The Columns Weekly - Thursday, Mar. 26, 2026 From The Columns 250 Years of Learning Washington and Lee University’s library system celebrates a quarter millennium of scholarship. W&L Students Explore Career Paths Over February Break Washington and Lee’s Office of Career and Professional Development recently took students to New York City for an immersive week of alumni networking and career exploration. Mary Schleusner ’26 Selected as 2026 Jostens Trophy Recipient The Charlotte, North Carolina native becomes the first player from W&L to receive the award that recognizes the most outstanding players in Division III basketball. Behind the Lens DeLaney Filmmaker-in-Residence Nich Perez invites W&L students into the world of documentary film with two new film projects screening in Stackhouse Theater this spring. Student Organization Spotlight: Environmental Law Society The Environmental Law Society aims to bring together students with an interest in and appreciation of environmental law and policy. Read More W&L News on The Columns The Speaking Tradition Washington and Lee University is more than a top-ranked, private liberal arts school – it's a place where connections are made, bonds are forged and paths are discovered. To showcase W&L's sense of community and distinctive culture, we are creating a series of videos, each highlighting a different aspect of what makes our university so unique. Our newest video focuses on the Speaking Tradition, an unmistakable part of W&L's cultural DNA that creates a campus where personal engagement is second nature. Follow us on YouTube (@washingtonandlee) to see future videos in this series, as well as additional video content about the university. Employee Accolades Chris Gavaler Publishes New Book The professor of English authored a book titled “The Color of Paper,” which was released in February. Maureen Edobor Publishes Article in the Texas Law Review The article reviews the book “The Originalism Trap” by Madiba K. Dennie. 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. Live Well W&L 5k Fun Run/Walk All W&L employees, spouses/partners and retirees are invited to participate in the Ninth Annual Live Well W&L 5K Fun Run/Walk on Thursday, April 23. The 5K begins on Cannan Green at 9 a.m., with food and awards to follow. More info and free registration can be found at the Live Well W&L 5K webpage. Your preferred T-shirt size will be guaranteed if you register by April 1. There are several events planned to prepare you for race day, including 5K course previews throughout March and April and the Live Well W&L "Spring Training" Contest, which runs March 30 through April 17. Questions can be directed to either Mariel Potter or Anne Remington. Meet a Colleague Meet a Colleague: Dave Forman Dave Forman serves as head strength and conditioning coach. Learn more about Dave in our "Meet a Colleague" feature series. Scene On Campus Knight Professor of Journalism and Media Ethics Eric Deggans talks to Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, in Stackhouse Theater. View Photos Support the Generals! The weather is improving — take advantage of it and check out a game or two! Featured Social Media Site Check in on W&L baseball by following the team 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 National Symposium of Theater in Academe March 26-27 Hillel/Chavis Board Room/Stackhouse/CGL atrium Washington and Lee University will welcome international and American theater artists to campus for its 18th National Symposium of Theater in Academe on March 26-27. The title of this year’s symposium is “Emotion, Pathos and the Human Condition in Theater and Film,” and all the events are free and open to the public. More Info Class of 1963 Scholars in Residence Lecture: Aeron Tynes Hammack 4:30 p.m. Science Addition 214 Aeron Tynes Hammack, staff scientist and director of the nanofabrication facility for the Molecular Foundry at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, will present a public lecture titled “There’s plenty of room at the bottom, but how do we read the threads of life at the atomic scale.” The talk is free and open to the public and pizza will be provided. More Info Phi Beta Kappa Initiation and Convocation 4-5 p.m. Harte Center The Phi Beta Kappa chapter at Washington and Lee University will welcome members of the junior and senior classes into the prestigious honor society at the Phi Beta Kappa/Society of the Cincinnati Convocation. Dan Kramer, director of the International Studies Office at the University of Virginia, will deliver the convocation address, titled “The Future of Diplomacy.” More Info Robert W. Root ’42 Endowment Lecture: Eric Schwitzgebel 5-6:15 p.m. Northen Auditorium Eric Schwitzgebel, distinguished professor of philosophy at the University of California, Riverside, will deliver the Robert W. Root ’42 Endowment Lecture. The lecture, “Will AI Soon Be Conscious, and What Should We Do If We Don’t Know,” will explore whether AI systems can possess the ability to be as meaningfully conscious as humans, including highlighting conflicting leading scientific theories. The talk is free and open to the W&L community. More Info University Orchestra Concert 8-10 p.m. Lenfest Center/Wilson Concert Hall Join the University Orchestra for its Winter Term concert, “reNEWal.” The performance will celebrate spring and rebirth featuring music from Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederick Delius and Wolfgang Mozart, as well as Igor Stravinsky’s “Berceuse an Final” from Firebird Suite. The performance is free and open to the public, and no tickets are required. More Info ODK Initiation Ceremony 4 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church W&L's Alpha Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), the national leadership honor society, will welcome three honorary and 32 student initiates during its spring induction ceremony. The ceremony is open to the public and a recording of the event will be available. Cliff Holekamp ’96, co-founder and managing director of Cultivation Capital, will deliver the keynote address at the ceremony, titled “Leading Beyond Achievement,” and be inducted as an honorary ODK member. More Info Senior Recital: Isabel Duarte (Soprano) 8-10 p.m. Lenfest Center/Wilson Concert Hall Isabel Duarte ’26, a soprano and music and biology double major from Washington, D.C., will perform her senior vocal recital. The performance is free and open to the public. More Info Senior Recital: Ava GianGrasso (Violin) 1-3 p.m. Lenfest Center/Wilson Concert Hall Ava GianGrasso ’26, a violinist from Clarence, New York, will perform her senior violin recital. The recital is free and open to the public. More Info Endowed Professorship Lecture: Seth Cantey 5-7 p.m. Northen Auditorium Seth Cantey, associate professor of politics and head of the Middle East and South Asia Studies (MESA) program, will present a public lecture to mark his appointment to the Lewis G. John Term Professorship in Politics. Cantey’s talk, “Freedom Money: Bitcoin’s Promise and How it Could Fail,” is free and open to the public, and will be immediately followed by a reception in the lobby outside the auditorium. More Info Glynn Family Professorship Lecture: Adriana Greci Green 5 p.m. Northen Auditorium Adriana Greci Green, John and Barbara Glynn Family Professor at W&L, will present a lecture titled “More Than a Prop: Native Arts in Western American Painting and Sculpture.” The talk is free and open to the public. More Info Hillel Community Passover Seder 5:30-8 p.m. Evans Dining Hall The university community is invited to participate in the Passover Seder, a traditional Jewish ritual meal held to retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt. All who observe, as well as their guests, are invited to participate. RSVP Glasgow Endowment Reading: Laura Brodie 7-8 p.m. Northen Auditorium The English department will celebrate the work and upcoming retirement of Laura Brodie with a reading titled "Confederate California and other stores: A sharing of memoir and American history.” The free event is sponsored by the Glasgow Endowment for the Arts and is open to the public. More Info Nobel Symposium Lecture: Art Goldsmith 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Leyburn 128 Art Goldsmith, Jackson T. Stephens Professor of Economics, will present on the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences awarded to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt for explaining innovation-driven economic growth. The event is free and open to the public. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. More Info Public Lecture: Corinna Lain 1-2:30 p.m. Sydney Lewis Hall Moot Court Room Corinna Lain from the University of Richmond School of Law will engage in a conversation with Alex Klein of W&L Law about the use of lethal injection as a form of capital punishment. Contact Committee: An Evening with Actor Christopher Jackson 7:30 p.m. Lenfest Center/Keller Theatre Washington and Lee University’s Contact Committee will welcome award-winning actor Christopher Jackson. Jackson is a Tony Award-nominated actor and a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning songwriter and composer, best known for originating the role of George Washington in the groundbreaking musical “Hamilton.” The event is free and open to the W&L community though tickets are required. More Info Senior Recital: Nat Bersett (Bass) 8 p.m. Lenfest Center/Wilson Concert Hall Nat Bersett ’26, a bass and music major from New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, will perform his senior vocal recital. The performance is free and open to the public. More Info

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