James R. Kahn, the John F. Hendon Professor of Economics and director of Environmental Studies at Washington and Lee, has been invited to provide one of the keynote addresses at the 2011 LOICZ Open Science Conference in Yantei, China, in September 2011. LOICZ, the Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone, is an international research institute, […]
If you are a royal watcher, this has been a few months to savor, what with Prince William marrying Kate Middleton and Prince Albert of Monaco marrying Charlene Wittstock. Washington and Lee alumna Jane Lee, a 2009 graduate, has it all covered with her video report for Forbes Lifestyle. Jane is an associate editor and producer of Forbes […]
Two young alumni of Washington and Lee recently paid their respects to the late Cy Twombly ’53 in a most appropriate way — by seeing his art in person at two of the world’s great museums. Two days after Cy’s July 5 death, siblings Matt Null (Class of 2006) and Andrea Null (Class of 2010) began a family […]
Although social media seem to dominate conversations about the future of journalism, the current debt-ceiling impasse underscores the value and importance of traditional journalism, according to Pamela Luecke, a journalism professor at Washington and Lee University. "I don't mean to dismiss the power and potential of new forms of journalism," said Luecke, the Donald W. […]
When the devastating tornado tore apart his hometown of Joplin, Mo. in May, Washington and Lee alumnus Brent Beshore, of the Class of 2005, felt helpless. He was miles away in Columbia, Mo., but he wanted to do something. And he did. Brent created a Facebook page, Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery, that was designed, in […]
As the Harry Potter saga draws to a close with the July 15 opening of the final movie, stories abound in the media about what the event means for faithful readers and viewers. Many of them focus on college students in their late teens and early 20s who have literally grown up with Harry Potter, […]
Business Insider website has just named the country's sexiest startup CEOs, and Washington and Lee alumnus Ross Hinkle, of the Class of 2001, is No. 8 on the list. Ross is the CEO of Liveset, which started up last year and presents live concert events for the Web and mobile devices in what it describes […]
For Washington and Lee University economics professor Linda Hooks, who specializes in the study of money and banking, there is no way to overstate the potential calamity that would befall the U.S. and world economies if Congress and the president do not reach an agreement to raise the debt ceiling. "From the economics perspective, the […]
When Killeen King started learning Spanish in the sixth grade in Richmond, Va., the Washington and Lee University rising senior probably never imagined herself with a byline on a front-page story for one of the nation's top Spanish-language newspapers. Three times already this summer, King has had A-1 bylines and she has written plenty of […]
Roger Jeans found the hot, humid July weather in Lexington a bit of a shock when he returned from an out-of-town conference. His dismay is understandable, for the meeting, at which he was an invited speaker, took place in the balmy environs of Oxford, England. Roger, the Elizabeth Lewis Otey Professor Emeritus of East Asian […]
Washington and Lee University closed the books on another successful fund-raising year in 2010-11, with $35.5 million in new gifts and pledges and the highest percentage of alumni in history donating to the University's Annual Fund. The Annual Fund exceeded its $7.3 million goal, recording a $400,000 increase over last year's record-setting total. The more […]
When she was communications director for the House Democratic Caucus in 2007, Sarah Feinberg, a member of Washington and Lee's Class of 1999, described her résumé as a “bit schizophrenic" in an interview with Politico. The latest entry on that packed résumé is a new position at Facebook, where she will be focusing on communications about […]
Readers of the Roanoke Times on Sunday, July 10, may have noticed a familiar face and name in the Business section — Jenny Elmes, a member of Washington and Lee’s Class of 1991. She made the news for her status as an environmentally conscious caterer. The Q&A explains how she decided to make her business, […]
Washington and Lee University has appointed Nicolaas A. Rupke, currently of the University of Göttingen, Germany, to the Johnson Professorship in the College, where he will focus his teaching and scholarship on the intersections of leadership and the history of ideas. Hank Dobin, dean of the College, announced Rupke's appointment, which will be effective on […]
Seven Washington and Lee University seniors are pursuing research projects over the summer after winning Student Summer Independent Research (SSIR) grants from the University. Now in its fifth year, the SSIR program complements the University's R.E. Lee Scholars program, established in 1960. The SSIR grants underwrite students' independent research and creative projects, with faculty serving […]
Lucas Morel, the Lewis G. John Term Professor of Politics, has been named to the editorial board of the new interdisciplinary journal, <em><a href="http://www.jackmillercenter.org/2011/07/american-political-thought-a-journal-of-ideas-institutions-and-culture/" target="_blank">American Political Thought: A Journal of Ideas, Institutions, and Culture</a>.</em> Published by the<a href="http://www.jackmillercenter.org/" target="_blank"> Jack Miller Center</a>, the journal "is concerned with classic texts and authors in the American political tradition and with key political ideas such as democracy, constitutionalism, equality, liberty, citizenship, political identity, and the role of the state." Morel has been a member of the W&L faculty since 1999 and was appointed to the John Term Professorship in 2010. He has served as the Garwood Visiting Fellow at Princeton University and as a Supreme Court Historical Trustee.<br /> <p> </p>
Congratulations to Washington and Lee alumnus Lindsey Millar, of the Class of 2002, who has been elevated to editor of the Arkansas Times, a weekly alternative newspaper in Little Rock. A native of Searcy, Ark., and a history major at W&L, Lindsey has written for the Times since 2007 after holding previous positions at the […]
Media magnate Rupert Murdoch's decision to shut down the British tabloid News of the World in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal sets a whole new standard for the response to a newspaper's ethical lapse, according to Edward Wasserman, media ethics professor at Washington and Lee University. "It's the first time I've ever seen ethical […]
Terry Metz, library director and a professor at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, R.I., has been named University librarian at Washington and Lee University. Metz's appointment, announced by Robert Strong, interim provost at Washington and Lee, is effective Sept. 1. Selected at the conclusion of a national search, Metz succeeds Merrily Taylor, who […]
Washington and Lee's campus is a hub of activity this summer, with a variety of projects underway to maintain the historic campus and enhance undergraduate teaching spaces. The work ranges from the completion of Payne Hall's restoration, to the installation of new turf on an athletic field, to the continuing implementation of the campus landscape […]
Readers of the Richmond Times-Dispatch got a treat on Independence Day in the form of a story about Washington and Lee alumnus James A. Tyler Jr., of the Class of 1967. Jim is the great-grandson of President John Tyler. But he didn't make his mark in politics. As T-D reporter Carol Hazard wrote, he worked […]
Washington and Lee University business administration professor David Touve discussed the concept of "wicked problems," the subject of his recent Spring Term course, on WMRA radio's Virginia Insight program on July 7, 2011. In his description of the course, Touve wrote: "Simply put, the purpose of this course is to find a few ways and […]
Famed artist Edwin Parker "Cy" Twombly Jr., who died today in Rome at the age of 83, attended Washington and Lee for only one academic year — 1949-1950. But he and the University (and the city of Lexington, too) had a much deeper history than that single year suggests. Born and raised in Lexington, Cy […]
Serving more than 600 meals a week to people in the community, the students of Campus Kitchen at Washington and Lee University (CKWL) will take all the help they can get. The Rockbridge County-based organization recently received a $25,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program to help them do more to fight hunger […]
The morning after finishing his Winter Term finals and then driving from Lexington to his home in Easton, Md., Michael McGuire, a rising junior at Washington and Lee, got up bright and early to record a song that he hoped would earn him $2,500 and a chance to meet one of his favorite singers, Toni […]
Paige Smith, a member of Washington and Lee’s Class of 2006, is spending the summer in Nairobi, Kenya, working with impoverished children. In her luggage are handmade gifts for the kids from a Lexington organization that includes many W&L employees, and from the mother of a new graduate. Paige made her first visit to Africa last […]
Congratulations to Justine Sessions, a member of Washington and Lee’s Class of 2005. National Journal, an online publication that covers the political scene in Washington D.C., has named her to its list of “Hill People” to watch. Justine is the majority communications director for the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Justine Sessions '05 […]
If you are in Lexington today (Wednesday, June 29), you can hear Larry Duffee, a 1983 graduate of Washington and Lee, give a presentation about Sudan. Larry, who lives in Fredericksburg, Va., sold his food-supply business to become an Episcopal missionary. He has been stationed at the headquarters of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, in Juba, […]
Rebecca Makkai '99 Sharp-eyed readers of the July issue of “O: The Oprah Magazine” may notice a familiar name in the magazine’s summer reading list: Rebecca Makkai. Don’t recognize her? By the end of the summer, you probably will, as this 1999 graduate of Washington and Lee University is poised to make a big name […]
While she was a student, Julia Pleasants, of Washington and Lee’s Class of 2008, belonged to the dance club and helped found the W&L Repertory Dance Company. An English major, she recently learned the business side of the dance world when she did a press and marketing internship with the famed Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, in […]
Sometimes you have to leave a place–or a job–to discover that's where you are meant to be. At least that's what journalist Kat Greene, a member of Washington and Lee's Class of 2008, recently discovered. Kat always wanted to be a reporter. As she wrote last fall on her Facebook page, which the Talking Biz […]
A historic Presbyterian church in Germantown, Tenn., has a new pastor, and he’s a W&L alumnus. The Rev. William Gray Jones, a member of Washington and Lee’s Class of 1992, now leads the 800-plus members of Germantown Presbyterian Church, which dates to 1838. Its Evans Chapel, built in 1851, is Germantown’s oldest public building. "It […]
Good luck to Allison Lemon, a brand-new graduate of Washington and Lee. This week, she is competing in the famed Roanoke Valley Horse Show, but it may be a long time before the former captain of W&L’s riding team sees the inside of a show ring again. As the Roanoke Times explains, Allison has been riding since […]
A new concept for legal assistance, LawyerUp, promises to provide legal assistance within 15 minutes when urgent legal help is required. A recent story in the New York Times (registration required) described the new service, which was co-founded by Alex Ruskell, a member of Washington and Lee's Class of 1994. Billed as "America's First Urgent […]
During its annual meeting in Ocean City, Md., earlier this month, the Maryland State Bar Association honored Judge John H. (Hamp) Tisdale, of Washington and Lee's Law School Class of 1974, with the 2011 Anselm Sodaro Award for Judicial Civility. Hamp has been associate judge of the Frederick (Md.) County Circuit Court, 6th Judicial Circuit, […]
With nine starters back on offense and nine on defense from the team that won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference last fall, Washington and Lee's football team is not going to sneak up on any opponents this fall. And now the Generals have been ranked nationally by The Sporting News in its 2011 College Football […]
Washington and Lee alumnus Reuben Munger, co-founder of a company designed to bring green-tech automotive solutions to market, has just been named one of the "Electrifying 100" by Automotive News magazine. The 100 people comprise the magazine's assessment of the key players driving vehicle electrification. Reuben, a member of the Class of 1995, is CEO of […]
Brant Phillips, a 1997 graduate of the Washington and Lee School of Law, was part of a small team of lawyers from his Nashville firm, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC, that spent more than two-and-a-half years and invested more than 2,500 hours in a clemency petition effort on behalf of Edward Jerome Harbison, a Tennessee […]
"Henry Clay and the Struggle for the Union," a documentary on Henry Clay and his role in the events that led up to the Civil War, is airing this month on Kentucky's PBS affiliate, KET. The hour-long program was written and is hosted by Kent Masterson Brown, a 1974 graduate of Washington and Lee's School of […]
After some months away because of technical problems, Colonnade Cam is back, or so we hope. The live webcam located in Lee Chapel and pointed toward the Colonnade is online again. It's a full-motion camera, so if anything is happening on the Front Lawn, it'll be captured on air. (Fair warning!) There are, however, some issues […]
Last month, on his way home to Brattleboro, Vt., after performing and teaching at Washington and Lee, blues guitarist Scott Ainslie, of the Class of 1974, took a detour—all the way to Clarksdale, Miss. His destination was the Delta Blues Museum, where he dropped off more than 100 instructional DVDs — the bounteous beginning of […]
William F. Connelly Jr., the John K. Boardman Professor of Politics at Washington and Lee, appeared on Harrisonburg NPR affiliate WMRA's "Virginia Insight" program on Thursday, June 9, to discuss the history of congressional partisanship on Capitol Hill. The author of James Madison Rules America: The Constitutional Origins of Congressional Partisanship (Rowman and Littlefield, 2010), […]
The lone W&L win in the match came at No. 2 doubles, where senior captain Will Hall teamed with junior Jeremy Becht for an 8-6 win. This was not just another match. It marked an amazing comeback that seemed unthinkable seven weeks earlier when Will, playing in the tiebreaker of a doubles match against Christopher […]
<p>Washington and Lee University economics professor Mike Smitka combined his expertise on Japan and the auto industry into a pair of high-profile presentations in June.</p> <p>Smitka was a featured panelist at the <a href="http://www.chicagofed.org/webpages/events/2011/automotive_outlook_symposium/index.cfm" target="_blank">Eighteenth Annual Automotive Outlook Symposium</a> of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The event was held at the Detroit branch of the Chicago Fed on June 2, 2011, and focused on the near-term automotive outlook and the long-term structure of the industry.</p> <p>Smitka was joined by Thomas Kurfess, professor and BMW chair of manufacturing at Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research; James A. Buczkowski, Henry Ford Technical Fellow, and director of electrical and electronics systems research and advanced engineering for Ford Motor Company; and Thomas Klier, senior economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Smitka's remarks were on innovation in the supply sector.</p> <p>On June 7, 2011, Smitka participated in the <a href="http://www.bloomberglink.com/gatherings_overview.php?gathering=104">Bloomberg Japan Conference</a> at the Japan Society in New York City. He was a member of a panel that examined the global impact of the supply chain interruption in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March. The panel was moderated by Michael McKee, economics editor of Bloomberg Television.</p> <p> </p>
After four terms as commonwealth's attorney for Shenandoah County, Va., Washington and Lee law alumnus Albert T. Mitchell, of the Class of 1967, has announced he won't seek re-election in November. Al was appointed to the position by the judges of the 26th Judicial Circuit in 1999 and then was elected to the position in […]
Renee Pratt, assistant professor of business administration at Washington and Lee, has recently co-authored a study entitled "The Role of Enterprise Architecture in the Quest for IT Value" appearing in MIS Quarterly Executive (see <a href="http://misqe.org/ojs2/index.php/misqe/article/view/369" target="_blank">http://misqe.org/ojs2/index.php/misqe/article/view/369</a>). The research looks at value creation through the use of enterprise architecture. Enterprise architecture (EA) is the term used to describe the way in which a business logically organizes its IT infrastructure and business process capabilities to address its needs for IT and business process integration and standardization.<br /> <br />The research study examined responses from 140 chief information officers in U.S. hospitals. According to the study conducted by Pratt and her colleagues, more mature enterprise architecture initiatives enhance firm value in three ways:<br /> <br />1. managing firms' external relationships more effectively and efficiently<br />2. lowering firms' operational costs<br />3. providing firms with greater strategic agility<br /> <br />Additional connections were found between enterprise architecture maturity and improved business-information technology alignment and risk management.<br /> <br /> Pratt joined the Williams School faculty in 2008. She has taught several information technology classes during that time, including management information systems, e-commerce development, and computer forensics. She holds a doctorate in management information systems from Florida State University, an M.S. in management information systems from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, and a B.S. in mathematics from the University of Florida. Her industry experience includes working with both government entities and businesses to design and develop intranets, extranets, and websites.<br />
Dr. Charles Niemeyer, a member of Washington and Lee's Class of 1962, suffered two broken legs before he was 10 years old. That, says his wife, Carolyn, is what led him to his chosen profession: orthopedic surgeon. “He’s wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon since he was 7-years-old,” she told the Gaston Gazette. Charlie is […]
Washington and Lee alumnus and trustee Warren Stephens, of the Class of 1979, and his wife, Harriet, were honored in their hometown of Little Rock, Ark., last week by none other than former President George W. Bush. The occasion was the 10th anniversary of The First Tee of Little Rock Jack Stephens Youth Golf Academy. President […]
Washington and Lee junior Jonathan Stutts, the starting shortstop on the Generals' baseball team, is scheduled to make his Rockbridge Rapids debut this Friday night, June 3, when the local team in the Valley League begins its third season at Smith Field. Stutts, who batted .318 in 31 games for W&L this spring, is the only […]
In the eight years that Washington and Lee alumnus Roscoe B. Stephenson Jr. served as judge of the Alleghany County Circuit Court, his decisions were never reversed. That is surely one of the reasons that Stephenson was elevated to the Virginia Supreme Court in 1981. He served as a justice for 16 years before retiring […]
A video created by Garrett Koller of Washington and Lee's Class of 2014 has won second place in a national contest to create awareness on information security. <p>The 30-second video is entitled "How to Create a Secure Password" and won second place in the public service category of the 2011 Information Security Awareness Poster & Video Contest. Koller earned $1,000 in the contest sponsored by EDUCAUSE/Internet 2 Higher Education Information Security Council, CyberWatch, and National Cyber Security Alliance.</p> <p>The video provides practical guidelines for creating a secure but easy-to-remember password. The video is featured on YouTube channel of Information Technology Services, which has promoted secure passwords as a vital part of an overall strategy to keep data private and secure. Koller, a computer science major, is a member of the Information Technology Advisory Committee, which advises ITS at W&L, and also works for John Blackburn, senior academic technologist for ITS.</p> <p>The video may be viewed here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPxPh-cYsgE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPxPh-cYsgE</a><br />Additional background on the contest is here: <a href="http://www.educause.edu/SecurityVideoContest2011">http://www.educause.edu/SecurityVideoContest2011</a></p>
Last month two Washington and Lee alumni, David Foster, of the Class of 1998, and Paul E. Wright, of the Class of 1995, were named to Philadelphia Business Journal's 40 Under 40 list. That caused us to start looking for other examples of alums who have been so honored recently. So far, we have located one […]
Funny thing about Lexington and Washington and Lee — every year we're shocked by how quickly the campus becomes deserted after the last diploma is awarded and the last mortarboard is tossed. That was the case again yesterday, when 395 seniors received their degrees and headed out to, well, everywhere. To keep track of them, the Office of […]
Shortly after members of Washington and Lee's Class of 2011 receive their diplomas this morning, Beverly Lorig, director of career services at W&L, was part of a panel talking about their job prospects — and the prospects of all of this year's newly minted graduates — on the Washington Post's website. Beverly joined moderator Jenna […]
Anyone who has seen the images of devastation from Joplin, Mo., cannot help but be affected by the magnitude of the disaster caused by Sunday's tornado. For one Washington and Lee alumnus, Brent Beshore, of the Class of 2005, the scenes are personal. Joplin is Brent's hometown. It's where he was born and raised, and […]
College football fans know who Jim Tressel is. And they probably know that the embattled former Ohio State coach is charged with hiding information about players receiving impermissible benefits and with lying to the NCAA about his knowledge of those violations. They may not necessarily know, however, Gene Marsh, the man who will be sitting beside Tressel when the […]
Voting is now open for the 2011 Library of Virginia Literary Awards People's Choice, and one of the five finalists in the nonfiction category is The Horse in Virginia: An Illustrated History, by Julie Campbell, the associate director of communications and public affairs at Washington and Lee. Online voting can be done here. Voters may also cast their ballots at […]
Lee Feldman, a member of Washington and Lee's Class of 1984, was named the city manager of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., this week. Lee, who was selected from a competitive field of 90 candidates, will oversee 2,500 employees and a $600 million budget. Based on his track record, Lee is up to the challenge. He goes to […]
One member of Washington and Lee's entering Class of 2015 has won a singular honor. Thomas Day, of Nashville, is one of 141 Presidential Scholars in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Chosen from more than 3,000 candidates on the basis of superior achievements, leadership qualities, personal character and involvement in community and school activities, the scholars […]
This week the Wheaton edition of the Chicago Tribune related the story of Washington and Lee alumnus James Howard Monroe, of the Class of 1966, whose Medal of Honor will soon have a new home in a Chicago area middle school that bears his name. Known as "Jimmy" or "Jimbo" by his family, Monroe was […]
<p>Three members of Washington and Le's Class of 2011 have been named to the Japanese National Honor Society. They are Hannah Kollef from Summit, N.J., Lu Li from Tianmen, China, Paul Matteo from Philadelphia and Susan Taylor from Atlanta. This national collegiate honor society recognizes and encourages scholastic achievement and excellence in the study of the Japanese language.</p>
The Ledger-Enquirer newspaper in Columbus, Ga., published a major feature story this weekend on the first female prosecutor of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit — Washington and Lee alumna Julia Slater, a 1993 graduate of the School of Law. The story was based, in part, on a guilty verdict that Julia had won in a 25-year-old […]
Later this month, the Philadelphia Business Journal and the Fox School of Business at Temple University will honor 40 people under the age of 40 for their professional accomplishments and community involvement. Two of the 40 winners are Washington and Lee alumni: David Foster, of the Class of 1998, and Paul E. Wright, of the Class of […]
Four alumni who distinguished themselves on the fields, courts and courses of W&L compose the 24th class to be inducted into Washington and Lee's Athletic Hall of Fame. They will be honored on Sept. 9 at the annual Athletic Hall of Fame dinner and then will be introduced at halftime of the Generals' football game on […]
Ashley Allen, a 1965 graduate of Washington and Lee, spent his entire working career with Milliken & Company in Spartanburg, S.C. When he retired in 2008, Ashley was president and CEO of the textile and chemical company, which is probably best known for its carpet but has a varied portfolio of products. A chemistry major at […]
<p>The June/July 2011 edition of EDTECH Magazine focuses on the work that Washington and Lee's Information Technology Services on the University's wireless network. The piece, "Wireless Insight," features interviews with Tom Tinsley, director of network and telecommunications, and Mike Courtney, network engineer, who describe how ITS is using Aruba's Airware software to support an averge 1,000 students, faculty, staff and guests who are accessing the wireless system at any time. <a href="Documents/public_affairs/edtechmag.pdf">You can read the article as a pdf.</a></p>
Washington and Lee's 2012 Republican Mock Convention had a successful Spring Kickoff last weekend, with performances and presentations from the Capitol Steps, Mary Matalin and Karl Rove. And we already blogged about the Presidential Issues Panel. But one of the biggest hits of the weekend had to be the Colonnade Cake. It was created by Charm […]
<p>Three members of Washington and Lee's Class of 2013 have won Shirley Hurt Brand Scholarships from the Cabell Brand Center for Global Poverty and Resource Sustainability Studies of Salem, Va. The $1,000 scholarships were awarded on the basis of essays the students wrote on what they plan to do with their studies and lives "For the Common Good."</p> <p>The winners are:</p> <ul> <li>Johanna Cho, a politics major from Wilmette, Ill.</li> <li>Kathryn Marsh Soloway, a journalism and art history double major from Woodbridge, Conn.</li> <li>Danielle Breidung, a sociology major from Waunakee, Wis.</li> </ul>
Washington and Lee's departments of music and East Asian languages and literature will present a concert in Wilson Concert Hall at 5:30 p.m. today to raise funds for the victims of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Julia Goudimova, cello, and Shuko Watanabe, piano, members of the W&L music faculty, will present works by Bach and […]
