The Survey Says: 3L Class Gift Breaks 90 Percent Participation for Fifth Straight Year

Class Act
Class Act To celebrate the Class of 2018's 3L giving success, Class Gift co-chairs organized the Marshall-Wythe Family Feud game between students and members of the faculty. Michaela Lieberman ’18 hosted the event. Photo by David F. Morrill
Class Act
Class Act Michaela Lieberman announces what "the survey says" for the faculty team, including Dean Douglas and Professors Roberts, Kern-Scheerer, Bellin, and Gershowitz. Photo by David F. Morrill
Class Act
Class Act Students took an early lead with survey questions about the Law School and college community, including “Which professor is most likely to become a Supreme Court Justice?” but faculty caught up and won handily by a score of 148 to 77. Photo by David F. Morrill
Class Act
Class Act Michaela Lieberman, the Law School's go-to events host the past three years, was an energetic emcee of Family Feud. Photo by David F. Morrill

University advancement leaders will tell you it is rare for graduating law classes to reach, much less surpass, 75 percent participation in their 3L Class Gift. But in 2014, William & Mary Law School’s 3L Class reached 90 percent. And so did the subsequent Classes of 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Now we can add the Class of 2018 to that list, with a healthy 91 percent of the class contributing to the class gift as of April 23—with more gifts to be added by commencement on May 13.

To celebrate 3L giving success, in past years 3L gift organizers had Dean Davison M. Douglas shave his then-iconic mustache (2014), get dunked in a dunk tank on the front lawn (2015), belt out tunes with Law Cappella (2016) and engage Dean Laura Heymann in an epic lip-sync battle (2017).

This year, Class Gift Co-Chairs Kristin Hopkins and Blake Willis saw to it that Dean Douglas, Dean Roberts and additional faculty & students played in the Marshall-Wythe Family Feud game with actual survey questions from students. Michaela Lieberman ’18 hosted the event.

Competition was fierce with students taking an early lead with survey questions about the Law School and college community, including “Which professor is most likely to become a Supreme Court Justice?” and “If Dean Douglas were an alcoholic drink, what would he be?” But faculty caught up and won handily by a score of 148 to 77.

Along with the sense of camaraderie and fun such events provide each year, the 3L Class Gift Program provides a way for members of the graduating class to show their appreciation for the legal education they have received, the experiences they have had, and the memories they have created during their time at William & Mary Law School.

By participating in the 3L Class Gift Program, graduating students continue the long tradition of alumni support at William & Mary Law School and help to ensure that the students who follow in their footsteps are met with the same excellent educational experience and collegial environment that they had.

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.