First-Year Foundation Leading Edge pre-orientation trips introduce first-year students to the unique opportunities available at Washington and Lee University.

Students on the Appalachian Adventure Leading Edge Trip hike and camp on the Appalachian Trail.

Conducting archaeological digs, hiking the Appalachian Trail, learning about sustainability initiatives and going “Around the World in Five Days” are not what typically come to mind when thinking about first-year student orientation, but, at Washington and Lee University, these adventures are just a sampling of the opportunities made available to all incoming undergraduates through the Leading Edge experience.

Leading Edge programs begin the day after move-in and have become a hallmark of W&L’s first-year orientation, giving new students an introduction to the university and an opportunity to meet new friends before classes begin — at no extra cost. The programs are small and inviting, a testament to W&L’s inclusive and welcoming atmosphere. With 12 program tracks to choose from, the Class of 2029 began their college careers exploring their interests, stepping outside their comfort zones and sharpening their teamwork skills in 13 cities across five states.

“What I love most about these experiences is that students find people whom they may have never met in the first weeks on campus, but can become important friendships over the four years they spend in our community,” said Nathan Graves, assistant dean of first-year experience. “It is also exciting to see how their confidence builds quickly between move-in day and dinner on the day they return from their trips. The foundations these trips lay positively impact their transition, and that is reflected in W&L’s retention rate.”

Elise McPherson ’26 confirms that making connections is a true highlight of the program, saying the relationships she built through Leading Edge “have lasted far beyond [their] week together.” McPherson is a two-time trip leader for the Home Is Where the Art Is program and values the chance to showcase the opportunities and community available in W&L’s Department of Theater, Dance and Film Studies.

The week-long arts immersion included workshops and performances both on campus and during trips to Washington, D.C., and New York City, serving as a springboard for involvement in the arts at W&L.

“Leading Edge gives first-year students a chance to get to know a small group of peers who share similar interests, and we hope to introduce them to what a life in the arts can look like at W&L and beyond,” said McPherson, who serves as the president of W&L’s Repertory Dance Company. “They will meet friends and mentors on this trip and hopefully will become some of our future leaders, as well.”

Students on the Sustainability Leading Edge Trip tour the Blue Ridge Resource Authority.

The connections first-year students make during Leading Edge can become foundational to their W&L experience, just one month into her college career, Abigail Harlan ’29 has found that to be true. She credits Leading Edge for introducing her to the people she can depend on and spends time with every day, and whom she sees herself “connecting with for a very long time.”

“I believe my Leading Edge trip allowed me to meet people and build relationships in a way that has made my overall college experience much more positive,” she said.

Harlan participated in the From Queer to There trip, which is an experiential deep dive into LGBTQ historic sites and events along the East Coast, with trips to Washington, D.C., and New York City. The group spent time visiting museums and queer-owned businesses and taking tours of historical sites like the Stonewall Inn. Harlan found it particularly meaningful to learn first-hand about the challenges the LGBTQ community has faced and continues to face, and she was grateful for the welcoming atmosphere in which she and her cohort could build community and learn more about themselves and each other.

For Harlan, Leading Edge was an important introduction to college life, helping her build confidence and relationships before the semester began.

“Leading Edge provides first-year students with a community, which can be hard to find in such a novel environment with people you have never met before,” she said. “The trip nearly forces you to get to know one another, and as a result, you end up building relationships with like-minded people who often share your interests and values. It practically eliminates the awkward friend-making attempts that are attributed to the first-year experience.”

IQ Center Technologist Mickie Brown ’21 shares a map of campus with students in the Archaeology Leading Edge group.

Cayla Nelson ’28 also found that Leading Edge helped ease the discomfort of being in a new place with new people and was inspired to return the favor to this year’s incoming class by serving as a trip leader for the archaeology program.

“I was excited to become a trip leader not only to teach first-years about the field of archaeology but, more importantly, to be a mentor to these young adults who are entering a new place and new phase of life for the first time,” Nelson said. “I was in their position just over a year ago, and I remember how difficult that transition was for me. Being a trip leader was so important to me because I wanted to be a friendly face and someone that first-years could turn to if they needed help or someone to talk to, and being able to offer that support has been the most rewarding part of this experience for me.”

The archaeology program introduces first-year students to the research program in historical archaeology at W&L, led by Don Gaylord, research archaeologist and instructor of anthropology. Nelson previously worked with Gaylord as an AIM scholar in 2024 and was drawn to the idea of uncovering the lives and material culture of the enslaved people who lived on the land that is now W&L’s back campus. Her experience with the program inspired her not only to become a Leading Edge trip leader but to pursue a minor in archaeology.

One of the goals of Leading Edge is also to introduce first-year students to new interests and areas of study and to encourage them to step outside their comfort zones, and Nelson believes the programs are the perfect vehicle for learning more about the unique experiences a W&L education provides.

“Leading Edge is such a valuable program because it exposes first-years to different professors, departments, people and experiences they may not get anywhere else during their time at W&L,” Nelson said. “It helps foster communities and bring first-years together right at the beginning of this massive change in their lives and sometimes forces them outside of their comfort zones to try new things.”

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