Nov. 8 – Washington, D.C. – The 2019 William & Mary Annual Reception, 2019 Evening at the Embassy, was held at the Italian Embassy. The Reception is an important event in the Chapter’s annual activities. This is where alumni meet, greet, and listen to the latest developments at the College and learn about the goals for the future of the Association and the College. Being the mother of a Class of ’05 alum, I have the privilege to participate.

The sold-out event was held on Friday evening. Alumni, parents, family, and friends were in attendance. The dress was business formal and in true William &  Mary spirit, guests came in suites and dresses with high heels, albeit a little wind-blown. The reception featured bars serving Italian wines and a buffet of Italian delicacies. The long bar lines gave opportunities for cheerful conversations.

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On either side of the marble floored atrium was a collaboration between the Italian Studies department and the Muscarelle Museum. W&M faculty member, Sara Mattavelli, Lecturer of Italian Studies and Italian Language House Advisor, represented a five week summer 2020 travel abroad program to Florence, Italy. The immersive program will house students with local residents, conduct classes and tours in Italian, and help the students experience Florence not as tourists, but as locals. “There will be opportunities to experience fashion design, learn Italian cooking, tour galleries and museums, be surrounded by the Florentine architecture, visit wineries, and breathe the Tuscan air,” said Sara. Her eyes sparkled with her passion for the program and the beauty that is Florence.

On the opposite side of the hall was the exhibit, The Tomb Project That Never Saw the Light . W&M Michelangelo scholar, Adriano Marinazzo, Scholar-In Residence at the Muscarelle Museum of Art, presented snippets of his digital findings of the original intent of the Sistine Chapel. He explained, “There are many levels and I have inspected with high powered equipment and believe that this was intended to be an architectural project.” The layers depicted on the monitor demonstrated his findings. As Michelangelo was, Arinazzo is also an architect. The project is vast and intriguing.

Funding is a key consideration of every university; W&M is no exception. “The goal to reach $1 billion by 2020, while enormous, it is attainable inasmuch as $75 million is still outstanding,” explained W&M Advancement member, Jonathan Overstreet. Being a University of Maryland alum myself, I shared that I was not keen on supporting their efforts given my early experiences. Thoughtfully, Jonathan listened, then asked, “Is there no aspect of value that you took away with you that has helped you in your life so far?” Well, then. That was never how I looked at my relationship with my alma mater, yet, his challenge was impressive and worthy of consideration.

The evening was joyful, professional, and energetic. Seeing friends and classmates connect was heartwarming. The next event for the D.C. Metro Alumni Chapter will be the Yule Log celebration in December. There, guests place their wishes for 2020 on holly springs in baskets that are then carried to The College in Williamsburg, Virginia, and tossed onto the fire of the yule log. Being the second oldest university in the country, the College has rich traditions and a deep heritage.