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  1. Psychology Department

    The Department of Psychology at William & Mary offered its first courses in 1888, after the reorganization of the College. The courses were taught under the Department of Moral Science, Political…
  2. Public Policy

    The goal of public policy education at William & Mary is to provide individuals with the intellectual tools needed to improve the quality of policymaking in the United States and abroad. Students…
  3. Queen of England Mary II

    Mary II (30 April 1662-28 December 1694); reigned as Queen of England and Ireland from 13 February 1689 until her death, and as Queen of Scotland (as Mary II of Scotland) from 11 April 1689 until her…
  4. Race Relations in Williamsburg

    Accounts of several race related incidents in Williamsburg from the early 1900s.
  5. Raft Debate

    The Raft Debate is an annual event at William & Mary. "During the event, three survivors of an imaginary shipwreck -- a scientist, a social scientist and a humanist -- achieve a delicate balance…
  6. Randall S. Hawthorne

    Randall S. (Randy) Hawthorne was a student at William & Mary from 1963 to 1967, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He went on to obtain his J.D. in 1970 and a M.L.T. in 1971, both from…
  7. Randolph Hall

    The construction of Randolph Hall, a men's dormitory, was featured in "The Romance and Renaissance of the College of William & Mary in Virginia" (1924). It was proposed to be the same size and…
  8. Randolph Residences

    Randolph Complex Constructed: 1980, 1988 Dedication: October 11, 1980 Fire: May 3, 2005 (in Preston Hall)
  9. Rankings

    1987 - US News ranked 22nd among "national universities" 1997 - US News - 6th among public universities 1997 - US News - 2nd in "quality education while spending relatively less" 1999 - US News - 6th…
  10. Rebecca Marie Dickhut

    Rebecca Marie Dickhut was a Past Faculty member at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Obituary Announcement From a Faculty and Staff Announcement Email from Provost Michael Halleran on…
  11. Rector of the Board of Visitors

    The Board of Visitors of William & Mary elect a Rector, Vice-Rector, and Secretary from its membership. The duties and responsibilities of the Rector are described in the board's by-laws.…
  12. Reetika Vazirani

    Reetika Gina Vazirani was born August 9, 1962 in Patiala, India. In 1967, her family moved to the United States and settled in Silver Spring, Maryland. After high school, Vazirani earned her bachelor…
  13. Religious Beliefs of Students

    This is an incomplete compilation of some of the religious beliefs of students at William & Mary. 19th Century 1865-1866 session: one Catholic and two Disciples of Christ students, while all…
  14. Religious Bodies in Williamsburg

    Religion played a central role in the lives of Williamsburg's residents of all colors. Nearly everyone belonged to one of the city's Protestant churches, which were largely segregated. Church…
  15. Relocation of the College

    There have been five times in its history when William & Mary faced a future bleak enough that attempts were made to relocate the institution. The first attempt occurred in 1792 when the College…
  16. Rene A. Henry

    Rene Henry was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1933 and his family moved to the Norfolk and Virginia Beach area in 1948. He graduated from Granby High School in Norfolk in 1951 and received an A…
  17. Reves Center

    The Wendy and Emery Reves Center for International Studies (then-Tyler Hall), 200 South Boundary Street, was built in 1916 across Jamestown Road from the main campus of William & Mary as a…
  18. Richard Bland College

    Richard Bland College of The College of William & Mary (or Richard Bland College or simply, RBC) is a public junior college with about 1,400 students located near Petersburg, Virginia. Named…
  19. Richard Blow (1746-1833)

    Richard Blow was a native of Southampton County, Va. He was born in 1746, the son of Samuel Blow and Martha Drew Blow. Richard Blow married Frances Wright in 1786. He owned "Tower Hill Plantation,"…
  20. Richard H. Yancey

    Richard H. Yancey was a student at William & Mary attending in 1790 according to the Provisional List of Alumni. References The Provisional List of Alumni External Links Rootsweb  
  21. Richard Lee Morton

    Richard Lee Morton was born on September 20, 1889 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. He received his B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College in 1910 and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.…
  22. Richard Terrick

    Richard Terrick served as Chancellor from 1764 to 1776, contributing to a stability in Chancellorship that had been mired by quick turnover in the preceding decade. Terrick held a position as Bishop…
  23. Richmond Professional Institute

    The Richmond School of Social Work and Public Health of the was established in 1917. In 1925 it became the Richmond Division of the College of William & Mary. In 1939 the division was known as…
  24. Rifle Club

    Rifle Club Material in the Special Collections Research Center Guide for conducting research related to the College of William & Mary References in the The Flat Hat, William & Mary News, and…
  25. Robert Beverley

    The following biographical sketch is not meant to be exhaustive but merely a brief genealogical sketch of the main contributors/creators of this collection. A more definitive source on the Beverly…
  26. Robert Boyle

    Robert Boyle was born on 27 January 1627, youngest son of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork by his second wife, Catherine. Boyle is connected to William & Mary via his estate which provided funds…
  27. Robert C. Nicholas

    Robert Carter Nicholas (1793 - December 24, 1857) was a United States Senator from Louisiana. Born in Hanover, Virginia, he served in the War of 1812 as a captain and major. He attended William…
  28. Robert F. Engs

    Robert F. Engs was a visiting professor in the Department of History at William & Mary. Obituary From a Faculty and Staff Announcement Email from Provost Michael Halleran on January 17, 2013: "I…
  29. Robert H. Tucker

    Robert Henry Tucker was a member of the Tucker-Coleman family and a member of the class of 1893 at the College of William & Mary. He also received a master's degree from the College in 1897.…
  30. Robert M. Garrett

    This collection contains material that starts with the marriage of Dr. Robert Major Garrett (1807-1885), to Susan Comfort Winder (1812-1878) and expands to include their families and their children.
  31. Robert M. Gates

    Robert M. Gates was the first alumnus of William & Mary to serve as chancellor in the modern era. "Robert M. Gates '65, L.H.D. '98, was named twenty-fourth Chancellor of the College by the…
  32. Robert Morton Hughes

    Robert Morton Hughes was an alumnus of  William & Mary (1870-1873) and also attended the University of Virginia Law School. He was the son of Robert William and Eliza M. (Johnston) Hughes. He…
  33. Robert Ould

    Robert Ould, chief of the bureau of exchange, was born January 31, 1820, at Georgetown, D.C. After a course of study in Jefferson college, Pennsylvania, he was graduated in letters at Columbia…
  34. Robert Pleasants (1722-1801)

    Robert Pleasants was born at "Curles," Henrico County, Virginia and lived there throughout his life. He was an active member of the Society of Friends. His brother Samuel Pleasants (1737-1807) was a…
  35. Robert Saunders (1805-1868)

    Robert Saunders was born on January 25, 1805 in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Saunders family had settled in Virginia in the 17th century and accumulated properties along the York River and in, and…
  36. Robert Tyler

    Robert Tyler, 1816-1877, was the son of President John Tyler. After he served as his father's private secretary in the White House, Robert settled in Philadelphia, where he became a leader in the…
  37. Rogers Hall

    Rogers Hall Constructed: 1973-1975 Renovations: 1979-1981, 2008-2009 Named for: William Barton Rogers
  38. Rough Ashler Club

    The Rough Ashler Club was a student organization at William & Mary in the 1920s. The organization was made up of both faculty and staff who were Freemasons. Some of the first members of the Rough…
  39. Roy R. Charles

    Roy R. Charles, College of William & Mary class of 1932, was a member of the Board of Visitors, and member of the Endowment Association, chairman of the Campaign for William & Mary, and the…
  40. Royal Charter

    William & Mary President James Blair brought both English and Latin versions of the twelve page Royal Charter establishing the college with him from the Court of William and Mary at Kensington…
  41. Rugby

    Rugby Material in the Special Collections Research Center Guide for conducting research related to the College of William & Mary References in the The Flat Hat, William & Mary News, and…
  42. Sadler Center

    Sadler Center Dedication: 1994 Previous Name: University Center Rededicated as the Sadler Center: 2008
  43. Samuel Henley

    Samuel Henley, born in 1745 in England, was ordained in the Church of England after being educated as a Dissenter. Henley was recruited to be Professor of Moral Philosophy at William & Mary (1770…
  44. Samuel Huntting Sayre, Jr.

    Samuel H. Sayre, Jr. was born in Hampton, Virginia, the son of Annie Woolsey Morris and Samuel H. Sayre, Sr. He is descended from Lewis Morris, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence. He served…
  45. Samuel K. Thompson

    Samuel K. Thompson was born circa 1846 in Ohio and died July 7, 1880. He lived and owned 160 acres in Kansas at the time of his death. Thompson was at one time married to Alice L. Thompson, but they…
  46. Sandra Day O'Connor

    Sandra Day O'Connor was the first woman nominated to serve on the US Supreme Court, a position she held from 1981 until 2006. In 2005, she became the chancellor of William & Mary.
  47. Sarah E. Campbell Sampson

    The daughter of Amanda M. and Joseph W. Campbell, Sarah E Campbell (ca 1824-1880), married Stephen E. Sampson (b. ca. 1813 in Goochland County). They had 11 children. They were Ella Virginia (ca.…
  48. Sarah Hammond

    Sarah Hammond was a visiting professor at William & Mary. Obituary Announcement From a Faculty and Staff Announcement Email from Provost Michael Halleran on November 30, 2011: "Dear Colleagues,…
  49. Sarah Ives Gore Child Care Center

    Sarah Ives Gore Child Care Center Constructed: 1992 Named for: Sarah Ives Gore
  50. Schmidt's Flowers & Accessories

    Schmidt's Flowers is the oldest flower shop in Williamsburg Virginia, established in 1939 founded by Joseph Schmidt.

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A note about the contents of this site

This website contains the best available information from known sources at the time it was written. Unfortunately, many of the early original records of William & Mary were destroyed by fires, military occupation, and the normal effects of time. The information in this website is not complete, and it changes as we continue to research and uncover new sources.