Honor the Service of W&L Community Members at ‘W&L Salutes’ Alumni Event Programming on March 15 and 16 will honor W&L alumni, faculty and staff who have served in the armed forces and help them connect with one another and current ROTC students.

Washington and Lee University’s Office of Alumni Engagement presents W&L Salutes: Generations of Service, a special weekend event on March 15-16 on W&L’s campus.

Registration is required to attend. Online registration is now closed. Day-of-event registration will open at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, at Hotchkiss Alumni House. The cost is $100 for alumni and the general public, $50 for children ages 13-18, and free for children ages 12 and under. There is no cost for W&L faculty, staff and students.

The weekend-long programming will honor the more than 1,300 living alumni who have served in the armed forces, W&L’s faculty, staff and student veterans, and current ROTC students.

“It is truly an honor and privilege to welcome veterans and their loved ones to campus for this event,” said Paul Youngman ’87, associate provost and professor of German at W&L. “Service to our country has always been at the core of the Washington and Lee spirit, and the connection that veterans form through shared experience and hardship in service is a bond that transcends time, distance, and quite frankly even words. As an alumnus, a former ROTC cadet, a U.S. Army veteran, and now a professor and administrator at this institution, I cannot overstate how meaningful this gathering is for me personally, and how significant it is to come together not only to celebrate the service of others, but to reflect on the values that tie us all together.”

The W&L Salutes ceremony will take place on March 15 at 4:30 p.m. in the University Chapel. Following opening remarks from Youngman and W&L President Will Dudley, a panel led by General Tony Ierardi ‘82, U.S. Army Retired, will share cross-generational experiences and insights on service, leadership and the intersection of military and civilian life. The panelists include Captain Michael Holifield ’89, U.S. Navy; Colonel Christopher Beckert ’88, U.S. Army Retired; Cadet Carey Camp ’25; and Cadet Rob Mish ’25. The service will conclude with a ceremonial coin presentation, followed by a cocktail reception at the university’s Memorial Gate Plaza.

The weekend will close on March 16 with a wreath presentation and moment of reflection honoring the fallen at the Memorial Gate Plaza at 8 a.m.

Several opportunities to explore the campus and connect with alumni and students will be available on March 15. Two veterans’ oral history sessions facilitated by ROTC students will be offered at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., along with a networking and mentoring session for alumni and current students at 3 p.m. There will also be two opportunities for guided campus tours led by ROTC students and Student Ambassadors, leaving from the Hotchkiss Alumni House at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., and attendees are also encouraged to visit the George C. Marshall Foundation open house on Virginia Military Institute’s campus between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

A shuttle will be available to transport guests between campus and local hotels and accommodations from 8:30-9:30 p.m. on March 15 and from 7-8 a.m. on March 16.

W&L Salutes guests are also invited to attend programming for the university’s Institute for Honor Symposium on March 14 and March 15.

A full schedule of events (and transportation), frequently asked questions and additional registration information are available at https://wlualumni.events/salutes.