Hello friends, 

We began the 2025-2026 academic year on a high note after officially changing our name to the College of Arts & Sciences last summer. We took the opportunity to build on that momentum by updating our mission statement to better reflect our identity and purpose. Big changes often take time, so I'm proud of the progress we've made together on these strategic initiatives.

This Year in Review highlights a few of the achievements of faculty, staff and students across Arts & Sciences. There are many more. As I hope you'll see, your contributions played a critical role in our success.

Warmly,

Suzanne Raitt
Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
Chancellor Professor of English

This year, undergraduate and graduate students continued to learn, grow and thrive in the liberal arts and sciences. Here are some highlights across disciplines.

Russian Studies students and faculty support Ukraine through campus initiatives

Students in the Russian Studies and Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies programs show support for Ukraine all year long.

American Studies Ph.D. student Morgan Brittain was selected to receive the 2026 Henry Luce Foundation and the American Council of Learned Societies Dissertation Fellowship in American Art.

Celebrating the many paths to declaring a major

Students from across the university share their stories of discovery and purpose, reflecting on their journey to declaring a major during Declaration Week.

Stitching together creativity and community at W&M’s costume shop

The Theatre & Performance costume shop builds students’ costume-making skills while cultivating a community of theatre professionals.

Four W&M students win prestigious Goldwater Scholarship

Only twice in more than 30 years has W&M previously had four applicants selected for the award by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.

Through community, collaboration, and alumni engagement, William & Mary serves as a unique incubator for film and entertainment industry professionals.

W&M Ethics Club wins national championship, a first for the university

The William & Mary Ethics Club beat 36 undergraduate teams from across the country to take first in a competition of dimensional analysis and nuance.

W&M’s writing center nurtures community of support on campus

The Writing and Communication Center serves students across all disciplines with peer-led support, individual consultations, workshops and resources.

‘Building Bridges:’ Graduate Research Symposium reaches across disciplines

Graduate students and scholars gathered to share knowlege, celebrate innovation.

Carline ’26 delivers W&M’s first Churchill Scholarship

Kate Carline '26 is the first William & Mary student to win a Churchill Scholarship. She will enroll at Cambridge University this fall.

W&M students place in top tier of international trading challenge

Out of 616 teams participating in the CME Group University Trading Challenge, the W&M team ranked No. 36.

W&M students dive into research at Children’s National Hospital

W&M launched a new summer internship program with Children's National Hospital that gave students valuable research and clinical experience.

Student Research Ambassadors champion undergraduate research

The Charles Center’s Research Ambassadors program strives to make undergraduate research more accessible for all students.

W&M research teams wow General Assembly, spark dialogue

Six William & Mary undergraduates attended the second annual Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia showcase at the State Capitol.

W&M grad student awarded for cancer research through yeast model system

William & Mary biology master’s student Keegan Sweeney ‘26 wins award at cancer research conference.

Exploration Week inspires students to chart their academic journeys

The week of workshops and information sessions guided students as they explored the various majors offered by the College of Arts & Sciences.

Faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences continued to produce innovative research and scholarship that garnered prestigious accolades, while providing outstanding teaching and mentoring to students across disciplines. 

In addition to these highlights, read about this year's recently announced professorships and faculty awards.

Bringing fiction to life at the Faculty Research Forum

Brian Castleberry walks through the creative process behind his work, from initial ideas to fully realized characters.

The art and science of teaching

Faculty bring to life William & Mary’s No. 2 national ranking in undergraduate teaching among public universities.

The combined power of cutting-edge research and authentic connection

The 2026 Plumeri Awards for Faculty Excellence celebrate the achievements of W&M faculty and staff.

W&M faculty research leads to landmark Indigenous Language Symposium

Tribal members from across Virginia and the Eastern Seaboard gathered at the Muscarelle Museum of Art for William & Mary’s first Indigenous Language Symposium.

Math Professor Chi-Kwong Li honored with internationally prestigious awards

Two of the field’s highest honors recognize math professor Chi-Kwong Li's widespread contributions to linear algebra.

New year, new decisions

W&M professor of psychology Harvey Langholtz breaks down the science behind decision making in his most recent book.

Reimagining history with experimental opera

David Dominque pairs his expertise as a professional music composer with a bold creative vision in his teaching.

Faculty Research Forum highlights power of civil society in transitional justice

Kelebogile Zvobgo, Mansfield Associate Professor of Government, discussed how civil society groups worldwide are the main drivers of transitional justice.

What can yeast and fruit flies tell us about cancer?

Professors of biology Oliver Kerscher and Matthew Wawersik combined their expertise to study PINX1, a gene involved in cancer.

Misophonia Q&A: When noise becomes intolerable

Assistant professor of psychology Heather Hansen breaks down misconceptions about the rare disorder, and what people should now about how to address it.

Professor pioneers intersection of art and ecology

Professor Alan Braddock explores the intersection of art and ecology through cutting-edge scholarship at the intersection of art and the environment.

Inaugural Faculty Research Forum launches with history professor’s award-winning research

Brianna Nofil, assistant professor of history, shared research from her award-winning book “The Migrant’s Jail: An American History of Mass Incarceration.”

Devil’s Advocate tempts audience to victory at 2025 Raft Debate

Jonah Goldwater, assistant teaching professor of philsophy, won the crowd over as the Devil's Advocate at the 2025 Raft Debate.

W&M professor speaks at UN General Assembly event

Carrie Dolan, associate professor of health sciences, spoke at a high-level event called A Legacy of Healing: 25 Years of Impact, hosted by World Pediatrics.

Library of Congress collects photographic work of W&M professor

Twenty photographs created by Eliot Dudik, associate teaching professor of photography, have been acquired by the Library of Congress for its permanent collection.

W&M art professor earns prestigious recognition for her paintings

Art professor Nicole Santiago, who teaches life drawing, won a prestigious prize for her realistic figurative paintings in a national contest.

Selected from nominees across the university, recipients for the fall 2025 semester are both from Arts & Sciences: Shanay Butler, administrator and fiscal coordinator for the Department of English and Linguistics Program, and Paulina Carrion, teaching professor of Hispanic studies and Hispanic Language House advisor for the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. Butler and Carrion embody the university’s values of belonging, excellence, flourishing, integrity, respect and service.

2026 College of Arts & Sciences Gail Pascaris Award for Staff Excellence

Beth Chambers, Herbarium Curator in the Department of Biology, has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing the herbarium and botanical collections while expanding their impact across research, teaching, and community engagement. Her initiative in leading the digitization of more than 83,000 specimens has modernized access to these vital resources, and her dedication to mentoring students has created meaningful experiential learning opportunities. Beth’s professionalism, resourcefulness, and collaborative approach have made a lasting contribution to the College. 

Judy Slack, Administrative & Fiscal Coordinator at the Charles Center for Undergraduate Research, has become a cornerstone of the Charles Center, known for her proactive leadership, reliability, and commitment to student and faculty success. She has strengthened processes, enhanced communication, and expertly managed the honors program for a growing number of students with precision and care. Judy’s collaborative spirit and steady leadership — especially during periods of institutional change — have made her an indispensable partner across campus. 

As the CAS hub for undergraduate research experiences beyond the classroom and across disciplines, the Charles Center for Undergraduate Research continues to expand student access to transformative mentorship, internship, and applied learning initiatives. Director Elizabeth Harbron is co-leading the university’s multiyear Applied Learning for All initiative to facilitate cross-campus collaboration, data collection, and innovation.

Highlights include:

In addition to awarding 309 research grants for summer 2026, the Charles Center is supporting 44 internships, including experiences for:

Success Stories:

The world is a canvas: Katelyn Workman and the art of the outdoors

Katelyn Workman '27 has always loved the outdoors. With support from a Louis E. Catron Grant for Artistic Development through the Charles Center, Workman pursued studies in last summer's Summer Intensive School at the Mount Gretna School of Art in Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania.

Geology majors rock their research in diverse landscapes

Bridging gaps between human and natural histories, William & Mary geology majors are proving that undergraduate research “rocks” — literally. Marina Ashurkoff '26, a geology and English double major, examines quartz crystals found on burial grounds of the enslaved at James Madison's Montpelier.

This year, the Office of the Arts had an incredible presented season, bringing artists from around the world to campus and showcasing a wide range of genres and talents. With seven sold-out performances featuring acclaimed artists such as Whose Live Anyway?, multi-Grammy Award winner Béla Fleck, acrobatic group Noli Timere, and Tony, Oscar, and Grammy Award–winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, the Arts Quarter was busy all year long. Across all events, nearly 40,000 attendees engaged with the arts at William & Mary, reflecting a creative community that continues to grow and thrive. 

Advancement

From our first "Toast to the College of Arts & Sciences" tent at Homecoming to travels across the country, including multiple Yule Log celebrations, we spread the word of our outstanding CAS faculty, staff and students to our alumni, parents and friends. We were also pleased to welcome a new member to the advancement team this year, Jacob Miller '18!

One Tribe One Day 2026: A Record-Breaking Day for Arts & Sciences

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our community, CAS celebrated a record-breaking One Tribe One Day:

After 18 months of preparation involving hundreds of campus contributors, William & Mary successfully completed its SACSCOC decennial reaffirmation site visit. A nine-member peer review committee spent three intensive days evaluating key accreditation standards and, during the exit interview, commended W&M's transparency, rigor, and commitment to continuous improvement — indicating its intent to recommend full compliance to the SACSCOC Board of Trustees, which will take official action in December. Many thanks to all who helped achieve this tremendous outcome.

Accreditation

Academic Culture & Faculty Development

Tenure & Promotion

The Committee on Retention, Promotion and Tenure supported another robust group of candidates this year. 7 assistant professors were awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor, and 3 new hires were awarded tenure at the rank of associate professor. In the spring of 2026, 8 Associate Professors were promoted to full Professor.

Additionally, last year, 4 associate teaching professors and 1 teaching professor were granted promotions effective Aug. 10, 2026.

Many congratulations to these colleagues.

Hiring

In 2025-2026, departments and programs in the College of Arts & Sciences were authorized to recruit faculty for 18 full-time tenure eligible and teaching faculty positions: 12 tenure-eligible/tenured, and 6 teaching faculty.

An additional 17 searches were authorized
for limited-term visiting teaching faculty or teaching postdocs. CAS also hired 23 staff members across units over the academic year.

Thank you to those units as well as our faculty personnel services team.

As the 2026-2026 academic year draws to a close, we look forward to participating in W&M's strategic planning process, including developing our own plan for the College's next several years, and the launch of the next university campaign. 

Thank you for everything you do to advance the mission of William & Mary and the College of Arts & Sciences. The future is bright.