William & Mary Information Technology

05/15/2026

Our IT team is hard at work on a major network upgrade that's going to change the way our entire campus stays connected. We're talking fewer outages, more reliable WiFi, and a foundation built for the future.

Whether you're studying in Swem, working from your office, or living on campus, this upgrade will be for you.

Read the full story: https://go.wm.edu/J6LdCZ

04/15/2026

📢 VA-WHPC Student Lightning Talks V is coming up on April 22 from 1-2 p.m.

Come support 8 students as they present their research in quick, engaging 3-minute lightning talks! This is a fantastic opportunity to hear fresh ideas in High-Performance Computing and connect with students and faculty from across Virginia.

Whether you're a student, researcher, or just curious about HPC—this event is for you! Huge thanks to Lenovo for sponsoring!

Register now and check out the student presenters & their topics!
🔗 https://go.wm.edu/qBnHZB

03/30/2026

🌟 Hey Virginia students — here's your moment to shine!

VA-WHPC (Virginia Women in High Performance Computing) is back with Student Lightning Talks V, and we're looking for 10–12 student researchers to present!

You'll have 3 minutes and 1–2 slides to showcase your work, sharpen your presentation skills, and connect with a diverse, engaged audience.

📅 Event: April 22, 2026 at 1:00 PM EST
📝 Submit your interest by April 5th to be considered as a presenter — or sign up as a mentor!

Don't let this opportunity pass you by. We'd love to hear about your research!

Learn more and sign up: https://go.wm.edu/qBnHZB

03/17/2026

Techie Tuesday! 🎉 We're thrilled to introduce LaDonna Brown as our new Director of IT Business Services!

LaDonna has been a cornerstone of W&M for 11 years where she started as a Travel Account Specialist, earned her way to Travel Program Manager, and most recently held down the fort as Assistant Director of Travel Management, where she excelled at keeping all travel and business meal operations running for the entire W&M community.

In her new role, LaDonna takes the helm of IT Business Services--leading financial strategy, procurement, HR, and budget operations for the IT division. Big job for someone with exactly the right background.

When she's not leading from the front, you can find LaDonna being a soccer mom, binge-watching her favorite tv shows, enjoying family game nights, and even traveling!

Welcome to the IT family, LaDonna — we're honored to have you! 💚

02/11/2026

Computer Science major Sam Oliver spent a day immersed in the world of IT during our Winter Externship program this January!

His experience included:
✨ Shadowing IT professionals across departments - from High Performance Computing to the Help Desk
✨ One-on-one meetings with our CIO and Information Security Officer
✨ An exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of William & Mary's network systems (his favorite part!)

The Winter Externship, run in collaboration with the W&M Career Development & Professional Engagement, gives students incredible hands-on experience in their fields of interest.

Want to read Sam's full story? 🔗 https://bit.ly/4coRdn3

01/23/2026

🎉 Big News! William & Mary ranked 22nd in the world in Blackboard Ally’s Fix Your Content Day!

On November 18, our incredible faculty and staff came together to improve course content accessibility by completing over 1,300 fixes in just 24 hours! Every fix matters, and this ranking shows the impact we can make when we work together.

🔗 Learn more:

William & Mary faculty and staff joined campuses around the world on November 18 to take part in Blackboard Ally’s annual Fix Your Content Day, a 24-hour global competition focused on improving the accessibility of digital course materials. By the end of the day, W&M ranked 22nd worldwide and comp...

12/02/2025

Techie Tuesday: A Story of Growth and Success!

We love sharing success stories from our IT team, and this one's particularly special!

Starting in July 2022 as a Technology Support Analyst, John Carpenter climbed the ladder with impressive speed - moving through Technology Support Engineer and Senior Technology Support Engineer roles before landing his current position as HPC Systems Engineer with Research Computing this past September.

These days he's helping power some of William & Mary's most complex research initiatives through high-performance computing. And when he clocks out? You can find Carpenter crafting artisan breads that sound absolutely amazing - from classic baguettes and ciabatta to sourdough and naturally leavened multigrain loaves. Help us celebrate this incredible achievement! Way to go, and here's to continued success! 💚💛

10/24/2025

🔄 Week 4 Cybersecurity Tip: Keep Your Software Updated!

As we wrap up National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we're ending with one final essential tip that often gets overlooked.

We know software updates can feel like an inconvenience, but they're one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself from cyber threats.

Make it easier on yourself:
🛡️ Turn on automatic updates for your devices and apps
🛡️ Don't postpone security updates—install them as soon as possible
🛡️ Regularly check for updates on all your devices, including phones and tablets
🛡️ Restart your device when prompted to complete the update process

Taking a few minutes to update your software can save you hours of headaches down the road. Stay protected, W&M!

Learn more cybersecurity tips at www.wm.edu/it/ncsam

10/15/2025

🎣 Cybersecurity Awareness Month – Week 3: Phishing Awareness

Phishing scams are everywhere — in your inbox, texts, and even social media DMs. They trick you into giving away passwords or sensitive data.

🧠 Remember these 5 ways to prevent phishing:
1️⃣ Check the sender’s address
2️⃣ Hover over links before clicking
3️⃣ Be cautious of urgent or threatening messages
4️⃣ Don’t share personal info via email
5️⃣ Report suspicious emails to IT Security

Think before you click — and protect yourself from online scams!

10/09/2025

🔐 Cybersecurity Awareness Month – Week 2: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Passwords alone aren’t enough!

Weak authentication security is the leading cause of data breaches, responsible for 76% of compromised records. Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides an extra layer of defense against hackers and phishing attempts.

It may feel like one more step, but it’s one that keeps your data safe.

✅ Turn on MFA wherever you can — it’s one of the simplest, most effective ways to protect your online accounts.

10/03/2025

🔐 Happy National Cybersecurity Awareness Month!

Throughout October, W&M IT will be sharing essential tips to help protect you from digital threats.

Week 1 Tip: Use Strong Passwords! ✅ Make them LONG (at least 12 characters) ✅ Make them UNIQUE (different for every account) ✅ Make them RANDOM (use a password generator)

Your passwords are your first line of defense against cyber threats. Follow the tips in this post to create the most secure passwords possible!

Want to learn more about National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and get additional tips to stay safe online? Visit www.wm.edu/it/ncsam