William & Mary’s Values in Action awards, established by two anonymous donors, recognize student organizations, faculty and staff who epitomize the university’s values of belonging, curiosity, excellence, flourishing, integrity, respect and service.
This fall’s faculty and staff award recipients are Charlie Foster M.Ed. ’17, director of the Office of Student Veteran Engagement, and Michael Gaynes, associate teaching professor of art. They were selected from a pool of nominees including professors, administrators and other employees representing departments, schools and units across the university.
Honorees from student organizations are the American Sign Language Club; Google Developer Student Club; Political Latinx United for Movement and Action in Society; Taiwanese American Student Association and William & Mary Pep Band.
Individuals will receive $2,500 each and student organizations $500 each.
Faculty & Staff
Charlie Foster M.Ed. ’17
Office of Student Veteran Engagement
At a recent meeting, the deputy commissioner of the Virginia Department of Veteran Services asked a group of students what universities in Virginia need to successfully support and empower their students who are military veterans, and one of the students replied, “Every university needs a Charlie Foster.”
“That inspirational and goosebump-inducing answer evocatively describes a consistent and authentic leader who cares about his center’s mission and is absolutely dedicated to the student veterans whom he serves,” one nominator wrote.
Nominators noted the way Foster embodies the values of belonging and flourishing in his role at the Office of Student Veteran Engagement. Foster was described as “indefatigable” and “fiercely loyal” in his efforts to connect students to resources and allies that will support them on their journey at William & Mary.
“Whether serving in his primary role, or serving as an adjunct professor in the School of Education, Charlie is highly effective in connecting students with resources that optimize their productivity, fulfillment and resilience,” a nominator wrote.
“His own inspirational journey – in which he exudes a selfless example of how a veteran can create a new chapter of service, even after they depart uniformed service – as well as his highly approachable and humorous demeanor sets conditions for others to be empowered in their own journey towards purpose and fulfillment.”
Michael Gaynes
Associate teaching professor of art
As William & Mary celebrates the Year of the Arts in 2023-24, nominators highlighted ways in which Gaynes has proven critical to the university’s efforts to promote arts throughout the educational experience.
Nominators lauded Gaynes for displaying the values of belonging, flourishing, curiosity and service. It’s not just about his track record of kindness and patience with his students; it’s also the tireless work he does to bridge departments and networks across campus.
For example, he helped develop a COLL 350 course that invited students and the W&M community to collaborate on the design of the university’s Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved. He also served on the course’s committee “with great distinction,” according to a nominator, who added, “I was on the committee, and his contributions were so enormous.”
That collaborative spirit has come through in many ways during Gaynes’ tenure at William & Mary, in projects like the “little museums” for which he helped bring the community together to design and install in 2022 at the request of the Arts Visioning Committee.
One nominator from the Muscarelle Museum of Art commented on the help Gaynes has provided in large-scale art handling, as well as fabricating plinths and supports for heavy paintings, adding, “He is always willing to push up his sleeves and assist in multiple capacities and at a moment’s notice, and for that we are grateful for his service.”
Student organizations
American Sign Language Club
Recognized for the value of curiosity, the American Sign Language Club provides resources to learn American Sign Language (ASL) while also discussing aspects of Deaf culture and issues faced by deaf people, including lack of accessibility and negative perceptions of deafness.
“We want our members to consider these issues and combat these negative perceptions,” an applicant wrote in the nomination materials. “We do all of this as a club because we want people to be interested in learning ASL and understand its importance beyond a language.”
Promoting respect and belonging is also a significant part of the club’s mission. This is accomplished through its regular meetings and also via collaborations with other groups on campus, which this year has included the Phi Sigma Pi academic fraternity, the Chi Omega sorority and the Inside Out Poetry student group.
“These meetings allow the club to raise awareness and spread knowledge about the language and Deaf culture to a wider audience,” the applicant wrote. “We hope to continue to foster curiosity within the William & Mary community, and we look forward to future opportunities for collaboration with other groups and organizations to talk about ASL.”
Google Developer Student Club
The Google Developer Student Club embraces the value of curiosity through educational and fun workshops that are open to all students, as well as via consulting projects that address specific needs of organizations.
“Inspiring and nurturing curiosity are central tenets of our core mission,” an applicant wrote in the nomination materials. “Our goal is to help people find ways to connect computer science to other fields for interdisciplinary exploration, community service or pure fun.”
The club aims to make its material engaging and accessible by connecting it to a real-life application. For example, past workshop series have included an app that tracks the movements of the international space station and a mobile paint drop game.
Through its consulting services, the club has provided services to on-campus student organizations and nonprofits on projects ranging from apps, websites and algorithms.
“Developers get a chance to learn new coding languages and get a better understanding of the steps involved in software development from designing front-end mockups to writing back-end code,” the applicant wrote. “Giving students this hands-on opportunity allows them to explore their interests in computer science and really apply their knowledge at an advanced level.”
Political Latinx United for Movement and Action in Society
The Political Latinx United for Movement and Action in Society (PLUMAS) organization demonstrates the value of service through education, social events, mutual aid and fundraising.
One of its most notable acts of service is its PLUMAS Provides mutual aid fund that provides financial assistance to students and community members.
“PLUMAS Provides has helped many students pay for textbook costs, tuition needs and even gas/electric bills for Sadler dining staff workers,” an applicant wrote. “As our network begins to grow, we have now begun to collaborate with other Multicultural organizations on campus to create a greater campus-wide network known as Community Love Mutual Aid.”
PLUMAS also hosts educational events to encourage community movement and action among students. Past events have focused on, among other topics, the protests and struggles for liberation in Perú and urbanization and gentrification in Latin America.
“All of these events are student-led initiatives for student growth,” the applicant wrote. “We understand that to do service intentionally and proactively, education and the accessibility of it is a huge aspect of service. So as PLUMAS, we aim to bridge that gap through our informative sessions as an act of service to the greater community.”
Taiwanese American Student Association
The Taiwanese American Student Association (TASA) exemplifies belonging by creating a home away from home for all William & Mary students. The organization fosters a community where all students can learn and immerse themselves in Taiwanese culture.
Taiwanese American students can join a club where they feel supported and are able to share their culture with others, an applicant wrote, adding, “The club also focuses on connecting with other organizations on campus, such as other multicultural organizations, where collaboration and learning can happen. Learning and educating ourselves on other cultures is just as important as bringing awareness to our own.”
The organization has supported activities such as “Mealmates,” where members enjoy a meal with someone new, movie nights or an upcoming “Dumpling Night,” a hands-on activity of wrapping and cooking dumplings together.
“Through these activities, it creates a sense of ‘belonging’ to a group of people and in turn, also creates a ‘belonging’ to our school William & Mary,” an applicant wrote. “We focus on connecting non-Taiwanese students with our culture and sharing our unique perspectives with other groups, finding similarities and community with all.”
William & Mary Pep Band
The value of flourishing shines through in the William & Mary Pep Band’s twofold purpose of providing an opportunity for students to play and rehearse music together and to promote William & Mary spirit.
The Pep Band does not require an audition. Any student who plays an instrument or would like to learn is welcome to join. The organization has increasingly been able to rent and provide instruments for students who do not have their own.
“With this environment, students are able to continue playing instruments in a relaxed environment, and are also given the opportunity to try new things,” an applicant wrote. “Having a supportive community and the opportunity to explore one’s hobbies in a non-judgmental environment is vital to leading a fulfilling life and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.”
The Pep Band is a lively presence at campus events, including sporting events, Convocation and the Day for Admitted Students.
“By spreading spirit and enthusiasm about William & Mary, we make school events more exciting and provide opportunities for students to engage with the campus,” the applicant wrote. “This allows the student section to cheer on sports teams and spreads joy in various public venues.”
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