Symposium to highlight military spouses throughout history for America’s 250th

The symposium will recognize the legacy of military spouses and foster strong community ties through workshops and collaboration.

The theme this year's symposium is "Embrace History. Empower Legacy. Elevate the Next 250 Years." The aim is to help military spouses see themselves and their importance throughout American history and in their own family legacy. (Courtesy Photo)

William & Mary will host its second annual Empowering Military Spouses Symposium on Friday, June 5, at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, tailoring the event to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Organized by Military & Veteran Affairs, the theme this year is "Embrace History. Empower Legacy. Elevate the Next 250 Years." The aim is to help military spouses see themselves and their importance throughout American history and in their own family legacy.

Attendees will enjoy a day filled with meaningful conversation, practical insights and powerful storytelling. The event is free and open to the public. Comprehensive childcare for up to 50 K-8th-grade children is being provided at no cost to participants, ensuring that spouses can engage in meaningful conversation knowing their children are in a safe and enriched environment.

"At William & Mary, we believe civic leadership begins with service," said Kathleen Jabs, special assistant to the president for Military & Veteran Affairs. Jabs herself is a Navy veteran, a military spouse and the mother-in-law of a military spouse.

"Since the founding of our nation, military spouses have strengthened families, communities and our country, often without recognition. As we approach America's 250th anniversary, this symposium is an opportunity to honor that legacy and continue to build a community where military families feel supported, connected and empowered to lead."

With this symposium, William & Mary continues its dedication to its more than 1,600 military-connected students and the greater campus community. Earlier this year, the university was designated as a Gold-Level Military Friendly School and host site for the 2026 Virtual Institutes for Cyber and Electromagnetic Spectrum Research and Employ (VICEROY) symposium.

The idea for a military spouse symposium came from Lindsay Blount Ed.D. '24, senior director of outreach & management for Military & Veteran Affairs and an Air Force spouse. Taking inspiration from Blount's own experience as a military spouse and her research on military transition programs, the inaugural symposium last year was a success for both attendees and sponsors.

To follow up, Blount took feedback from participants and made sure building community was at the forefront this year.

"This year, we really reached out to the community and asked them what they wanted, what they needed," Blount said. "It's going to feel grander. We have 10 military spouses on the planning team from William & Mary and the community. This symposium is for military spouses, by military spouses."

The symposium is expecting more than 200 attendees, including military and veteran spouses, veterans who are also military spouses, panelists, vendors and campus staff. Opening remarks will be made by Jabs, followed by the keynote address given by Senior Vice President of Sentara Amber Price, who herself is a military spouse.

Additionally, Corie Weathers, an author and licensed clinical advisor on military morale and leadership, is hosting a workshop that will navigate the complexity of being a military spouse and encourage participants to celebrate their own heroism.

In partnership with Strategic Cultural Partnerships, the symposium will also host a panel on military spouses throughout history. Additional breakout sessions will focus on financial legacy, military marriages, careers and networking for every stage of military life.

"The symposium doesn't end on June 5," Blount noted. Following feedback from last year's symposium, attendees can join webinar sessions once a month with revolving corporate sponsors and guest speakers to continue relationships fostered at the symposium.

The Empowering Military Spouses Symposium is made possible through the incredible support of organizations and community partners that believe deeply in investing in military spouses and families, including Gold Star partners Leidos and USAA, Silver Premium Partners PenFed Credit Union, Fiserv and First Command and many others. The full list is available on the symposium's website.

"At the heart of this symposium is a simple but powerful message: Military spouses are not standing on the sidelines of history - they are helping shape it," said Blount. "Their leadership, resilience, sacrifice and service continue to strengthen our communities, our military and our nation, and we are proud to create a space where their stories, voices and futures are recognized and empowered."

William Oster, Communications Specialist

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