PLC Spring Weekend More Popular Than Ever Seventy-two families attended the on-campus weekend for leadership supporters of the Parents Fund
One sign that the 2017 PLC Spring Weekend was a smash hit: parents concluded the weekend asking “How soon can we book our hotel rooms for next year?”
The two-day event, held March 31 – April 1, is a special on-campus weekend for members of the Parents Leadership Council (PLC), who contribute leadership gifts to W&L’s Parents Fund. Missy Witherow, senior director of development for parent giving, reported that attendees were particularly excited for their first opportunity to meet and interact with President Dudley.
During his keynote address on Saturday morning, Dudley shared vignettes from his first few months on campus and discussed W&L’s upcoming strategic planning process, which he had announced to the campus community just days earlier. In what is emerging as his signature style, Dudley conducted much of his presentation in Q&A format and appeared relaxed while taking questions from the audience.
PLC members toured the Kenneth P. Ruscio Center for Global Learning during the PLC Spring Weekend.Other highlights of the weekend included student-led tours of W&L’s new Kenneth P. Ruscio Center for Global Learning, which opened at the tail end of the last school year. PLC members saw students and faculty in action in the center’s famously high-tech, interactive classroom spaces. A Friday afternoon student-faculty panel titled “Student Opportunities: Research, Internships, Projects” was particularly useful for parents of first-year students, as presenters offered insights on topics such as how to make the best use of career development and when to start pursuing summer research.
One consistent draw of the PLC Spring Weekend is the opportunity for parents to interact with senior members of W&L’s administration. The Saturday morning panel, titled “The Washington and Lee Experience: Questions with the Senior Administration” did not disappoint. Sidney Evans, vice president for student affairs, walked parents through the university’s response to a recent off-campus fire. Sally Richmond, vice president for admissions and financial aid fielded questions, such as “What is the role of special talents in the admissions process?”
After the panel discussion, Tres Mullis, executive director of development, and Jan Hathorn, director of athletics, presented artists renderings of the new indoor athletics and recreation facility, for which fundraising is ongoing, and discussed details of the project. At the end of the weekend, one of the couples in attendance committed the first major gift from a PLC family for the facility.
For more information about the PLC or parent giving please contact Missy Witherow, senior director of development for parent giving.
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