Hulon Willis Association (HWA)
Hulon L. Willis Sr. M.Ed. ’56 was the first Black graduate of William & Mary and served as a pioneer for those who have followed in his footsteps. To honor his legacy and memory, the Hulon Willis Association was formed in 1992. The Hulon Willis Association, as a part of the William & Mary Alumni Association, is dedicated to continued and sustained engagement of alumni of Black or African descent. It seeks to provide alumni opportunities to build community through connection with fellow alumni, students and alma mater. To this end, the Hulon Willis Association engages alumni through programmatic, leadership and philanthropic efforts.
Engage Online
Looking to connect with fellow alumni on social media? Be sure to like and follow the Hulon Willis Association page on Facebook! You will receive updates about upcoming events and have an opportunity to make connections with alumni near and far.
Scholarships
This Hulon L. Willis, Sr. Memorial Scholarship is named in honor of Hulon L. Willis Sr. M.Ed. ’56, the first African-American student to attend William & Mary. It provides undergraduate scholarship assistance to students with a record of leadership and/or service to the multicultural university and/or local community with a preference for need-based support.
Leadership
The Hulon Willis Association operates through a strong collaboration between a board of volunteer leaders and the alumni association.
Upcoming Events
Stay connected and in the know about upcoming events.
Tune in for an interactive presentation about Goddard Space Flight Center.
Register for this EventJoin a workshop to contribute your square to the Communal Quilt Project. Create your own quilt square with fabric, scissors, and glue to share your story in the context of community. All are welcome and no quilting or art experience is necessary.
Register for this EventConnect with fellow members of the W&M community from all over the world to share your expertise and build your professional network!
Register for this EventMACE (My Active Career Exploration) Series is returning for the Spring 2022 semester!
RSVP for this EventStrollin’: A history of Black Greek letter organizations at William & Mary, examines the arrival of African American fraternities and sororities to campus.
More InformationJoin Vivian E. Hamilton director of the William & Mary Center for Racial & Social Justice, and Robert Rose, executive director of the Institute for Integrative Conservation for a presentation on the lasting impact of 20th-Century redlining
Register for this EventAs part of the One Book, One Community program, the Williamsburg Regional Library is hosting a panel discussion moderated by WHRO's Barbara Hamm Lee.
More InformationThe Women's Network invites employees (faculty, staff, professionals/professional faculty) to discuss books, podcasts, and articles.Emily Hein is leading a discussion of the book Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok on February 3, 2022, at 12 noon.
Register for this EventAfricana Studies Fall Speaker Series featuring Dean Benjamin Spencer, Dean of the Law School & Trustee Professor
Please join the Department of Classical Studies as it celebrates the Asian Centennial at William & Mary with a talk by Professor Georgia Irby on the Greek and Roman knowledge of and interactions with India, China, and Sri Lanka.
More InformationThe Alumni Medallion is the highest and most prestigious award the Alumni Association can bestow on a graduate of William & Mary.
Join us on February 15 at 6:00 p.m. for a Lemon's Legacies Porch Talk with Nicole Brown, an American Studies master's student studying the Bray School in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Register for this EventJoin us for the first conversation of the Daily Work of Justice Climate Change & Water series. Our conversations will focus on human health impacts including sanitation, toxicity, medical conditions, and more.
More InformationEric Klinenberg will be presenting his book, Palaces for the People, which has been selected for the 2022 One Book, One Community program.
More InformationLaura Wherry (BA, W&M Economics, '03; Ph.D. in Public Policy, University of Chicago's Harris School) is an Assistant Professor of Economics and Public Service at New York University's Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
Register for this EventA Tempestby Aimé Césaire.W&M Theatre Mainstage Season 2021-2022
Buy TicketsPianists Magdalena Adamek and Michelle Huang have both enjoyed fulfilling and vibrant careers as soloists, chamber musicians, and educators.
On-Demand Webinars
Intersection of Race and Covid-19
Recorded on July 16, 2020
The Intersection of COVID-19 and Race is an honest discussion surrounding health disparities and the ways in which COVID-19 effects marginalized populations. We will be joined by three panelists.
Mo Barbosa is the director of community engagement at Health Resources in Action (HRiA).
Professor Iyabo Obasanjo teaches public health courses at William & Mary. She has a Ph.D. in epidemiology from Cornell University, a master’s from University of California, Davis and a veterinary degree from University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Professor Angela Odoms-Young is an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition and associate director of research and education for the Office of Community Engagement and Neighborhood Health Partnerships at University of Illinois at Chicago.
Invisible Racism
Recorded on October 7, 2020
Join author of Daughters of the Dream: Eight Girls from Richmond who Grew Up in the Civil Rights Era, Tamara Copeland '73 and moderator Viola Baskerville '73 as they discuss issues of race and invisible racism.
Adjusting Your Crown: The History of Black Hair and the Crown Act
Recorded on December 7, 2020
The CROWN Coalition established the CROWN Act in 2019. This is a movement to eliminate discrimination of race-based hairstyles.
Have you ever felt the need to change your natural hair texture to fit a professional “norm”? Has your natural hair ever been ridiculed for its texture and appearance?
We will be joined by three panelists for a discussion of the history and language around black hair. We will also discuss the CROWN Act and its implications for people of color in America. Interested in learning more about the CROWN Act? Visit https://www.thecrownact.com/.
Giving Opportunities:
Hulon Willis Association Operating Account (2101) - W&M Alumni Association
This fund supports the programming of the Hulon Willis Association, including alumni events and regional programming.
Hulon L. Willis, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Endowment (1695) - William & Mary Foundation
This fund is named in honor of Hulon L. Willis Sr. M.Ed. ’56, the first African American student to attend William & Mary. It provides undergraduate scholarship assistance to students with a record of leadership and/or service to the multicultural university and/or local community with a preference for need-based support.
For more information:
- Valerie Wilkins , Associate Director Alumni Admission & Inclusion Initiatives
- (757) 221-2514
- vtwilkins@wm.edu