Get to Know the Newest Members of the W&L Community – 10/6/22 The following individuals recently joined the Washington and Lee employee workforce.
Andreina Arroyo, Director of Law Records – Law Student Affairs
Andreina Arroyo, Director of Law RecordsQ. Tell us a little about yourself. Education? Family? Any other “basics” you want to share?
I have a B.A. in business administration and a M.Ed. from Mary Baldwin University. I have two sons and I love learning new skills.
Q. Best advice anyone has ever given you?
The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy.
Q. Anything you are looking forward to in particular at W&L?
I am looking forward to meeting and partnering with students, faculty and staff to understand current processes while supporting the mission of the School of Law. I am excited and humbled about this opportunity and cannot wait to learn from everyone.
Atakan Gezer, Assistant Men’s Tennis Coach – Athletics
Atakan Gezer, Assistant Men’s Tennis CoachQ. Tell us a little about yourself. Education? Family? Any other “basics” you want to share?
I was born in Houston, Texas, but grew up in Istanbul, Turkey. Both of my parents are Turkish citizens and I have a little brother who studies industrial engineering at Northeastern University. I was a member of U12 and U16 Turkish National Tennis Team, and I became the U14 Turkish Champion in both singles and doubles. I graduated from Rollins College with a B.A. in international business with a concentration in finance and a minor in Spanish. I was the captain of the men’s tennis team for my junior and senior years and I was also the team representative for the Student-Athlete Leadership Committee and Student Athlete Advisory Committee. I am also a cancer survivor.
Q. How do you unwind/have fun? Any hobbies/hidden talents?
I like to travel and explore different cities and cultures. My next stop is Tokyo, Japan with a friend of mine. I also like exploring crypto currencies and collecting NFTs, and I play a little bit of guitar.
Q. Best advice anyone has ever given you?
Live in the moment and be benevolent. Add value not only to yourself but also to others and to the community.
Robert Hamilton, General Services – Café 77
Robert Hamilton, General Services, Café 77Q. Tell us a little about yourself. Education? Family? Any other “basics” you want to share?
I am a 39-year-old Army veteran and father of three girls, ages 15, 10 and five.
Q. Any favorite Lexington/regional spots/activities (or something you are excited about)?
I love Boxerwood because it is free and the kids have a great time in nature. I also love walking the various trails in Lexington.
Q. How do you unwind/have fun? Any hobbies/hidden talents?
I like to collect knives. I find that the act of sharpening a knife is like meditation. I also read runes, meditate and enjoy a very eclectic taste in music. I love to spend my time in nature and I recently took up bird watching. It is fun to learn and identify the different birds of Virginia.
Jared Hayes, Public Safety Officer – Public Safety
Jared Hayes, Public Safety OfficerQ. How do you unwind/have fun? Any hobbies/hidden talents?
I like to go fishing and I enjoy playing video games.
Q. Anything you are looking forward to in particular at W&L?
I am happy to join the W&L community, faculty, students and others from the surrounding areas.
Rose Hein, DeLaney Center Postbaccalaureate Fellow – DeLaney Center
Rose Hein, DeLaney Center Postbaccalaureate FellowQ. Tell us a little about yourself. Education? Family? Any other “basics” you want to share?
I graduated W&L in May 2022 with a B.A. in English! I came to Lexington as a first year in 2018, researched with W&L professors every summer of my undergraduate career and now here I am! Something about Lexington just draws me in.
Q. How do you unwind/have fun? Any hobbies/hidden talents?
I dabble in a lot of hobbies and play a few instruments, but something that really stuck is vintage and antique restoration. I do clothing, furniture and all kinds of strange miscellany. The most unusual thing I’ve fixed up so far is a piano accordion.
Q. Anything else you want to share with the W&L community?
I’m a first-generation college graduate! The W&L faculty and staff community was so welcoming to me as a student, and I hope I can be a similar resource for the students I interact with.
Trey Livingston, Assistant Basketball Coach – Athletics
Trey Livingston, Assistant Coach, Men’s BasketballQ. Tell us a little about yourself. Education? Family? Any other “basics” you want to share?
I am originally from Greenville, Florida. I have three sisters and one brother, and I am a 2019 graduate of Huntingdon College.
Q. How do you unwind/have fun? Any hobbies/hidden talents?
Music and basketball both serve as therapy for me. I also love to travel.
Q. Anything you are looking forward to in particular at W&L?
I am looking forward to connecting and networking with the great people of W&L. I am also hoping to help spread positivity and growth throughout campus in any way I can.
Laura Bengis Mendoza, Communications and Operations Coordinator – The Williams School
Laura Bengis Mendoza, Communications and Operations Coordinator, The Williams SchoolQ. Tell us a little about yourself. Education? Family? Any other “basics” you want to share?
My family and I moved to Lexington last fall for my husband to pursue an incredible opportunity as the assistant men’s lacrosse coach at W&L. We have a one-year-old daughter, Murphy, and a rescue pup, Marley. Prior to having my daughter, I spent my career working as a pediatric speech language pathologist in schools and in community settings. We are thrilled to be part of the Lexington community and Washington and Lee!
Elizabeth Spear, Curator of Academic Engagement – Museums
Elizabeth Spear, Curator of Education and EngagementQ. Tell us a little about yourself. Education? Family? Any other “basics” you want to share?
I recently completed my Ph.D. in art history and have always wanted to be a full-time museum curator, but this position marries my love of art history with my love of college and university life. My partner teaches cinema studies at Colby College, so we love watching films, going to museums and enjoying time in nature.
Q. Any favorite Lexington/regional spots/activities (or something you are excited about)?
I’ve spent the past 10 years living in Maine (off and on), and I love the outdoors. I’m excited about the beautiful natural scenery in Rockbridge County and look forward to exploring the hiking trails and other outdoor activities the area has to offer.
Q. Anything you are looking forward to in particular at W&L?
Learning the collections, but equally, getting to know the community and learning what excites them about the museums. Every museum has objects, but there’s also a human story; ultimately that is what makes them vital and what I find most fascinating about them. I hope to be an important part of that story for the museums at W&L.
Nicholas Vandervort, General Services – Marketplace
Nicholas Vandervort, General Services, MarketplaceQ. Any favorite Lexington/regional spots/activities (or something you are excited about)?
I like to practice photography and I like to take a good jog around Lexington.
Q. How do you unwind/have fun? Any hobbies/hidden talents?
Photography, the arts in general, music and gardening.
Q. Anything you are looking forward to in particular at W&L?
The chance to work for an esteemed institution a few minutes’ walk from where I live.
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