Meet a Colleague: Erin Fleming Erin Fleming is a reunion giving officer within University Development.

W&L News Office
May 14, 2025

Q. How long have you worked at W&L?
I have worked at W&L since July of 2019 – almost 6 years! I have spent the entirety of my time working in development on the reunion giving team. My favorite time of year is Alumni Weekend. I love working with our alumni volunteers and seeing them and their classmates every May.

Q. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia. Growing up near the historic area sparked my love for history and was the reason I was a history major. I love going home to visit my parents, walking Duke of Gloucester Street, visiting William & Mary’s campus (one of my alma maters) and enjoying a Cheese Shop sandwich.

Q. What advice do you have for students?
To all of our students, parents and alumni, I would say stay connected. The W&L community is unlike any I have experienced from my own alma maters or other institutions I have worked for. It is big, lively and incredibly supportive. I love running into W&L community members when I am not in Lexington. It always results in a great conversation. I feel so fortunate to be a part of the W&L network.

Q. What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not working?
In 2021, my husband and I bought a 100-year-old fixer-upper that we lovingly call “The Cottage.” When I am not working, I love spending time working on the house or out in the garden we built together in 2023. It has been a labor of love, but I have found great joy in bringing it back to life. Some of my favorite projects have been adding wainscoting to our dining room and restoring the original doors. Additionally, during the pandemic, I discovered a love for watercolor painting. My best friend and I work together to design greeting cards and stationery. It has been another fun outlet for creativity!

Q. What book are you reading now?
I love to both read books and listen to them. Currently, I am listening to “Lincoln in the Bardo.” I am enjoying the book, though it is much different than my typical genre. For me, another highlight of the pandemic was participating in the Lifelong Learning book club. It introduced me to some of my favorite novels, such as “A Gentleman in Moscow” and “The Great Believers.” I still enjoy participating and look forward to starting “Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr, soon! P.S. If you have not read his Pulitzer Prize novel, “All the Light We Cannot See,” I would highly recommend it!

Q. What is the website you visit most often and why?
Not a website per se, but I probably use the Instagram app most frequently. I love following my favorite bloggers/influencers for food recommendations as well as current interior design and fashion trends.

Q. If you could have coffee with one person, who would it be and why?
It would be my great grandmother, Emma. She passed before I was born but lived an incredible life. In 1928, at 20 years old, she took a job with the federal government, moving from Nebraska to Washington D.C. by herself. She spent the entirety of her career working for the war department. In addition to having a career, she was also a single mother to my grandmother – neither of which were common at the time. Due to her frugality, she was able to fund her grandchildren’s K-12 education as well as my mom’s college education. The education of her family was incredibly important to her. I owe her a great debt of gratitude, as I would not be where I am today without her influence.

Q. What is your desert island food?
Tacos! They are by far my favorite food and there is so much variety.

Q. Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
The secret is out – my husband and I are expecting our first child this summer!