By Terri Zach ‘21 Mélange (mā-ˈlänj) is a fun word to say. We can thank the French for that, it’s a derivation of the word ‘mêler,’ which means ‘to mix.’ Geologists have co-opted the word and a geologic mélange is a mixture of strong and weak rocks that were mixed together during deformation, typically on or […]

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How do I tell the story of five Office of Community Engagement colleagues reading bell hooks’ Teaching to Transgress? I can tell you that the setting was a weekly Zoom discussion, sometimes infiltrated by the sounds of air conditioners and flashes of ‘UNSTABLE INTERNET CONNECTION.’ The story takes place in 2020 in the midst of a […]

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By Margaret Donnan ’22 My name is Margaret Donnan, and I spent my summer investigating the relationship between the longhorned milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) and the common milkweed plant (Asclepias syriaca). Common milkweed is an essential food source for the caterpillars of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). Unfortunately, there are immediate concerns about the decline in […]

The post Portable Greenhouses, Beetle Matchmaking, & Investigating Plant-Insect Relationships appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.

By Emma Schmidt ’21 This semester I am taking a class on the politics of Africa with Professor Phil Roessler, who was also the professor in charge of my GRI Summer Fellowship. On our first day of class, he asked us to share the first word that came to mind when we thought of Africa. […]

The post Gaining a New Lens for Colonialism through GRI’s Summer Fellows Program appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.

By Katie Spofford ’22 In spring 2020, William & Mary students again participated in Diplomacy Lab, “a public-private partnership that enables the State Department to ‘course-source’ research related to foreign policy challenges by harnessing the efforts of students and faculty experts at colleges and universities across the United States” (State Department). Under the direction of the […]

The post U.S. State Department, Reves Center, and GRI Bring the World to W&M and W&M to the World appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.

When Spring 20202 abruptly got cut short, I comforted in the fact that Fall 2020 would be better and back to normal. The threat of coronavirus would be a thing of the past, and I would return to worrying about what to wear to the next ball, which coffee shop to go to that day, […]

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By Grace Dho ’23 Every now and then, it is nice to trade out the old brick buildings on campus for an exotic glass haven. The William & Mary Greenhouse sits on the top of the Integrated Science Center (ISC), looking over Barksdale Field. This lovely glass structure is full of different types of plants. We […]

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By Emma Rebour ’21 When I first set foot on William & Mary’s campus in the fall of 2018, I had no idea what my experience at the university would entail. The only thing I knew for certain was that I was passionate about environmental science and wanted to get involved in any sustainability organization I […]

The post Climate Action Partnership with UVA for a 2030 Carbon Neutrality Goal appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.

By Sophie Pittaluga ’23 Sustainability is a vast concept used to describe anything from the environment, to development, to lifestyle habits, and more. Since the word is used so frequently, it can be difficult to give it a single definition. But ultimately, sustainability is built on the interactions between three elements: the environment, society, and […]

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By Cole Cochran ’22 If you’re like me and have always longed to inspire others about protecting the Earth, along with the people that inhabit it, then W&M Sustainability has a place for you. The Office of Sustainability gives students, faculty, and staff the ability to make a visible difference at William & Mary. Here’s […]

The post W&M Sustainability Gives Students the Reins on Change appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.

This post is jointly written by William & Mary bloggers Caroline Prout ’22 and Bryn DePaul ’22.  Getting involved at William & Mary and St Andrews is easy to do because there are many activities and clubs that cater to every kind of interest! People always recommend trying new things in college, and we definitely took […]

The post Collaborative Blog with Caroline and Bryn: Getting Involved and Trying New Things appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.

By Chris Hettwer ’21 One thing that I knew I wanted to become involved in as an incoming William & Mary freshman was student research. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to find a research lab that aligned with my interests, let alone get into a lab as a freshman. Upon looking into some […]

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By Lauren French ’22 While unheard of by a majority of students, not many initiatives show William & Mary’s campus-wide commitment to sustainability quite like the Green Fee. The Green Fee is a fund that was voted on unanimously by W&M students in 2008 and provides funding to a wide array of sustainability projects. All […]

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By Sophia Sabardine ’21 How will we stay connected with virtual outreach? Most student organizations are all too familiar with this daunting task that the fall semester is challenging us with. Interning with the W&M Office of Sustainability and being in charge of event planning has presented me with a challenge, but also with new […]

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By Maggie Manson ’22 When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and universities throughout the world had to transition to virtual learning, many students were faced with uncertainty regarding many aspects of their life, including their summer plans. I personally had intended to study abroad this summer in Amman, Jordan, where I would study Modern Standard Arabic. […]

The post Separate but Connected: Summer with the Global Research Institute appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.

By Sasan Faraj ’23 Going into this past summer, I didn’t know what to expect of it. Buildings were closed, internships were cancelled, and friends couldn’t see each other in groups. Going down what seemed like a pretty isolated path of staying at home, I was fortunate enough to gain a remote internship at AidData, […]

The post How a Virtual Summer Research Internship at GRI Fostered Community and Career Development appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.

By Ethan Harrison ’20 “Alright, Ethan you’re up!” — with those words, I (nervously) began to present the research I had worked on for the majority of my time at William & Mary. The usual suspects from the Global Research Institute were in the room, including Brad Parks of AidData and Prof. Philip Roessler of […]

The post A W&M Sophomore’s Experience Conducting Research in Tanzania Through GRI appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.

Are you in the Joint Degree Programme? Interested in studying abroad at St Andrews? I spent my most recent academic year attending St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. I loved it! Here are three things I recommend you do to experience Scotland and its traditions to the fullest. 1. Dance the evening away at a ceilidh […]

The post The Classic Scottish Experience appeared first on The William & Mary Blogs.