Pierson Gammage ’24, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Sidney S. Evans and Martha Ernest ’24 celebrate the 237th Commencement.
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| A Lexington summer is upon us again, and I'm excited to welcome our newest graduates to the alumni network. The Class of 2024 enjoyed a beautiful Commencement day on May 30 on the front lawn between the Colonnade and University Chapel. |
| Though classes are dismissed for the academic year, campus remains busy. Construction continues on the new Williams School, and the Lindley Center for Student Wellness has broken ground; Susan Wood, former executive director of university development, was named the new vice president for university advancement; and the university posthumously awarded Letitia Pate Whitehead Evans with the Washington Award, the school's highest honor. And don't forget to mark your calendars: The Alumni College will be returning July 7-12 to tackle the topic of artificial intelligence and its effect on humanity, featuring professors Paul Gregory, Simon Levy and Jeff Schatten. |
| While each year brings new developments, the cherished culture of W&L remains. Articles below on longstanding experiences such as Washington Term and Professor Chris Connors' Spring Term class, Field Methods and Regional Geology of the Appalachians, demonstrate that continuity between alumni and undergraduates. In addition, some students still roam campus as they perform summer research and internships in the Rockbridge County area, enjoying the staples of our area like so many before. |
| And Classes 2014 to 2024, don't forget to register for Young Alumni Weekend, which will be held Sept. 13-15. The weekend will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of W&L's QuestBridge partnership. We hope to see you all there! |
John Jensen '01
Executive Director
Alumni and Career Services |
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| Support W&L Students Before June 30 |
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Make your W&L Annual Fund gift today. |
| June 30, the end of W&L's fiscal year, is on a Sunday. If supporting students is on your to-do list, check it off now by making a gift or fulfilling your pledge to the Annual Fund today. |
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W&L Celebrates 448 Graduates at 237th Commencement
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| In his remarks, President Will Dudley told the Class of 2024 that their liberal arts education — which develops intellect and character and encourages leadership and service — has prepared them to make significant contributions wherever they go. |
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Getting to the Root of the Issue
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| The women’s soccer team worked with the greater Lexington community to help eliminate invasive species plaguing the health of Woods Creek. |
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| Continuing the W&L Experience |
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Rock Stars
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After 25 years, W&L faculty member Chris Connors teaches his swan song Spring Term class, Field Methods and Regional Geology of the Appalachians. |
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Running Up the Hill
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Students in Washington and Lee's six-week Washington Term program learn the pace of Washington, D.C., during their Spring Term. |
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| On May 9, graduates from the classes of 1979 to 1984 travelled 13,000 miles from nine states to have dinner at the home of Edward Taylor '81 (seated center) in Memphis, Tennessee. Penn Owen '81, Louis Jehl '84 and Marshall Clark '81 hosted this special event. |
| Front row: Rik Kirkland '81, Win Ryan '81 (seated on the floor), Gary Shaffer '81, Taylor, Richard Drennen '81, Pat Robinson '81 and Kevin McGuire '81. Back row: Bruce Moore '81, Murry McClintock '80, Greg Morten '80, Jeff Milstead '81, David Proctor '81, Will Pierce '79, Tom Coleman '82, Jehl, Jim Hinson '81, Thad Ellis '82, Clark, Owen and Tad McDonough '81. Not pictured is Victor McLaughlin '81, whose flight from New York was delayed until the next day. |
| Have a special moment like this that you'd like to share for W&L Magazine? Submit a class note and photos to magazine@wlu.edu. |
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Larry Connolly '79's Horse Dornoch Wins the Belmont Stakes
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| Dornoch beat 17-1 odds to win the 156th Belmont Stakes, held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Connolly co-owns the colt through his syndicate, West Paces Racing. Read about how the W&L alum got into racing, the "moneyball" outfit of West Paces and details on Dornoch. |
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| Question: For those of you who spent a summer (or more!) researching, interning or working in the Rockbridge County area, we want to know: What was your favorite summer activity in Lexington? |
| Email your response to magazine@wlu.edu for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of W&L Magazine. |
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‘W&L After Class’ Podcast Releases New Episode Featuring Mark Drumbl
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In a profession dictated in absolute decisions, how can law acknowledge the gray area of the human condition? In this month’s episode, Professor Mark Drumbl examines the function and limitations of law through his experiences defending for those accused of mass atrocities in Rwanda, his study of the marginalization of people and collective violence and his beliefs on how we need to reconceptualize evil. |
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Young Alumni Weekend Tickets Available
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Young Alumni Weekend (Sept. 13-15) early-bird tickets are still available, but there are only a limited number left! Get the best price for all-inclusive access to weekend activities, elevated food and drinks at all events, live entertainment, evening transportation and more. A special part of the weekend celebrations will also be the W&L QuestBridge 10th Anniversary and Reunion. |
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| Over the 2023-24 academic year, the Generals achieved a 227-88-10 record, translating to a 71.38% winning percentage. W&L secured ODAC trophies in volleyball, women's basketball, men's and women's swimming, women's golf, women's lacrosse and men's and women's tennis, while 23 Generals won individual championships during postseason meets. Seventy-one Generals received first-team all-ODAC honors, eight were players of the year, five were rookies of the year, and W&L collected four coach of the year awards. In total, the programs combined for 59 team and individual W&L records broken this year. |
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| Washington and Lee University earned all three ODAC Commissioner's Cups, marking their 22nd straight Dan Wooldridge Overall Champions Cup and 21st consecutive ODAC Women's Commissioner's Cup. The Generals have won the overall championship 28 times, the men's cup 23 times and the women's title 24 times. |
| On the national stage, 24 student-athletes were named All-Americans. First-year Jonathan McEwen (pictured) was named the national rookie of the year for men's golf, and Mary Schleusner was voted the regional player of the year for women's basketball. Additionally, 11 teams qualified for the NCAA postseason, and 18 Generals earned national championship invitations individually. The Blue and White made history with four NCAA quarterfinal appearances in the same year, and two teams — men's soccer and men's lacrosse — advanced to the Final Four. Driven by 15 teams competing in the NCAA postseason, the Blue and White finished 16th in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings. |
| Academically, the Generals earned 13 ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, and sophomore goalkeeper Will Joseph was named the NCAA Men's Soccer DIII Elite 90 award winner. In the classroom during the Winter Term, 425 Generals were named W&L scholar-athletes, and 87 achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA for the semester. |
| For more details on the Generals' accomplishments and the 2024-25 schedules, rosters and news, visit Generalssports.com. |
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Walking in Tuscany and the Italian Riviera
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Slow down and immerse yourself with this walking tour through Tuscany. After glowing reviews in 2022, Lifelong Learning decided to offer this trip again. Explore major cities, lesser-known villages and the coastline of the Ligurian Sea with this unique experience. |
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The Imitation Game: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Position
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Register now for the upcoming Alumni College on July 7-12. This year’s Alumni College will explore the current state of artificial intelligence and consider the likely futures for this technology and its possible impact on humanity. |
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Alumni College: The Imitation Game: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Position |
We'll explore the current state of artificial intelligence and consider the likely futures for this technology and its possible impact on humanity.
Learn more
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Young Alumni Weekend |
Join your classmates, meet new friends and enjoy the fall splendor of the beautiful campus from Sept. 13-15. We will celebrate the fifth and 10th reunions for classes of 2014 and 2019, and all alumni from 2014-2024 are invited!
Learn more
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W&L Policy Forum in Washington, D.C. |
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Gather with fellow W&L alumni and community members for a forum exploring the intersection of politics, policy and the private sector. Registration opens in late June. |
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W&L Athletics Hall of Fame |
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The following athletes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame and will be recognized this October: Mike Wenke ’79 – men’s basketball; Hilary Martin Chaney '98 '04L – women’s volleyball; Jim Stagnitta, former coach ’90-’01 – men’s lacrosse; Tim McGlaston ’08 – men’s swimming; and Sara Tilbor ’08 – women’s lacrosse. Registration opens later this summer. |
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Law and Literature Weekend Seminar: 'Take My Hand' |
Bringing together faculty and participants to study a single work of literature from legal, ethical and literary perspectives, this year’s edition will consider "Take My Hand," a novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez recognized with the 2023 Prize for Fiction from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Fiction and the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award.
Learn more
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