Expanding William & Mary’s national reach

Darpan Kapadia '95 addresses new William & Mary students at the 2025 Opening Convocation. (Photo by Stephen Salpukas)

As a high school student from New York's Long Island, Darpan Kapadia '95 found exactly what he was looking for at William & Mary: a strong community, an excellent education, close relationships with professors and an ability to make an impact.

Kapadia considers himself lucky - he discovered the Alma Mater of the Nation through his older brother, who attended another public university in Virginia. Now he wants to ensure that the brightest students from around the country know William & Mary may be the right place for them, too.

That's why he and his wife, Erica Olan, decided to invest in a strategic initiative to support enrollment of the best students nationwide. Through a combined focus on admissions, marketing, scholarships and counselor engagement, the gift will strengthen recruitment of out-of-state students who may not be aware of all that William & Mary has to offer. It is the first gift of its kind supporting W&M admission efforts.

"This investment in future students is a game-changer. It enables us to spread the word nationwide that William & Mary is the place to come and grow as a discerning leader," said President Katherine A. Rowe. "We warmly thank Darpan and Erica for their farsighted generosity."

This new initiative continues Kapadia's leadership support for the university's priorities of national preeminence and career development. That included a generous commitment two years ago that has enabled undergraduates to receive up to $5,000 each for unpaid or underpaid internships and applied learning opportunities, quadrupling the number of students who can receive such university funding each year.

Kapadia and Olan's gift also comes at a time when universities are preparing for a decline in the population of college-age students nationally. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts the population of 18-year-olds will decrease as much as 15% by 2039, prompting concerns about an "enrollment cliff."

"This is a moment for William & Mary to play offense," said Kapadia, chief operating officer of LS Power and incoming chair of the W&M Foundation. "In a world dominated by a lot of noise and distraction, being grounded in a real community of people who genuinely care is incredibly important - and that's exactly what William & Mary provides. We need to be out there telling our story in a powerful way and reaching students across the country. It's a compelling story, and it's easy to tell - because it's true."

With this new investment, William & Mary will initially expand recruitment efforts in the tri-state area of Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Plans include hosting high school counselors for a campus visit in the spring, with a more active regional presence beginning next fall after the university's first regional admission representative is hired. Over time, the effort will be rolled out nationally, including an ambitious marketing campaign and social media strategy. The initiative includes scholarship funds to make William & Mary's financial aid offers more competitive for out-of-state students, as well as continued support for internships.

Lisa Keegan, William & Mary's inaugural vice provost for enrollment strategy, emphasizes that reaching Virginia students will continue to be an important focus for the university, long considered a "public ivy."

"We're always going to be working on our recruitment and enrollment strategy in the Commonwealth," she said. "This gift will provide resources for us to expand our recruitment efforts outside Virginia."

As part of the initiative, representatives from William & Mary will increase visits to high schools in the Northeast and other regions, attending more college fairs and admission events. They will also partner with the close-knit alumni network to increase awareness of the university.

As a highly engaged member of that alumni network, Kapadia gave the keynote address at this year's Opening Convocation in August. He shared stories about his own experiences at William & Mary and encouraged students to find mentors, explore varied interests and pursue nonacademic activities. He recalled playing racquetball with his economics professors and serving in student government, eventually becoming class president and assuming other leadership roles. He urged students to take full advantage of the opportunities available to them on campus and, after graduating, give back to their alma mater.

"I'm committed to supporting the institution that built the pieces of who I am," Kapadia said in his address. "This place and the people who make it shaped me in ways I didn't fully understand until years later - how I think, how I lead and the values I try to live by."

Through this latest gift, Kapadia continues to pay it forward.

"We now have a promise we can make to our students - if there's an internship you want, but can't accept because it's unpaid, William & Mary will help fill the gap," he said. "That's an empowering message and it's already had a real impact - allowing students to make different choices and to take risks. With this new initiative, we can share William & Mary's value proposition with a broader audience, do so more intentionally, amplify our national presence and unlock the full potential of this great university. It's exciting to think about."

Tina Eshleman, University Marketing

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