Welcome to Your Residency Weekend Experience
The Residency Weekend is a defining element of our revolutionary Online MBA and MSM programs. It’s your opportunity to engage in intellectually invigorating discussions of contemporary business issues, deepen your connection with online classmates through face-to-face interaction and grow your professional network.
We host residency weekends twice per year on our historic campus in Williamsburg, Va., and while attendance is only required at one weekend during your time in the Online MBA program or Online MS in Marketing program, you are welcome to attend as many as you like. These conference-style, Friday-Sunday events include speakers, team-building activities and networking functions. You will have the opportunity to discuss core business topics such as leadership, finance and marketing, as well as current events and global issues. You’ll also have the chance to meet with our Executive Partners (EPs), a select group of retired professionals who volunteer their time as mentors to all Raymond A. Mason School of Business students.
While this experience is required for the MBA and MS in Marketing programs, students from all of our online graduate business programs are encouraged to attend.
Residency Weekend at a Glance
During your residency experience, you can expect to:
- Learn from guest speakers as they share their expertise on a variety of relevant business issues
- Attend workshops and panel discussions designed to enhance your online learning experience
- Participate in engaging dialogue with industry leaders on topics that reach beyond what’s covered in the classroom (crisis communications, ethics in business, AI for business, etc.)
- Strengthen your relationships with your classmates through valuable in-person interaction and collaboration
- Expand your network by forming connections with accomplished business professionals throughout the residency period
Please note: Students are invited to attend all residency offerings, though you only need to attend one to meet the 1-credit program requirement.
Residency Weekend Snapshot
Each Residency Experience is unique. The schedule below is a sample of what you might experience when you attend the on-campus event.
Friday
- Arrive on campus Friday evening
- Networking reception
Saturday
- Group breakfast
- Breakout session #1
- Lunch with Executive Partners
- Breakout session #2
- Cocktail reception
- Formal dinner with keynote speaker
Sunday
- Group breakfast
- Breakout session #3
- Lunch
Residency Weekend Feature
The fall 2024 Residency Weekend brought together students from three online business programs, representing 16 states, Canada and China, for an immersive exploration of artificial intelligence in business. Learn more about this valuable in-person component of the online graduate business programs.
Explore Williamsburg
Consider turning your Residency Weekend into a vacation. After the events of the weekend on campus, spend time exploring the area. Close to campus, you’ll find Merchants Square and Prince George Street, both offering coffee shops, cafes and restaurants. Students and staff especially favor Amber Ox Public House, Aromas, Blue Talon Bistro, The Cheese Shop and Precarious Beer Project.
William & Mary’s hometown is also known for Colonial Williamsburg, where you can step back in time to a lively 18th-century city. Further from campus, you’ll also find Busch Gardens, Water Country USA and the Jamestown Settlement.
More Than a Degree.
This Is Your Launchpad.
A William & Mary education is not just a degree but a unique connection to a tight-knit community of students, alumni, bold educators and driven, principled, connected leaders. Build your brand with a university known for breaking barriers, championing integrity and channeling academic grit since its inception.
The Raymond A. Mason School of Business imparts essential business knowledge and builds the dynamic mindset necessary to lead in today’s challenging and rapidly changing business environment. As an online graduate business student, you will:
✓ Graduate with the perspective to envision and enact positive
change
✓ Access mentorship and experiential learning opportunities
✓ Receive personalized career support
✓ Build a lasting network to bolster your career for years to
come
This will only take a moment.