College of William and Mary

The College of William and Mary in Virginia is a public, liberal-arts university located in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 and named in honor of King William III and Queen Mary II, it is the second-oldest university in the United States (Harvard, founded in 1638, is the oldest). At the request of the House of Burgesses and the Reverend Dr. James Blair, the commissary (or representative) of the Church of England in Virginia, it was founded in the Virginia Colony in 1693 by royal charter issued by the monarchs of England.

Current leadership

On July 1, 2005, Gene R. Nichol formerly Dean and Burton Craige Professor of the Law School of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was sworn in as the College's 26th President, replacing Timothy J. Sullivan, who had held the post for 13 years before retiring. President Sullivan (Class of '66) was successful at increasing the College's profile as a public university; the College's endowment swelled to just under a half billion under his stewardship. Now, President Nichol is carrying that torch. Nichol recently introduced the Gateway William and Mary Program extending debt-free undergraduate education to outstanding applicants from underprivileged economic backgrounds.

Related Topics:
July 1 - 2005 - Gene R. Nichol - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Timothy J. Sullivan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The post of Chancellor has been important in the history of the College. Until 1776, the Chancellor was an English subject, usually the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Bishop of London, who served as the College?s advocate to the crown, while a colonial President oversaw the day-to-day activities of the Williamsburg campus. Following the Revolutionary War, George Washington was appointed as the first American chancellor; later President John Tyler held the post. In recent times, the College has been led by a distinguished succession of Chancellors: former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Warren E. Burger former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

Related Topics:
Chancellor - Archbishop of Canterbury - Bishop of London - John Tyler - Warren E. Burger - Margaret Thatcher - Henry Kissinger

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On October 4, 2005, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Sandra Day O'Connor replaced Henry Kissinger as the 23rd Chancellor of the College.http://www.wm.edu/news/index.php?id=5234&readMore=true Kissinger had previously stated that he would step down when the former president of the College, Timothy J. Sullivan, retired.

Related Topics:
October 4 - 2005 - Associate Justice of the Supreme Court - Sandra Day O'Connor - Henry Kissinger - Chancellor - Timothy J. Sullivan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~