Commencement Address 2018
President William C. Dudley addressed the Class of 2018 at the commencement exercises on the Front Lawn.
Commencement 2018May 23 & 24, 10:00 AM, Front Lawn
Watch the Broadcast
Headlines
Washington and Lee Graduates 441 Students at 231st Commencement
In his Commencement address, president Will Dudley encouraged the Class of 2018 to take the habits they have learned at W&L "and change the world, one small encounter at a time.”
Washington and Lee University to Celebrate 231st Commencement, Baccalaureate
W&L celebrates its 231st undergraduate commencement Thursday, May 25. LIVESTREAM: 10 a.m.
W&L to Award Two Honorary Degrees at 2018 Commencement
W&L will recognize the outstanding contributions of professors Marjorie Agosín and Harlan Beckley at its 231st commencement.
Scene on Campus
In Case You Missed It
The Class of 2018 Reminisces ...
Four Short Years Ago ...
Post Graduate Awards
Faith Pinho Awarded ODK Leader of the Year for Journalism
Pinho’s award is part of ODK’s 2018 General Russell E. Dougherty National Leader of the Year competition.
Prepared for the Game of Life
With the support of teammates, professors and friends, Nicholas George '18 was able to balance two majors and a spot on the basketball team.
Three W&L Students Awarded 2018 Critical Language Scholarships
Elizabeth McDonald heads to Japan, Emily Austin to Indonesia and Riley Ries to Kyrgyzstan.
Falchuk ’18 Awarded Fulbright to Teach in Slovak Republic
Hannah Falchuk '18 hopes to improve her cultural understanding and language proficiency in the country.
W&L Journalism Students Win SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards
Students took first place in three categories in the Society of Professional Journalists’ regional college journalism competition.
Bryant Awarded Fulbright Grant to Germany
Carson Bryant '18 has been awarded a Fulbright grant for an English Teaching Assistantship in Germany.
Shely Awarded Fulbright Grant to Colombia
Jared Shely '18 will use the grant to continue his work teaching English to students in Latin America.
A Johnson Scholar’s Next Steps
Courtney Hauck '18 looks forward to continuing her debt-free education with a fellowship to Columbia Law School.
Class of '18 Stories
‘My Passion for Psychology’
One psychology class led Kelsey Jervis '18 to a long-term research project, a degree, and a spot on the Institutional Review Board.
Heat, Water, Lasers, Patience
Angel Vela de la Garza Evia ‘18 learned that research is two parts patience, two parts fun with lasers
Tessa Horan’s Passion for the Environment
Meet Tessa Horan '18, a pre-med, self-proclaimed "tree-hugger" with big plans for making the university - and the world - a little greener.
Focus on the Environment
Ellen Kanzinger's summer internship allowed her to work on films for the nonprofit GroundTruth Project in Boston, Massachusetts.
Science, Society and the Arts Presents: Dana Gary ‘18
Dana Gary, whose first EP is recorded, produced and publicized by a student-run record label, will present songs at SSA.
Marketing in Motion Pictures
Daisy Norwood-Kelly '18 worked in marketing research for Paramount Pictures over the summer.
Shaping Traditions: Alex Meilech ’18
Alex Meilech '18 has experienced tradition - from Lexington, Virginia to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Spreading the Love of W&L: Ashley Faulkner ‘18
Meet Ashley Faulkner ‘18, a University Ambassador with a passion for showing others why she loves W&L
Science, Society and the Arts Presents: Andrew Mah ‘18
Meet Andrew Mah ‘18, an accomplished mathematician who found an unlikely passion - spiders!
The Art of Movement
A three-month internship with New York-based artist Taryn Simon presented Sara Dotterer '18 with myriad possibilities for her future career.
Science, Society and the Arts Presents: Matthew Rickert ‘18
Matthew Rickert ‘18: avid outdoorsman by day, corporate fraud analyst by night
Science, Society and the Arts Presents: Yolanda Yang ‘18
Meet Yolanda Yang ‘18, who has traveled to China and back to discover the true purpose of cinematic censorship. Yang and study partner Savannah Kimble ’18 conducted research on this project in 2017 under the auspices of a grant from the Endeavor Foundation.
Graduate Statistics
447new alumni
Total Graduates
On May 24, 2018, 441 members of the Class of 2018 will recieve their degrees. Six members of the class graduated after Fall Term.
3.528avg. GPA
A New Record GPA
Members of the Class of 2018 will graduate with an average cumulative GPA of 3.528, far surpassing the previous record of 3.444, set in 2015.
Valedictorian
Mallory Stephenson of Fincastle, VA, graduates with a 4.00 grade point average.
Move-in Day, Sep. 7, 2014
240B.A.230B.S.
Degrees Earned
22 members of the Class of 2018 will receive both a B.A. and a B.S. degree, equaling the record set in 2015.
38majors34%double-major
Major Course Work
Degrees awarded to the Class of 2018 represent 38 majors from across campus, with 34 percent of graduates completing two majors.
Two graduates completed three majors!
26citizenships
A Global Class
Graduates of the Class of 2018 represent 18 countries around the world, with five from the U.K. and three from Argentina.
34states
From Across the U.S.
Graduates of the Class of 2018 represent 34 states, with VA, MD, NJ, NC, TX, CA, NY and PA claiming the most graduates.
Scholar-Athletes
36 percent of the graduating class participated on a varsity team.
