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 1^st 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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Classes have begun - and now the Class of 2024 has My First W&M Weekend to look forward to! From September 2 - 7, university departments and student organizations from across campus and within the community are hosting events to welcome students who are looking for their meaningful involvement! Then - as the semester moves along, students will have the opportunity to continue the conversations held over the course of their first year and focus on opportunities for personal growth and well-being. Topics include leadership, wellness, values, identity, academic and career exploration.

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 12: Suit Up Event at JCPenney (Newport News)

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)

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!