Parents Fund for William & Mary

RA Training and Integration Initiative

This initiative is designed to foster team cohesion and personal development among the Resident Assistant staff through intentional on-boarding and team integration. Resident Assistants dedicate over 80 hours towards training. This funding enables Residence Life to conduct interactive workshops and team-building activities so that RAs understand their roles and build a strong, supportive network amongst the student staff.

Student Leader Development

Funding provides opportunities for current Student Transition Engagement Program (STEP) student leaders – including new student orientation staff, initiative directors, welcome desk staff, and transition coaches – to engage in peer-educator programs that develop community and foster interpersonal relationships while also providing professional and personal development.

W&M First-Six-Weeks

Grounded in community development, undergraduate transition, and student engagement theories, this initiative to provide a structured, comprehensive programming for new students in their first six weeks on campus helps students integrate into university life after orientation has ended. This helps increase student persistence from semester one to semester two, from year one to year two ... and beyond.

Community Connections

Funding provides university-wide partnerships that support the overall student body and distinctive affinity groups, such as transfer students, non-traditional students, pathway programs, military students, limited income, global nomads, co-enrolled students, off-campus residents, and St Andrews Joint Degree Programme students.

Form-Your-Experience Traditions

Traditions at the start and end of the W&M student journey help to establish a student's undergraduate experience from Convocation to Commencement. Funding supports co-curricular and professional engagement milestones to be celebrated during years two and three of the student experience.

 

Professional Development Travel Fund

The Office of Career Development and Professional Engagement facilitates a number of trips and activities to help students explore career interests and competencies. Funds help to subsidize travel expenses for students who otherwise would be unable to participate due to financial cost.

Externship Travel Funds

Each year, more students express interest in career shadowing and apply for W&M’s award-winning externship program. The Parents Fund subsidizes student costs to travel for externship experiences over winter break.

 

 

Election Season Circles

These circles provide students a new venue for political engagement, focusing on community building, rather than debate or persuasion. Students learn how to build relationships in disagreement and navigate tension, proactively building a campus culture that supports one another post-election. Students have the choice to be with like-minded peers or with diverse political opinions. Funding provides meals for student participants.

Conflict Resolution & Education Start Up

Funding provides swag for the new office of Conflict Resolution & Education which provides services, support, and resources that empower students to navigate difficult conversations well and resolve issues productively. Materials will promote and direct students to available training, workshops, consultations, coaching, facilitated conversations and mediation.

Certified Student Accountability Specialists

Student Accountability & Restorative Practices is rooted in restorative justice, utilizing “Reflective Conversations” with students who have minor to moderate violations. Using Motivational Interviewing techniques, staff assist students in assessing how their actions impacted the community, themselves, and others, and develop mutually agreeable action plans to address the harm and restore community. Funding supports training and implementation of student-led “Reflective Conversations” to scale this resource up to meet demand. Additional funding is needed to support this program more sustainably in the future

The Haven Volunteer Training & Supplies

Funding supports The Haven's 2-day core training and continuing training so that peer confidential advocates can knowledgably provide crisis support and assistance to survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence. Supplies and resources such as books, journals, and other therapeutic items help with coping and ground skills while talking about difficult experiences and learning about university and community resources.

Graduate Assistant for The Haven

Funding provides a stipend for The Haven’s Graduate Assistant who is responsible for one-on-one support for survivors of gender-based violence, supervision and training of Peer Advocates, outreach and marketing, assistance with support groups, and many other day-to-day functions of the office.

Family Regional & Campus Events

Funding supports W&M family events across the country and on campus, such as early decision and summer new student and family welcome events, Family Orientation, Family Weekend and more.

AAA Honors Induction Ceremony

Funding supports the inaugural Alpha Alpha Alpha (AAA) First-Generation Honors Society Induction Ceremony at William & Mary. This event, held the Friday of Family Weekend, celebrates the academic achievements of first-generation students with a GPA of 3.2 or higher, and honors the families, alumni, and faculty and staff who support them.

First-Generation Senior Recognition and AAA Cording Ceremony

Funding will support a Commencement celebration and cording ceremony for members of Alpha Alpha Alpha First-Generation Honors Society.

First-Gen Week

Funding supports daily events during William & Mary’s campus celebration of National First-Generation Week, including a launch party and t-shirt, Griffin Mentorship Mixer, and a resource fair.

First-Gen Fridays

This weekly event is designed to engage first-generation students and campus partners by offering a space for students to connect, study, and participate in workshops that promote personal and professional development. Snacks and materials create a welcoming and inclusive environment that encourages regular participation.

First-Generation Breaking Barriers Summit

Together with the Society of 1918, the Parents Fund supports this half-day summit “Breaking Barriers: Empowering First-Generation Women Students through Career Connections” which includes a keynote speaker, panel discussion with notable first-gen W&M alumnae, and a networking session.

Cultural Graduation Celebrations

The Student Center for Inclusive Excellence hosts annual cultural and identity Commencement celebrations, including Ceremonia Raíces, Khatalampay, Donning of the Kente, and Lavender Graduation. Funding provides catered receptions for families and graduation stoles for students.

Social Justice and Cultural Education

The Student Center for Inclusive Excellence provides cultural immersion trips and guest speakers with a primary focus on Indigenous and African American cultures.

Campus Recreation Student Staff Development

Campus Recreation depends on over 200 students to assist in the operation of the Bee McLeod Recreation Center and the programming produced by IM sports, Fitness & Wellness, Aquatics, Sport Clubs, and the Tribe Adventure Program. Funding pays for student staff to earn certifications in group fitness, personal training, and other campus recreation programs.

Spring Break Outdoor Trip

Some students are not able to go home or travel on vacation during spring break – that’s where Campus Recreation comes in. Their new outdoor trip meets a need for students to find alternative, affordable spring break plans. Students apply for the trip by sharing why the experience will be meaningful for them, and evaluations indicate that the experience is life-changing for some. Funding keeps this spring adventure affordable and accessible to all.

After-Hours Mental Health Support

The Parents Fund and endowed support supplements the year-round 24/7 after-hours counseling available to students through ProtoCall. This service works in tandem with the Counseling Center to ensure students’ mental health needs are addressed.

Health Center Labs

Funding subsidizes the cost for Health Center labs, such as Rapid Streps, Monospot, CBC, Urinalysis, and Influenza. Funding defrays the cost of each student's visit and alleviates the stress of deciding whether or not to receive medical care.

Suicide Intervention Program

Funds support a research-based suicide intervention program for five students who are currently struggling with recurrent suicidality. The program is provided as a teletherapy service by Vita Health and was a success last year for our most vulnerable students.

Let’s Get Consenual

Funding supports resources such as shirts, stickers and cups to promote this sexual violence prevention campaign by encouraging students to practice consent in all settings.

FitWell Affinity Outreach & Support

Wellness professionals provide an array of preventative programs and services to students including Art Therapy, Mindfulness, and Yoga. Funding for outreach allows us to provide wellness professional services in areas such as Self-care Over Soothing (SOS), Health Coaching, and The Haven wellness programs. Support incorporates integrative therapies into our community and removes barriers to access for many who benefit from these services.

 

Undergraduate Summer Research

Funding supports four summer research stipends in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Humanities and Social Sciences Research Fair

Funds are used to showcase the research undertaken by students in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Co-Curricular Activities

Funding supports academic co-curricular activities such as student presentations at conferences and student work with faculty on research projects.

Parents Fund Scholarship

In 1998, the Parents Association – now called the Parent & Family Council – established this $2,000 scholarship to be awarded annually to a student who displays leadership that contributes to an enhanced sense of community at William & Mary.

Parent’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Advising

Presented annually to a faculty member during the Family Weekend opening session to recognize excellence in service as a faculty advisor. It includes a $1,000 research grant to the faculty member selected.

Student Life Neighborhood Block Party

Scheduled the first weekend students are on campus, this annual event showcases programs and resources in the Sadler Center, McLeod Tyler Wellness Center, Campus Living Center, and Cohen Career Center. It includes inflatables, a rock wall, t-shirts, giveaways, free food, music, interactive activities and more as a way to kick off the fall semester with great fun.

Alma Mater Productions (AMP) Major Speaker Sponsorship & Late-Night Funding

Funding supports AMP with major speaker sponsorship and late-night funding. Both serve the goal of diversifying options for students and provide more extensive programming. Funding supports the Charter Day Bash, a student-centered celebration that is always a huge success.

Hazing Prevention Consortium

Participation in the StopHazing.Org Hazing Prevention Consortium is intended to help participating universities develop, implement, and evaluate campus hazing prevention strategies. The goal of involvement is to develop an evidence-based response and framework that will support hazing prevention efforts at W&M. Membership also includes participation in the National Hazing Study and a site visit by a StopHazing.Org team.

Civic Leadership Summer Grants

Funding supports 15 Civic Leadership Program students for their summer community-engaged experience which includes internships and other projects.

GivePulse

This campus platform for community engagement connected more than 1,200 students, faculty and staff with more than 16,000 hours of service during the 2023-2024 academic year. Not only do students use this platform to register for service opportunities with community organizations, but university partners also use it to schedule volunteers for Convocation, Commencement, Athletics and more.

AmeriCorps Programming and Student Living Allowances

Civic and Community Engagement’s partnership with AmeriCorps will bring 38 trained and supervised volunteers to provide mentoring and tutoring, supporting social-emotional learning, school readiness, and passion-project-based learning to preschoolers and middle schoolers. Funding supports living stipends for 10hr/week volunteers, program supplies, background checks, event refreshments, and an end-of-year celebration.

Community Discussions

Planned by Williamsburg Engagement team leaders in Civic and Community Engagement, these events bring community experts to campus to share information about the work they do with organizations to address social issues. Community leaders help students connect their classroom learning with what they are learning in their community service work.

Student Professional Training

This half-day training for Resident Assistants, Orientation Aides, Student Unions & Engagement staff, and other significant student leader positions includes a motivational speaker, learning content, and serves as a way for Student Affairs to express gratitude for our student leaders’ hard work.

Campus-Community Liaisons

The Campus-Community Liaison program engages students to build and strengthen bridges between campus and the community organizations they are partnered with. This includes increasing partner presence on GivePulse, recruiting volunteers, connecting partner organizations to campus resources and departments (e.g. Athletics, student organizations), and supporting the relationship between W&M and the organizations. Students across W&M benefit by increased access to and information about service and community engagement opportunities. Students serving as liaisons gain professional skills in partnership development, communication, and technical assistance.

Civic & Community Engagement Graduate Assistant

Funding provides the stipend for a Graduate Assistant in Civic & Community Engagement. The GA increases workflow for the entire office and supports the management of community-based programs like Griffin School Partnerships and Branch Out Alternative Breaks.

TribeLink

This online engagement platform is the public directory of more than 500 recognized student organizations and portal for student events while providing organizational management for student groups.

Student Safety & Harm Reduction

A key finding from the RISE Fraternity & Sorority Program Strategy Development Report indicates that there are significant opportunities to support education and training aimed at student safety and harm reduction, particularly high-risk alcohol and drug use, sexual misconduct, and hazing prevention. Funding supports the development and implementation of such educational programming.

Fraternity & Sorority Councils

Funding supports programming and educational training for members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and Multicultural Greek Council (MGC).

Daily Grind Audio Visual Equipment

The Parents Fund previously funded the transformation of the Daily Grind into a multi-purpose space for students, causing an increase in use over the 2023-2024 academic year. Funding this year will support audio visual equipment, such as a large-screen monitor, speakers, cabling, and software so that individual students and student organizations can use the space for meetings and events.

Student Veteran Apparel

Funding provides t-shirts, hoodies, and hats for military and veteran students. Student veterans are so enthusiastic about this initiative that they will conduct a design contest for the merchandise.

One Tribe One Day Sno-to-Go

The Parents Fund sponsors the annual Sno-to-Go truck at the One Tribe One Day Carnival on the Sunken Garden. Free Sno-to-Go for all students!

Summer Connections Program

Student Accessibility Services hosts this Summer Connections Program as an opportunity for incoming students with disabilities to experience campus living and learn how to navigate campus before school begins. Students are mentored by staff and peers who provide tools and help identify resources that will assist as they transition from high school to W&M.

Student Advisory Committee

Facilitated by Student Accessibility Services, this new opportunity addresses the need for students with disabilities to be in community with one another. Funding supports several events during the year so students can meet each other and SAS staff, increasing visibility of resources that students may otherwise be unaware of.

Care Support Services Graduate Assistant

Funding provides the stipend for Care Support Services’ Graduate Assistant who amplifies the impact staff can have in working one-on-one with students in crisis. Care Support Services helps students through significant personal concerns, death or significant illness of a friend or family member, injury or hospitalization, resource insecurity (housing, food, etc.), and medical withdrawals.

Grief Care Packages

Care Support Services provides care packages for students who have lost a parent or significant other and for students in high-risk hospitalizations. The Parents Fund sponsored 55 grief care packages and cards for students during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Zen Room for Students

There are few places on a college campus where students can take a quiet moment, whether they need a private space to grieve, a location that models calm, or a place to silence the noise of a busy campus. Care Support Services has created a Zen Zone for our students, complete with soft lighting, sound machines, activities, and other vital resources to promote a sense of calm and assist in healing for those most in need. In addition, students will be able to reserve the space to have their virtual counseling appointments, allowing them to form stronger connections during their sessions and make the most of their time without fear of being overheard, interrupted, or judged.

Success Coaching

Success Coaching doubled from the 2022-2023 to the 2023-2024 academic year. This mentorship program provides students with the support they need to develop techniques and tools for success, navigate course and extracurricular demands, advocate for themselves, foster meaningful connections with campus representatives, and face the academic year with confidence. During the 2023-2024 academic year, Academic Wellbeing provided 798 hours of Success Coaching from graduate students in Arts & Sciences, the Mason School of Business, the School of Education, and the Law School. One of the goals for 2024-2025 is to hire coaches from the Batten School for Coastal & Marine Sciences. Despite a growing number of Success Coaches, there is still a waitlist for these in-demand mentoring opportunities. The Parents Fund ensures that Academic Wellbeing is able to offer necessary access to this critical program during the 2024-2025 academic year without leaving students waiting or unable to make use of the offering.

Academic Wellbeing Answers-On-the-Go

The goal of the Answers-On-the-Go program is to make Academic Wellbeing more accessible to our students by meeting them where they are: in high-traffic areas at high-traffic times of the day. Answers-On-the-Go will allow Academic Wellbeing staff members to be available in different areas of the university frequented by students – such as Miller Hall, the Sadler Center, and residence halls – to provide on-the-go answers to their questions regarding services and available resources. Assessment indicates that students in key populations such as those on academic warning, student veterans, and students of diverse backgrounds are more likely to engage with Academic Wellbeing through such informal settings compared to traditional, scheduled meetings.

Free Tutoring

The Parents Fund sponsors free tutoring for all students at William & Mary. During the 2023-2024 academic year, the TutorZone provided 7,270 free tutoring hours, serving nearly 1,100 students. That is a 23% increase in tutoring hours and 20% increase in students served from the previous year.