Forbes names W&M a ‘New Ivy’ for second time

The Forbes list showcases 10 public and 10 private institutions that are "preparing and graduating the talent that employers will seek in this new era." (Photo by Timothy D. Sofranko)

For the second consecutive year, Forbes has counted William & Mary among "The New Ivies" for the university's excellence in career readiness.

The list showcases 10 public and 10 private institutions that are "preparing and graduating the talent that employers will seek in this new era."

According to Forbes, the institutions were selected based on survey results from more than 100 C-suite and hiring executives. This year, in addition to asking them to rate schools, the survey also asked how artificial intelligence was changing hiring practices.

"It should come as no surprise that the New Ivies are leaders in AI adoption, given their focus on workforce preparation," the Forbes article says.

A leader in careers

Career preparation is one of the core initiatives of William & Mary's Vision 2026 strategic plan. In 2025, Princeton Review ranked the university sixth among the top public universities for internships and in the top 20 for career placement. Also last year, Forbes named William & Mary as one of the top institutions for launching careers.

In the latest survey of recently graduated students, 84% of the Class of 2025 reported being employed or in graduate school. In addition, 96% reported being in positions that align well with their career interests.

The university seeks to support students and alumni in every step of their career journey through such initiatives as:

• Programs and advising offered through the Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement
• The Funding for Unpaid and Underfunded Student Experiences program
• The TribeShadow externship program
• W&M OneNetwork

In response to changes in the workforce, the Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement has incorporated AI tools into its work to support students. Those include AI-powered mock video interviews and additional tools for job and graduate school searches.

A leader in AI fluency

One respondent to the Forbes survey noted that ideal job candidates come from institutions that cultivate traits like emotional intelligence and creativity "to orchestrate AI tools rather than compete with them."

A leader in the liberal arts & sciences, William & Mary embraces a human-centered approach to AI. Some of the recent efforts to foster AI fluency among students across disciplines include:

• A new minor in AI and other offerings from the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics
• The Teaching and Research with Generative AI Sprint (TARGAS II) at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, designed to rethink higher education for an AI-enabled future
• An AI Club for students
• A ChatGPT Edu pilot program
• A global community in W&M OneNetwork to bring like-minded professionals together around the use of AI in the workplace
• Lectures and other events focused on AI, including the upcoming Tack Faculty Lecture with Clinical Associate Professor Rachel Chung, who will soon release a college textbook on AI
• A suite of forward-thinking programs and resources around AI, launched by W&M Libraries in partnership with Information Technology and the Studio for Teaching and Learning Innovation. It includes the "16 AI Things in 93 Days" project, monthly Zoom workshops, an AI Community of Practice, the Griffin Guide to AI and a LibGuide.
• University-wide efforts coordinated through IT to expand responsible access to AI, support teaching and administrative use cases and develop applied AI learning opportunities for students
• "The W&M Student's Guide to Generative AI," a course from the Writing and Communication Center that all first-year and transfer students will take before arriving at W&M

William & Mary faculty and students are also conducting research related to AI in a variety of fields, across all of the university's schools. Many of these projects are being conducted in coordination with community partners and government agencies.

No matter how the workplace may change, William & Mary remains committed to preparing students to think critically and adapt quickly in their careers, combining technical expertise and human understanding.

"People come to William & Mary wanting to understand and change the world. Our integrated approach to education - a liberal arts and sciences model that embraces the technological fluency required today- prepares students to lead meaningful careers in any industry," said Provost Peggy Agouris. "Given the opportunity, William & Mary graduates will make a lasting difference in the world."

Erin Jay, Senior Associate Director of University News

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