hall (located in Campus Center) within two business days
  • Visit Unity Hall during Family Weekend and Homecoming to shop for your favorite spirit wear
  • The new location will open at 601 Prince George St this fall
  • Follow wmbookstore on social media for the latest updates
Transportation & Parking Services
  • The Bike Alliance looks forward to continuing group rides, cycling education and Mechanical Mondays this semester
  • WATA remains accessible for students simply by showing their Tribe Card
  • ZipCar remains an easy way for students to periodically travel beyond Williamsburg. View special W&M student rates online here.
  • Parking & Transportation operates van shuttle service to and from nearby airports for scheduled breaks in the academic year. For trips with high passenger counts, we work with our partners Oleta and James River Transportation to organize charter bus service. Visit Airport and Out of Town Travel for more info.
The Parents Fund
“This internship has been an incredible experience for me. I have learned not just about career advising and higher education, but also about being a professional and an active member of a team. I have been helping the Cohen Career Center run professional development programs such as Career Ready with Cohen and the Professional Development Academy. It is an amazing feeling to know I have been directly impacting students on their career paths. I am so thankful for the funding that allows me this opportunity. I am able to do something that I love while also helping the community that I love!”

-Cassandra Lis ’22
Integral to the William & Mary experience are opportunities to develop one’s career competencies. The Parents Fund supports many career development initiatives – like travel to externships and stipends for unpaid internships – so your students can achieve lifelong success.
 
Last winter, the Professional Development Academy provided conference style sessions covering personal branding, networking, adaptability and problem solving, offer review and negotiation, leadership, and professional communication, along with daily small group reflection and discussion. This program could not have been possible without the Parents Fund which supported a student intern who helped facilitate it.
 
Support the Parents Fund and make an impact on every student at William & Mary!
P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795