BRINGING THE WORLD TO W&M

Each year the Reves Center hosts a variety of events and lectures. Videos of many of the talks are archived at the Reves Youtube channel, youtube/wmrevescenter.

2023 McSwain-Walker Lecture

The annual McSwain-Walker lecture brings renowned scholars, artists, analysts and other notable public figures to William & Mary to speak on topics related to how other countries and cultures interact with the United States, and how the United States interacts with them.

Jessica Nabongo: "Intentional Travel: How Education, Empathy and Confidence will Help You Create the Life You Want to Live"

Jessica Nabongo is a writer, photographer, entrepreneur, travel expert, influencer and public speaker.

She completed her journey as the first Black woman on record to travel to all 195 U.N.recognized countries of the world in October of 2019. A first-generation American, Nabongo was born and raised in Detroit by Ugandan parents. She attended St. John’s University in New York where she earned a degree in English Literature, later completing a graduate degree in Development Studies at the London School of Economics. She uses her blog, “The Catch Me If You Can,” to share her travel adventures and build a global community. She is also the founder of the lifestyle brand The Catch.

In the National Geographic travelogue, “The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in the World,” Nabongo describes her journey around the world, highlighting 100 countries with fascinating stories of adventure, culture, travel musts and human connections.

Nabongo is committed to increasing cultural awareness and encourages people to think positively about other countries and the world at large, so that we do not miss out on opportunities to have amazing experiences with our neighbors.

“I hope what other Black people see from my story is that you should feel comfortable traveling anywhere you want to go. My journey is about showing everyone, not just Black women and men, that your dreams are achievable.”

2023 George Tayloe Ross Lecture on International Peace

The annual George Tayloe Ross Address on International Peace was established to promote peace by exploring and investigating topics of current interest that affect relations among nations, ranging from international political matters to environmental questions..

Monica Ruiz: "The Importance of Multistakeholder Digital Diplomacy"

Monica M. Ruiz is Senior Government Affairs Manager, Digital Diplomacy. She focuses on efforts to promote stability in cyberspace and advance trust, security and human rights in this domain. Prior to joining Microsoft, Monica was the Program Fellow for the Cyber Initiative and Special Projects at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Earlier in her career, she was the first recipient of the U.S. Boren Fellowship to travel to Estonia where her research focused on cybersecurity policy and strategy. Born in Ecuador and raised in Miami, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University and a master’s degree from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.