Annual Review and Accolades 2019

October 14, 2019
By Alumni Association Staff

Cheering with the Tribe at William & Mary Night at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

You don't have to be in Williamsburg to enjoy the best of William & Mary! From cheering with the Tribe at William & Mary Night at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., to touring tenements preserved from the 1870s in New York City, to enjoying a morning of apple picking, hayrides, cider doughnuts and farm animal visits in Boston, William & Mary Alumni Association’s Regional Networks had a great year with plenty of opportunities for connection!

The Annual Review and Accolades, now in its second year, recognizes and celebrates the efforts of these regional networks. They are a process for volunteer leaders in regional networks to reflect on the last year, celebrate successes and plan for the future — while sharing their great work with the alumni community.

In the Annual Review process, regional networks set goals, create their calendar and plan for the future. The Annual Review also provides Alumni Engagement staff and the network leadership teams insight as to how to best support W&M alumni, parents, family and friends in their regions.

The Accolades portion consists of 10 different awards. Thirteen regional networks applied this year for the awards, which recognize their vision, team leadership, campus connections and exemplary events. Seven of the 13 applicants won awards across the various Accolades, showcasing the strength of the Alumni Association’s Regional Networks.

There are two categories of Accolades: Overall Awards and Programming Excellence Awards. The three Overall Awards focused on the vision of the board, ability to connect to alma mater and highest percentage of giving by the volunteer leadership team.

The winners of the Overall Awards for 2019 are:

Award	Winner	Honorable Mentions
Strategic Vision	Boston	D.C. Metro Richmond
Campus Connector	Charleston	Chicago D.C. Metro
Leadership Giving	Charleston D.C. Metro Lower Northern Neck North Florida Society of 1918 Southwest Florida Triangle Williamsburg-Peninsula	Charlotte South Hampton Roads

The Programming Excellence Accolades are a means of recognizing and honoring the many hours that volunteers put into planning and executing regional events. They also recognize the diverse slate of events that the networks host to engage the many different alumni, parents, family and friends of William & Mary.

The winners of the Programming Excellence Awards for 2019 are:

Award	Winner	Honorable Mentions
Cultural	NYC	Boston Richmond
Educational	South Hampton Roads	Charlottesville D.C. Metro
Family	Boston	D.C. Metro Orlando
Partner	D.C. Metro	Chicago
Service	Philadelphia	D.C. Metro Orlando
Signature	D.C. Metro	Charlottesville South Hampton Roads
Unique	Colorado	South Hampton Roads Williamsburg-Peninsula

Some examples of the regional networks' award-winning programming:

W&M Philadelphia won the Service Programming Excellence Award for their Cradles to Crayons Service Day. Members of the Tribe and their families gathered to help assist children from birth to age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations. Alumni assembled outfit packs of essential items (including clothing, shoes, school supplies, books and toys) all tailored to each child’s age, gender and interests. Those involved felt it was a great opportunity to provide and demonstrate service to others.

The Educational Programming Excellence Award went to W&M South Hampton Roads for their Speaker Luncheon. W&M alumni, parents, family and friends gathered over a delicious lunch at the Town Point Club in Norfolk to hear historian John Millar M.A. ’81 deliver an entertaining lecture on the reason for the creation of the U.S. Navy: rum. Yes, rum!

“The William & Mary Alumni Association board was once again thrilled to see the dedication, thoughtfulness and commitment our regional network leaders as they provide engagement opportunities to W&M alumni, parents, family and friends throughout the country. Each year our regional networks grow stronger through these volunteer initiatives. We are also excited for our affinity and inclusion networks to participate in the ARA process in 2019-20 and beyond,” says Kirsten Shiroma Quackenbush ’05, William & Mary Alumni Association board member and chair, I-CARE (inclusion, career, affinity and regional engagement) board committee.