WLU Columns to Campaign

University Singers Perform Annual Commencement Concert

Thu, 14 May 2026 08:47:05 -0400

The Washington and Lee University Singers will present a final performance for the academic year under the direction of Shane M. Lynch on May 26 at 8 p.m. in Wilson Concert Hall in the Lenfest Center for the Arts. The concert is free and open to the public, and no tickets are required. “The Commencement Concert is such an important event on our calendar every year,” said Lynch, associate professor of music and director of choral activities. “For many singers, they have been in multiple performances where their family has never been able to hear them live due to the distance and logistical challenges involved. As good as our livestream technology is, it is just not the same as being in the same room and sharing the same energy with one another. This concert gives so many people the only chance to experience something special together.” The concert will feature favorite works from throughout the 2025-2026 season selected by the group’s graduating seniors. Musical styles presented will represent a wide variety of choral genres and, as always, the group will close the concert with “Shenandoah,” arranged by James Erb. The University Singers is an award-winning ensemble and continues to be recognized as one of the finest collegiate a capella choirs in the region. They are an internationally competitive touring choir, performing a wide variety of works at major venues across the globe and serving as artistic ambassadors for W&L in concert series, music festivals, conventions and university outreach events.

Experience Spotlight: Jeremy Thompson ’26L

Wed, 13 May 2026 14:37:04 -0400

[caption id="attachment_90603" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Jeremy Thompson '26L[/caption] Jeremy Thompson is a member of the Class of 2026 at Washington and Lee University School of Law. A native of West Virginia, he graduated from High Point University in 2020 with a degree in criminal justice and business administration. Prior to beginning law school, Jeremy worked for three years with a federal agency in Washington, D.C., where he gained valuable experience in public service and federal operations. During his second year at W&L Law, Jeremy was named the 2025 Mock Trial Competition Champion. He also is deeply engaged in the law school community, serving as a Law Ambassador, Chair of the Academic Committee for the Black Law Students Association, Research Assistant, and Co-Chair of the 2026 Mock Trial Competition. He also works as a student clinician in the Civil Rights and Racial Justice Clinic, where he contributes to community-focused legal work. Outside of his academic and professional commitments, Jeremy enjoys watching sports, playing chess, and maintaining an active lifestyle. Why did you choose to participate in this Civil Rights and Racial Justice Clinic for your 3L year? I chose this clinic for two main reasons. First, I wanted to learn from one of the most successful professors in their field of expertise. Professor Sweet has a lengthy and accomplished resume. He has the understanding and patience to find a student’s skillset and develop them. He has a bottomless drive for the legal profession, but it is cloaked in respect and kindness for others. I value learning from a professor and legal professional that is regarded so highly for both his personal kindness and professional success. Secondly, I chose this clinic because the goal of the clinic, in its simplest form, is to ensure a community where everyone is respected and treated fairly. I support equality. The role of a civil rights lawyer, and even a civil rights clinician, has many ups and downs. It is never a smooth ride, but it certainly is a rewarding one. This clinic enables you to speak for those without a voice. This clinic cultivates opportunities to give back to the community that has surrounded me in my three years here in Lexington, Virginia. I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. Frankly, I wanted to be a catalyst for change in someone’s life, and this clinic primes you to achieve that desire. What classes have prepared you to work in the Clinic? I would argue, in true lawyer’s fashion, that every class I have taken has played some role in my success with the clinic. There is pedagogical value in each class here at W&L Law. However, the most vital classes could be distilled down to three: Legal Writing, Virginia Civil Procedure, and Torts. First, Legal Writing in your first year of law school does two things. It exposes your poor writing, even though you thought it was great, and it equips you with another tool in civil litigation. Legal Writing is crucial for the entire legal field, but particularly for civil rights cases. The way one articulates and represents through writing could be the difference in winning and losing a case for someone. Next, Virginia Civil Procedure was an instrumental class in preparing me for clinic work. In the clinic, we dealt with clients within the Commonwealth of Virginia, so having this foundation of Virginia Civil Procedure allowed me to be confident in the procedural technicalities and focus more on the legal substance of my work. Lastly, Torts in my first year helped prepare me for the clinical work. Civil Rights cases can take many forms, as did our cases this semester. However, even if a case is brought under a civil rights statute, the underlying conduct could still be evaluated under tort principles. So, having a good grasp of torts, its limits, and the legal requirements, shaped me into being a better clinician for my colleagues and our clients. Describe your schedule with the Clinic. The schedule with the clinic tends to mimic a law firm setting. The clinic had hard deadlines for tasks that were to be consistent throughout the semester. Many of those tasks were logistical and housekeeping matters to ensure transparency and collaboration with everyone in the clinic. Moreover, the rest of the assignments and clinical work were dependent on a variety of factors, such as client availability, receiving a new case, and court schedules. I found this mix of predicted and unpredicted scheduling to be helpful because there was structure and organization with your schedule, but you still had to be flexible if something unexpected arose, much like a firm in the real world. What are some skills you have developed this year? The clinic provided an opportunity to write legal memorandums, engage in mock trial strategies and presentations, conduct actual client interviews, and perform legal research. The clinic truly provides a holistic learning experience, through actual court experience, trial simulations, and firm management techniques. I have developed skills in all those areas due to the work with the Civil Rights and Racial Justice clinic. I have even developed skills in office management, as that is a crucial part to the functionality of the clinic. What surprised you about the work you have done for the Clinic? One thing that surprised me was the sheer complexity and difficulty of proving civil rights cases. There are laws, statutes, and procedures in place to help preserve and protect individuals from civil rights violations. However, satisfying the legal standard to adequately prove these cases seems to be more challenging than other suits that could be brought within the court system. What was your favorite aspect of your work with the Clinic? My favorite aspect of clinical work was learning about new areas of law that I had yet been exposed to. For example, the clinic handles anything in the realm of civil rights and racial justice, but the clinic has an intentional focus on housing discrimination. Prior to the clinic, I had not been exposed to much litigation or law surrounding housing laws and its intersectionality with civil rights. It was fascinating to learn these new areas and see how they overlap, or even diverge, from one another and the areas of law that I am familiar with. What was your biggest challenge working in the Clinic? By far, my biggest challenge was assessing cases that potential clients brought to the clinic. An individual calls the clinic or comes in person and they have this troubling, and often sad experience, that happened to them. It is the clinician’s job to assess the case and determine if there is a plausible legal claim that can be pursued. Many times, as unfortunate as the situation may be, there was no legal claim or remedy. So, you enter this clinic wanting to help those in need, but sometimes you must have a tough conversation on how you cannot help. As much as we want to help everyone, we still have professional responsibilities to uphold within the profession, and we must ensure we are bringing claims that are justified by law and in fact. These conversations are tough to have, but they build character and molded better judgment in determining cases that should be accepted as opposed to claims that should not. Has this experience helped you figure out your post graduate plans, and if so how? I would not say that this experience alone has aided in me figuring out my post-graduate plans. Before joining the clinic, I was blessed to receive an offer to join a great firm with even better people, which I happily accepted. However, what this experience has done was help me develop tools, tactics, and strategies that I can take with me to the firm after law school. Many of the skills that you learn and enhance during the clinic are transferrable and can be applied in settings far beyond the reaches of civil rights and racial justice. So, I plan to lean into my training, experiences, and successes that this clinic has furnished to help me become the best first-year associate I can be after graduation.

Meet a Colleague: James Ito

Wed, 13 May 2026 10:57:07 -0400

[caption id="attachment_90515" align="aligncenter" width="600"] James Ito, Museums registrar[/caption]

Q. How long have you worked at W&L? I've been at W&L for just under two years.

Q. What do you like most about working at W&L? I enjoy working with all the people who hail from varying backgrounds. Q. Where is your favorite location on the W&L campus? The Reeves Museum of Ceramics. Q. Where did you grow up? I grew up in northern Utah. Q. What advice do you have for students? I would say that college life is super fun and the friends you make last a lifetime. Q. What is the most adventurous thing that you have ever done? Joining the U.S. Army. Q. What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not working? I enjoy oil painting and watching movies. Q. If you could live anywhere, where would you build your dream home? Northern Utah, next to the mountains. Q. Who most inspires you? My grandpa. Q. What book are you reading now? I’ll replace it with a television show if that's okay. I'm currently making my way through “The Pitt” season two on HBO. It is a must watch! Q. What music are you listening to these days? Mostly movie original film scores. Q. What is your favorite film (movie) of all time? I’m a cine-file, so my favorite is “El Cid” (1960) with Charlton Heston. Q. What is the website you visit most often and why? Definitely IMDB because I am so obsessed with learning everything about movies. Q. If they made a movie about your life, who would play you? It’s wishing, but Henry Golding. Q. Which historical figure do you most identify with and why? Probably any oil painter who has ever lived. Van Gogh, Rafael, Corot, Courbet, it goes on. Q. If you could have coffee with one person, who would it be and why? It would be my Japanese Grandparents from my dad’s side. Q. What is your desert island food? An all meat yakisoba platter. Q. Tell us something most people don’t know about you. I am a member of the 501st Legion who makes and wears Star Wars stormtrooper costumes. Q. What is your secret talent? I can Russian dance though I haven’t done it in a while. Q. Anything else you’d like to share? I’m working on two paintings. One of the U.S. Capitol Building and the other of Denali National Park.

‘An Ethos of Caring’

Wed, 13 May 2026 09:38:12 -0400

For most Washington and Lee University students, the first weekend in May is a chance to settle in at the start of Spring Term or to prepare to travel abroad. However, a select few spend their time assisting at W&L’s Alumni Weekend — giving golf cart rides to W&L legends like the late Tom Wolfe ’51 and the late Sen. John W. Warner III ‘49 and greeting the returning classes. These students are members of Kathekon, an organization that has been a part of Washington and Lee’s alumni engagement team for more than 40 years.

“The seeds of Kathekon are bigger than W&L. It has helped to create civic-minded people who go out and make their communities better with whatever resources they have.” — Ben Hale ‘85

The product of collaboration between Director of Alumni Programs Dick Sessoms, Associate Director of Alumni Programs Buddy Atkins ’68, P’93, P’97 and student intern Ben Hale ’85, Kathekon was formed in the fall of 1984. Charged to serve as ambassadors to the Alumni Association, Kathekon members became important points of contact for alumni when they were on campus. Hale helped recruit the inaugural Kathekon class from students who were involved in various organizations and leadership roles across campus to create a group that would have an “ethos of service to the university,” according to University Trustee Jim Kerr ’86, P’27, who served as Kathekon’s first president during the 1985-86 academic year. In its early years, Kathekon consisted of about 18 members across undergraduate juniors and seniors and law students who met for breakfast on Monday mornings. [caption id="attachment_90524" align="aligncenter" width="1789"] Founding members of Kathekon in 1984 included John Henschel, Ben Hale, Glen Jackson, Bob Tomaso, Townes Pressler, Lee Hollis, John Lewis, Sandy Whann, Ian Banwell, Buddy Atkins, Matt Atnthony, Dick Sessoms, David Perdue, Jim Kerr and Jim Bobb. Not pictured: James White, Mike Allen, John Haywood and Chris Williams.[/caption] “Students, I realized, are all alumni-in-residence,” Sessoms said. He described W&L’s alumni network as a “sleeping giant” when he started working in Alumni Affairs in 1983. He found that many alumni loved the university and wanted to see it succeed but were not actively engaged. “My goal was to rouse the giant,” he continued. Along with starting class reunion giving campaigns and challenges, Kathekon became his secret weapon to re-engage the alumni network. Kathekon’s core mission is to connect current students with W&L alumni. In its first years, members staffed alumni events on and off campus and served as the points of contact for alumni and Board of Trustees members when they were on campus. The group coordinated Homecoming programming and served as liaisons between the student body and alumni. One of Kathekon’s longstanding goals has also been to support and uphold campus traditions such as the Honor System and Speaking Tradition. “It didn’t take long for everyone to realize that Kathekon was a pretty special group of people,” Sessoms said. When searching for a name for the new organization, Alumni Affairs took the concept to members of the classics department. They came back with “Kathekon,” which derives from a Greek phrase that means “an ethos of caring” or “to do that which is meet and proper.” Kerr saw Kathekon as an opportunity to get students thinking about their role and responsibilities as alumni before they left Lexington. “There are true bonds among W&L alumni,” Kerr said. “Kathekon members directly established those bonds before we even left campus.”

“There are true bonds among W&L alumni. Kathekon members directly established those bonds before we even left campus.” — Jim Kerr ’86, P’27

From its nascence, Kathekon provided an opportunity for students to collaborate and socialize with each other across affiliations. The group sought to engage students from as many areas of campus as possible and recruited representatives from athletics, the arts, the Greek system and other student organizations. With its genesis in the same year W&L made the decision to admit women in the undergraduate program, Sessoms ensured that women in both the law school and the College were included from the start. “It was an honor to be in Kathekon,” said Mike McGarry ’87, P’14, P’16, the organization’s second president. “For me, it was an absolute privilege to get to know and spend time with people who had committed to various areas of the campus. The people who had risen to be the leaders of different organizations were universally interesting people.” [caption id="attachment_90525" align="aligncenter" width="1789"] Members of Kathekon during the 1989-1990 academic year included (front row) Tom Mitchell, Stephen White, Bob Fuller, Liz Smith, Chris Pennewill; (back row) Kevin Nash, Vaughan Gibson, Tim Ward, Mary Hampson, Christina Robinson, Lindsly Hunt, Dallas Hagewood, Scott Levitt, Tom Hatcher, Chris Giblin, Wes Boyd, Jud Parker (President).[/caption] “It was the one place that you could create relations across the spectrum of the school,” past member Mary New Dalton ’98 said. She described Kathekon as a “little ray of sunshine” that touched many different areas of campus. While the first classes of Kathekon were invitation-only, the group decided to implement an application and interview process in 1991. Beau Dudley ’74, ’79L, who served as executive director of alumni affairs from 2006 to 2022, worked to ensure the group represented a broad cross-section of W&L students. There are currently 47 undergraduate members of Kathekon. “We were looking for people who would be very comfortable and excited to interact with alumni and be an ambassador for the school,” he said. The explosion of technology and social media at the outset of the 21st century made it easier for alumni to visit W&L and Lexington from anywhere in the world. In response, Kathekon has expanded its focus to upholding W&L traditions. “As both the digital age and broader institutional advances took shape, Kathekon has been transitioning to being more peer-to-peer facing,” said John Jensen ’01, executive director of alumni and career services. “Our Kathekon students today still play a major role in welcoming alumni to campus, but their primary duty is educating the student body on the W&L traditions that have been around for generations: the Speaking Tradition being one of the most important.” “I'm delighted that, over the years, Kathekon grew into a bigger civic organization than its original scope,” Hale said. In the early 2000s, Kathekon students began to organize events designed to encourage students to uphold the Speaking Tradition. Originally a bi-annual “Say Hey” Day, the event expanded to fill an entire week this year. “‘Say Hey’ Day really promotes the idea of looking at someone and acknowledging them, which is a skill that you need when you're talking to alumni or older people in the professional world,” said Bella Timmerding ’26, a member of the Kathekon Steering Committee. For Lauren Bradshaw Palmer ’01, who is currently serving on her 25th Reunion Committee, being a member of Kathekon went beyond interacting with alumni. “I think it taught us to be good representatives of W&L everywhere we went, which to me, includes the Speaking Tradition and all those aspects of W&L that become a way of life,” Palmer said. Kathekon has also shifted to connect W&L students to more professional and networking opportunities. “Kathekon does a good job of bridging alumni with current students,” Timmerding said. “That’s important, because those sorts of opportunities only happen if you encourage students to reach out and show them that alumni are very willing and want to help.” “Today's students are tomorrow’s alumni,” Jensen said. “In order for our secret sauce to continue to work, we need our current students to understand both why our alumni network is so strong and what it takes to continue its growth.” [caption id="attachment_90526" align="aligncenter" width="1789"] The W&L Alumni Board and Kathekon gather during the 2026 Alumni Weekend.[/caption] Dudley sees Kathekon as a “two-way street” that increases alumni engagement and encourages students to stay active after graduation. “If you pull the list of Kathekon members, you’re going to see people who are running chapters, who have been on the alumni board, who have become Trustees and who are really engaged and supportive of the school,” Dudley said. “That is the best possible outcome of having a group like Kathekon.” Kerr joined fellow Kathekon alumnus Lee Hollis ’86 on the Board of Trustees in February; multiple Kathekon alumni have served as Trustees in the past. For many, Kathekon is a springboard for engagement at W&L. “Being recognized for caring about the university, its culture and your friends was an honor,” said David Perdue ’85, an inaugural Kathekon member. “It made you feel good. I think it inspires people to live up to that ideal as alumni.” For many Kathekon alumni, it is more than a student organization; it has created friendships, opportunities and pathways to give back to W&L. As these “alumni-in-residence” graduate and join the alumni network, they leave Lexington knowing they will always carry W&L with them. “The seeds of Kathekon are bigger than W&L,” Hale said. “A lot of those people, if you look back, they’ve all gone out and become civic leaders. That’s the big thing — Kathekon has made the world better. It’s not just that it has made W&L better. It has helped to create civic-minded people who go out and make their communities better with whatever resources they have.”

Answering the Call

Wed, 13 May 2026 08:53:47 -0400

The Reverend Dane Boston ’08 can pinpoint the exact moment he found his calling in the church, and it was in Fletcher Otey Thomas Professor in Bible Alexandra Brown’s New Testament 101 class at Washington and Lee University. “On a Friday afternoon in the fall in Lexington, I remember sitting in that class thinking, ‘I need to talk about this the rest of my life; I need to do this the rest of my life,’” Boston said. “We were studying one of the gospels, and it was impactful for me just to realize that I wanted to do this but in the ecclesiastical world.” Now the rector at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston — the largest parish of the Episcopal Church in North America with more than 10,000 parishioners — Boston was confirmed and began the discernment process at Grace Episcopal Church (formerly R.E. Lee Episcopal Church) in Lexington, Virginia. [caption id="attachment_90494" align="aligncenter" width="1800"] Rev. Dane Boston ’08 serves as Rector at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, the largest parish of the Episcopal Church in North America.[/caption] From Dunedin, Florida, Boston said he was drawn to W&L’s values and history, particularly the Honor System and Speaking Tradition. Those values of responsibility and community continue to inform his life and work today. “I’m a big advocate of the Speaking Tradition,” Boston said, “especially in a technologically blinded age, making sure that we’re facing the people in front of us and building relationships with the people around us. That’s been a great joy for me within a cathedral or parish staff. “How do we not just work together but remember why we are working together — remember that we are all serving God, whether we are preaching, picking up the trash or anything in between?” he continued. W&L was the springboard for Boston’s life and career. He met his wife, Debby Newell Boston ’08, while at W&L. They were married at Grace Episcopal a year after graduating and held their reception on campus. “The most consequential thing that happened to me on campus was meeting Deb,” he said. While he explored different courses of study, Boston ultimately majored in English. “The English degree is a great preparation for ministry because it’s all reading, thinking and writing, as well as engaging with other people who give you feedback,” he said. Boston was also an active member of the Shepherd Program and a Bonner Scholar throughout his time on campus. These programs gave him the opportunity to lead pre-orientation programs and work closely with the Rockbridge County community. However, it was his faith that became the keystone of his involvement at W&L. Boston went through the discernment process at Grace Episcopal, participated in the parish’s search for a rector during his sophomore year and taught Sunday school. “Church was this really great connection and outlet that gave me the opportunity to interact with people younger than me and people older than me,” he said. He added that while other organizations serve similar purposes to churches — schools and universities educate people, clubs and activities create community and social organizations serve others — the church is differentiated by the shared purpose of its members. “The church was the only entity that brought it all together and made it not about us, not about me as an individual or even the community of its various demographics together, but about God,” Boston said. “Because it was about God, then we could go back to all these other convictions, and they were transformed by that grounding.” He emphasized the importance of shared purpose and belief, especially as society has become more separated and individual. “The church, at its best, pulls people out of that, changing who they are and how they react to one another for the better,” he added. After graduating from Washington and Lee, Boston attended Yale Divinity School and has since served at churches and cathedrals in Greenwich, Connecticut, Cooperstown, New York, and Columbia, South Carolina. In August 2025, he received unanimous approval by the vestry of St. Martin’s in Houston to become its fifth rector. He credited the ethos of responsibility and respect instilled in him by the Honor System at W&L as an inspiration for his approach to ministry. “I don’t like to micromanage people; I don’t like to try to do their jobs for them. I want to make sure they feel inspired, equipped and empowered to do their jobs and to know that their work is valuable,” Boston said. “I feel all of that comes from what I experienced at W&L, where professors treated me as somebody whose ideas were worth listening to, somebody who was worth investing the time to help make a paper better or help me understand something.” Boston measures his life not through personal success but in service to others.

“The recognition that it is about other people — that none of us exists in a vacuum, and we’ve got to be supporting one another, and we’ve got to be looking for the ways to lift one another up — that, to me, is the measure of a consequential life.” - Rev. Dane Boston ’08

“The recognition that it is about other people — that none of us exists in a vacuum, and we’ve got to be supporting one another, and we’ve got to be looking for the ways to lift one another up — that, to me, is the measure of a consequential life.”

Alumni Spotlight: Steve Halpin ’15L

Tue, 12 May 2026 14:33:46 -0400

[caption id="attachment_90518" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Steve Halpin '15L[/caption] Stephen (Steve) Halpin ‘15L is senior counsel in the New York City office of King & Ruiz LLP, a litigation boutique focused on domestic and cross-border disputes. His practice spans complex commercial litigation, asset recovery, international judgment enforcement, securities litigation, and white-collar criminal defense. Steve also regularly represents clients in appeals across various subject matters, including as a member of the Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel. During law school, Steve led the Law Review as its Editor in Chief, interned for two federal district court judges, worked as a research assistant to the Director of the Frances Lewis Law Center, and served on the Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series Board. Following law school, Steve clerked for the Honorable Robert B. King of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and then spent five years practicing in the Washington, D.C. office of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP before moving to New York City. Discuss your career path and how it led you to King & Ruiz LLP? My career path has not been linear. After clerking for a judge after graduation, I spent five years working with the International Trade Group at a big firm in Washington, D.C., where I had previously worked as a paralegal. I learned many valuable lessons from my colleagues there, including the importance of responsiveness to clients and what top-notch, high-quality attorney work product looks like. I also saw immediately how my time clerking benefited me upon entering private practice. But after five years at a big firm, I wanted a little more variety in my practice and more substantive responsibility on cases, including the opportunity to be on my feet more. In the summer of 2021, as the world was still emerging from the pandemic, my wife and I moved to New York City for her to start business school. I didn’t know many people in New York when we moved, but I was lucky to join a litigation boutique where I gained great experience writing dispositive motions and briefs, interacting with clients directly, and appearing in court. After spending three-and-a-half years there, I received an opportunity I could not pass up to join the then-newly formed King & Ruiz LLP, where I have continued to contribute my skills as a researcher and brief writer while also taking on more substantive responsibility for running matters and helping grow the firm. The key attributes I believe have served me well throughout—from clerking, to Big Law, to practicing in a litigation boutique—are enthusiasm, attention to detail, and a willingness to work hard. I was fortunate to do well in law school and receive some of the shiny accolades associated with that success, but I also think a lot about what one of the judges I worked for told me when I was interviewing for a position: “I need work horses, not show horses.” There is no substitute for hard work. What sort of legal issues do you handle on a day-to-day basis? The legal issues I encounter run the gamut, which is one of the main reasons I enjoy being a lawyer. In the last year I’ve argued in federal district court in Manhattan, federal appellate court in New Orleans, and I’m regularly involved in proceedings in federal court in Miami on various cases. Our firm has particular experience in proceedings where clients are seeking or resisting discovery in the United States for use in foreign proceedings. These matters often arise under two distinct sets of federal statutes—28 U.S.C. § 1782 and Chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code—but we handle all kinds of business disputes, from complex commercial litigation to white-collar criminal defense. What do you like about your current job? There are many things! Throughout my life I have tended to thrive in smaller environments, which is one reason I enjoyed my time at W&L so much. As a litigation boutique, we work hard and handle sophisticated, high-stakes matters, but we also carve out time for our families and hobbies outside our legal practice. What are some practices you have in your daily life as an attorney to maintain wellness? Physical activity and mindfulness are the two most important things for all of us to practice (and especially busy attorneys). I generally have more success with the former in that I try to stay active and exercise multiple times a week. I know and appreciate the benefits of the latter, such as meditation, and I aspire to carve out more time for it. What has your experience been as a member of the W&L Law Council? My experience has been very rewarding. The Law Council brings together alumni of all backgrounds who care deeply about the Law School and its continued success. We meet in person twice a year and hear directly from the Dean, administrators, faculty, and students about the Law School’s achievements, as well as its challenges. Members of the Law Council bring varying perspectives to our discussions, but we all are driven by a shared mission to ensure the Law School remains well positioned to meet the needs of our prospective students, current students, and alumni. Looking back, what do you think was the most formative experience you had in law school? One experience from my first year comes immediately to mind: It involved the first draft of the “open” memorandum (i.e., outside research permitted) I wrote partway through my first semester in the Legal Writing component of my Contracts class, taught by the legendary Sam Calhoun. As I recall, my first draft was well written, grammatically correct, and made sense logically. But I had failed to consider looking to a neighboring jurisdiction for persuasive authority on the central legal question, which the jurisdiction we were in clearly had not answered. As pretty (or not) as my writing may have been, I had not provided good enough, actionable advice to the hypothetical client, and my tentative grade for the draft—everyone had the chance to improve their grade for the final memorandum after meeting with Professor Calhoun—reflected as much. Professor Calhoun’s one-on-one, constructive feedback on my first draft lit a fire under me that propelled me forward through the final draft of that memorandum and onward in my law school experience. Which W&L classes and/or experiences do you think were most helpful in preparing you for this job? As my practice has shifted more towards civil business litigation and asset recovery in the last few years, I am constantly applying concepts I first encountered in Civil Procedure, Contracts, and what used to be called Close Business Arrangements. Because a lot of our work is cross-border in nature and/or involves multiple jurisdictions in the United States, I also frequently draw on principles from my Conflict of Laws class to analyze what substantive law could or should apply to particular issues in a dispute. What advice do you have for prospective law students? For prospective law students, two things: First, do not let law school compromise your physical or mental health. Law school is demanding, but you must make time for things that recharge you, and there are plenty of ways to do that around Lexington and with the incredible people who are part of the community. Second, if you want to enter the private practice of law after graduation, whether as a litigator or corporate attorney, try to remember every now and then when you are decrypting 19th century cases about “craving oyer” that the practice of law is a business, and the business is to serve clients. W&L’s experiential offerings provide great opportunities to work with real clients as you progress into your second and third years; you should also begin cultivating an understanding of the economics of practicing law and how they are changing.

Gene McCabe Earns Old Dominion Athletic Conference Men’s Lacrosse Coach of the Year Award

Tue, 12 May 2026 11:04:16 -0400

[caption id="attachment_90507" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Gene McCabe, head men's lacrosse coach[/caption] Gene McCabe, Washington and Lee University head men’s lacrosse coach, was selected as the 2026 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Coach of the Year in voting conducted by the league’s coaches. McCabe led the generals to a 16-6 overall record and a 9-1 mark in conference play to seize the ODAC regular season title. W&L went on to win the ODAC Tournament, posting a 18-8 win over the University of Lynchburg to claim the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship. The team finished the regular season ranked fifteenth in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III poll and registered a 19-10 victory over ninth-ranked Gettysburg College in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. W&L’s season came to an end following a 13-12 loss to Christopher Newport University in the Round of 16. Across his 20 seasons as head coach at W&L, McCabe, who achieved his 300^th career coaching win this season, has led the Generals to six ODAC Tournament Championships and 10 trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament. McCabe has been named the ODAC Coach of the Year five times, and his coaching staff was honored as the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA) Region 4 Staff of the Year on three occasions, including after both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. McCabe boasts a 307-133 (.698) overall record in 25 seasons as a collegiate head coach, and he is the Generals’ all-time wins leader with a 253-115 (.688) overall mark at W&L. He has gone 136-26 (.840) in regular season conference play, including a 74-4 record over the last nine seasons. McCabe served as a faculty member at W&L as an assistant coach from 1998-2001 and again as head coach since 2006. He has also served as W&L’s assistant director of athletics for compliance since 2022. McCabe holds a bachelor’s degree in European history from Bates College.

W&L Economics Professor Co-Authors Paper in Science

Tue, 12 May 2026 10:33:11 -0400

[caption id="attachment_90284" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Cal Bryan, assistant professor of economics[/caption]

Cal Bryan, assistant professor of economics at Washington and Lee University, recently co-authored a paper that appeared in the May 7 edition of Science.

The article, “Wildfire Damages and the Cost-Effective Role of Forest Fuel Treatments,” was co-written with Frederik Strabo and Matthew Reimer, both from the University of California, Davis.

Fuel treatments are best described as land management practices designed to reduce the amount of flammable vegetation in a forest or wildland area. The authors used data on fuel treatments as well as data on wildfires, suppression efforts and damages across the Western U.S. to assess the cost-effectiveness of fuel treatments. They contend that the use of fuel treatments remains underutilized because of a lack of evidence documenting their economic value. Through their research, Bryan and his colleagues found that fuel treatments reduced wildfire spread and severity, avoiding an estimated $2.8 billion in damages from large wildfires. The researchers concluded that every dollar invested in fuel treatments yields $3.73 in expected benefits, demonstrating the value of fuel treatments and offering guidance for maximizing effectiveness.

Bryan is in his first year as a member of the W&L faculty after earning a Doctor of Philosophy in natural resource economics and serving as a postdoctoral researcher at Colorado State University. Prior to Colorado State, he spent more than three years with the U.S. Forest Service as a recreation technician and interpretive ranger, earning Type 2 wildland firefighter certification and assisting with several large wildland fires across multiple states. Bryan also holds a Bachelor of Science in bioenvironmental science from Texas A&M University and a Master of Arts in economics from San Diego State University. His research and teaching are focused on sustainable natural resource management and behavioral responses to climate change.

W&L’s Hamza Zia ’26 Awarded FAO Schwarz Fellowship

Tue, 12 May 2026 09:51:31 -0400

Washington and Lee University student Hamza Zia ’26 has received a FAO Schwarz Fellowship to serve a two-year fellowship at Reading Partners, a leading nonprofit organization in New York City. Zia is an engineering major and mathematics and education studies minor from Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The FAO Schwarz Fellowship program provides opportunities for graduating college seniors interested in social impact careers to work with organizations in Boston, New York City and Philadelphia committed to social justice and equity. In addition to the direct service and strategic project components of their fellowship, fellows engage in professional development experiences such as retreats, mentoring and networking. “I am honored and truly grateful to both Reading Partners and the FAO Schwarz Fellowship for seeing something in my story and my work worth investing in,” said Zia. “I am the first person from my entire village to pursue higher education beyond the borders of Pakistan, and it is not every day I get to see people from a background like mine end up in rooms such as this one. Everything I have done so far, and everything I continue to do, has been my refusal to accept the homogeneity of those who have historically gotten to lead and shape the future of our community.” Reading Partners is a nonprofit dedicated to helping children become lifelong readers by empowering communities to provide individualized instruction with measurable results. Zia will serve as a Community Engagement Fellow, managing the organization’s multi-hour corporate partnerships while simultaneously tutoring students through a structured, evidence-backed literacy curriculum. “I was born and raised in a small, underserved village in Pakistan, and that gave me a very specific relationship with the question of who education is built for and who it quietly leaves behind,” said Zia. “That very question followed me to W&L, and it is the reason I aspire to pursue a Ph.D. in science, technology, engineering math (STEM) education and eventually lead initiatives dedicated to educating and empowering marginalized youth.” Zia is thankful for the support he has received from Haley Sigler, associate professor and director of education studies, and Sarah Margalus, visiting assistant professor of education studies, and how they show up for him with consistency and generosity. Zia is particularly grateful to Eric Moffa, associate professor of education studies, for inspiring him to pursue education studies at W&L. “Education in Professor Moffa’s classroom became a site of political and ethical consequence, a place where the question of who gets access to what is answered daily, quietly and with enormous stakes,” said Zia. “That reframing has shaped my research, my community work and the arc of everything I want to build in the future.” Zia is a dedicated advocate for Pakistan’s transgender community and has earned multiple accolades for his work, including a Davis Projects for Peace grant in 2024, the James G. Leyburn Award for outstanding community service, the G. Holbrook Barber Scholarship, the Community Catalyst Award and the Emerging Leader of the Year Award. He is also a Youth Literacy Program intern at Rockbridge Regional Library, coordinating over 150 volunteer tutors across six schools. Zia is a Johnson Scholar and a Bonner Scholar and serves the W&L student body as a member of the Student Affairs Committee, a resident adviser, a peer tutoring coordinator, an Office of Student Engagement and Leadership ambassador and an international student mentor. The FAO Schwarz Family Foundation was established in 1990 by the descendants of Frederick A.O. Schwarz, a German immigrant who founded the FAO Schwarz toy store in 1862. The Foundation continues its lifelong mission of bringing love and joy into children’s lives by supporting nonprofit organizations committed to social impact, especially in the areas of education, the environment and the arts.

W&L to begin next phase of campus utility infrastructure project

Mon, 11 May 2026 13:54:29 -0400

With the initial phase (Phase 1a) of its campus utility infrastructure project now complete, Washington and Lee University is preparing to move forward with the next stage of its low-temperature hot water (LTHW) transition. The next phase of the project was approved by the Board of Trustees at its May meeting and is anticipated to begin in mid-June 2026 and to be completed in summer 2027. These necessary updates to the campus utility infrastructure support the university’s Campus Master Plan and will help achieve the sustainability goals of its Climate Action Plan. The comprehensive plans set the framework for transforming W&L’s campus into a carbon-neutral environment by 2050. One of the most significant steps toward achieving this goal involves the replacement of the campus’s current natural gas heating infrastructure. Despite consistent upgrades over the years as W&L transitioned from coal to heating fuel to natural gas, several key pieces of the current infrastructure pre-date World War II and must be replaced. A majority of the ongoing infrastructure project involves a conversion to low-temperature hot water as the primary heating resource for the university. What Phase 1b involves Phase 1b will extend the LTHW piping network through central areas of front campus in three connected segments: from the northeast corner of Graham-Lees Residence Hall along the sidewalk between Elrod Commons and Huntley Hall to the northeast corner of Huntley Hall; along the walkway connecting the main entrance of Elrod Commons to the front entrance of Huntley Hall; and from the east side of Graham-Lees across the adjacent sidewalk and portions of the courtyard to the side entrance of Holekamp Hall, where it will connect to the existing infrastructure. Upon completion, the piping systems installed during Phase 1b will be tied into the heat recovery chiller currently in operation at the new Williams School building. What to expect on campus When the work is occurring, temporary fencing will be erected at each work zone as construction moves through three separate segments. Areas to be fenced will include the northeast corner of Graham-Lees, the courtyard behind Graham-Lees, and the north and west sections of Huntley Hall, as well as the area directly in front of Huntley Hall. Fencing will only be placed in areas where construction is actively underway and will not be erected in zones where work has not yet begun or has been completed. Signage will direct pedestrians to appropriate routes throughout each phase. While the construction will not restrict access to Graham-Lees Residence Hall, Elrod Commons, Holekamp Hall or Huntley Hall, alternate paths through those areas will be necessary when work is actively taking place nearby. Construction equipment and vehicles will periodically use the sidewalks in front of Graham-Lees and along the west side of the building, between the residence hall and Cannan Green and Elrod Commons. These blockages will be brief, lasting no longer than 30 minutes, and construction personnel will be on hand to maintain a safe environment during those times. The work is not expected to affect vehicular traffic along Washington Street or Lee Avenue. The construction will also have noise impacts in the areas surrounding Graham-Lees Residence Hall, Elrod Commons, Holekamp Hall and Huntley Hall. Campus community members should expect typical construction noise between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The work and resulting noise is not expected to occur outside of normal business hours or weekends. Brief hot water interruptions planned Community members in several buildings should also expect occasional, brief shutdowns of domestic hot water service. These shutdowns will affect Gaines Residence Hall, the Duchossois Center for Athletics and Recreation, Elrod Commons and Graham-Lees Residence Hall. These shutdowns are necessary to connect LTHW systems in those buildings that will serve to preheat domestic water and reduce the university’s reliance on natural gas. Advance notice will be provided to the university community before each planned shutdown. Looking ahead to Phase 2 Planning for Phase 2 of the LTHW infrastructure project is already well underway and has advanced through design development and early budget planning. A proposal will be presented to the Board of Trustees in February 2027, and, if approved, work could begin on Phase 2 shortly after Phase 1b is completed in summer 2027. Phase 2 will extend the LTHW network to the area below the Cohen Family Amphitheater, through the outdoor classroom area and across Woods Creek, and will include work along Generals Lane and the vehicle bridge over Woods Creek. A new heat recovery chiller will be installed at the university’s central plant, located in the vicinity of the School of Law, connecting all of the work completed in Phase 1a and Phase 1b into a unified LTHW infrastructure. Phase 2 will also incorporate the planned Founders Hall project into the system. When Phase 2 is complete, the university anticipates a 36% reduction in its total carbon footprint. At that point, any remaining campus infrastructure deemed in poor condition will be evaluated for replacement and integration into the new LTHW system. For more information about this and other ongoing capital projects, please visit University Facilities' capital project updates page.

Kenneth P. Ruscio Named Interim President of Washington and Lee University

Mon, 11 May 2026 11:00:47 -0400

[caption id="attachment_90488" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Kenneth P. Ruscio '76[/caption] Kenneth P. Ruscio '76, president emeritus of Washington and Lee University, has been named interim president of the University, effective July 1. Ruscio, who served as president of Washington and Lee University from 2006-2016, will return to the role in an interim capacity until the University’s next president is named and seated. Current W&L President William C. Dudley, who has held the position since January 1, 2017, will assume the presidency of Claremont McKenna College this summer. “We are thrilled that Ken Ruscio has accepted our invitation to return to W&L in an interim capacity as we conclude our search for Washington and Lee’s next president,” said Wali Bacdayan '92, rector of W&L’s Board of Trustees. “Ken brings not only a wealth of leadership experience to the role, but an innate understanding of the University and its various constituencies. We couldn’t ask for a steadier hand to guide W&L through this transition and sustain the momentum we’ve achieved under Will Dudley.” During Ruscio’s tenure, Washington and Lee received an historic $100 million gift to establish the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity, which includes the Johnson Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship program that awards full tuition and fees, housing and food, and $10,000 in funding for a summer experience to up to 44 incoming students each year. The University also significantly expanded its need-based financial aid program, including the elimination of loans from financial aid packages and the creation of The W&L Promise. Ruscio oversaw a number of other critical projects, including the $50 million renovation and restoration of W&L’s historic Colonnade; the creation of the Roger Mudd Center for Ethics and the J. Lawrence Connolly Center for Entrepreneurship; and the $66 million Lenfest Challenge, which created 15 new endowed faculty chairs, 10 term professorships, and improved faculty compensation. Under his leadership, the University introduced major work-life initiatives for faculty and staff; implemented sustainability initiatives, including a successful, cost-saving energy-education program; and built several new facilities, including the Hillel House, the upper-division housing village, the natatorium, and the Center for Global Learning, which the Board of Trustees named in Ruscio’s honor in 2016. In addition, the University made extensive renovations to first-year housing, Leyburn Library, and Lewis Hall, and developed the Duchossois Athletic Complex. “Kim and I are delighted to return to Washington and Lee while the Board of Trustees concludes its search for the university’s next president,” said Ruscio. “Having spent a decade as president and just celebrated my 50^th reunion, W&L has always been home for us. It’s an honor to be asked to serve my alma mater in this capacity, and I’m looking forward to connecting with old and new friends and meeting the next generation of W&L students.” A distinguished scholar of democratic theory and public policy, Ruscio earned his B.A. in politics from Washington and Lee (1976), and a Master of Public Administration (1978) and Ph.D. in public affairs and public administration (1983), both from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He was a postdoctoral research scholar at UCLA and taught at both Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Kansas University before returning to his alma mater, holding staff and faculty positions as professor of politics, associate dean of the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics, and dean of freshmen at W&L from 1987 to 2002. Ruscio served as the University of Richmond’s dean of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies from 2002 to 2006 before becoming president of Washington and Lee. He has since served as president of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges from 2017 to 2018 and as a senior distinguished lecturer at the Jepson School from 2019 to 2023. Active in national higher education circles, Ruscio has served on the boards of the Council of Independent Colleges and the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U). He has also served as national president of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership society founded at Washington and Lee in 1914. He recently served on the board of the American Civil War Museum and currently serves on the boards of Skidmore College in New York, the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, and the Collegiate School in Richmond. Ruscio is the author of “The Leadership Dilemma in Modern Democracy” (2004) as well as numerous papers and articles. In recognition of his scholarly and professional accomplishments, Washington and Lee’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa inducted Ruscio as an alumni member in 2008. He has also received the Jepson School’s James MacGregor Burns Award for contributions to leadership studies, the Superintendent’s Award from the Virginia Military Institute, and honorary degrees from Roanoke College and Hampden-Sydney College. Ruscio is married to Kimberley O’Donnell Ruscio. Their son, Matthew, is a 2012 graduate of St. Lawrence University. He resides in Charlotte with his wife, Brooke, and their two children, Oliver and Isabelle.

Why I Give | Alden Schade ’18

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:57:03 -0400

Why I Give is a series that celebrates the generosity of Washington and Lee University alumni, students, faculty and parents. Discover the many reasons the W&L community supports Leading Lives of Consequence: The Campaign for Washington and Lee and how philanthropy shapes the university’s future while honoring its enduring value.

"I hope my support can help create the opportunities and experiences that change students’ lives for the better, as my W&L experience did for me." - Alden Schade ’18

What inspired you to make your first gift to Washington and Lee University, and what motivates you to continue giving? One thing you learn early on at W&L (often on an admissions tour before even matriculating) is that the university owes part of its longevity and durability to transformative gifts and contributions from singular individuals throughout its history: George Washington’s gift of canal stock, Cyrus McCormick, Lettie Pate Evans and, more recently, Rupert Johnson ’62, Richard Duchossois ’44 and Bill Miller ’72. There is no doubt that W&L has reaped tremendous benefits from these benefactors’ staggering generosity. As a student, I was certainly inspired by these figures to continue the legacy of strong alumni support through the senior gift campaign. What takes more time to recognize, however, is the way that students and alumni support W&L on a daily basis to make it such a special place. Through gifts to the W&L Fund, providing funding for Spring Term travel or welcoming students into workplaces for internships and career development opportunities, these contributions make an impact on an individual basis. In much the same way that nothing happens on campus without student leadership and commitment, alumni leadership and commitment help sustain the unique culture of Washington and Lee that we carry out into the world. Many of W&L’s most significant supporters may not have been motivated to give if not for the strength and vibrance of this culture and community and the individual commitments that provide its staying power year after year. It is in this way I hope to support W&L and contribute to its lasting legacy. How do you hope your support impacts current and future generations of W&L students? When I reflect on my Washington and Lee experience, I am always struck by the freedom I had as a student. If there was something I was interested in, either academically or personally, I always felt that the resources and support to pursue it were at my fingertips. I consider this freedom to explore and learn to be the foundational piece of a rewarding college experience, particularly at a liberal arts institution, and I hope my support can enable the same level of freedom for current and future W&L students. I hope it enables a Spring Term trip that introduces a student to their lifelong passion or supports a research opportunity that is the springboard to a career in medicine or the sciences. In short, I hope my support can help create the opportunities and experiences that change students’ lives for the better, as my W&L experience did for me. Is there a particular experience, faculty member or program at W&L that played a meaningful role in your decision to give back? My experience as a geology major and as a member of Kathekon gave me direct exposure to the impact that alumni support has on the day-to-day life of a student. The Geology Department [now the Earth and Environmental Geoscience Department] had access to an amazing breadth of resources to support student research and trips to study in the field, including the Spring Term trips that I know are the highlight of many geo majors’ (including my own) courses of study. My time with Kathekon exposed me to the daily work of the alumni office and the work alumni do to support W&L and each other beyond Lexington. Both experiences opened my eyes to the incredible passion and pride that alumni take in supporting the university and inspired me to do my best to emulate their efforts. What does it mean to you to lead a life of consequence? I find the naming of W&L’s capital campaign to be timely, aligning with the 250th anniversary of the United States. While a life of consequence is not limited to the creation of an entirely new and untested system of government, the example of this country’s founding is instructive. The people who founded, built and preserved this nation 250 years ago were ordinary people working together to pursue an ideal that was “more perfect” each day than it was the previous. My time at W&L gave shape to what this looks like in practice. Through the Honor System, I learned to hold myself to a higher standard and be worthy of the trust and responsibility that others placed in me. Through the Speaking Tradition, I learned that a smile and a “good morning” are among the best ways to positively impact someone else’s day and that they open the door to other opportunities to serve those around you. Through student self-governance and involvement with various on-campus groups and activities, I learned that in order to create and preserve something I care deeply about, I have to be willing to give in service of something greater than myself. Living a life of consequence is not about the scale of what you accomplish but the commitment and effort you bring to the endeavor. It may not be taught in classrooms generations from now or measured in titles and wealth. But if the people around you were better for having known you, if you thoughtfully contributed to someone else’s life in a lasting and positive way, then you have lived a life of consequence. Read more from the Why I Give series.

Why I Give | The McGinley Family

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:33:19 -0400

"We hope our support helps ensure that students continue to have a place where they are challenged to think seriously and independently — to understand not just what they believe but why they believe it." - The McGinley Family

What inspired you to make your first gift to Washington and Lee University, and what motivates you to continue giving? We have all tried to start giving early, regardless of the modesty of the amounts, because we wanted it to be a habit — not something deferred. Over time, it became more intentional. We believe W&L preserves a way of thinking and a set of values that are increasingly rare, and supporting that is essential to sustaining it. All four of us found a community of people through Washington and Lee that challenges us to apply these values in every stage of life. We support our alma mater with the hope that students will continue building those kinds of relationships for years to come! How do you hope your support impacts current and future generations of W&L students? We hope our support helps ensure that students continue to have a place where they are challenged to think seriously and independently — to understand not just what they believe but why they believe it. Just as importantly, it is a place to build relationships with incredible people (students, faculty and alumni) who share a commitment to character and honor, while also valuing academic rigor and the perspective that comes from W&L’s unique history and geographic setting. Is there a particular experience, faculty member or program at W&L that played a meaningful role in your decision to give back? While individual professors certainly left a mark — many of whom we still communicate with — what stands out most is the consistency of the experience across generations. Each of us encountered a culture that demanded preparation, encouraged real debate and expected intellectual honesty. We were all four politics majors, where we were pushed to engage with difficult questions — about institutions, governance and human behavior — without easy answers. What does it mean to you to lead a life of consequence? We all feel very fortunate to have been able to attend a school like W&L. To us, a life of consequence means first approaching life with a high level of humility — recognizing that the world is complex, imperfect and often difficult. That perspective creates a responsibility to contribute in a thoughtful and constructive way. It is not about recognition but about using what talents and opportunities you have been given — education, perspective and relationships — to make decisions that can have meaningful and positive impacts on others. Read more from the Why I Give series.

W&L’s Sandrine Uwantege ’27 Receives Davis Projects for Peace Grant

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:26:59 -0400

Washington and Lee University student Sandrine Uwantege ’27 has received a Davis Projects for Peace grant to support her work with first-time teenage mothers in Kigali City, Rwanda, and expand their opportunities through counseling and mentorship, vocational training and financial literacy. Uwantege is an economics major and data science minor from Rwanda. “Being awarded the Davis Projects for Peace grant is deeply meaningful to me,” Uwantege said. “It gives me the opportunity to contribute to the development of my home country in a way that feels both intentional and necessary.” Projects for Peace is a global program that partners with educational institutions to identify and support young peacebuilders. Each year, the program grants $1.25 million to student leaders who are developing innovative, community-centered and scalable responses to the world’s most pressing issues. This year’s cohort is made up of 148 projects nominated by 98 partner institutions, and the projects will take place in 59 countries and seven U.S. states. Uwantege’s project stems from a conversation in her Economics of Social Issues class, taught by Art Goldsmith, the Jackson T. Stephens Professor of Economics, during Fall Term 2025 about how early disadvantages — particularly in education, opportunity and social mobility — can shape the trajectory of someone’s life. This discussion inspired Uwantege to begin researching the barriers young people face in her home country, and she discovered that despite Rwanda’s progress in empowering youth, teenage pregnancy remains one of the leading causes of school dropout. Furthermore, most teenage girls who leave school due to pregnancy, especially first-time mothers, never return and many experience stigma, isolation and a loss of confidence. These challenges make it difficult for young mothers to imagine a future, and Uwantege’s project seeks to interrupt this cycle by helping first-time teenage mothers rebuild a sense of possibility for their futures and expanding the opportunities available to them. “I have always believed that true development must be inclusive, and this award gives me a platform to support young girls who face significant challenges that make it harder for them to continue their education or explore opportunities that help them grow,” Uwantege said. “What makes this project so important to me is knowing that it will help these young mothers feel seen, reconnect with their education and see themselves as part of Rwanda’s ongoing development. For me, it’s both an honor and a responsibility, and it allows me to put the education, mentorship and support I’ve received at Washington and Lee into a meaningful effort.” At the heart of Uwantege’s project to empower teenage mothers is providing mentorship, life-skills workshops, financial literacy training and access to vocational and educational opportunities. To accomplish this, Uwantege will develop individual empowerment plans (IEP), inspired by the individualized education program model used in the U.S. education system for students eligible for special education. “Sandrine’s unique approach to her project, based on the American education system to personalize the counseling and education that participants will receive, is genius,” said Dallas Tatman, assistant director of fellowships and visiting instructor of anthropology. “Projects for Peace recipients don’t just have a dream of bringing peace to a region — they have a clear vision and a specific plan to help make it a reality.” To implement the IEPs, Uwantege will partner with AfriYAN Rwanda, a network of youth-led organizations that promote inclusive participation of youth in national and regional development. Each young mother participating in Uwantege’s project will work with a trained AfriYAN mentor to create an IEP that reflects her educational background, interests, challenges since giving birth and long-term goals. “I was drawn to this approach because it recognizes that every person’s story is different and that real progress starts with understanding the individual,” Uwantege said. “By the end of the project, I hope these young mothers will see themselves not as girls whose futures ended early, but as women who have real possibilities ahead of them and are confident they can continue their education and explore other opportunities. I also hope the impact extends to their children and other communities and supports Rwanda’s long-term goal of empowered youth and gender equality.” Uwantege’s understanding of the impacts of inequality and poverty has been profoundly shaped by her time at W&L, through both her classes and her involvement in the Leadership Education and Development Program (LEAD) and the Shepherd Program. She appreciates how her poverty studies classes went beyond teaching social issues and encouraged the students to think about how they can contribute to solutions-based work. She also credits LEAD (where she serves as a Tier 1 and Tier 2 facilitator) with helping her better understand herself, her interests and the kind of work that feels meaningful to her. In addition to LEAD, Uwantege is involved in Around the Globe, the Library Student Advisory Board, Campus Kitchen, SABU and the African Society. She also serves as an International Student Orientation leader and mentor, supporting incoming international students as they transition to life at W&L. Uwantege is actively engaged in the Lexington and Rockbridge community, volunteering with the Rockbridge Area Relief Association and Habitat for Humanity. She also worked as a summer research scholar with W&L’s Office of Community-Based Learning in 2025, analyzing data from a community-university relationship survey from local community members in Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County on their relationship with W&L.

Why I Give | Ken Lane ’64

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:21:22 -0400

"I give generously so students can avail themselves of what makes W&L so outstanding among U.S. colleges in character development, academics and student satisfaction." - Ken Lane '64

What inspired you to make your first gift to Washington and Lee University, and what motivates you to continue giving? Ever since I can remember, W&L has been in my blood. My father was president of the Alumni Association in the early 1950s, my two uncles and three cousins are graduates. W&L gave me my first job after graduate school as director of the student center. Through these important years, the university made a formative impact on my life. How do you hope your support impacts current and future generations of W&L students? W&L is doing a fantastic job of educating and offering an array of opportunities for students to discover themselves, build a moral foundation and provide both knowledge and opening of doors for satisfactory career choices. I give generously so students can avail themselves of what makes W&L so outstanding among U.S. colleges in character development, academics and student satisfaction. Is there a particular experience, faculty member or program at W&L that played a meaningful role in your decision to give back? Trying to find myself in that late adolescent stage of my life was a pressing challenge. I owe a lot to my fraternity brother, Randy Wootten ’64, P’93, P’95, who gifted me in at least two ways. He introduced me to English professor Bill Chaffin, and we became friends in my senior year. Bill was so supportive both that year and years after. Randy also introduced me to a Sunday night discussion group of faculty and students through the Episcopal church. I came to value those relationships and look back on them with gratitude. What does it mean to you to lead a life of consequence? In my careers in college work, mental health and 32 years of parish ministry, relationships became a key avenue both for my making a difference and my growth as a person. I am humbled as I read about the monuments of achievement among my classmates. As I reflect back, I conclude that my arena of consequence has been my given journey involving my family, friends and associates and those whom I have served. Read more from the Why I Give series.

Why I Give | Molly ’10 and Matt ’09 Craycraft

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:15:50 -0400

"W&L provided us with so many amazing opportunities, and we wanted to show our appreciation by utilizing our time, talents and treasure to the benefit of the school and its students." - Molly ’10 and Matt ’09 Craycraft

What inspired you to make your first gift to Washington and Lee University, and what motivates you to continue giving? It is important to us to be active, contributing alumni, so we made our first gifts to W&L immediately after graduation as a way to stay connected to the school. W&L provided us with so many amazing opportunities, and we wanted to show our appreciation by utilizing our time, talents and treasure to the benefit of the school and its students. How do you hope your support impacts current and future generations of W&L students? Academic institutions must constantly evolve to provide students with the best academic experience possible and set them up for future success post-grad. We want our support to help students have the most remarkable college experience and develop the knowledge and skills to be impactful W&L alumni. Is there a particular experience, faculty member, or program at W&L that played a meaningful role in your decision to give back? Matt and I met in 2008 while both working in the University Store ("the bookstore"). The bookstore is one of the hubs on campus where we could serve as a face of the university and interact with current students buying blue books for exams, parents visiting for a crisp fall Parents and Family Weekend, alumni back for a lovely spring Alumni Weekend and, of course, prospective students visiting W&L for the first time. These memories led to our desire to constantly support the school and its mission and recruit the next generation of students to join the W&L family. What does it mean to you to lead a life of consequence? Leading a life of consequence means acting with character in all aspects of our lives while also having an eye toward the future and ensuring the future success of the school. We do not take being W&L alumni for granted, and we live to uphold this honor every day. Read more from the Why I Give series.

Why I Give | Addie Cheek ’25

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:08:33 -0400

"Giving back to a place that positively shaped me into who I am today is one small way to lead a life of consequence." - Addie Cheek ’25

What inspired you to make your first gift to Washington and Lee University, and what motivates you to continue giving? My first gift to Washington and Lee University was inspired by the deep appreciation I have for a community that truly shaped me as a person. I’ve always loved W&L, and joining the Senior Gift Committee and becoming a class agent gave me the opportunity to be part of something meaningful — giving back to a place that gave so much to me. I continue to give because W&L still holds a special place in my heart, and I want future students to have the same transformative experience I did. How do you hope your support impacts current and future generations of W&L students? I hope my support encourages current and future W&L students to fully take advantage of the people and the place because that’s what made my experience so special. The relationships I built and the environment at W&L shaped me in ways I’ll always carry with me. I want students to lean into those opportunities, connect with the community around them and make the most of their time. If my support helps make that kind of experience possible, even in a small way, it means a lot to me. Is there a particular experience, faculty member or program at W&L that played a meaningful role in your decision to give back? Beyond the friendships and memories that W&L gave me, the English Department had a huge impact on my decision to give back. My adviser, Genelle Gertz, associate dean of strategic initiatives and Thomas H. Broadus Professor of English, was one of the most supportive professors I’ve ever had. She always made time for me, whether it was talking through difficult decisions or just life in general. She guided me through every class registration, consistently advocated for me and truly cared about my path. She also played a big role in helping me land my first job as an English teacher and inspired me to pursue that career in the first place. What does it mean to you to lead a life of consequence? Leading a life of consequence means living in a way that genuinely matters; your words, actions, choices and relationships have an impact beyond yourself. As a teacher, I often find myself telling my students that a small act of kindness — a smile, a compliment, etc. — can change the trajectory of someone else's day. Giving back to a place that positively shaped me into who I am today is one small way to lead a life of consequence. Read more from the Why I Give series.

W&L Welcomes New Trustee Rebecca Timmis Russell ’08

Sat, 09 May 2026 10:43:27 -0400

Rebecca Timmis Russell ’08 joined the Washington and Lee University Board of Trustees on May 8, at the board’s spring meeting in Lexington, Virginia. At the same meeting, Kevin Batteh ’95, ’98L was approved to join the board in October 2026 after being elected by fellow alumni through a process led by the W&L Alumni Association’s Board of Directors that invited all alumni to nominate and vote on a slate of candidates. [caption id="attachment_90436" align="alignright" width="250"] Rebecca Timmis Russell '08[/caption] Rebecca Timmis Russell ’08 graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She earned her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a Palmer Scholar and an F.H. Shields Fellow. She is a partner at Bain & Company, a leading global management consulting firm that advises businesses on strategy, marketing, organization, operations and technology. Russell joined the Atlanta office of Bain & Company in 2007. She is a leader in the firm’s Consumer Products and Organization practices, as well as the talent lead for the Americas. In her role, she works closely with senior executives to drive growth, strengthen organizational effectiveness and lead large-scale transformations. Her work centers on helping organizations translate strategy into meaningful, sustained impact, and she has a particular interest in how emerging technologies are reshaping the future of work. As a W&L student, she was a member of the 2007 NCAA Division III National Championship women’s tennis team, a member of Kappa Delta sorority and executive director of the Washington and Lee Student Consulting Group. An L.K. Johnson-Rosasco Scholar, she was also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma honor society and the Outing Club. [caption id="attachment_90443" align="alignright" width="250"] Kevin Batteh '95, '98L[/caption] As an alumna, Russell has supported W&L in numerous volunteer roles, including as a member of the Williams School Advisory Board, as a class agent, as co-chair of the reunion committee for her 15th reunion, as a member for her class’s 10th reunion committee, as an alumni chapter volunteer and as a Career and Professional Development speaker. In addition, she serves on the board of directors for the National Institute of Student Success, a nonprofit focused on improving outcomes in higher education. Russell and her husband reside in Atlanta and have two children. Kevin Batteh ’95, ’98L will join the Washington and Lee University Board of Trustees at the board’s October 2026 meeting. He graduated from W&L in 1995 with a B.A. in English and received a J.D. from Washington and Lee School of Law in 1998.

W&L’s Celeste Álvarez ’26 Selected for Fulbright to Guatemala

Fri, 08 May 2026 11:22:56 -0400

Washington and Lee University senior Celeste Álvarez ’26 has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to teach English in Guatemala. At W&L, Álvarez is a sociology and anthropology major with minors in art history and Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Álvarez is a native of Hereford, Texas, and graduated from Hereford High School. The ETA program in Guatemala allows participants to assist teaching staff at the university level. Responsibilities include presenting on different topics related to the United States, preparing classroom activities and leading conversation groups. Assistants will also pursue an independent research, study or volunteer project that encourages engagement with the local community. An aspiring immigration lawyer, Álvarez is looking forward to immersing herself in a different country and culture and engaging with local organizations that support immigrants and communities abroad. She views the ETA as an important step in building humanitarian, linguistic and cultural foundations in her personal and professional life. “This is an incredible opportunity to serve as a cultural ambassador and gain global competence before I start law school and pursue a legal career,” said Álvarez, who also received a Gilman Scholarship in 2023 to study Latin American immigration in Mexico. “I am looking forward to engaging with the local community and building reciprocal relationships that foster cross-cultural exchange. I am excited to embark on this journey and make the most of it.” Álvarez credits her undergraduate volunteer experiences with guiding her decision to pursue an ETA in Guatemala. Beginning in the fall of her first year at W&L, she has taught Spanish through the Languages for Rockbridge program, which she says has helped her develop the confidence and skills necessary to teach a foreign language to students of all ages. Through English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), she volunteers as an interpreter and translator for the W&L School of Law’s immigrant rights clinic, which initially sparked her interest in immigration law. This interest has been further confirmed by her remote internship with Kivu Immigration Law, a Minnesota-based firm she has worked with the past two years. This opportunity has allowed Álvarez to immerse herself in the field of immigration law, and she has begun learning K’iche’ (an indigenous Mayan language widely spoken in Guatemala) in addition to Spanish to ensure she can provide legal services in the clients’ predominant language. In addition to her volunteer work, Álvarez is involved with W&L’s Native American Student Organization and Comunidad Latina Estudiantil. She is also a community assistant for Casa Hispánica through the Office of Housing and Residence Life and a technology specialist at the Global Discovery Laboratories (GDL). Álvarez is grateful to the W&L faculty members who have supported her both personally and professionally, including Dick Kuettner, director of GDL, Andrea Lepage, the Pamela H. Simpson Professor of Art History, and Marcos Perez, associate professor of sociology, who fostered her interest in Latin American culture, as well as language learning and teaching. She also appreciates the mentorship of Paul Youngman, dean of the College and professor of German, who supported her study of Ki’che’ in Guatemala. “Celeste exemplifies the best qualities in our student body: hard-working, insightful and committed,” said Perez, with whom Álvarez has worked as a research assistant. “Her intelligence and dedication and her initiative and genuine concern for others will serve her well in her career. I am proud to have worked with her during her time at W&L and look forward to her future achievements.” With the Fulbright award, Álvarez will depart in January 2027 for her 10-month program. Álvarez has been granted deferred admission to W&L School of Law to pursue the ETA and will begin law school as a “double General” upon completion of the program.

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Washington and Lee University is proud to be included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2025-2026 Fulbright U.S. Students for the eighth consecutive year. The Fulbright Program was established more than 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. For more information, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org/. W&L students interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program should contact Matthew Loar in the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning (Leyburn 114) or by email at mloar@wlu.edu.

Law School Announces 2026 Faculty Fellowships

Thu, 07 May 2026 11:25:11 -0400

[caption id="attachment_77691" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Sydney Lewis Hall[/caption] W&L Law Dean Melanie Wilson has announced the annual awards that recognize faculty members for their accomplishments as teachers and scholars and for service to the school. Scholarship Fellowships Professor Alex Klein and Professor Mark Drumbl received the Ethan Allen Faculty Fellowship for Outstanding Scholarship. [gallery]Professor Alex Klein

" data-medium-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/AlexKleinpg-600x400.jpg?theia_smart_thumbnails_file_version=2" data-large-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/AlexKleinpg-1114x768.jpg?theia_smart_thumbnails_file_version=2" />Professor Mark Drumbl

" data-medium-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MarkDrumbl051-600x400.jpg" data-large-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MarkDrumbl051-1140x760.jpg" />[/gallery] Professor Klein is the co-author of two criminal law/criminal procedure textbooks, including the Tenth Edition of Criminal Procedure (Carolina Academic Press 2025) and Criminal Law, Tenth Edition, (Carolina Academic Press forthcoming). She published two law review articles recently analyzing the Eighth Amendment, including: “Kennedy v. Louisiana and the Future of the Eighth Amendment” in the Pepperdine Law Review and “The Eighth Amendment’s Paper Tiger: Pain, Executions, and the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause” in the Northeastern University Law Review. She co-authored another article, “Certiorari Transparency,” in the Illinois Law Review this year, arguing that the Supreme Court should make public its certiorari determinations. She is also co-authoring a piece with W&L Law Professor Josh Fairfield on artificial intelligence and victim impact statements. In addition, she has presented her work on death penalty research and capital punishment widely, including as a panelist at the University of Richmond Law Review Symposium. Professor Drumbl, the Class of 1975 Alumni Professor of Law and Director of the Transnational Law Institute, continued his prolific scholarly agenda this year. He co-authored and co-edited numerous books and articles, including, “The Character of International Law,” “The Tokyo International Military Tribunal: Another Sequel to a Prequel,” and “Children and Violence.” He also published two law review articles, including “The Lives of Fritz Haber and of International Law: Entwined Tales of Tragedy and Irony,” co-authored with Will Vardy ‘26L. His numerous ongoing projects include a book titled “There is a Light that Never Goes Out in a Child Soldier,” forthcoming this year from McGill/Queen’s University Press. Professor Drumbl also began a new role in 2025 as Editor-in-Chief of the International Criminal Law Review and recently gave the prestigious 2026 British Academy’s Maccabaean Lecture in Jurisprudence, entitled “Child Soldiers: Coming of Age in Atrocity.” Teaching Fellowships Legal writing professors Julie Schwartz, Heather Skeeles-Shiner, and Allison Weiss received the John W. Elrod Alumni Fellowship for Teaching Excellence. [gallery]Professor Julie Schwartz

" data-medium-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/schwartzprofile-350x400.jpg?theia_smart_thumbnails_file_version=2" data-large-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/schwartzprofile.jpg" />Professor Heather Skeeles-Shiner

" data-medium-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/heather.png" data-large-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/heather.png" />Professor Allison Weiss

" data-medium-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/allisonhighres-scaled-600x400.jpg?theia_smart_thumbnails_file_version=2" data-large-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/allisonhighres-scaled.jpg" />[/gallery] “Professors Schwartz, Skeeles-Shiner, and Weiss spend extensive time with their students, providing them with significant and detailed feedback on their legal analysis and giving students multiple opportunities to write, rewrite, and edit letters, memoranda, and briefs,” said Dean Wilson. “They provide the foundation for every 1L to succeed throughout their law school experience and well beyond.” W&L Law’s legal writing program was recently recognized for the first time as one of the Top 50 programs in the country by U.S. News. Experiential Education Professor Sarah Gottlieb and Professor Carrie Stanton received the Jessine Monaghan Experiential Education Fellowship for their efforts to evolve and enhance key student experiential opportunities. [gallery]Professor Sarah Gottlieb

" data-medium-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/sarah.png" data-large-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/sarah.png" />Professor Carrie Stanton

" data-medium-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/carriestantonhighres-scaled-600x400.jpg?theia_smart_thumbnails_file_version=2" data-large-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/carriestantonhighres-scaled-1140x760.jpg?theia_smart_thumbnails_file_version=2" />[/gallery] Professor Gottlieb joined W&L Law in 2024 as director of the Criminal Justice Clinic. Through extensive outreach to the community, she developed new pipelines for criminal defense cases from the Staunton Public Defender’s office and other offices throughout the region, expanding student opportunities for real practice experience in criminal defense. Professor Stanton, who joined the permanent faculty in 2025 after serving as a visiting assistant professor, is leading this year’s Transactional Immersion course. She reimagined and modernized the program, including adding preparation and education on professionalism and the effective use of artificial intelligence in transactional work, which will enrich summer internships and our students’ subsequent practice of law. Dean’s Service Award The Dean’s Service Award recognizes exceptional service to the law school and to the University community more broadly. Professor Shannon Fyfe and Professor Michelle Cosby are this year’s recipients. [gallery]Professor Shannon Fyfe

" data-medium-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/shannon.png" data-large-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/shannon.png" />Professor Michelle Cosby

" data-medium-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/michellecosbyprofile2025.jpg" data-large-file="https://columns.wlu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/michellecosbyprofile2025.jpg" />[/gallery] Professor Fyfe joined W&L Law two years ago and immediately became an integral part of the community. She served on the Faculty Appointments Committee this year and on the University’s Employee Benefits Committee. She judged the Moot Court Board’s semi-final rounds of the mock trial competition and was a speaker during the Supreme Court Preview event co-hosted by the ACS and the Office of Career Strategy. Professor Fyfe also served as commentator for a Comparative Law Workshop hosted by Professor Russ Miller. She is a core faculty member in the Law, Justice, and Society program and enjoys a courtesy appointment in Philosophy. In addition, she supervises student research for student notes and for independent research projects. Professor Cosby led the EPCC (Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee) again this year, working collaboratively to develop a new 1L course that will ensure students are knowledgeable about AI when they enter the workforce. She was a constant presence at important law school events, including both Admitted Students Days, Law Alumni Weekend, the meetings of the Law Council, and Field Day. Among many other activities, Professor Cosby led classes as part of the Community Wellness Initiative, presented during Pre-law Advisors Day, and taught a session during 2L Immersion. She also organized and co-hosted the Fall Scholarship Celebration of our faculty and student scholarship, all while mentoring law students with an interest in legal research. She also traveled nationally as part of an ABA site visit team, contributing to the broader law school community and enhancing the W&L Law brand nationally.