W&L’s Wren Markley ’23 Selected for Prestigious JET Program
Markley will start their role in the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program by early August 2023.
East Asian Languages and Literatures Archive (84 Stories)
Growing a Greener Future
For W&L alumni Kevin Green ’07 and Amanda Green ’06, nature and nurture go hand-in-hand.
W&L Professor Publishes Book in English Translation with Full Annotations
Hongchu Fu offers a look into the Yuan Dynasty under Mongol Rule in “Three Yuan Plays by Yang Zi.”
Lighting a Fire
The Museums at W&L invites visitors to reflect on “Born of Fire: Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists,” on display through April 29.
The Center of Theater Arts Collaboration Presents “Song of Silk: A Beijing Opera and Chinese Music Concert”
The residency, co-hosted by W&L and VMI, includes workshops on March 23 and a concert on March 24.
Museums at W&L Presents ‘Born of Fire’
This exhibit is free and open to the public, with a scheduled reception and lecture by curator and scholar Jacqueline Chao on March 8 at 5 p.m.
W&L’s Kristina Lozinskaya ’22 Among 2024 Class of Schwarzman Scholars
Lozinskaya, a 2022 graduate, will receive a master’s degree in global affairs from Tsinghua University in China.
Pass the Plate Celebrates Cultural Heritage Through Food
The Weinstein Scholar annual program invited students to take a culinary trip around the world without leaving the Washington and Lee campus.
Six W&L Students Awarded Critical Language Scholarships
Six undergraduate students received Critical Language Scholarships, which will provide them the opportunity to study language intensively during summer 2022.
Program Spotlight: Center for International Education – Study Abroad
Approximately 70% of students participate in an abroad program during their time at W&L.
‘What I Love About the Liberal Arts’
Amelia Lancaster '22 has used her W&L experience to explore a number of interests, ultimately finding a passion in museum studies and Chinese that has allowed her to co-curate a museum exhibition on campus.
Making the Call to Give Back
John Adekola ’24 sees his role with Phonathon as a chance to make a difference at W&L.
Beauty in the Beasts
A deer figure on display in a new Watson Galleries exhibit, "Auspicious Animals," is an example of the Chinese practice of blending European tastes with encoded symbolic meaning.
W&L’s Asian and Pacific Islander Community Pulls Together to #StopAPIHate
Washington and Lee University’s Office of Inclusion and Engagement recently released a video featuring members of W&L’s Asian and Pacific Islander community, calling on the world to notice, and end, incidents of hate.
Set in Stone
Debris from the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing found its way to W&L’s Special Collections, where it heightened one class’s understanding of a powerful Japanese novel.
A Taste of China
When her Critical Language Scholarship to China went virtual because of COVID, Kisker '21 got a six-week sampler of the country and its language through her computer screen.
Bo Garfinkel ’21 Awarded Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship
Garfinkel will attend the PPIA Junior Summer Institute at Princeton
Warming Up to Cool Japan
Professor Yumiko Naito’s Spring Term class, Cool Japan: Manga, Business Etiquette, Language and Culture, approaches learning in a delicious and hands-on way.
Tori Hester ’20 Awarded Critical Language Scholarship to Study in China
Hester will participate in an intensive eight-week Chinese language course at Shaanxi Normal University.
Snapshots from Spring Term
Our favorite term is well underway! Here is a glimpse inside some of the many fascinating courses being taught off-campus this year.
W&L’s Kitanna Hiromasa Awarded Prestigious JET Program Award
Hiromasa says her time at Washington and Lee and various volunteer opportunities she has participated in have prepared her for this next step in her educational journey.
Building a Bridge Across the Globe
Thanks to an exchange program funded by the Japanese government, a group of W&L students spent Washington Break immersed in the culture of Japan—and welcomed Kanazawa University students to W&L one month later.
Postcards From Washington Break
Washington Break at W&L is about exploration, whether that discovery involves Texas mountaintops, Japanese culture or career opportunities in New York.
W&L Chanoyu Tea Society to Host Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tea
W&L's Chanoyu Tea Society will host their annual Martin Luther King, Jr. tea ceremony on Jan. 21
A Salad Bowl with a Sordid Past
This elegant bowl, which is part of W&L's Reeves Collection, can be traced back to the Opium War of 1839-1842.
Eastern Art Meets Western Virginia
Dr. Ling-ting Chiu, a Fulbright Scholar and assistant professor of history at Soochow University in Taiwan, spent the summer at Washington and Lee studying the works of former W&L professor and artist Professor I-Hsiung Ju.
W&L Hosts Japan-America Student Conference
The conference brings more than 65 students to Lexington from Aug. 12-17 and includes two public events.
Three W&L Students Awarded 2018 Critical Language Scholarships
Elizabeth McDonald heads to Japan, Emily Austin to Indonesia and Riley Ries to Kyrgyzstan.
Bello Presents Inaugural Endowed Professorship Lecture
The title of Bello’s talk is: “A Bug-eyed View of Environmental History.”
Quick Hits: Gonkar Gyatso’s ‘Buddha’s Picnic’
The interactive exhibit will be on display in Staniar Gallery through March 17.
W&L Tea Society Hosts Women and Girls’ Day Tea Ceremony
There will be three seatings on Mar. 3 at 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. and tickets are free.
Diversity of Experiences
Sima Sharma ’18 used her time at W&L to explore her passion for the world and its various cultures through volunteering and study abroad.
W&L Chanoyu Tea Society to Host Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tea
W&L's Chanoyu Tea Society will host their second annual Martin Luther King, Jr. tea ceremony on Jan. 15
Don’t Mess With Little Texas
Lee Sommerfeldt '18 found a home away from home in a honky-tonk in the heart of Tokyo.
A Study of Song
A grant from the Endeavor Foundation allowed Xiaoxia Yin '20 and Sesha Carrier '20 to study traditional folk singing in China.
From Global Scholar to Global Citizen: Steven Yeung ’17
Steven Yeung '17 has been in classrooms from Lexington to Ghana to Shanghai and back — and now plans to run a classroom in Japan.
Kitanna Hiromasa ’19 to Serve as Delegate to Japan-America Student Conference
JASC is a student-exchange program, initiated in 1934 by university students concerned by the breakdown of bilateral relations prior to World War II.
Two W&L Students Awarded Critical Language Scholarships
Sierra Noland and Tara Cooper received Critical Language Scholarships sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Corey Guen ’17: At Home in a ‘Stellar Community’
Guen splits his time between hiking the mountains of Rockbridge and traveling the world.
Civility and Opinion in a Polarized America
Tyler Grant ’12, a graduate of Washington and Lee University and the University of Virginia School of Law, is a regular editorial contributor to several national publications.
A genuine General: Jordan LaPointe ‘17
LaPointe, who says his personal motto is "being genuine goes a long way," is a world traveler, professional debater, and Johnson Scholar.
U.S. Marine Liaison to Japan Self Defense Forces to Speak
Colonel Chris Goff, U.S. Marine liaison to the Japan Self Defense Forces, will speak on “Japan and East Asian Security Challenges.”
W&L Helps Girl Scouts See the World — in Lexington
For World Thinking Day, W&L's foreign language teaching assistants led local Girl Scouts in a variety of internationally themed activities.
Meet W&L’s Oldest Ceramic
In the first installment of our new series, Ron Fuchs tells the story behind a 4,000-year-old jar in Watson Pavilion.
W&L Chanoyu Tea Society to Host Tea Ceremony in Memory of Martin Luther King Jr.
W&L's Chanoyu Tea Society will host a Martin Luther King Jr. tea ceremony on Jan. 16, 2017 in the Senshin'an Tea Room, Watson Pavilion.
‘Welcome’ in Seven Languages
Washington and Lee University this year welcomes seven foreign language teaching assistants.
Welcome FLTA Michiko Nakada
Michika Nakada is one of seven foreign language teaching assistants at W&L this year.
Welcome FLTA Mengsu Kong
Mengsu Kong is one of seven foreign languaga teaching assistants on the W&L campus this year.
On the Convention Floor
Steven Yeung, who turned 21 in June, was one of the youngest members of the Virginia delegation — and one of the youngest delegates nationwide — at the Democratic National Convention in July.
Around the World with Jordan LaPointe ’17
Meet Jordan LaPointe '17, an East Asian Languages and Literatures major with a sense of adventure. A lifelong dream comes true in Japan.
Tea for Many: The Senshin’an Tea Room
Studying and Teaching the Japanese Way of Tea.
On the Convention Floor: Steven Yeung ’17
Rising senior Steven Yeung was one of the youngest members of the Virginia delegation — and one of the youngest delegates nationwide — at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
My W&L: Austin Pierce ’15
"It is the strength of community and society that really makes W&L more than simply another great university."
My W&L: Lauren Mosely ’15
"I will always remember my time at Washington and Lee because it has helped me to grow and realize my interests."
My W&L: Chauncey Baker ’15
"At W&L you'll find the support to pursue anything."
Lee Sommerfeldt '18 Awarded Bridging Scholarship to Japan
Lee Sommerfeldt, from Sealy, Texas, a junior at Washington and Lee University, has received a Bridging Scholarship for Study Abroad in Japan and a Morgan Stanley Scholarship. He will be studying at International Christian University (I.C.U.) in Tokyo during the 2016-17 academic year.
International Endeavors: Wei and Howell
Spending a summer in Wuhan, China, with fellow junior Wan Wei gave Olivia Howell a taste of Chinese culture — literally.
W&L Tea Society Hosts Women and Girls’ Day Tea Ceremony
The Washington and Lee University Chanoyu Tea Society will host its second Woman and Girls’ Day Tea to celebrate International Women’s Month. It will be held on March 12 in the Japanese Tea Room, Senshin’an, located in the Watson Pavilion at W&L. Observe a traditional Tea Ceremony by W&L students and enjoy sweets and a bowl of green tea.
Aida Mitsuo Calligraphy Exhibit Reception to Show Many Different Styles of Calligraphy
The Aida Mitsuo Calligraphy exhibit reception, co-curated by the Washington and Lee University Japanese Program, will be Jan. 14, 4:30–5:30 p.m. in Leyburn’s Main Floor Exhibit Niche.
Williams Investment Society Appoints 2016 Directors
The Williams Investment Society has named its 2016 directors. Noah Henderson ’17 will serve as the Society’s executive director. Cody Solomon ’17 and Finn Barrett ’17 will serve as associate directors. Henderson is a business administration and Chinese double major from Greenwich, Conn. Solomon is an accounting and business administration major from Atlanta, Ga. and […]
W&L Professor David A. Bello Explores Relationships Among People, Environment and History in New Book
David A. Bello, associate professor of East Asian history at Washington and Lee University, is interested in how relationships between people and their environment shape history. He explores that idea in his latest book, “Across Forest, Steppe and Mountain: Environment, Identity, and Empire in Qing China’s Borderlands” (Cambridge University Press).
Toshio Ohi, Descendent of Family of Potters, to Speak in the Senshin’an Tea Room at W&L on Oct. 24
Toshio Ohi, an 11th-generation descendant of the illustrious Ohi family of potters in the city of Kanazawa, will be giving a talk at Washington and Lee University on Oct. 24 from 10–11 a.m. in Northen Auditorium, Leyburn Library.
Author Stephen Denny to Give Keynote Address at Entrepreneurship Summit Sept. 26
The J. Lawrence Connolly Center for Entrepreneurship at Washington and Lee University announced that the keynote address for its fourth annual Entrepreneurship Summit will be given by Stephen Denny, marketing consultant and the author of “Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath In Your Industry.” Denny’s keynote will be on Sept. 26 at 5:45 […]
Two Washington and Lee Students Named Kemper Scholars
Parker Burrus of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Lee Sommerfeldt of Sealy, Texas, both first-year students at Washington and Lee University, have been selected as Kemper Scholars.
Kiki Spiezio Receives Gilman Scholarship to Study in China
Katrina Spiezio of Taunton, Massachusetts, a sophomore at Washington and Lee University, has been awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Spiezio will be studying abroad in China during W&L's Spring Term.
Ambassador Chun Yungwoo of South Korea will Give a Lecture at VMI
Ambassador Chun Yungwoo (千英宇 천영우), of South Korea, will give a lecture sponsored by Washington and Lee University on March 25 at 8 p.m. in JM Hall (the chapel) at Virginia Military Institute. The talk is free and open to the public.
Executive-in-Residence Leland Miller '98 to Give Talk on China's Economy on March 10
Leland Miller '98, CEO of China Beige Book International, will give a talk, "Demystifying China's Economy in 2015," at 7:30 p.m. on Mar. 10 in Stackhouse Theater. This event is free and open to the public, and will be streamed live online.
Executive-in-Residence Leland Miller ’98 to Give Talk on China’s Economy on March 10
Leland Miller '98, CEO of China Beige Book International, will give a talk, "Demystifying China's Economy in 2015," at 7:30 p.m. on Mar. 10 in Stackhouse Theater. This event is free and open to the public. Investors and policymakers obsess over the growth of China's economy, but what is actually happening across regions and sectors […]
Dillon Myers is Venture for America Fellow
Dillon Myers, a Washington and Lee University senior from Foxborough, Mass., has been selected as a Venture for America Fellow.
W&L Announces Final Winners of 2014 Johnson Opportunity Grants
Washington and Lee University has announced the final round of students who will receive 2014 Johnson Opportunity Grants. The grants cover living, travel and other costs associated with the students' proposed activities, which are designed to help them with their future careers and fields of study.
Seniors Nominated for Japanese National Honor Society
Seniors Sophia Maxstadt and Zoey Ryu (Mi Hung) have joined the Japanese National Honor Society (JNHS). They were nominated by Washington and Lee University based on their outstanding GPA and inducted into the JNHS-College Chapter. Rhu is a psychology and East Asian Language and Literature (Japanese concentration) double major. Maxstadt is a business administration and […]
W&L’s Foreign Language Futures Receives Braitmayer Foundation Grant
A grant from The Braitmayer Foundation will fund a new initiative at Washington and Lee University to establish Chinese language classes in two area high schools.
W&L Professor Receives Grant to Conduct Classes on the Art of Sushi
Ken Ujie, associate professor of Japanese language at Washington and Lee University, has received a Sakura Grant from the JCAW (Japan Commerce Association) Foundation to conduct classes on understanding and making nigiri-zushi, a hand-pressed style of sushi.
Smithsonian App Features W&L Tea Room
When the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art, in Washington, D.C., was preparing a new app, "Charles Lang Freer: Collecting Korea," the producers wanted to include a film of a Japanese tea ceremony. So they came to Lexington and filmed in the Senshin'an Tea Room in the Watson Pavilion at Washington and Lee.
Renata Carlson and Taylor Maxey Joining JET Program in Japan
W&L seniors Renata Carlson and Taylor Maxey have accepted the offer from the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program to work as assistant language teachers (ALT) in Japan.
Bethany Reynolds Awarded Fulbright to China
Bethany Reynolds, of Timonium, Md., a senior at Washington and Lee University, has received a Fulbright research/study grant to China for her project "Acquiring an Education for Migrant Children in Zhejiang Province."
Celebrating a Special Bowl
A chawan from the Washington and Lee Japanese Tea Room is featured in The New York Times.
W&L Seniors Smithson, Reynolds Named Generals of the Month for February
Washington and Lee University seniors Connor Smithson and Bethany Reynolds will be recognized as General of the Month for February.
Rachel Urban, Daniel Raubolt Named Generals of the Month for December
Washington and Lee University students Rachel Urban and Daniel Raubolt were recognized as the Generals of the Month for December during a presentation on Thursday, Dec. 6.
W&L Brings World Languages to Area Elementary Schools
It is well documented that the earlier a child is exposed to a foreign language, the easier it is for them to learn it. Still, learning Japanese and Chinese would seem particularly daunting. Thanks to Washington and Lee University's Languages for Rockbridge program, area elementary school children are not only learning Spanish and Chinese, but […]
W&L 2012 Graduates Win Fellowships
Two members of Washington and Lee University's 2012 graduating class, Tyler Grant of Suwanee, Ga., and Ryan Hartman of Yorktown, Va., have received grants for postgraduate study from the prestigious Fulbright Program while a third, Shiri Yadlin of Irvine, Calif., received a U.S. teaching assistantship to Austria.
W&L Senior Nominated to JNHS
Ashley Jordan, a Washington and Lee senior from Pocatella, Idaho, has been nominated to the Japanese National Honor Society (JNHS). Jordan is an East Asian Language and Literature major. This honor society recognizes and encourages scholastic achievement and excellence in the study of the Japanese language. Students who are nominated for membership receive Certificates of […]
Cherry Blossom Viewing Japanese Tea Ceremony at W&L
A Cherry Blossom Viewing Japanese Tea Ceremony will be held Sunday, April 1, at Washington and Lee University in the Senshin'an Tea Room in the Watson Pavilion on the W&L campus. Students will be doing ongoing demons
W&L's Ikeda Joins Delegation to Japan
W&L professor Janet Ikeda is part of a 10-member delegation of Japanese-American leaders who will travel to Japan next month.
