Engage
A civic start to your William & 玛丽 experience
Registration is first come first served.
"Before attending the trip, I was uncertain about my placement at William and 玛丽 and the Williamsburg community, but through service, teamwork, and laughter, I realized that I can make an impact through my school, my ideas, and hard work." -7G participant
Summer 2025: August 18-21
Engage is your opportunity to build and serve community at the start of your W&M experience. You'll join a team of other incoming students, led by upperclassmen student leaders, in a range of sustainability-focused community experiences, exploring Williamsburg and William & 玛丽.
Why should I participate?Engage is an opportunity to meet other incoming students interested in service, sustainability, and community, and to get an early introduction to William & 玛丽. You'll also learn about sustainability at William & 玛丽 and the broader Williamsburg community while participating in a range of civic experiences.
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How will we spend our time?Each day of the program you'll engage in direct service, issue education, and reflection related to sustainability in community, and you'll have opportunities to explore William & 玛丽 and Williamsburg. Every day is different, but here are a few of the experiences you might have with your Engage team.
In the evenings you might head down to Colonial Williamsburg for a community concert, enjoy a picnic dinner at College Creek, tackle a campus scavenger hunt, or stay in and watch a movie. |
Where will we stay and what will we eat?Each team stays together in campus ministry houses located near campus. You'll be sleeping on couches and floors, but indoors and with A/C! As a team, you'll also be preparing your meals in the house kitchens, so you'll get a chance to show off (or practice) your culinary skills. All food is provided by the program and team leaders have a menu (adjusted to fit dietary needs and preferences of participants) for each meal. A typical day's menu might include cereal or yogurt and granola for breakfast, sandwiches and fruit at lunch, and spaghetti with farmer's market tomato sauce or taco night. With a focus on sustainability all of our meals are vegetarian, with more adjustments made as necessary for participants. |
How much does it cost?The $150 registration fee includes food, housing and other trip materials. Payments are processed online. Engage is free to first generation and low-income students. A limited number of $75 scholarships are also available. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, please contact [[efmiller, Elizabeth Miller]]. Participants may cancel and receive a refund up to two weeks before the program begins. Registration, including the $150 fee, is managed through our online payment platform. |
When does the program start and end?Engage begins at 11 am on August 18 and concludes the afternoon of August 21, when participants will transition to their move-in and orientation process. Participating in Engage does not conflict with Orientation. |
What are other ways to get involved?If you're looking for a more sustained and engaged opportunity, learn more about our Civic Leadership Program, a year long academic and co-curricular experience focused on the skills of active citizenship. And you can always find upcoming community opportunities on W&M GivePulse, our campus platform for community engagement. |
Who can participate?Engage is open to deposited incoming students at William & 玛丽 who will be at least 18 years old as of the first day of the program. |
