| The Columns Weekly - Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026 |
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Local Impact
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| Community-Based Learning interns leave their mark on Rockbridge County. |
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Finding Your Path
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| For W&L’s Jack Evans ’25 and Adja Ndiaye ’26, receiving a Gilman Scholarship redefined what was possible during their four years on campus and beyond. |
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| Information About Extended Medical Leave |
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| If extended medical leave is in your future — such as for an upcoming surgery or expanding your family — or if you are considering time off to care for a family member due to their serious health condition, contact the Office of Human Resources as early as possible to learn more about possible leaves and to complete the required paperwork. |
| While managing health conditions can be overwhelming, initiating the process early ensures your benefits, a transition plan and job protection, if eligible, are secured without last-minute stress. |
| Why Early Notification Matters |
- Understand Your Options: There are numerous leave programs and benefits available at W&L. HR can walk you through options so you know exactly what's available to you.
- Secures Your Benefits & Pay: Determining eligibility and processing medical leaves takes time. There are federal and state laws and university policies to consider. HR will make sure everything is handled correctly so you receive the benefits and protections you're entitled to.
- Protects Your Privacy: Keeping HR in the loop early allows W&L to handle your medical certifications confidentially while helping your manager plan for workload coverage.
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| Taking steps early lets you focus entirely on what matters most: your health and recovery. Reach out to Michelle Wolfkill, manager of leaves and accommodations, to get started. |
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Meet a Colleague: Lauren Kozak |
| Lauren Kozak serves as Title IX coordinator and director of disability resources. Learn more about Lauren in our "Meet a Colleague" feature series. |
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Darrold and Kay Cannan Associate Professor of Politics Stu Gray advises a student in Childress Hall.
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Volleyball has three home matches this week!
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| Featured Social Media Site |
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Keep up with what's new in the Office of Residence Life by giving a follow on Instagram.
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25th Anniversary Commemoration of Sept. 11
8:45-9:15 a.m. CGL Courtyard
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The university community is invited to gather to honor and remember the 2,977 lives lost and recognize those who responded on Sept. 11, 2001, and in the days that followed. Interim President Ken Ruscio '76, Rose Williams ‘27L, John Beekman Youngblood '27 and Ralph Caldroney '72 will all provide remarks.
More Info
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Lenfest Outreach & Engagement Film Series “BASQUIAT”
7-10 p.m. Stackhouse Theater
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The Lenfest Center for the Arts presents a screening of the 1996 film “BASQUIAT.” The event, which is free and open to the public, is part of the Lenfest Center’s Outreach & Engagement (O&E) Series, which fosters immersive and collaborative university-community interactions.
More Info
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Liberating Ideas Constitution Day Panel
5:30 p.m. Northen Auditorium
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W&L will mark its annual Constitution Day celebration with a panel of faculty members discussing several important cases from the U.S. Supreme Court's 2025-26 term. The event is free and open to the public. Lucas Morel, John K. Boardman Jr. Professor of Politics, will moderate the panel. He will be joined on stage by Mark Rush, Stanley G. and Nikki Waxberg Professor of Politics and Law and director of the Center for International Education; Nathan Dean, assistant professor of Law, Justice and Society; and Maureen Edobor ’17L, assistant professor of law.
More Info
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“Meet the Press” Panel
5:30 p.m. Hillel House
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Washington and Lee University will host a “Meet the Press” panel with Virginia journalists at the Hillel House. The panel is free and open to the public and is sponsored by W&L’s Knight Program in Media Ethics and the Office of Community-Based Learning.
More Info
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Tours of Zhang Xiaoli | Block Party!
9-11:30 a.m. Watson Galleries
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Join guest curator Dr. Daniel Greenberg, assistant professor of Asian art at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, for three insightful, 30-minute guided tours of Zhang Xiaoli | Block Party! The event is free and open to all but registration is required.
Register
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REVIVE! VA Opioid Education Program
5-6 p.m. Elrod Commons 216
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Learn how to save a life with Narcan training. The training will show participants how to respond to an opioid overdose emergency. Open to all students, faculty and staff but registration is required..
Register
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Mudd Center Keynote Speaker: Maya Lin
5:15-6:15 p.m. Lenfest Center/Keller Theater
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Maya Lin, renowned architect and artist, will kick off the Mudd Center series “Memory, Mind and Morality.” The lecture, which is free and open to the public, is titled “Memory, Monument and the Natural World.” The event is co-sponsored by the Lenfest Center, the Art Museum at W&L, the Department of Art History, the Department of Philosophy and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
More Info
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Alumni Panel on the Legacy of Professor Ju I-Hsiung
2-3 p.m. Watson Galleries
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Celebrate the legacy of Ju I-Hsiung, W&L professor emeritus of art, with a retrospective alumni panel and audience discussion. Learn about Ju’s life prior to joining W&L, his artistry, teaching philosophy, and impact while at W&L, and the ways his work continues to inspire those far beyond W&L’s campus. This event is free and open to all but pre-registration is required.
More Info
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Zhang Xiaoli | Block Party! Artist Talk and Opening Reception
5:30-7:30 p.m. University Chapel and Watson Galleries
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Zhang Xiaoli and Daniel Greenberg, assistant professor of Asian art at the University of Minnesota, will host a discussion in University Chapel followed by a reception in Watson Galleries. The exhibit and reception events are free and open to the public, and pre-registration is required for the Sept. 18 lecture.
More Info
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