The College of William & Mary’s class of 2019 are being welcomed to campus by a fellow alumnus.
Virginia Supreme Court Justice Bill Mims, a member of the William & Mary class of 1979, has been announced as the keynote speaker at the college’s opening convocation ceremony, welcoming the incoming class of freshmen to William & Mary.
“It is quite wonderful that Justice Mims will welcome the newest members of the William & Mary family to campus,” William & Mary President Taylor Reveley said in a news release. “He knows the college intimately and cares deeply about it. His words to our entering students will be especially meaningful, because Justice Mims has lived the life of service so integral to William & Mary.”
Mims graduated from William & Mary in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in history. He completed one year of graduate school and one year of law school at William & Mary before transferring to the George Washington University.
“They were six wonderful and generally happy years, and I will always consider myself to be part of the William & Mary community,” Mims said in a news release.
During his time at William & Mary, Mims served as president of the college’s Student Assembly, and helped organize a successful campaign against the expansion of William & Mary’s football stadium to 30,000 seats.
Mims has been active in Virginia government since his graduation from William & Mary, including stints as attorney general, state senator and delegate. He also worked as deputy legislative director for former U.S. Sen. Paul Trible (R-Va.) and as chief of staff for former U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10).
Mims served as chief deputy in the Virginia attorney general’s office, and completed Bob McDonnell’s term after McDonnell resigned to run for governor. He was appointed to the state Supreme Court in 2010.
The opening convocation ceremony is an annual event welcoming new students to William & Mary, and to mark the beginning of the new academic year. The 2015 ceremony will begin at 5:15 p.m. in the rear yard of the Wren Building at William & Mary.
