Learning in motion: How McLeod Business Library engages the community

The McLeod Business Library at William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business is reimagining what a modern academic library can be. Under the leadership of Head of McLeod Business Library Anna Dulin Milholland, the library has become a hub for experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and intellectual discovery that extends far beyond its walls in Miller Hall.

One of the most visible examples of this momentum is the rise of the Competitive Excel team, a student initiative sponsored by the McLeod Business Library and supported by the Boehly Center for Excellence in Finance and the Estes Center for Excellence in Accounting. What began as a series of skill-building workshops has quickly evolved into a high-performing program competing on a regional stage.

At the Microsoft Excel Collegiate Challenge Regionals, hosted by the University of Central Florida on April 11, the William & Mary team earned a second-place overall finish. Team members Alec Ferhman, Sophia Hsu, David Murtin, Travis Rowley, and Aiden Whitney competed across four demanding categories: Speed, Visual, Data, and Ninja. Murtin also distinguished himself, placing second overall and earning second in the Speed competition.

For Instruction and Research Librarian William Judd, who has coached the team since its inception in 2024, the achievement reflects both the students’ commitment and the program’s broader purpose.

“The Competitive Excel program gives students a space to deepen their Excel skills beyond the classroom,” Judd said. “It is exciting to watch their growth and see them apply those skills in a competitive environment. This result shows what is possible when students are given the tools and support to push themselves.”

The program builds on a strong foundation established during its first year, when students participated in weekly workshops, monthly challenges, and fast-paced Excel competitions designed to sharpen their analytical thinking. That steady investment in skill development is now translating into national recognition.

Milholland sees the program as part of a larger vision for the library.

“Our goal is to meet students where they are and create opportunities for them to engage with information in meaningful, applied ways,” she said. “Whether it is through data competitions, research support, or interactive programming, we are focused on helping students build confidence and capability.”

That philosophy is evident in the library’s creative approach to student engagement. Last semester, McLeod partnered with the Undergraduate Programs Office to launch a life-sized, Clue-inspired interactive game during orientation for new business majors and minors. Designed to introduce students to key resources, spaces, and services, the experience offered a memorable and hands-on way to build early connections within the Mason School community.

The library continues to foster those connections throughout the academic year with initiatives like Curiosity Corner, held each Wednesday in the Miller Hall Atrium.

This weekly drop-in program brings together staff from Undergraduate Programs, Career Services, and the McLeod Business Library to provide accessible support for students navigating academic and professional questions. What began as a simple idea has become a consistent point of engagement and collaboration.

At the same time, McLeod is creating opportunities for reflection on the intellectual traditions that shape modern business education. In collaboration with William & Mary Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center, the library is currently hosting an exhibit marking the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. On display through December 2026, the exhibit features the university’s first edition copy in its original binding, alongside rare materials that highlight Smith’s influence on early teaching at William & Mary, including notes from Bishop James Madison and a student’s lecture notes from 1799.

The exhibit is paired with a series of academic events, including a recent lecture titled “The Enduring Wealth of Nations: A Celebration of 250 Years,” which brought together faculty and students to explore the lasting relevance of Smith’s ideas.

Milholland’s leadership extends beyond campus. A founding member of the AACSB Business Librarians Affinity Group, she has served on its Steering Committee since 2023 and currently serves as Chair. She also co-authored the 2025 AACSB Insights article Librarians with an Affinity for Business Education and previously contributed Is a Business Librarian a Professor’s Best Friend? in 2022. Her work reflects a growing recognition of the role business librarians play in advancing teaching, research, and student success.

Taken together, these efforts illustrate a library that is both rooted in tradition and oriented toward the future. From national competitions and immersive student programming to rare book exhibitions and thought leadership in the field, the McLeod Business Library continues to expand what is possible within a business school environment.

As Milholland puts it, “Libraries have always been places of discovery. What we are doing now is expanding how that discovery happens and who it reaches.”