| Family Connection: December 2025 |
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Students enjoy the first snowfall of the season.
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| Every week during the academic year, university photographers Shelby Hamelman and Kevin Remington capture the scene on campus through their lenses. In the most recent edition: The campus enjoys the season's first snowfall, Dining Services hosts the holiday dinner and the university celebrates the season with Lessons and Carols and Winter Wonderland. |
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| Dear Parents and Families, |
| It is hard to believe that 2026 is upon us. We wish you all a restful and rejuvenating winter break and happy holidays! As a reminder, as your student prepares to head home, you may find it helpful to review important information about housing dates and details. Specifically, parents and families should be aware that university housing will close on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. and re-open on Friday, Jan. 2. Classes will resume on Thursday, Jan. 8. If your student plans to participate in the Panhellenic or IFC Formal Recruitment processes, students should be aware of the date/time in which they are required to return and thoughtful in their travel plans as we often see inclement weather at that time of year. We encourage parents to review information about our Panhellenic and IFC formal recruitments. Finally, if your student continues to look for meaningful involvements in addition to their academic careers, please encourage them to get in touch with a member of the Student Engagement and Leadership (SEaL) team. As always, if you have questions, concerns or feedback, I can be reached by email at families@wlu.edu. |
| Happy holidays and a happy new year! |
Leah Beard
Assistant Dean of Student Leadership |
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The Perfect Match
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| Washington and Lee students connect with local schools through Burish Program internships. |
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Give to the W&L Fund |
| Your gift to the W&L Fund before Dec. 31 will go to work immediately, supporting students in the winter and spring terms and could be tax advantageous for you. Also, be sure to check whether your employer has a matching gift program — you could double or even triple your impact. Give online today! |
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| Washington and Lee Athletics |
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 As the 2025 calendar winds down, W&L Athletics has continued to shine at the conference and national levels. Olivia Warr '27 took fourth individually at the NCAA Cross Country Championship, while the men's team placed 20th, their best finish in program history. Both basketball teams remain undefeated as W&L is the only D3 school in the country to have two undefeated basketball teams. |
| Volleyball and men's soccer wrapped up their seasons in the NCAA First Round, while women's soccer made their second straight NCAA Round of 16. Indoor track & field, wrestling and swimming have also seen continued success through the early portions of their schedules. |
| Stay connected with the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com, signing up for Generals Sports emails and following social media channels at @WLUGenerals. |
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| Leading Lives of Consequence: The Campaign For Washington and Lee |
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Gratitude Through Giving
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Nick Peacher ’15 and Elizabeth Bucklee Peacher ’13 strive to give back through volunteering and philanthropy to ensure others have access to the formative W&L experience they cherish. |
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| Join fellow parents, alumni and friends to celebrate Leading Lives of Consequence: The Campaign for Washington and Lee at special receptions across the country. Enjoy campus updates from President Will Dudley and other campus leaders, and hear the latest news about W&L's historic campaign. Learn more about upcoming events and see photos from our recent New Orleans event. |
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| Lifelong Learning for W&L Parents |
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Can Business Be a Force for Good?
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Despite the evidence of corporate corruption, a growing movement of entrepreneurs and business leaders want to change the narrative and prove that business can be a force for good. In this series of webinars, four of our most dynamic faculty from the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics will explore the larger questions about business and goodness, starting with Megan Hess ’97, the Class of 1960 Professor of Ethics and Accounting, on Jan. 20. |
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Greece Through the Ages
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Athens and the Greek islands are undoubtedly among the world’s most alluring places. Athens, capital of Greece and Europe’s oldest city, gave birth to democracy and to many philosophical concepts that have shaped modern Western society. Later in this bespoke, tailor-made journey for Washington and Lee, travelers proceed to Santorini and Crete, two fascinating islands of the many that are peppered across the legendary azure waters of the eastern Mediterranean. |
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Fall Term Final Examinations |
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The final day of Fall Term classes was Dec. 5, and examinations take place from Dec. 6 through Dec. 12. |
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Panhellenic Council Formal Recruitment |
Formal recruitment to join a sorority starts on Jan. 4, 2026, with a sorority information session, and ends Jan. 8 with Bid Day. All rounds are currently set to be held in person. Students may return to campus Saturday, Jan. 3, and must move in by noon on Sunday, Jan. 4.
Learn more about the recruitment process
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Interfraternity Council Formal Recruitment |
IFC formal recruitment starts on Jan. 5 with Potential New Member (PNM) Orientation and ends on Jan. 8 with Bid Day. Students may return to campus on Saturday, Jan. 3, and must move in by 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 5.
Learn more about the recruitment process
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Winter Term Begins |
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Winter Term classes begin Thursday, Jan. 8. Add/drop ends at midnight on Wednesday, Jan. 14. |
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Final Deadline for Spring Term Abroad Withdraw |
Final deadline for students to withdraw from the STA 2026 course without incurring full financial obligation.
Learn about the withdrawal policy
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
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No classes will be held in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Monday classes meet on Friday, Jan. 23. |
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"Can Business Be a Force for Good?" Webinar Series |
The Office of Lifelong Learning will be hosting a webinar series with four Williams School faculty exploring the relationship between business and goodness. Megan Hess ’97 introduces conscious capitalism on Jan. 20; Jay Margalus discusses entrepreneurship for good on Jan. 27; and Joel Adams and Emily Landry debate whether business can prioritize sustainability and the public interest on Feb. 3 and Feb. 10. All webinars will be held at 7:30 p.m.
Learn more and register
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CIE Summer Grant Application Deadline |
Thinking about a summer internship abroad? Apply for a Center for International Education summer grant! Students interested in completing a summer internship abroad are encouraged to meet with Cindy Irby in the CIE. Irby will help you identify a program that fits your goals and guide you through the grant application process. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain global experience and receive funding to support your internship! Meetings can be scheduled through Handshake.
Encourage your student to schedule an appointment
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Registration for Spring Term |
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Registration for Spring Term opens on Monday, Feb. 2, and closes Tuesday, Feb. 10. |
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Spring Term Abroad Financial Aid Billing |
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If students were awarded financial aid grants for Spring Term Abroad, funding will be applied to their student accounts in mid-February. The program fee will be billed and financial aid credited to the student account at the regular Feb. 15 billing date. Payment is due in March. |
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| Follow @wlustore on Instagram |
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Complete your holiday shopping at the W&L University Store.
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| Additional Social Media Accounts to Follow |
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| Be sure to add families@wlu.edu to your address book or safe senders list so our emails get to your inbox. |
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