On October 28th, William & Mary held its first Raft Debate since 2019. In this intellectually stimulating and comedic event, three professors — each representing a different academic discipline — will argue for the survival of their field after an imaginary shipwreck. The lively debate strikes a balance between humor and scholarship as the professors seek to convince the audience that their discipline is essential for humanity’s future. However, only one will earn a place on the life raft and return to civilization. The beloved event originally took place from the 1960s through the 1980s. It was revitalized in 2002, becoming an annual campus tradition. In 2020, the Raft Debate was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it went on a 4 year hiatus.Read more about the debate here: https://www.wm.edu/as/news/2024-2025/the-return-of-the-raft-debate.php... ... ... William & Mary is a premier public research university, widely recognized for our outstanding academic reputation, beautiful campus and vibrant community. We produce experienced, engaged and successful graduates who lead lives of impact.Learn more at https://www.wm.edu Take a virtual campus tour, here: https://www.wm.edu/admission/virtualtour#williamandmaryMB01OAJ6Q0IT1DU

The son of a football coach, Sean McDermott '98 knew he was headed toward a similar path while playing at W&M. His years as a William & Mary undergrad, all-conference football player and later graduate assistant coach helped him develop the skills necessary for navigating the pressure cooker of NFL coaching, he says.The Buffalo Bills head coach credits William & Mary for sharpening traits critical to his success in coaching, such as professionalism, resiliency, a strong work ethic and a collaborative spirit. He also sees these traits in Joe Brady ’13, DJ Mangas ’12 and Christian Taylor ’07, all former W&M players and coaches he hired to join his staff in recent years.Read more in the 2024 Fall issue of the W&M Alumni Magazine: https://magazine.wm.edu/issue/2024-fall/buffalo-brotherhood.php... ... ... William & Mary is a premier public research university, widely recognized for our outstanding academic reputation, beautiful campus and vibrant community. We produce experienced, engaged and successful graduates who lead lives of impact.Learn more at https://www.wm.edu Take a virtual campus tour, here: https://www.wm.edu/admission/virtualtour#williamandmary MB01YWCYQJ6NRWC

Grace M. Dho ’23 was a biology and integrative conservation major at William & Mary. She is now a program assistant with the nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Trust. "I was really grateful that my scholarship with the year-long Conservation Research program allowed me to step outside of the campus and develop who I was as a conservationist, but also showed me what I really wanted to do moving forward with my career," she says.... ... ... William & Mary is a premier public research university, widely recognized for our outstanding academic reputation, beautiful campus and vibrant community. We produce experienced, engaged and successful graduates who lead lives of impact.Learn more at https://www.wm.edu Take a virtual campus tour, here: https://www.wm.edu/admission/virtualtour#williamandmaryMB01E7KWJ75YBFW

The William & Mary Scholars Undergraduate Research Experience (WMSURE) program supports W&M Scholars. Our faculty mentors promote strategies for academic success and undergraduate research.WMSURE provides support for all undergraduates who want to conduct research, facilitates networking with faculty and staff representing all departments and schools in the university, and provides workshops that help scholars achieve their highest potential.Learn more about the program at https://www.wm.edu/as/wmsure/.... ... ... William & Mary is a premier public research university, widely recognized for our outstanding academic reputation, beautiful campus and vibrant community. We produce experienced, engaged and successful graduates who lead lives of impact.Learn more at https://www.wm.edu Take a virtual campus tour, here: https://www.wm.edu/admission/virtualtour#williamandmaryMB011KSHRJ0MBRR

Sean McDermott's years as a William & Mary undergrad, all-conference football player and later graduate assistant coach helped him develop the skills necessary for navigating the pressure cooker of NFL coaching, he says. It’s a role he relishes, especially as it relates to the impact it has on his alma mater.McDermott credits William & Mary for sharpening traits critical to his success in coaching, such as professionalism, resiliency, a strong work ethic and a collaborative spirit. He also sees these traits in Joe Brady ’13, DJ Mangas ’12 and Christian Taylor ’07, all former W&M players and coaches he hired to join his staff in recent years.Read more in the fall edition of the W&M Alumni Magazine, available online on Oct. 14 at magazine.wm.edu. ... ... ... William & Mary is a premier public research university, widely recognized for our outstanding academic reputation, beautiful campus and vibrant community. We produce experienced, engaged and successful graduates who lead lives of impact.Learn more at https://www.wm.edu Take a virtual campus tour, here: https://www.wm.edu/admission/virtualtourMusic License: MB01BY9SFOZT13J#WilliamandMary