The Columns Weekly - Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 Editor's Note: The Columns Weekly will not be issued for the next two weeks due to Winter Break. The newsletter will next appear in your inbox on Thursday, Jan. 8. From The Columns A Few of Our Favorite Things W&L's communications team of writers, editors and designers looks back on some of their top stories from 2025. Where Tradition Meets Entrepreneurship: The University Store’s Student and Alumni Connection The University Store has become an unexpected incubator, offering a platform to launch and grow entrepreneurial ventures. Two Students Awarded Gilman Scholarships to Study Abroad The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards of up to $5,000 to U.S. undergraduate students who are Pell Grant recipients. W&L Ethics Bowl Team Qualifies for National Competition The team secured its bid with a runner-up showing at the APPE Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl regional competition in Baltimore. Read More W&L News on The Columns Employee Accolades Nathaniel Goldberg Publishes New Book The professor of philosophy’s book, “Philosophy of the History of Philosophy,” was published in November. JT Torres Authors New Book Titled “Teaching, Learning, and Caring in Higher Education,” the book illustrates how to cultivate relationships to create an interdependent classroom. Matt Eaker named to College Sports Communicators’ 30 Under 30 List The assistant director of athletics communications was recognized as a rising professional in the sports communications field. Catherine Smith Honored with SALT Human Rights Award The award from the Society of American Law Teachers recognizes the contributions of individuals or groups who are tireless advocates for human rights, equality, and justice. Want to be recognized for your work or do you have a colleague who should be recognized for their accomplishments? Simply use the employee accolade submission form. Meet a Colleague Meet a Colleague: Grace Miller Grace Miller serves as assistant director of fraternity and sorority life. Learn more about Grace in our "Meet a Colleague" feature series. Sign up for the ITS Newletter! Planned Campus Outages Dec. 22 and Dec. 31 Buildings on the Washington and Lee campus electrical grid will experience planned outages affecting all power, heating and cooling from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 22 and Dec. 31. Additionally, badge swipe access to these campus buildings will be locked during these times. The outages do not affect buildings outside of the W&L grid, which includes all fraternity houses and university office spaces located in downtown Lexington such as Mattingly House, Hillel House, Global Service House, the Office of University Development, the Business Office, etc. The sorority houses will maintain electricity, but their heating and cooling systems will be affected. These outages are necessary to replace outdated electrical switchgear that will serve the campus grid for years to come. Faculty and staff are encouraged to avoid utilizing campus buildings during these outages. Questions about the outage work should be directed to University Facilities at facilities@wlu.edu. Enjoy a 360-degree View of Lessons & Carols Click on the image to play the video, which features a click and drag 360-degree view of the annual holiday tradition performed by the University Singers. This Week's Scene on Campus Earth and Environmental Geoscience professors Margaret Anne Hinkle, Jeff Rahl, and Nicholas Barber along with Dean of the College Paul Youngman ’87, Provost Lina Hill and four geo majors unpack a Raman imaging microscope (CRIM) the university purchased through a generous grant from the National Science Foundation. View Photos Support the Generals! Several home events will take place before classes resume in January. Check out a game or two during the winter break! Featured Social Media Site Give the Office of Career and Professional Development a follow on Instagram! Make sure to follow all the university's social media channels for more information about happenings on our campus! Twitter/X - @wlunews | @wlulex | @wlulaw Facebook - Washington and Lee University | Working at W&L Instagram - @wlunews | @wlulex | @wlulaw Upcoming Events University Holiday Brunch 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Evans Dining Hall University Winter Break Closure Dec. 22-Jan. 2 The winter break closure begins on Monday, Dec. 22 and ends on Friday, Jan. 2. Normal university operations resume on Monday, Jan. 5. Winter Term Classes Begin The Winter Term will begin on Jan. 8 at 8 a.m. Law Faculty Meeting 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Law Community Lounge The law faculty meeting will be held from 11-12 in the Law Community Lounge. University Faculty Meeting 4:10-5:30 p.m. Stackhouse Theater The third university faculty meeting of the 2025-26 academic year will be held in Stackhouse Theater on Jan. 12 Artist Talk and Reception: Joey Fauerso’s “In a Classroom” 5:30 p.m. Lenfest Center/Wilson Concert Hall W&L's Staniar Gallery presents “In a Classroom,” a solo exhibition by multimedia artist Joey Fauerso. The exhibit will be on view from Jan. 8 through Feb. 6, 2026. Fauerso will also give an artist’s talk on Jan. 13 in Wilson Concert Hall, followed by a reception. The exhibition and reception events are free and open to the public. More Info Lenfest Production Dinner featuring Bette Smith 5-8 p.m. The Marketplace Come to dinner at The Marketplace for a soul, rock and blues dinner celebrating Smith's near-Southern roots with a down-home cooking feast complete with buttermilk fried chicken, mashed potatoes and collard greens with ham. Dry rubbed beef ribs, blackened catfish, vegetarian gumbo and red beans with rice will also be available. Endowed Professorship Lecture: Lloyd Tanlu 5 p.m. Northen Auditorium Lloyd Tanlu, associate professor of accounting at Washington and Lee University, will present a public lecture to mark his appointment to the Ehrick Kilner Haight Sr. Term Professorship. Tanlu’s talk, “Designing Control Systems: How Structure and Syntax Impact Organizational Outcomes,” is free an open to the public. More Info Nobel Symposium: Mengying Liu 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Leyburn 128 Mengying Liu, assistant professor of engineering at Washington and Lee University, will present on the 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi for the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The event is free and open to the public. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. Mudd Center Speaker: Olatunde Johnson 5:15 p.m. Stackhouse Theater Olatunde Johnson, the Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’59 Professor of Law at Columbia University, will present a lecture titled “Environmental Sacrifice Zones and the Limits of Civil Rights Enforcement.” The event, which was rescheduled from Oct. 2, is free and open to the public. More Info Lenfest Series: Bette Smith 7:30 p.m. Lenfest Center/Keller Theater The Lenfest Center at Washington and Lee University presents a performance by blues singer Bette Smith on Jan. 15 in the Keller Theatre. Tickets are required and available online or in person at the Lenfest Center box office. More Info

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