New W&L Podcast Episode Features Athletic Director Jan Hathorn Jan Hathorn’s interview on the April episode of "W&L After Class: The Lifelong Learning Podcast" includes conversations about the new Duchossois Athletic and Recreation Center, the role of athletics in a W&L education, and her experiences as Washington and Lee’s first female athletic director.

By Lindsey Nair
April 15, 2021

“…it’s intentional on our part to make sure our students understand that that’s our priority, is that you are a student and then you are an athlete…we want you to be a great student in all of the things you’re doing in any classroom on campus, and then play your sport to the highest level, as well.”

~ Athletics Director Jan Hathorn, on W&L’s use of the term “student-athlete”

Washington and Lee University’s Office of Lifelong Learning office has released a new episode of “W&L After Class: The Lifelong Learning Podcast” that features Jan Hathorn, who has served as the university’s Michael F. Walsh Director of Athletics for 14 years. Topics in this episode, “She’s Got Game! A Conversation About All Things Athletic with Jan Hathorn,” include the university’s state-of-the-art new Duchossois Athletic and Recreation Center, the role of athletics in a W&L education (and why we use the term “student-athlete”) and Hathorn’s experiences as the university’s first female athletic director.

According to Hathorn, the 2019 recipient of the NCAA Division III Administrator of the Year Award, the fact that W&L refers to its athletes as “student-athletes” is intentional “to make sure our students understand that that’s our priority, is that you are a student and then you are an athlete…we want you to be a great student in all of the things you’re doing in any classroom on campus, and then play your sport to the highest level, as well.”

Hathorn’s episode is the third in Season Two of the podcast, which is hosted by Ruth Candler, assistant director of Lifelong Learning. Listen to the full episode here.

The “After Class” podcast series began in spring 2020. Every episode invites listeners to join conversations with W&L’s expert faculty, giving them a chance to walk down the Colonnade from the comfort of their homes. Listeners hear from W&L faculty members about topics they know and love, meet new professors and learn about their research. Previous topics include poetry, beer, tea, witches, poverty, politics, theater and free speech. To date, the series includes 14 episodes with more planned for the future.

Listeners in the W&L community and beyond are invited to listen to archived episodes for free here or wherever they listen to podcasts (e.g., iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher). Other recent episodes include:

• “All the World’s a Stage: The Love of Musical Theater” with Rob Mish, director of the Lenfest Center
• “Can They Say That!? Free Speech in a Crowded Theater: A Look at the First Amendment” with Law Professor Brian Murchison
• “When You’re a Statistical Improbability” with Assistant Professor of Mathematics Sybil Prince Nelson (’01)
• “Let’s Get Real… About Surrealism” with Associate Profess of Art History Elliott King
• “Not to Get Political But…” with the Stanley D. and Nikki Waxberg Professor of Politics and Law Mark Rush
• “Which Witch?” with Associate Professor of History Mikki Brock
• “Real Opportunity for All” with Director of the Shepherd Program, Assistant Professor of Ethics and Poverty Studies and Adjunct Professor of Law Howard Pickett
• “Your Implicit Bias is Showing…” with the Abigail Grigsby Urquhart Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Science Julie Woodzicka
• “The Pursuit of Happiness” with Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Science Karla Murdock
• “Enter the Clearing the Mind Abode” with Professor of Japanese Janet Ikeda
• “Beer, Bacteria, and Bison” with Biology Professor Bill Hamilton
• “The New Social (Justice) Network” with W&L Law’s Sydney and Frances Lewis Professor of Law, Johanna Bond
• “Ralph Ellison Walks Into a Jazz Bar” with Marc Conner, former W&L provost and English professor

“W&L After Class” is a collaboration of W&L’s Office of Lifelong Learning, Alumni Engagement and the Office of Communications.