Lucas Morel Named Class of 1960 Professor of Ethics
Lucas Morel, a politics professor and a preeminent Abraham Lincoln scholar, has been named the first Class of 1960 Professor of Ethics at Washington and Lee University.
Archive ( Stories)
Sociology Professor Wins Prize Linked to Her Shepherd Program Internship
Shannon Elizabeth Bell, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Kentucky, recently won the 2013 Robert Boguslaw Award for Technology and Humanism from the Environment and Technology Section of the American Sociological Association.
W&L Law Alum Wins National Award for Writing
Chris Brady, a 2008 graduate of Washington and Lee's School of Law, was honored, along with a colleague at the Denver firm Husch Blackwell L.L.P., with a Distinguished Legal Writing Award from the 2013 Burton Awards for Legal Achievements.
Globe-Trotting Journalist Agnieszka Flak '03
Agnieszka Flak '03 is carving out an adventurous career in journalism, as an energy and commodities correspondent with Reuters. She's about to leave her most recent posting, in Johannesburg, South Africa, with fond and vivid memories of this excellent 2011 adventure: a 5,600-mile round trip from Johannesburg to Dar Es Salaam—on a Vespa scooter.
Triple Crown Anniversary: Secretariat and a W&L Alumnus
As you watch the Belmont Stakes tomorrow, be sure to toast the 40th anniversary of Secretariat's winning of the Triple Crown—he sped to that honor on June 9, 1973.
W&L Student Explores Media Coverage of Africa
When Waringa Kamau arrived at Washington and Lee in 2011, she had talked herself into the practicality of a business major. Her longtime love of journalism, though, tugged at her so much that she soon switched her major.
Frank O’Reilly ’87 Lectures at VMI on May 19
Virginia Military Institute is hosting a lecture this Sunday, May 19, at 3:15 p.m, in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the death of Stonewall Jackson. The keynote speaker, though, is a graduate of Washington and Lee: Frank O'Reilly, a National Park Service historian.
W&L Senior Releases Dance-Beat EP
Closing in on their May 23 graduation from Washington and Lee University, every senior has a portfolio of accomplishments they'll take along when they leave Lexington. Joe Sussingham, of Lakeland, Fla., may be the only one, however, with a new, four-song EP that's the subject of a Huffington Post item. Joe and his duo partner, […]
W&L Magazine, Winter 2013: Vol. 88 | No. 1
In This Issue: Power Grab: W&L Saves Energy and Money; President John Delane Wilson: 1931-2013, By Jeff Hanna; 2011-2012 Financial Annual Report
W&L Alumna Keckler Twirls into a New Job
Got a hankering for the Atomic Chili Cheese Dog, a specialty of the Twirly Top, in Gardners, Pa.? Never fear, it will remain on the menu under the new owner—Sarah Keckler, a member of Washington and Lee's Class of 2010. Sarah, who grew up on a farm two miles away from her new business, had […]
W&L Paintings Star in Colonial Williamsburg Exhibition
Five paintings from Washington and Lee's art collection are featured in a major exhibition of Southern paintings at Colonial Williamsburg’s DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum.
Two Local Alums Reunite for Art
Even if you are not attending Alumni Weekend on May 2–4, you’ll want to see an exhibit by two members of the Class of 1973, both of whom live in Lexington and will be celebrating their 40th reunion. “Recent Work by Two Guys Who Came Back and Stayed” comprises paintings by Michael Kopald and photographs […]
Distinguished Historian Addresses Phi Beta Kappa Convocation
Elizabeth R. Varon, the Langbourne M. Williams Professor of American History at the University of Virginia, will address the Phi Beta Kappa//Society of the Cincinnati Convocation at Washington and Lee on Thursday, March 14, at 11:45 a.m. in Lee Chapel.
Wheeler's Poem Makes Noteworthy Honor List
Washington and Lee English professor Lesley Wheeler's narrative poem “The Receptionist” has landed on the Tiptree Award Honor List for 2012
Shenandoah Makes List for “Voracious Readers”
Shenandoah: The Washington and Lee Literary Review is named one of "100 Essential Sites for Voracious Readers."
W&L History Professor Pens Op-ed for Washington Post
Washington and Lee history professor Molly Michelmore writes about the federal income tax in Monday's edition of the Washington Post.
Alum Publishes Book about WWII Resistance Fighter
Washington and Lee alumnus Jan Drabek's new book chronicles the life of World War II resistance fighter Vladimir Krajina.
W&L Alumna Helps Refugee Children as UN Worker
Verónica Vaca-Moreno '07 is in charge of external relations and works with donors and fund-raising at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’s program unit in Quito, Ecuador.
Fred Ramsay '58: Priest and Professor Turned Author
A new mystery by Washington and Lee alumnus Fred Ramsey '58 will be published next week by Poisned Pen Press.
Ashford '82 Climbs a Hot Tin Roof
Washington and Lee alumnus Rob Ashford directs Broadway's new production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."
Terrence Roberts, One of the Little Rock Nine, Anchors MLK Birthday Celebration at W&L
Terrence J. Roberts, one of the nine African-American students who integrated Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in 1957, will deliver the keynote speech of Washington and Lee University’s celebration of the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
Former Virginia State Senator Hopkins Dies; WWII Grad of W&L
The passing on Dec. 11 of William B. Hopkins Sr. has produced a substantial profile and an admiring editorial in the Roanoke Times. He was a member of the Washington and Lee Classes of 1942 and 1944 Law. As a respected and successful member of Virginia’s General Assembly from 1960 to 1980, Bill enriched both […]
Florida Firm Boasts Four W&L Grads
Four Washington and Lee alumni across three decades combine their talents in a Florida company.
W&L's Campbell Appears on WMRA's “Virginia Insight”
Julie Campbell, associate director of communications and public affairs at Washington and Lee University, appeared on NPR affiliate WMRA's "Virginia Insight" call-in radio show Monday, Dec. 10, discussing the history of Virginia's horses. She is the author of "The Horse in Virginia: An Illustrated History" (University of Virginia Press, 2010). The program marks the National Day of the Horse, […]
Judge Waugh Crigler '70 Announces Retirement
The Hon. B. Waugh Crigler, a 1970 graduate of Washington and Lee who has enjoyed a long career as a judge, has announced his retirement from the bench.
Moyers '81 Writes New Book About Addiction and Recovery
William Cope Moyers, a 1981 Washington and Lee graduate, has a new book, "Now What: An Insider's Guide to Addiction and Recover," designed to help addicts and their families,
From Blackboards to iPads: Technology in the Classroom
For the Fall 2012 edition of W&L: The Alumni Magazine of Washington and Lee University, a panel of faculty discussed the issue of technology in the classroom.
A Liberal Arts Education in Three Dimensions
by Kenneth P. Ruscio '76 President, Washington and Lee University This is an unsettling period for higher education, but also for virtually every political, economic, religious and social institution. Words like volatility, anxiety, caution, risk and uncertainty dominate our conversation. When I was teaching at Washington and Lee, I saw my role as providing intellectual […]
Reminders Along the Way
by Christian Roden '11 Dusty and footsore, my 17-year-old brother, Nathan, and I trudged into Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, one of the most beautiful villages in France, one day this past June. I wondered why I had taken us on a two-day detour from the Camino de Santiago to see the summer home of artist Pierre Daura (1896-1976), […]
Poetry Fit to Tweet
Washington and Lee's English department uses social media to stage a poetry writing contest.
Holiday Cooking with George Washington and Robert E. Lee
Looking for a way to bring a taste of Washington and Lee—that would be George and Robert E.—into your holiday cuisine? You can do just that with the help of a 2011 book published under the aegis of Mount Vernon, and the current issue of Southern Living magazine. “Dining with the Washingtons: Historic Recipes, Entertaining, and […]
W&L Alumna Named AP's Director of Polling
Washington and Lee alumna Jennifer Agiesta, of the Class of 2000, is the new director of polling for Associated Press.
Joe Lyles, Legendary W&L Coach, Dies at 83
Joseph F. Lyles, who coached and taught at Washington and Lee University for 50 years, died yesterday, Nov. 13, in Roanoke. He was 83.
A Proclamation for W&L Alumnus Bruce Rider
Bruce Rider gets around in a variety of media. A member of the Class of 1966, he was the subject of this blog three years ago about the new Kindle on which Bruce, who’s legally blind, listened to the many published letters to the editors that he sends to the New York Times and other outlets. […]
From Couch Potato to Rising Star: Grant Gish '04
Washington and Lee alumnus Grant Gish, the executive director of 20th Century Fox TV Animation, has been named one of Next Gen 2012: Hollywood’s Fastest-Rising Stars, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
W&L Magazine, Fall 2012: Vol. 87 | No. 3
In This Issue: From Blackboards to iPads: Technology in the Classroom
Saddle Up for Secretariat Stories from a Chenery
Horse-racing fans know the name Chenery–as in Penny Chenery (Tweedy), the woman who shepherded the career of the legendary racehorse Secretariat and is the subject of the recent movie. Washington and Lee cognoscenti know another Chenery–Penny's father, Christopher Chenery, who graduated from W&L in 1909 and served as a trustee from 1950 to 1970. He founded The […]
Christian Wiman's Remarkable Essay in The American Scholar
"Mortify Our Wolves," Washington and Lee alumnus Christian Wiman's essay in The American Scholar, is subtitled "The struggle back to life and faith in the face of pain and the certainty of death."
W&L Honors McJunkin '70, '74L at Opening of Global Service House
Washington and Lee University dedicated its Campus Kitchen in memory of Thomas A. McJunkin, a W&L alumnus and former member of W&L’s Board of Trustees.
Karen Haver '91 Talks Up the Arts
Karen Haver is the executive director of the Berks Art Council in Reading, Pa.; a member of the Washington and Lee Class of 1991; and the subject of a detailed profile in the Reading Eagle. She’s making a pitch for the council’s Greater Reading Film Festival, which begins today, Oct. 25, but Karen, who holds […]
Novelist Tom Robbins Remembers W&L
Novelist Tom Robbins, a member of Washington and Lee's Class of 1954, remembers the University in a feature story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
There She Goes, Miss Roanoke Valley . . .
Ashna Sharan, a 2012 graduate of Washington and Lee, was named Miss Roanoke Valley on Oct. 13 and will compete in the Miss Virginia pageant next June.
Hollister Hovey '00 Expands Her Design Reach
Washington and Lee alumna Hollister Hovey, of the Class of 2000, has joined with her sister to create a new line of wallpaper for Anthropologie.
Buck Wiley '88 Talks Career Paths with Bloomberg Businessweek
Possessing a B.A., a J.D. and an M.B.A. makes for an interesting journey, from Lexington and Athens, Ga., to Brussels and Moscow. That’s the path taken by Washington and Lee graduate Buck Wiley, of the Class of 1988, and it has led him to a career in investment and to an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek’s “How I Got Here” […]
Historian Jeffry Wert Addresses R.E. Lee Remembrance
Addressing Washington and Lee University’s annual “Remembering Robert E. Lee” talk on Monday, Oct. 8, historian Jeffry D. Wert told the Lee Chapel audience that Lee had no choice but to make bold moves in the early days of his command of the Army of Northern Virginia. The title of Wert’s speech was “Lee and […]
Theodore J. Sjoerdsma, First Professor of Computer Science at W&L, Dies at 83
Theodore J. Sjoerdsma, professor of computer science at Washington and Lee University from 1984 to 1995, died on Sept. 22 in Grand Rapids, Mich. He was 83.
Mike Allen '86, One of the Powers That Be
Mike Allen, a 1986 graduate of Washington and Lee, has been named No. 19 on Vanity Fair's list of "Powers that Be."
Statewide Language Workshops from W&L
Dick Kuettner, the director of W&L’s Tucker Multimedia Center, is running the Foreign Language Teachers Workshop Series, a statewide program that will originate at W&L and be streamed live on the Internet to host schools and divisions all over Virginia.
Legendary Virginia Lawyer William Poff, 1955 Law Grad, Dies at 79
William B. Poff, of the Washington and Lee Law Class of 1955, died on Sept. 5, in Roanoke. He had worked at the Roanoke law firm of Woods Rogers for 53 years. When the firm signed him in 1959, it actually “preferred to hire lawyers who attended the University of Virginia,” according to the front-page […]
Nellie Rice Retires after 53 Years at W&L
Nellie Rice, executive assistant to Washington and Lee's vice president for student affairs and dean of students.
A Sweet Partnership to Combat Diabetes
A new partnership between a Georgia specialty-syrup company and the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University is supporting diabetes education in high-risk communities. It’s the result of another partnership, that of Harry Jones III, a member of W&L’s Class of 1978, who owns the company, Blackberry Patch, and his sister, Randy Jones, who […]
Stephen Brooks '84 Debuts Painting Show in N.C.
Stephen Brooks, of the Class of 1984, transformed his initial interest in biology at Washington and Lee into art degrees and careers as a furniture designer and a painter. He’ll be displaying the fruit of the latter talent in an exhibition, “Light in the Forest,” opening today (Friday, Aug. 10), at Art and Artifacts in Blowing Rock, […]
Learning About Hiroshima at ALSOS Digital Library
Today is a somber anniversary: 67 years ago, a nuclear bomb destroyed the Japanese city of Hiroshima. To readily explore that event and the wider world of nuclear issues, there’s ALSOS, a comprehensive digital library on the subject housed at Washington and Lee University. ALSOS provides “a vetted, annotated bibliography of over 3,000 books, articles, films, […]
Generals on the Fringe
Washington and Lee dancers are participating in the famed Edinburgh Festival Fringe this month.
W&L Magazine, Spring/Summer 2012: Vol. 87 | No. 2
In This Issue: Brothers in Farms: The Hansons Tour the Country and Publish a Book, By David Hanson ’00, Photos by Michael Hanson ’03; Designing Women: Hollister Hovey ’00 and Sister Porter Transform Blogging into a Business, By Laure Stevens-Lubin, Photos By Porter Hovey
For Ben Swan '78, Summer Camp is All in the Family
For many grown-ups, the notion of summer camp evokes the chocolate goop of s’mores, the heavenly scent of pine trees, the cozy glow of a campfire. For Ben Swan, a member of Washington and Lee’s Class of 1978, summer camp means all that and more, because it’s the family business: Pine Island Camp, a 110-year-old […]
Memorial to Pam Simpson Unveiled in Lexington
On Friday, July 6, members of the Washington and Lee, Lexington and Rockbridge County communities gathered at Hopkins Green in downtown Lexington at the behest of the Historic Lexington Foundation (HLF) to unveil a memorial to the late Pam Simpson. Pam, the first female tenure-track professor at W&L and the first female professor to receive […]
Max Krauss '14 Learns Why “It's Good to Be a Blabbermouth”
Max Krauss, a Washington and Lee junior studying business and marketing, is interning this summer at MKTG INC., an experiential agency, and the AgencySpy website chose Max as the first blogger for their new column, "A Day in the Life of a Summer Intern." Max selected as his topic an event his company ran for […]
Paten Hughes '08 Preps for a Movie Role
Some people spend their summers at the pool. In the case of Paten Hughes, a member of the Washington and Lee Class of 2008, she’s spending it in the pool as she trains for the role of an aspiring Olympic swimmer in an upcoming movie, “Coach of the Year.” As Paten describes it in “Paten, […]
Forrest Moses '56 and “Sylvan Waters” in Santa Fe
If your July travels find you in Santa Fe, N.M., you’ll want to take in “Sylvan Waters,” a new exhibition of paintings and monotypes by Forrest Moses '56.
Suzanne Keen Named Co-Editor of Prestigious Journal
You might think Suzanne Keen, the Thomas H. Broadus Professor of English, would feel her schedule these days is quite full enough, what with her July 1 appointment as the interim dean of the College. But when an esteemed scholarly journal asked her to serve as a co-editor, she couldn’t say no. Contemporary Women’s Writing […]
A New Yorker Shout-Out to Terry Brooks '69 Law
Washington and Lee law alumnus Terry Brooks and his fantasy novels were the subject of a New Yorker essay recently.
Georgia Museum Exhibits Work of Bob Trotman '69
Summer travelers in the vicinity of Augusta, Ga., should enter the Morris Museum of Art into their GPS. In addition to exhibitions of English watercolors and paintings of the American frontier, the museum is currently featuring work by a member of the Washington and Lee Class of 1969: “Office: Sculpture by Bob Trotman.” As the Augusta (Ga.) […]
Congrats to a Recent Gunn Scholar
Congratulations to Bermet Zhumakadyr kyzy, who studied at Washington and Lee as an exchange student during 2010–2011. She recently graduated from the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as the valedictorian. Bermet, a member of the Class of 2011, attended W&L as the John M. Gunn International Scholar. During her year here, she co-chaired the […]
Courtney Santo '98 Feels “Crazy Lucky” About New Novel
Courtney Miller Santo, a member of the Washington and Lee Class of 1998, is the subject of a fascinating profile in the Memphis (Tenn.) Commercial Appeal. The reason for the story? Her first novel, “The Roots of the Olive Tree,” is coming out this August, from William Morrow. Courtney, who teaches fiction and literature at […]
Jeremy Adams '98 Wins Teaching Award
Jeremy Adams, a member of Washington and Lee’s Class of 1998, has been named Kern County (Calif.) Teacher of the Year.
Washington and Lee Names New Associate Dean of the College
Marcia France, the Herwick Professor of Chemistry at Washington and Lee University, is the new associate dean of the College, beginning July 1. She succeeds Alison Bell, who has held that post since 2010 and is returning to the classroom as an associate professor of archaeology. France, who teaches organic chemistry, arrived at W&L in […]
Kate Shellnutt Talks Religion Reporting, Blogging
Kate Shellnutt, a 2008 graduate of Washington and Lee University, has parlayed her majors in religion and print journalism into a post at the Houston Chronicle newspaper, where she produces the “Houston Belief” religion blog and reports on religion. Her work is the subject of a wide-ranging interview about newspapers, religion reporting and social media […]
Al Broaddus '61 Honored by Richmond Public Schools
Last Friday, May 4, the Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation hosted “The Pride of RPS: Living Legacies,” which celebrated distinguished alumni of the city’s public schools. One of the honorees at this inaugural event was a Washington and Lee alumnus: Al Broaddus, the former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Before the Richmond […]
