Hire Education Employers share what makes W&L graduates stand out among their peers.

By Jessica Luck
May 1, 2025

Getting a job after their time at Washington and Lee University is the feather in the graduation cap for most students. The totality of the W&L experience — rigorous academics, relationship-building activities, involvement in clubs and organizations, leadership opportunities, athletic pursuits, and ongoing mentorships — leads to success in what comes next. Over 95% of our 2023 graduates are already employed or attending graduate school. Whether they enter directly into the workforce or opt to enhance their skill set through further studies, W&L students are undoubtedly ready for the next chapter.

Hiring is a risky undertaking for employers. Beyond the resources it requires of employees’ time and company money, it’s impossible to truly gauge how a prospective employee will perform until they’re on the payroll. However, employers who consistently hire W&L graduates say risk mitigation is one of the reasons they keep returning to our candidate pool year after year.

Economics major Howard Smith ’80, retired president of Walker & Dunlop commercial real estate finance and advisory services firm, says there are a few key ingredients in the “secret sauce” of what makes W&L graduates stand out from their peers. First is the rigorous, team-based college curriculum, which provides a strong academic foundation as well as necessary interpersonal skills. Second is the Honor System that serves as an undercurrent in students’ approach to everyday life.

“As an employer, if you start eliminating some of the hiring risks such as, ‘Are they an honorable person?’ and ‘Can they write?,’ then you can really focus on career development for the employee,” Smith said. Over the years, Walker & Dunlop has hired more than 100 W&L alumni and currently has approximately 30 graduates on staff.

“You can’t get through school at W&L and not understand the difference between right and wrong,” Smith continued. “I can teach them math and modeling and tricks of the trade in the commercial real estate business, but I can’t teach them how to get along with others.”

Courtney Berry ’05 opened her own creative agency, Bandits & Friends, in Summer 2023, after spending her career working at advertising agencies in the U.S. and Paris. As a W&L journalism and mass communications graduate entering the workforce, she felt confident in her skills and says she sees that same strong sense of self in fellow W&L graduates she’s hired over the years. She notes that a W&L education prepares students to be excellent communicators who can lead presentations and liaise with campaign partners and clients.

“W&L shapes you in a way that I’m still finding out myself, in terms of the positive impact it’s had,” Berry said. “In relation to hiring: Hard skills can be taught; soft skills cannot. And I think W&L is where those soft skills can really be nurtured.”

Smaller class size equates to deep relationships with professors and fellow students, and a liberal arts tradition focused on global citizenry translates into strong business acumen, according to Berry.

“Being able to go into a business situation, talk to someone from any background, and relate to different people from various industries … that goes so far in the world of business because it’s all about relationships,” she said.

John Oliver ’87, P’21, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) who co-leads the company’s fintech trust services practice, believes that the Speaking Tradition prepares students well for any career. An accounting major, Oliver’s career path became clear his junior year, and he’s spent his entire career at one of the largest accounting firms in the country. He says strong interpersonal skills are at the core of his business, which is also built on the integrity and ethical values that are hallmarks of the W&L experience. About 2% of applicants receive job offers from PwC; that number is over 50% for W&L applicants.

“When hiring, I’m looking for integrity, relationship-development skills, and smarts. The caliber of students at W&L is among the best,” Oliver said. “You can see it in their academics and their worldly skills. The breadth of knowledge that they have and their ability to go in-depth on topics is shocking.”

The Hon. Mary Miller Johnston ’84L, a judge on the Delaware Superior Court for 20 years, says the backbone of being a good lawyer is having a strong foundation in writing. She says opportunities to write for the Washington and Lee Law Review and participate in Moot Court and law clinics provide ample ways for law students to develop their craft, particularly persuasive writing.

Johnston hires one law clerk a year and says 75% of her clerks have been W&L grads. The difference in W&L graduates is their confidence in their abilities; they’re not afraid to offer suggestions on her pre-trial and post-trial opinions. She attributes this to small class sizes, where analytical thinking and sharing of different perspectives are encouraged during discussions.

“I’m so proud of the school, and it just keeps getting better and better,” she says. “I’m very proud of the fact that I’m a W&L grad, and I never take for granted the opportunities it gave me.”

History major Jeff Hamill ’81, executive vice president and chief media officer with Hearst Magazines, says the Honor System, Speaking Tradition, and opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds result in graduates who are superb communicators who are just as comfortable meeting with colleagues as senior leaders in a company. A current member of the Williams School Board of Advisors, he says the importance of face-to-face interaction can’t be underscored enough in an increasingly digital world.

He’s also witnessed the W&L experience through the lens of a parent, as his children are 2013, 2017 and 2020 graduates. He says his children benefited from the same level of real-world preparedness as he did and says W&L’s loyal alumni network is happy to provide mentorships, internships, and job opportunities as a way of paying it forward to the next generation.

“I think our students are really happy to be at W&L and that creates a culture of inclusivity and civility that we’re known for,” Hamill said. “They support each other in ways I just don’t see at other places. That culture — and the success that comes from that — leads to connection. The end result is that our graduates are really well prepared
for the next stage.”