Women's Initiatives

A Letter from the Director of Alumni Engagement and Inclusion Initiatives

In 1918, William & Mary opened its doors to 24 women students. Today, women students, parents, staff, faculty, friends and alumnae help shape the current and future of the university.

William & Mary women currently represent 54% of alumni and are inspiring, empowering and leading the world in all walks of life, personally and professionally. Yet women in our nation continue to earn less than men for the same jobs and are woefully underrepresented in leadership roles. Launched in 2016, the goal of women’s initiatives at William & Mary is to support the interests, standing and well-being of all W&M women — bringing all they have to offer to W&M and bringing all W&M has to offer to them.

In just five short years, W&M women’s initiatives have had a great impact:

• We have offered 150 W&M programs and events attracting over 13,000 registrations.
• The percentage of volunteer leaders on the over 20 boards across campus has grown from 34% to 50%.
• In 2018, we launched the Society of 1918 and established the Alumnae Initiatives Endowment (AIE). In the five years since AIE was created, we’ve grown women’s engagement, leadership and philanthropy, raising more than $5.5 million. There are now over 500 members of the Society!

And, did you know that women gave $551 million, which is over half of the $1 billion raised during our triumphant For the Bold campaign?

The early dreams of W&M’s women’s initiatives have reaped great benefit for all W&M women and for the university. You might ask, what is next? With significant underwriting and leadership by the members of the Society of 1918, here are our new goals that we are striving to achieve by 2028:

• Gather - Provide best-in-class programming for all W&M women, expanding personal and professional networks and engaging with the university’s educational programs, students and leaders.
• Grow - Increase total membership of the Society of 1918 to 1,000 women who are reflective of the diversity of W&M alumni and who, by virtue of their philanthropic commitment underwrite a wide range of funding needs on campus
• Give - Act as a catalyst and model for transformational giving by all W&M women and close the now 10% gap in average gift size between W&M women and men.

In line with the goal to gather and in great thanks to the underwriting of the AIE, we hosted our second W&M Women’s Weekend launched with a keynote speakre, Isabel Wilkerson, author of “Caste: The Origins of our Discontents.”  Our next Women's Weekend is slated for September 12-14, 2025!

We hope you will join us as we strive to meet our new goals by participating in W&M women events, raising your hand to volunteer at W&M and philanthropically supporting the university. Comprising over half of our alumni, the time, talents and treasure of W&M women are needed to assure that the Alma Mater of the Nation is a place where belonging is a realized value and, as a result, W&M thrives!

Valerie J. Cushman
Senior Director of Alumni Engagement and Inclusion Initiatives

Giving Opportunity

Alumnae Initiatives Endowment (4156)

As part of the effort to commemorate 100 years of coeducation, William & Mary established an endowment to support W&M women’s initiatives. Income from the endowment is used to enrich and expand current offerings that bring all W&M women together to strengthen their bonds with one another and with alma mater. Examples include the W&M Women’s Weekend, regional women’s events, virtual programs and membership scholarships to the Society of 1918.

Society of 1918

MISSION & VISION

The Society of 1918 is committed to growing women's engagement, leadership and philanthropy and to celebrating and honoring William & Mary women. Our vision is for William & Mary women to achieve a level of impact, influence and generosity commensurate with their majority representation in the alumni community.

Society of 1918 recognition is offered to all women who commit to support the Alumnae Initiatives Endowment. Recognition categories are as follows:

• Society of 1918 recognition is offered to all donors who contribute $10,000 over a 5-year period ($2,000/year or $167/month) with at least $2,000 the Alumnae Initiatives Endowment and the balance to any fund(s) of your choice.

• A special rate is offered for Young Guarde (alumnae who have or will graduate after 2013), faculty and staff of William & Mary, and active duty/veterans. They may join the society with a contribution of $5,000 over a 5-year period ($1,000/year or $84/month) with at least $1,000 committed to the Alumnae Initiatives Endowment.

• Graduating seniors, both undergraduate students and graduate students in their final year, are invited to join at a rate of $1,000 over a 5-year period ($200/year or $16.67/month) committed to the Alumnae Initiatives Endowment.

Membership is renewable after five years.