WILLIAMSBURG – William & Mary awarded honorary degrees to Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns during its 333rd Charter Day ceremony, recognizing their contributions to public service, civic leadership and the preservation of American history.
President Katherine Rowe grounded the ceremony in William & Mary’s civic mission, telling the audience that the university’s students “carry a strong sense of duty.” As “the alma mater of the nation,” Rowe said the university is responsible for preparing students “to use them as citizens and professionals throughout the rest of their lives in this century.” Her remarks drew sustained applause as she formally launched William & Mary’s year of civic leadership, inviting the campus and broader community to “work together to strengthen those foundations for the future.”
The audience responded with sustained applause throughout the ceremony, particularly during the conferral of honorary degrees and the reinvestiture of Chancellor Robert M. Gates. Rector Charles Poston drew laughter and applause when he remarked that Gates’ third term was “more like a re-enlistment ceremony,” noting that Gates is the longest-serving chancellor in the university’s history. The crowd again rose to its feet as the Board of Visitors formally reappointed Gates to a historic third term, recognizing his decades of public service and continued leadership at William & Mary.
Gates, accepting the honor, thanked the board “for approving the resolution appointing me for a third term as Chancellor,” prompting another round of applause. He congratulated the honorary degree recipients, saying, “Congratulations, Governor Spanberger and Mr. Burns on your richly deserved honorary degrees.” He concluded, “I am proud and honored to continue to serve as Chancellor of this great university, truly the alma mater of a nation.”
The university presented an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree to Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s 75th governor, and an honorary Doctor of Arts degree on Burns, whose documentaries have shaped public understanding of U.S. history for decades.
In accepting her degree, Spanberger said she was “humbled to receive this honor from an institution that has shaped civic leaders since 1693.”
Addressing students, faculty and alumni, she emphasized the responsibility that comes with education and citizenship.
“We all have a role to play in shaping our communities and our collective future,” Spanberger said. “Civic leadership takes many forms, and that’s exactly what William & Mary’s year of civic leadership recognizes and is about.”
Spanberger reflected on Virginia’s long and complex history, noting both progress and unfinished work. She pointed to moments of division faced by past governors and drew parallels to present challenges, underscoring the need for engaged citizens.
“It takes people,” she said. “It takes civic leadership. It takes engaged, informed citizens, choosing service to one another over self-interest.”
Emmy and Grammy award winner, Ken Burns, used his remarks to argue for the importance of honest and inclusive history.
“I am interested in listening to the voices of a true, honest, complicated past that is unafraid of controversy and tragedy,” Burns said, “but equally drawn to those voices, those stories and moments that suggest an abiding faith in the human spirit.”
He cautioned against reducing American history to simplified narratives and called for deeper engagement with the past.
“Without a knowledge of that past, how can we possibly know where we are, and most important, where we are going?” Burns said.
Burns encouraged graduates and attendees to leave a lasting impact, recalling advice he received early in his career.
“Maybe you, too, could add something that would last and be beautiful,” he said.
University leaders highlighted the significance of the honors, noting William & Mary’s tradition of recognizing individuals whose work reflects the institution’s civic mission. The ceremony took place as the university launched its year of civic leadership, aligning with national preparations for the 250th anniversary of American independence.
