2020 Service Awards

Dane Fischer joined William & Mary in April 2019 as the 31st head coach in W&M Men’s Basketball history. Considered as a rising star in the coaching world, he served as the top assistant coach at George Mason and previously led Williams, Rider and Bucknell to conference success.

Hitting the ground running, Fischer inspired and energized players, alumni and fans from day one with high standards of excellence and deep commitment to William & Mary values. He created an atmosphere where players not only felt like they were family to each other but part of his family as well, coming over for dinner and getting to know his wife and kids. On the court, his strategy and drive combined with his joy in the game motivate the team to perform at their best.

His dedication to his players helped them succeed as a team as well as individually. He led the team to their best regular-season win total since 1950 and record-tying conference and road wins, all in his first season. For the first time, William & Mary placed two players on the CAA All-Defensive Team, including Nathan Knight ’20, who was also named the Overall CAA Player of the Year — just the second player in the league’s history to earn both honors in the same year.

“Playing for Coach Fischer was a very rewarding experience. He’s a brilliant basketball mind. The relationship I was able to develop with Fischer was almost immediate … Very seldom do you have a coach who can build relationships like that with all his players,” says Knight.

“Aside from the success we had this year, aside from the accolades we were able to get this year, the reason why I think Coach is so deserving of Coach of the Year is who he is as a person … he incorporated a family environment for our team and created an atmosphere for success.”

Ann Marie Stock is a beloved professor, colleague and leader at William & Mary. She is instrumental in engaging alumni and the entire W&M community with each other and the university through unique programming. She is always willing to do whatever she can to help, whether it be attending an Olde Guarde Council meeting or brainstorming ideas for a new program. She has even led Alumni Journeys to Cuba, sharing her research and insights into Cuban culture with alumni and friends to rave reviews.

She is an enthusiastic and committed partner to the W&M Alumni Association and University Advancement, helping find the most meaningful stories about faculty and student success at William & Mary to share with their audiences. Faculty speakers Stock identifies are often highlighted during signature events like Traditions Weekend, Charter Day and Homecoming & Reunion Weekend to share their unique perspectives and research.

She also chaired the campus programming committee for the 100th commemoration of coeducation at William & Mary and was also instrumental in the 50th commemoration of African American students in residence. Her commitment to helping showcase the best of William & Mary and provide top-quality programming allows the Alumni Association to provide world-class engagement for alumni and friends.

“Ann Marie Stock is one in a million. She cares deeply about William & Mary and pours her heart and soul into our institution. She personifies what it means to think holistically about William & Mary and the ways we can all collaborate for good. She’s forged connections between students, faculty and alumni, from Swem Library to Cuba, that didn’t exist before,” says Board of Visitors member Doug Bunch ’02, J.D. ’06. “William & Mary is a stronger institution because of Ann Marie and we’re all better people because of her.”

Ben Boone exudes W&M pride and is dedicated to William & Mary’s value of belonging. Aided by his gregarious and warm personality, he works to ensure everyone in the W&M community feels welcome and respected.

He led the Williamsburg-Peninsula Alumni Chapter for seven years as its president, implementing new traditions like the Grand Illumination Watch Party at Zable Stadium and Tribe Thursdays, which rotate between local establishments and engage different W&M departments, faculty and staff as special guests. He has attended more than 200 alumni engagement events since graduating and is always an active participant. He also serves W&M in a professional capacity as associate director of William & Mary’s Center for the Liberal Arts. Generous with time, talent and treasure, Boone has given to the university every year since his time as a Senior Class Gift Committee member as a student. As a class ambassador, he encourages others to connect and give back as well.

Boone is also active in the W&M LGBTQ+ alumni community. As a leader of LGBTQ+ Alumni, formerly known as W&M GALA, he was instrumental in guiding their approval as an official Alumni Association affinity group. He shared his insights and vision for LGBTQ+ alumni as part of the W&M Alumni Association’s Inclusion Leadership Circles and continues to play an active role in the WMAA’s ongoing affinity and identity efforts.

“It was a pleasure working with Ben during his terms as president of the Williamsburg-Peninsula Alumni Chapter,” says Barb Ramsey ’75, City of Williamsburg council member and fellow class ambassador. “His selfless devotion to the chapter and local alumni make him very deserving of this award.”

After decades of exceptional service to the Chicago Alumni Chapter, Ronnee and Jim Taylor have become synonymous with W&M in the Lower Northern Neck of Virginia. As chapter president and vice president, they have worked tirelessly to engage and expand the region’s chapter — planning events, spearheading communications and actively reaching out to connect young and not-so-young alumni in the area. Their recent alumni dinner featuring President Rowe was a highlight of the year, as was an event with VIMS to provide virtual tours of the R/V Virginia.

When the W&M Weekend came to Chicago in 2018, the Taylors shared their expertise and love for the city as committee members and sponsors. They are also sponsors for the W&M Weekend in San Francisco and have served on the boards of every reunion since their 35th. Jim was co-chair of their 50th Reunion committee and is a member of the Olde Guarde Council, and Ronnee is an emeritus member of the Swem board, where she has served since 2004. They are also long-time participants in the Alumni Band Organization.

They are consummate professionals, creative and detail-oriented, who always give their best and create engagement of the highest caliber. They are swift to recognize and thank others who share their dedication to creating exceptional alumni experiences. Warm and genuine, Ronnee is always ready to offer a guest room for anyone who needs it.

“They step up and you can always count on them to give 110% of their time, their energy, their thought, to whatever they take on,” says Susan Wayland ’68, past president of the Lower Northern Neck chapter. “We celebrate their leadership, their creativity, their dedication, their generosity, and their love of William & Mary which shines through everything they do.”

As a kid, Molly Wolff would sit on her father’s shoulders at W&M football games, cheering on the Tribe. As an alumna, she supports the Tribe at every opportunity, attending nearly every Homecoming and traveling to championships. Her enthusiasm, energy and passion are evident in all she does and inspire others to get involved with their alma mater as well. She has served on the board of the D.C. Metro Alumni Chapter, on the D.C. Auction Committee and the gift committees for her 10th and 15th Reunion.

In her hometown of Arlington, Virginia, she has hosted a variety of events to connect alumni of all ages, including a One Tribe One Day celebration. A member of a large W&M family herself, when she learned a friend’s daughter had been accepted early decision, she arrived at the door with a gift and a warm William & Mary welcome — that’s the type of thoughtful gesture for which Wolff is known.

Wolff’s service particularly shines through at the W&M Washington Center, where she expertly led the Washington Center Advisory Board Task Force as they built the center’s first advisory board. She brought together a diverse group of alumni who shared her passion for growing W&M’s presence in the crucial Washington, D.C., market, and as chairwoman of the advisory board, she laid the foundation for the center’s success. Among other areas of the university, she actively supports the Study in DC Scholarship for students studying and working in the D.C. area.

“Molly Wolff is the kind of alumnus that universities dream of,” says Roxane Adler-Hickey M.Ed. ’02, interim director the Washington Center. “She’s got passion and energy and she shares it with us. We are a better university because of Molly Wolff. We are a better Washington Center because of Molly Wolff.”