Welcome to Your Residency Weekend Experience
The Residency Weekend is a defining element of our revolutionary Online MBA and MS in Marketing 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.
Video Transcript
Well, to tell you the truth, Andrew, I was actually highly against online education. To begin with, I did a hybrid undergrad and the online portion of it. I did not enjoy that. I thought it was very impersonal. I thought it was low octane, and it was. It didn't keep me engaged. So originally I was looking at William and Mary because I live here in the region, and I was considering 2 schools. I was considering either Odu or William and Mary, William and Mary. I liked the fact that they had a flexible Mba program where you do it at night. So originally I was pursuing the night program. However, all these programs are accelerated, and the issue with an accelerated program and a unpredictable schedule is, if you miss one class. It's like missing a week, or possibly 2 weeks at a time. So I realized, even though I am in the local area with an unpredictable travel schedule for my job, it just wouldn't be attainable. So I had to go and look at that point solely at online. And after looking at William and Mary's online Mba. I noticed that they had a residency component of their of their program. And there's a lot of Mba programs out there that do not require In-person Residency, and initially, I thought I was like, Well, am I going to have to go there for for a week or several weekends? But it was one weekend.
And it was probably the best weekend of that entire program. Just the the connections that I made, the people that I met actually meeting the faculty in person was something that was very impactful to me, and the topics that they have for Residency are high octane. You are learning a lot. You're making connections. And for me, even though the requirement to go to Residency, you only have to do one weekend. Since I was here in the local area. I decided to go back. So I actually did more than one. And the faculty encourages that. They want you to be on the campus. They want you to interact. However, you can, even if you are on the West Coast, if you can be on a webinar, you know any way that they can support you or be with you. And I think that was the differentiator for William and Mary.
There was that connection right off the bat and that support network throughout the program. And even afterwards, I mean, I think it's a Testament that you have graduates here that are willing to give up their time to, you know. Help, you know, promote the school, because you know, we obviously have an affinity. And you know it's a testament to the program that you have folks that want to do that.
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.