A Message From Alex Miller, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Washington and Lee University
September 13, 2024

To:       W&L Undergraduate and Law Students
From:   Alex Miller, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Dear W&L Students,

First and foremost, I want to extend a warm welcome to our newest community members – first-year undergraduates, 1Ls and transfer students – along with sincere greetings to our returning students. I hope the first weeks of classes are going well and you are enjoying the start of the academic year!

I am writing to send you all greetings and to introduce myself as your new Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students – a role I began July 1. As you may be aware from last March’s announcement, I am coming to Washington and Lee University with nearly 25 years of student affairs experience, most recently serving as the Vice President for Student Life at Denison University. Since my arrival, I have been meeting with various students, faculty, and staff, and have been struck by the profound sense of community here at W&L. I have brought with me a focus on how I – joined by my Student Affairs colleagues – can enhance and support students’ lives outside of the classroom, including opportunities for intellectual, personal and social development.

In partnership with students and colleagues, the Division of Student Affairs strives to cultivate an inclusive campus experience that facilitates student engagement, intellectual curiosity, a sense of belonging, and personal exploration. I view my role as a steward of the student experience, and I will be in touch again soon to share with you Student Affairs’ priorities for the year ahead.

It has been wonderful to meet some of you already, and while it is an ambitious goal, I hope to meet each of you in the coming weeks and months. My short-term goal is to interact with as many students as I can to hear your stories. I would like to know what you’ve enjoyed about your W&L experience, what you would like to improve, and how Student Affairs can support you in your efforts to make the W&L community what we all want it to be.

This institution has a strong reputation for excellence and an incredible spirit. I am thrilled to join this community and am excited for the academic year. Please feel free to reach out via email, or stop to speak with me on campus, to introduce yourself and share your ideas for how Student Affairs can best support the W&L student experience. I look forward to hearing from you about how we can work together to support a campus culture and community that is not unmindful of the future.

Best wishes for the Fall Term/Fall Semester, and I look forward to connecting with you soon.

All My Best,

Dean Miller

Alexander R. Miller Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Washington and Lee University