
Black Alumni Weekend Celebrates Legacy, Community and Connection The celebration, held April 4–5 on campus, brought students and alumni together to share experiences and make new connections.
Washington and Lee University welcomed alumni, students, faculty and staff to campus April 4–5 for Black Alumni Weekend, a celebration of shared journeys, triumphs and connections across generations of the university community. All members of the W&L community were invited to register and attend.
With a theme of collective empowerment, the weekend’s programming kicked off Friday, April 4, with a series of student-led panels and project updates, including insights from representatives of the African Society, Black Male Initiative, Student Association for Black Unity (SABU) and the Perry Minority Athletic Coalition. Students affiliated with the DeLaney Center also presented on ongoing research and initiatives. The day’s events concluded with a joint celebration of the 20th anniversaries of the Beta Beta Nu Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and the Tau Omega Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., followed by a high-energy Yard Show featuring members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
Saturday’s schedule shifted focus to alumni, beginning with a keynote address by assistant general counsel for Dominion Energy Rita Davis ’93, who reflected on her career and journey since graduating from W&L. Attendees also received updates from university representatives on the Institutional History Museum and admissions efforts. The weekend closed with a black-tie dinner, including a musical performance by Zaria Daniels ’26 and a tribute to the enduring legacy of SABU.
Throughout the weekend, volunteers from Kathekon helped facilitate the event, assisting with check-in and logistics and gathering oral histories to preserve the stories and experiences of alumni.
“We had a great turnout, from current students and recent graduates to more seasoned alumni, as well as a handful of folks who hadn’t been back since they left nearly 20 years ago,” said Kristen Youngblood Archer ’06, Steering Committee co-chair. “We heard reflections from students and alumni, compared stories, shared challenges, identified possible solutions and established what we hope will be a pipeline for ongoing mentorship and engagement. Personally, it was great to see the students thriving in ways I could not have envisioned during my time at W&L, and it was great to do so with many other alumni.”
In addition to celebrating community and tradition, Black Alumni Weekend also supported the university’s Leading Lives of Consequence campaign. During Saturday’s lunch, Archer and Cynthia Cheatham ’07 announced a $50,000 commitment from attendees to the Institutional History Museum. Attendees also heard a campaign update from Vice President for University Advancement Susan Wood, with table materials highlighting the impact of alumni giving and the importance of sustaining momentum beyond the weekend.
Black Alumni Weekend Steering Committee
- Co-Chair: Kristen Youngblood Archer ’06
- Co-Chair: Jessica Jones ’11
- Dana Bolden ’89
- Cynthia Cheatham ’07
- Moe Cole ’94
- Robert Ford ’75
- Nate Hayes ’14
- Bill Hill ’74, ’77L
- Femi Kusimo ’08
- Meredith King Ledford ’03
- Josh Lewis ’24
- Tanajia Moye-Green ’23
- Courtney Penn ’92
- Tahri Phillips ’23
- Sybil Prince Nelson ’01
- Jamila Seaton ’09
- Jules Seay ’24
- Tammi Simpson ’91
- William Toles ’92, ’95L
- Matt Towns ’74
- Jonathan Wortham ’04
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