The Story

Gates Inducted as Chancellor

Feb. 8, 2012 | By Sarah Blanke, DSJ Staff Reporter

Chancellor Robert Gates, class of 1965, is a prominent and distinguished William and Mary alumnus who has received numerous accolades throughout his very successful and honorable career in public service. Chancellor Gates is probably most well-known for his time served in the Central Intelligence Agency and his position as the only Secretary of Defense to work for two administrations of differing political parties.

Throughout his career, Chancellor Gates has kept in touch with William and Mary. He worked as a trustee for William and Mary’s endowment fund in the 1990s, was the speaker for the 1998 Charter Day ceremony and gave the commencement address in 2007. In an interview with William and Mary’s student media, Gates referenced his continued connection to his alma mater when he said �"I don’t actually feel like I ever really lost touch with the campus.”

When asked what it feels like to return to the William and Mary campus as such a notable alumnus, Gates replied �"You think back to when you were a freshman. You never dreamed that any of these things that happened in your life will have happened.”

Chancellor Gates also praised William and Mary regarding his observations of the changes that the college has undergone since his time in college. The changes he notes are mostly positive ones, such as an increase in student involvement on campus and keeping the quality of its liberal arts education steady while absorbing budget cuts.

In Chancellor Gates’ Charter Day speech this past Friday, he called William and Mary students to action, saying �"In the great and urgent endeavors that lie before us, I have no doubt that the graduates and scholars of William and Mary – this community of learning, listening and working through issues – rooted in the original soil and the basic principles of American liberty, have a special role, and a special obligation, to be part of the solution: as leaders, as public servants, as citizens. As I enter this next and last phase in my public life, I will be proud and honored to serve as Chancellor as you help right this nation’s course.”

Chancellor Gates added in the interview with the student media that due to his experience as President of A&M, he will be able to help the leaders of William and Mary to make up for a loss of state funding by increasing development efforts. His plans for the future as well as his past experiences make Robert Gates well-prepared for his time as William and Mary’s Chancellor. Welcome back to William and Mary, Chancellor Gates!