Law School Celebrates Grover’s Service, Names Student Fund in Her Honor
On Monday, May 8, the Law School community celebrated Professor Susan Grover’s 29 years of service at William & Mary with a retirement reception and announcement of the launch of a student fund in her honor.
Taking the podium to share memories with faculty, staff, and friends were Dean Davison M. Douglas, William & Mary President (and former William & Mary Law Dean) Taylor Reveley, Provost Michael Halleran, and Law Professor Emerita Jayne Barnard.
Douglas praised not only Grover’s teaching and scholarship excellence, but also her willingness to extend herself in many ways beyond the classroom, whether visiting students in the hospital, or finding bar review courses for students who couldn’t afford them, or planning special events during exams to help students minimize stress. She offered yoga classes, set up coffee and food, and even brought in therapy dogs one year.
“Susan’s best work, and, to me, her most important work, was her informal work,” Douglas said. “Susan mentored so many students during her time here at the Law School.”
President Reveley then reminded guests of Grover’s other accomplishments at the administrative level.
“Susan has done so many different things at William & Mary: professorial things, faculty committee things, university committee things, service things outside our confines, very significant administrative jobs, most recently as Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs,” Reveley said. “You have more than earned the right to enter the Elysian Fields of retirement, but we are really going to miss you very much.”
As a testament to her service, Grover was honored in April with the Shirley Aceto Award, which recognizes an employee who exhibits a commitment to the core values of William & Mary, proven leadership capabilities in working with students, faculty and staff, and a record of outstanding individual service to the university.
Guests also viewed a video that briefly highlighted Grover’s career and featured heartfelt testimonials from a current and a former student.
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Mindful of Grover’s strong commitment to students, Douglas announced that the Law School had set up a fund in her honor. “The Susan Grover Law Student Emergency Fund” will help students with urgent financial needs.
“This is a most fitting fund to bear Susan’s name as she was often a source of emotional support for students and frequently engaged in ad hoc fundraising to help students in crisis,” Douglas said. “This will be of tremendous value, because it reminds us all of who Susan is and what she has meant to our students for 29 years.”
To support the Susan Grover Law Student Emergency Fund, please make your gift payable to The Marshall-Wythe School of Law Foundation and note on the memo line, “Grover Law Student Emergency Fund.” Please mail to:
William & Mary Law School
P.O. Box 3527
Williamsburg, VA 23187-3527
Or visit our web page to make a secure online gift.
About William & Mary Law School
Thomas Jefferson founded William & Mary Law School in 1779 to train leaders for the new nation. Now in its third century, America's oldest law school continues its historic mission of educating citizen lawyers who are prepared both to lead and to serve.