Shortly after Madison Lilly '25 was born, she received her first letter from Washington and Lee University that welcomed her to the larger W&L family (her parents are Robert ’93L and Tia Lilly). The letter, sent by then-Director of Alumni Programs Rob Mish ’76, celebrated Lilly’s arrival and told her W&L looked forward to another arrival — in fall 2021, when she would hopefully be embarking on her own W&L journey. On May 29, Lilly and Mish reconnected at Lilly’s Commencement ceremony — she even brought his letter from decades before!
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| It's summer break on campus, but things are far from quiet at W&L. The Class of 2025 marked their Commencement on a beautiful spring day. While Baccalaureate moved to VMI due to weather, Ansel Sanders '04 gave such an amazing address that no one seemed to mind the change in venue. You can read more below — including a feature on our first female triple legacy. |
| Across the country, our alumni chapters are active with Welcome to the City events, community volunteering and Summer Send-Offs for incoming students. As we roll out our new online directory, now's the perfect time to check your contact info so you don't miss out on chapter updates or upcoming events. |
| We are also closing out our fiscal year — thank you to everyone who's supported the W&L Fund. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a real impact. |
| And don't miss the latest After Class podcast from our Lifelong Learning team: Ruth Candler sits down with President Will Dudley for a great conversation (worth the listen — as are all the episodes!). |
John Jensen '01
Executive Director
Alumni and Career Services |
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| Leading Lives of Consequence: The Campaign For Washington and Lee |
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Teeing Up for the Next Shot
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Washington and Lee University and Lexington Golf and Country Club are collaborating to undertake a complete renovation of the club’s golf course and ancillary facilities. |
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Best Practice
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Dr. Charles Frankum ’90 lays claim to being one of the few surgeons in the country who flies himself to appointments at rural hospitals. |
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Introducing Austin Term
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| A creative new Spring Term course brought students to Austin, Texas, for alumni mentorship, career exploration and literary analysis. |
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A Model of Sustainability
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| Students explored real-world applications of sustainable business practices in the Social Innovation in Scandinavia Spring Term Abroad course. |
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| At the 2025 undergraduate Commencement, Barbara Jenkins '92L, Kate Jenkins Howard '99 and Kylie Therrien '25 became the first female triple generation legacy at Washington and Lee University. |
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 The spring issue of W&L: The Washington and Lee Magazine has arrived! Pore over the 75-year history of Shenandoah, learn about the Shenandoah Internship program, take in the renderings of the Tom Wolfe '51 Reading Room for Special Collections and Archives, read about W&L alumni who help usher books to publication and beyond – and more – with this Literary Issue.
Stay in touch! Have a professional milestone or personal achievement you want to celebrate? Submit a Class Note through your Colonnade Connections account. Did this issue spark any reflections you'd like to share? Send us a note for a future Letters to the Editor column by emailing magazine@wlu.edu. |
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Five-Star Festival
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We look forward to welcoming back alumni from the classes of 1974 and earlier on Oct. 3-5, 2025, for the 2025 Five-Star Festival, featuring special celebrations for the 55th, 60th and 65th reunions of the classes of 1970, 1965 and 1960. It will be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with W&L and reunite with lifelong friends. |
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Costa Rica: A Natural Paradise
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Begin your trip in San José, Costa Rica, where a world of natural beauty awaits. Enter into the lush jungles of Tortuguero National Park, explore the park’s village and visit the Turtle Research Center. Embark on a boat tour through the park’s canals surrounded by tropical rainforests to witness incredible biodiversity. |
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Summer Explorations "Discover the Middle Ages: A Week of Exploration, Connection and Insight" |
This program, held on campus July 6-11, invites you to journey through the vibrant heart of the Middle Ages, where city-states in Italy flourished, national monarchies consolidated power and the Caliphates emerged in the Muslim world. Explore the dynamics of religious and cultural exchange between Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists and learn how these interactions, often contentious, fueled lasting conflicts — and enduring legacies.
Register now
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Summer Explorations "Digging into History: A W&L Family Adventure in Archaeology" |
Join us on July 20-23 to enjoy the Washington and Lee college experience as a family. Families are invited to discover the methods, technologies and sources archaeologists use to “see” things that are no longer visible.
Register now
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Young Alumni Weekend |
Join your classmates, meet new friends and enjoy the fall splendor of campus on Sept. 19-21. We will celebrate the fifth and 10th reunions for classes of 2015 and 2020. All alumni 2015-2025 are invited!
Learn more
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Athletics Hall of Fame |
The Washington and Lee Athletics Hall of Fame honors individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions to W&L Athletics and have helped bring recognition, honor, excellence and distinction to the university and its intercollegiate athletic program. On Sept. 26-27, Elizabeth Webb Berry ’09 (women’s cross country and women’s track & field), Mary Ashleigh Boles ’14 (volleyball), Lindsey Strachan Komisin ’09 (women’s swimming), Brook Hartzell ’00 (women’s tennis) and Zander Tallman ’14 (men’s track & field) will be inducted into the 2025 class.
Learn more
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Law and Literature Weekend Seminar |
The 32nd program on Oct. 3-4 will center on “The Nickel Boys” (2019), a novel by Colson Whitehead recognized with the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, the Kirkus Prize and the Orwell Prize for political fiction.
Register now
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Five-Star Festival |
We look forward to welcoming back all classes 1974 and earlier, on Oct. 3-5, featuring the 55th, 60th and 65th reunion classes of 1970, 1965 and 1960 for the Five-Star Festival.
Learn more
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