Associate Dean Issa DiSciullo
Can you share a little bit about your career path? What was your journey to William & Mary Law?
I began my career in undergraduate admissions in 1994 before switching to law admissions in 2001. I’ve had the privilege of working at colleges, universities, and law schools across the East Coast. While I enjoyed my time in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, I’m grateful to have had the chance to move south for a slightly slower pace and warmer weather and still continue my meaningful law school admissions career.
What is your favorite part about working in admissions here at W&M?
Working with and interacting with the students has been my greatest joy!
Do you have any advice for prospective students as they go through the application process?
Don’t go it alone! Know that we are here to help you, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions and concerns!
What’s your favorite part about living in Williamsburg?
The community… oh, and Virginia Peanuts! 😊
Where are you from originally?
I was born in the Philippines and raised on a small island in the Pacific called Saipan. I came to the mainland (Boston, to be exact) when I was 18 for college. This explains why my office is always 80 degrees… you can take the girl out of the island, but you can’t take the island out of the girl.
What do you do for fun?
I have been dancing all my life, so when I’m not at work, you’ll likely find me on the competition dance floor. I began my dance journey with the Polynesian dances of the islands, before jumping into Ballroom and Latin. Williamsburg has introduced me to a new style—West Coast Swing—which has become my new love!
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Assistant Dean Jaime Welch-Donahue
Can you share a little bit about your career path? What was your journey to William & Mary Law?
My journey to W&M Law Admissions started in higher education communications at UNC-Chapel Hill and here at W&M Law.
What is your favorite part about working in admissions here at W&M?
I truly enjoy talking with prospective applicants. I believe this is a great place to study law and may be a great fit for many people. We have everything in place to set our students up for success—exceptional professors, great clinic and externship opportunities, and caring staff who are here to support and encourage them.
Do you have any advice for prospective students as they go through the application process?
Try to talk with current students and/or recent graduates of the schools you apply to. Ask them about their professors, the day-to-day environment inside and outside the classroom, career advising, what it's like living in that city/town during the academic year, etc. This can go a long way in helping you discern if a school is a good fit for you.
Do you have a favorite story about W&M Law?
In spring 2023, miniature duck figurines appeared all around the Law School: perched on office nameplates, on shelves, on a whiteboard ledge. I was walking down the Hixon Center stairs when I saw one for the first time on a windowsill, and it made me smile. I still see them from time to time around the building, and they still make me happy!
Where are you from originally?
My hometown is Fitchburg, Massachusetts. There are a lot of fun facts about Fitchburg. For example, if you are a fan of the sci-fi graphic novel and series "Falling Skies," you’ll recall there is a battle at Fitchburg between the Skitters (aliens) and human militia.
What do you do for fun?
Whether on Zoom or in person, I love spending time with my kids, extended family, and a circle of wonderful friends. I enjoy finding items from the 60s and 70s at estate sales, antique malls and thrift stores.
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Admissions Specialist Matthew Hedrick
Can you share a little bit about your career path? What was your journey to William & Mary Law?
My path is a little all over the place, as I like to say—from working in community colleges in libraries and special projects to arriving at W&M Law as an alumnus working on events, and now law admissions. Each of these experiences, as I like to say, has given me vantage points to see the beginning, middle, and end of the trajectory more efficiently so I can be more relatable throughout the life cycle, from students applying to graduation.
What is your favorite part about working in admissions here at W&M?
My goal is to help students understand the technicalities of a graduate program while contrasting it to listening to their story and understanding their exploration of self, who they are, their passions/dreams, and what they want to gain from the program. That is my favorite thing about admissions. I love being personable to students and being excited for them in this self-discovery, which I think they will see when they interact with me.
Do you have any advice for prospective students as they go through the application process?
- Be you! Be your natural, authentic self as you apply and write how you, as a person, with all your talents, abilities, and passions, will be an asset to our community. I think applicants forget that because they want to impress the admissions committee and lose their voice. I want to hear your voice and story because your unique story makes you.
- Read the directions carefully and thoroughly.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions; I love to say to everyone I meet, please pepper me with questions because asking questions means you want to ensure you are in the right direction.
What’s your favorite part about living in Williamsburg?
I appreciate the sense of past and present while intertwining with this great mixture of a small college town in the 21st century. Williamsburg has certainly grown over the years, but it has respected a lot of its traditional roots to fit who we are today.
Where are you from originally?
I grew up in Old Town Alexandria and the Belle Haven area of Northern Virginia. I moved to Williamsburg in 2004 and haven’t left. I feel like I have lived here longer because it used to be our weekend escape while growing up, so I feel that have grown up here, so to speak.
What do you do for fun?
I do a mixture of things, from working with my Alumni Chapter at Christopher Newport University, embracing my love of interior design through antiquing all over the Virginia coast, and working on my circa-1790 colonial that was rebuilt in 1986 piece by piece from Farmville, Virginia.
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