If two of the principle missions of higher education are teaching and preparing students for life after college, then Brier Anderson M.A.Ed. ’17 and Caroline Herath are linchpins in William & Mary’s wheel.

Anderson teaches the teachers; Herath helps students find meaningful careers.

They are winners of W&M’s spring 2025 Values in Action Awards and were recognized at Commencement on May 16. The awards recognize staff, faculty and student organizations whose exceptional service exemplifies William & Mary’s values: belonging, curiosity, excellence, flourishing, integrity, respect and service.

These awards, established by two anonymous donors and funded with private funds, are awarded in the fall and spring semesters, with individuals receiving $2,500 and student organizations $500 each.

Student organization award winners may be found on the Student Leadership Development website. Prior staff and faculty award winners may be found on the president’s website.

Brier Anderson M.A.Ed. ’17

Anderson, a senior instructional designer at W&M’s Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation, created a series of online courses that trained more than 100 instructors in its first semester. The asynchronous courses equip instructors with foundational teaching skills, including how to develop learning objectives and assessment strategies, create syllabi and navigate Blackboard.

“Brier’s work has elevated faculty development, promoting a culture of continuous improvement across the institution,” said Katalin Wargo, director of academic innovation and pedagogical partnership at STLI.

The idea for a series about the fundamentals of teaching had been kicked around for a while, but the push to make it happen occurred before the fall 2023 semester, when the university welcomed 63 new instructors with varying levels of classroom experience, from freshly minted Ph.D.s to postdocs to adjuncts.

“We support instructors in all areas of professional learning, but our team couldn’t consult individually with 63 instructors at the start of the academic year, support them on creating assignments, setting up Blackboard sites, as well as helping the rest of our 800-plus full-time faculty,” Anderson said.

Instead, she designed a short course, dubbed  College Teaching Essentials, which instructors could take at any time, on any device. “The point was to create resources to meet instructors where they are because they are so busy and there are so many demands on their time,” Anderson said.

In its inaugural semester, the program was a resounding success, resulting in increased instructor consultations, engaged graduate students and positive endorsements from faculty, deans and the provost. One hundred percent of surveyed participants praised its clarity and organization; 90% found it meaningful to their growth as educators.

The success of level one prompted the creation of  level two, focused on student engagement, and a third course on advanced instructional strategies, further expanding STLI’s influence on effective teaching at W&M.

“Her commitment to continuously improving instructional approaches and fostering a culture of effective teaching demonstrates her unwavering pursuit of excellence in faculty development and student success,” Wargo said. “When instructors make that vulnerable leap to ask for help with their teaching, Brier provides a safe space for them to share, reflect and grow. That is so essential to the work we do here!”

Anderson started at William & Mary in 2022, after more than 13 years as a high school English teacher and middle school reading specialist.

“My education and experience as a K-12 educator was focused primarily on teaching, but not every college-level instructor has a background in pedagogy. Often, teaching is not the focus for instructors on an academic track. They are disciplinary experts,” Anderson said. “Balancing the workload of a college instructor, including the demands of research, advising and service to the university, is challenging. My goal is to support instructors in their teaching.”

In addition to her instructional design efforts, Anderson has presented on inclusive teaching practices to faculty across the university and contributed to the Inclusive Teaching professional learning series. Brier also presents on using Blackboard Ally to ensure accessible digital learning for all students.

“Brier is a rare combination of brilliant, insightful, driven and compassionate — and still, somehow, she makes everyone around her feel at ease,” said Diana Theisinger, STLI’s digital & professional learning program manager. “It has been an honor to watch her evolve during her time at STLI. Brier brings the highest levels of excellence and integrity to every project she takes on. She is a tremendous asset to our team, to the university and to me personally — a human ray of sunshine.”

Caroline Herath

While the faculty works to produce high-quality graduates, Herath helps students prepare to find meaningful work. As director of business careers in William & Mary’s Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement, colleagues say Herath works tirelessly to find opportunities for William & Mary graduates and, importantly, ensures they are ready to succeed when presented with a chance.

“Caroline is the definition of a servant leader — her care for students, alumni and employer partners is evident in every interaction,” said Michael S. Ryan, the senior director of employer & alumni career engagement at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business. “She brings compassion and intentionality to her work, and her organizational skills are unmatched.”

Herath’s portfolio covers the gamut of internship- and job-seeking skills. She organizes career fairs, panel discussions and networking opportunities. She designs workshops on how to write a cover letter and resume or prepare for an interview. She keeps track of who’s hiring, researches employment trends and helps students find internships.

Colleagues say she does all this while also making everyone — students, faculty and staff — feel welcome and worthy, especially the students who come to her for help.

“She cares deeply about the student experience and uses that as her north star when making decisions,” said Terry Rice Hinders, associate dean of undergraduate business programs at the business s chool. “She has had a profound impact on how we orient pre-majors into the business school and has been a welcome source of patience, offering guidance to our seniors who are feeling the pain of the job search.”

She meticulously researches the best possible opportunities so students can stick the landing. One nominator wrote, “Even when she has a packed advising schedule, she’ll make time to meet students or to be an amazing thought partner to her team in the office.”

Herath says the work inspires her. “I really love working with students and helping them figure out who they are and what they want to do,” Herath said.

Good internships are highly competitive, and one of the things Herath keeps on top of is making sure students know what’s available and how soon they need to be ready to apply. There can be a long lead time for prime spots, she said. The thing that makes her happiest is helping a student find their way, even if it means taking a detour. One student who was struggling went to Herath for guidance. She suggested they “expand his reach,” widening the scope of what he might like to do and where he should look for opportunities.

“He had two job offers within the course of a week. That is so exciting to me,” she said. “I really celebrate that.”

Matthew Barrett, associate director of residential graduate programs at the business school, is most impressed by Herath’s attention to detail.

“When I am on campus with Caroline, students approach her to say hello,” he said. “She always remembers their name and information about them, which I find admirable. She also makes sure that alumni and employers who help with student panels or programming are recognized and thanked appropriately.”

Herath comes by her nurturing nature honestly. She grew up on a farm and she is a Virginia Master Naturalist, who in the past has shared her skills at local elementary schools. “I am always looking for opportunities to connect students with nature,” she said.

Ryan is proud to be the one who first hired Herath. “From day one, she brought a unique blend of thoughtfulness, professionalism and passion for service that has only grown throughout her time at William & Mary,” Ryan said. “Caroline continues to go above and beyond to elevate the career development experience for our undergraduate business school students. William & Mary is incredibly fortunate to have her, and this Values in Action award is so well-deserved.”