Service is an important aspect of a W&L education, and the Lexington and Rockbridge County community is a wonderful extended classroom for our students and faculty. Whether they're getting involved with local agencies purely to volunteer their time and talents or interested in supplementing their classroom education by serving others, W&L students are actively making a difference in the local community and around the world.
The centerpiece of service opportunities at Washington and Lee is the Shepherd Program for the Interdisciplinary Study of Poverty and Human Capability, which was founded at W&L in 1997 with support from Nancy and Tom Shepherd '52. The program allows students to combine interdisciplinary and disciplined-based coursework on poverty with direct service in their areas of special interest in order to supplement their major areas of study. Some students choose to pursue a minor in poverty and human capability studies. For many, their coursework culminates in a capstone seminar and research project that connects their concerns about poverty to their future careers.
In addition to coursework, students are able to participate in pre-orientation service trips, summer service internships, community-based research and post-graduate fellowships. Upperclassmen may also choose to live in the International House, a University-owned theme house whose goal is to promote international- and service-learning. The student-run Nabors Service League organizes student service in the local community, including annual fall and spring service days, and offers "alternative break" service trips during school holidays. Meanwhile, the Campus Kitchen at W&L collects surplus food collected from campus dining services, catering operations, and donations to cook and deliver meals to the hungry, homeless, youth, and elderly in Lexington and the surrounding areas. In 2010-11 alone, CKWL served over 22,844 meals, passed along 24,267 pounds of food to local food pantries, enlisted 3,820 volunteer hours from over 300 volunteers and recovered 72,380 pounds of food that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Students with a deep commitment to service may choose to apply to the the Bonner Scholars Program, a unique leadership development program based on the belief that students have the desire and ability to leave lasting and unique contributions through community service. Bonner Scholars commit to 1,800 hours of service and leadership training over the course of their four years in college, and their work is based on their career, educational and service interests.
