Catching up with Mike Weaver ’20
Weaver’s advice for current students: Take advantage of every opportunity and embrace respectful debate.
Class of 2020
The Art of: Climate Activism
Nate Abercrombie ’20, conservative outreach coordinator at Citizens Climate Lobby, works toward finding common ground.
Matt Villante ’20 Presents Talk on Climate Technology and Science
Villante, a geoscientist in Iceland, will discuss the current state of the climate technology sector on Feb. 6.
Washington and Lee Honors Class of 2020 at Belated 233rd Commencement
The undergraduate and law classes of 2020 got a chance to return to campus, experience a traditional in-person ceremony, and celebrate their graduation with friends and family at an event that had been postponed for more than a year amid a pandemic.
W&L Celebrates the Class of 2020
The official Commencement ceremony for the undergraduate and law Classes of 2020 will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11, beginning at 10:30 a.m. on campus.
In Case You Missed It
Kathryn Gerbo ’20 Awarded Postgraduate Scholarship to St Andrews
She will earn her master’s in digital health before attending medical school.
W&L’s Rosalie Bull ’20 Earns Fulbright to Ecuador
In September 2021, Bull will leave for a 10-month stay in Ecuador to develop a co-creative anthology of stories covering resistance and resilience networks in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
‘Abundantly Thankful’ in Austria
Despite COVID-19, Jared Nickodem '20 was able to make it to Austria, where he is teaching English to students as part of the U.S. Teaching Assistant Program.
W&L’s Staniar Gallery Presents Senior Art Theses
The recent graduates’ work will be on display in Lykes Atrium.
W&L’s Max Sadlowski ’20 Awarded Fulbright Grant to Germany
Sadlowski has received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Germany starting January 2021.
Jared Nickodem ’20 Awarded U.S. Teaching Assistantship in Austria
Nickodem’s USTA position with Fulbright Austria starts in September 2020.
Hannah Denham ’20 Wins National Journalism Award
The recent graduate of Washington and Lee University won a combined scholarship of $8,500 for her second-place win and article of the year award in the 60th Annual Hearst National Writing Championship.
Gateway to the World
Julia Hernandez took a Spring Term class in Ghana and studied abroad in France and Morocco, proving that W&L is a gateway to opportunities all over the globe.
W&L’s Abby Keller ’20 Awarded U.S. Teaching Assistantship in Austria
Keller has received a USTA position with Fulbright Austria starting in October 2020.
W&L Confers Degrees on the Class of 2020
The class will return to campus for its traditional in-person Commencement ceremony next spring.
W&L to Hold Online Conferral of Degrees Ceremony Thursday, May 28
In-person Commencement exercises for the Class of 2020 are scheduled to take place next spring.
W&L’s Caroline Rivers ’20 Awarded Fulbright-García Robles Grant to Mexico
Rivers has received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Mexico starting January 2021.
Hamills Put Stamp on W&L Lacrosse Programs
Alex '13, Parker '17 and Hudson Hamill '20 have all thrived at Washington and Lee, their father's alma mater.
The Creative Type
Working in Italy, starring in theater productions and being involved in Generals' Unity are just a few of the experiences that have made W&L a great fit for Win Gustin '20.
W&L’s Colin Berger ’20 Awarded Fulbright Grant to Spain
Berger has received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Spain starting January 2021.
Finding Her Community
When Kara Lough '20 found W&L, she found a supportive environment that allowed her to lead a magazine, study in Italy, work as a photographer and plan a career.
The Right Fit
At W&L, Gareth Minson '20 has been able to forge his own educational path at the intersection of political philosophy, education policy and women, gender and sexuality studies.
A Letter to the Class of 2020
"The loss we felt at the suspension of campus life confirmed our love for this community. Our response was inspiring."
UPDATED: Staniar Gallery Features Senior Art Theses in Virtual Exhibit
W&L's studio art majors present their senior projects in an online exhibition.
W&L Students Participate in the 21st Annual Statewide Collegiate Wells Fargo Ethics Bowl
Six students from Washington and Lee University participated in The Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges’ 21st annual statewide collegiate Wells Fargo Ethics Bowl in February.
Will Power
Will Bolton '20 has made the most of his college years by serving as president of the Executive Committee, doing ROTC training at VMI, traveling to Germany and interning for a U.S. Senator.
W&L’s Mock Convention Predicts Sanders Will Win Democratic Nomination
The prediction is the result of years of research conducted by student state and territory chairs, regional chairs and national and democratic party analysts.
27th Mock Convention this Weekend at Washington and Lee
W&L’s Mock Con, one of the most ambitious student political research projects in the country, this year aims to predict the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.
Behind the Image of Mock Con
As director of communications for Mock Con 2020, Annie Lentz '20 applies her love of mass communications and politics to promote and protect a 112-year-old legacy.
A Passion for Politics
Mock Con Political Chair John Harashinski '20 hopes to carry on the event's legacy of accurate predictions using lessons from courses in political analysis and leadership.
‘Join the Team, Whatever It Takes’
Whether he's on the football field or in the Mock Con war room, Kyle Perel '20 never forgets about the importance of teamwork and adaptable leadership.
Managing $1 Million for Mock Con
Mock Con 2020 Financial Chair Elizabeth Thompson '20 works with the rest of the Financial Team to raise and manage significant sums for a successful event.
‘No Small Task’
Luke Basham '20 parlays a passion for politics into the challenging role of Democratic Party analyst for Mock Con 2020.
W&L Journalism Student Wins Hearst Award
Hannah Denham ’20 won first place in a prestigious feature writing competition for a piece she wrote during an internship at The Washington Post.
Life in the Fast Lane
How Mock Con General Secretary Layne Smith '20 stays sane under the pressure of academics, Mock Con 2020 and acting as head hearing advisor for the W&L Honor System.
Building on a Legacy
As general chair for Mock Con 2020, Jimmy Fleck '20 uses his political knowledge and business skills to lead a team of stand-out students toward a historic moment.
‘Passion for Service’
Working with Campus Kitchen at Washington and Lee has made Hannah Witherell '20 determined to continue helping others after she leaves W&L.
W&L’s Witherell Earns 2019 David G. Elmes Pathfinder Prize in Psychology
The Elmes Pathfinder Prize recognizes a student who has shown extraordinary promise in psychological science through outstanding scholarship in basic or applied psychology.
Lessons from Lenfest
Allie Jue '20 has learned how to keep her studies in music and pre-med in perfect harmony with a job and extracurricular activities at W&L.
Good Chemistry
George Barker '20 used both of his majors, computer science and chemistry, to help build a website that makes a challenging subject more approachable for students.
Diving into Research
This summer, Ginny Johnson '20 served as a peer mentor to nine rising sophomores as part of the Keck Geology Consortium trip to Belize, where Professor Lisa Greer continued her research project into the staghorn coral population.
The Write Stuff
Maya Lora has always wanted to be a storyteller for public good. This summer, she did just that as a reporting intern for her hometown paper, the Miami Herald.
Thriving On New Turf
As the only intern for the Arena Football League's communications coordinator, journalism major Jimmie Johnson '20 has been able to pitch and create his own multimedia content.
Current Affairs
This summer, geology and environmental science major Chantal Iosso ’20 is studying the effects of the Jordan's Point Dam removal on the Maury River.
A Goal in Mind
Working with ICU patients at Vanderbilt University Medical Center through the Allen Grant has reaffirmed neuroscience major Laney Smith's desire to become a surgeon.
Adventures in Arabic
Four Washington and Lee University students are spending time this summer in Beirut, where they are immersed in Arabic language and Lebanese culture.
Lunch with a Side of Love
Through coursework and connections, Hannah Archer '20 helped to create a school food service program to ensure that local children have enough to eat during the summer.
Washington and Lee’s Laura Bruce ’20 Awarded Goldwater Scholarship
Each scholar is awarded $7,500 to support undergraduate research in their junior or senior year.
The Power of Change
The W&L Village PowerDown Challenge called for students to reduce electricity consumption for a month, and they came through with energy and creativity to win a grand prize that included a therapy dog visit.
Tori Hester ’20 Awarded Critical Language Scholarship to Study in China
Hester will participate in an intensive eight-week Chinese language course at Shaanxi Normal University.
Stage Set for W&L Mock Con 2020 Kickoff
The keynote speaker for kickoff weekend will be John Heilemann, a political journalist who hosts Showtime’s “The Circus” and serves as a political analyst for MSNBC and NBC News.
Christopher McCrackin ’20 Earns Prestigious Beinecke Scholarship
Christopher McCrackin ’20 has won a $34,000 Beinecke Scholarship to help fund his graduate studies.
Ekaterina Tsvetkova ’20 Awarded German American Exchange Internship
Tsvetkova will be working at Robert Bosch GmbH a large multinational engineering and electronics company.
Learning to Lead
Garrett Clinton '20 says attending W&L is "like being dropped into a pool of opportunities.''
Ryann Carpenter ’20 Receives Prestigious DAAD RISE Internship
Carpenter will study in Lübeck, Germany, at the University of Lübeck. She will work in a lab that focuses on the dietary regulation of tissue circadian clock function in mice.
Wade Patterson ’20 Receives Prestigious DAAD RISE Internship
Patterson will be interning with a lab at the Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden, Germany.
Molly Sykes ’20 to Participate in German American Exchange Internship
Sykes will be working this summer with Ernst & Young in Frankfurt.
A Platform for Divergent Perspectives
Andy Smithey '20 is editor-in-chief of a new student publication, founded by Liv Cooper '20 and Genna Feirson '20, that aims to amplify unheard voices on campus.
Passion Points to the Perfect Profession
Hannah Denham '20 has combined business journalism with women and gender studies at W&L to create a liberal arts education that suits her interests and ambition.
Sankofa House: A Place of Belonging
Community and social support form the heart of W&L's newest theme house.
‘Entranced by Science’
Deepthi Thumuluri '20 won a Virginia Academy of Sciences grant to continue her research into the relationship between diet-induced obesity, exercise and the gut microbiome.
Radical Rebirth
Beth Staples reinvents W&L's Shenandoah magazine with a commitment to diverse voices and intensive collaboration.
Bringing Everyone to the Table
Ben Capouya '20 interviews Victoria Kumpuris Brown '98 about her career in food policy and health at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
‘Catapulted into a New Country’
After spending the summer teaching and exploring in Costa Rica, Taylor Casey '20 can't wait to return.
Up and Running
Molly Mann '20 combined fitness and service learning during her Shepherd summer internship at Back on My Feet in Washington, D.C.
Finding Beauty Behind Bars
After taking a course at Augusta Correctional Center, two W&L juniors helped to organize an exhibition at the university featuring artwork by artists who are incarcerated. The exhibit is entitled “Unfreedom of Expression.”
Novak, Berrached Win Global Impact Award
W&L students Graham Novak '19 and Mourad Berrached '20 won a $15,000 prize at the 2018 Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge.
Starting a Lending Library
Edwin Castellanos '20 created a system that allows students to save money by borrowing donated textbooks.
Heart and Soil
Dashiell Dericks ’18 and Jesse Evans ’20 are selling saplings grown from Colonnade oak trees in a new business that marries Dericks' love of silviculture and his fondness for W&L.
