insight

J.D. ʻ66 to speak at Commencement

Comedian, actor and writer Patton Oswalt ʻ91 will be speaking at the College of William and Mary during the May 19 Commencement main ceremony. Oswalt will receive an honorary degree at the Commencement event, which is scheduled for May 19 at 7 p.m. in Zable Stadium.

Oswalt is best known for his voice acting as Remy in “Ratatouille” and Spence in “King of Queens.” He has won various awards, including a Primetime Emmy and a Grammy in 2016 for his San Francisco stand-up show “Talking for Clapping.” Oswalt has recently co-created the Marvel comic-inspired show “M.O.D.O.K” and has costarred in the NBC comedy “A.P. Bio.”

Oswalt began performing in comedy clubs during his time at the College and was a member of The Flat Hat Newspaper.

In response to the Collegeʼs request for Oswaltʼs presence as the Commencement keynote speaker, he said, “I would like a bag of bread ends and dip from the Cheese Shop for my services. Thank you.”

Alongside Oswalt, former College rector and retired Chief Financial Officer of transportation provider company Norfolk Southern Henry C. “Hank” Wolf ʻ64, J.D. ʻ66 will be receiving an honorary degree.

Wolf was a former economics major at the College and also attended the Collegeʼs Law School. He began his legal career in the United States Army and served for four years, achieving his rank as captain. Prior to his retirement in 2007, Wolf also worked with Norfolk Southern for over 30 years, rising to the role of vice chairman and chief financial officer.

Liz Cascone: “Give yourself credit for the small things”

Haven director discusses her career in social work, advocates for adaptable resolutions

EMMA HENRY // FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

In the fall of 2014, students and faculty at the College of William and Mary established the Haven, a con dential, on-campus resource for students coping with sexual violence, relationship abuse and various other forms of harassment and discrimination. Two years later, the College began searching for an o cial director of the research center, a role Liz Cascone, who holds a master’s in social work, has now retained for the past seven years.

Cascone’s current role is to train student advocates, build a larger vision for the center and collaborate with other o ces on campus. Her presence has ensured that the Haven has an established role at the College and continues to maintain a safe environment for students. is is a place they can come and understand what their options are, understand what the resources are and then make informed choices about what they want to do moving forward,” Cascone said. “And sometimes all they want is support, so that’s a primary function that we provide.”

Growing up in Fairfax County, Virginia, Cascone studied sociology and psychology with a concentration in women’s studies at Virginia Tech before pursuing a master’s degree in social work at Virginia Commonwealth University. Following her education, Cascone entered a career in a community-based sexual and domestic violence program in eastern Virginia.

Corrections

CORRECTION (3/8/23): The article “548 upperclassmen placed on waitlist, second year in a row with 500+ waitlisted students” was updated by Sarah Devendorf, the Standards and Practices Editor, to give credit to Shradha Dinesh and Abhayprad Jha and for contributing to the writing of this article as co-authors. The Flat Hat wishes to correct any fact printed incorrectly. Corrections may be submitted in email to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.