Coffee in hand, Georgia Thoms ’23 sat down with student entrepreneur Celeste Phillips ’24, owner of The Crochet Chameleon, a small business that sells crochet plushies and patterns. The quiet chatter of students in Earl Gregg Swem Library provided the backdrop to Phillips’ story about her business journey from small-time seller to friends and family to business owner of a popular Etsy store with over 36,000 Instagram followers and 2,600 sales. This conversation has been edited for concision and clarity.

The College of William and Mary boasts the prestigious reputation of being a “public Ivy” and the “Alma Mater of the Nation.” The College, though, is also the alma mater of thousands of alumni from across the globe, as well as a current home away from home for hundreds of international students, of which there were 567 on campus during the 2021-2022 year.

Meet Brandon and Hannah Wagster, the husband-and-wife team working to make Williamsburg magical. Together, they own the Wagsters Magic Theatre — Williamsburg’s one and only magic venue on Olde Town Road — that has captivated thousands since it opened in June 2022. Continue reading to learn about the Wagsters’ journey to magic, Williamsburg, and each other.

Since its creation in 2010, Williamsburg’s 2nd Sundays festival has brought together a wide variety of vendors, musicians, and members of the community every second Sunday from March to December.

Georgia Thoms ’23 sat down for a cup of tea with the two current residents of William Randolph Lodging, more commonly known as the CW House, to discuss the movement from campus living to a living museum as well as how this connection with Colonial Williamsburg furthers their academic interests. 

Students at the College of William and Mary are making their voices heard this midterm season, not only in the voting booth but also on the campaign trail, working for local and national candidates while balancing life as full-time students. 

2019 marked the 40th anniversary of Colonial Williamsburg’s commitment to African American interpretation. Explore Colonial Williamsburg’s efforts to uncover African American history and share it with visitors to Colonial Williamsburg and beyond.

A little ways away from the hubbub of Merchants Square is a large barn where sheep, chickens, and horses are kept in between driving shifts. There, Georgia Thoms ’23 met with some of the crew members who take care of these beloved Colonial Williamsburg animals. Continue reading to learn about the history behind the Rare Breeds program and its role in livestock conservation. 

The areas surrounding different college campuses can contribute greatly to a school’s atmosphere and job market. Hear from students at the College of William and Mary about the proximity, flexibility, and community of working in the Colonial Williamsburg area.

In recent years, the Williamsburg-James City County public school district has been criticized due to perceived racial, socioeconomic and achievement inequities between constituent schools. Now, as its school board looks ahead toward adding an additional high school and redistricting based on population overcrowding, The Flat Hat is taking a look back at the district’s zoning history and examining how inequity between schools can be more effectively addressed. 

Sex trafficking suspect Evan Anthony Cole was taken into police custody July 11 following a lockdown at the Travelodge motel on Bypass Road, with police lingering in the Cracker Barrel parking lot across the street. While Cole has been apprehended by police, the proximity of his capture to campus calls into question the prevalence of human trafficking in the Williamsburg area.