Office of the President
Interim President Ken Ruscio ’76
On July 1, 2026, Dr. Kenneth P. Ruscio was sworn in as interim president of Washington and Lee University. He previously served as president of Washington and Lee from 2006-2016, and returns to the role while the Board of Trustees completes a national search for the university’s next president.
More About President Ruscio
Office of the President
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Washington and Lee University
Washington Hall, 2nd Floor
204 West Washington Street
Lexington, VA 24450
Updates on the
Presidential Search
W&L’s Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee are committed to conducting a thorough, inclusive and transparent search process to identify the best possible leader for Washington and Lee. Periodic updates will be shared with the community via email and on the presidential search website.
W&L’s Next Decade
Strategic Plan
The University’s current Strategic Plan was adopted by the Board of Trustees in May 2018, and will guide Washington and Lee’s priorities for the coming decade.
Kenneth P. Ruscio Named Interim President of Washington and Lee University
Ruscio, who served as president of Washington and Lee University from 2006-2016, will return to the role in an interim capacity until the University’s next president is named and seated.
William C. Dudley Named President of Claremont McKenna College
He will complete the current academic year at W&L and begin his new role on July 1, 2026.
Wangdali C. “Wali” Bacdayan ’92 Sworn in as Rector of Washington and Lee University
The board elected Bacdayan as the university’s 32nd rector during its October 2023 meeting.
Wangdali C. “Wali” Bacdayan ’92 Named Next Rector of Washington and Lee
Wangdali C. “Wali” Bacdayan ’92, a current trustee of Washington and Lee University, will be the next rector of W&L’s Board of Trustees. The board unanimously elected Bacdayan as the university’s 32nd rector during its meeting in Lexington on Oct. 21, 2023. He will assume his duties at the conclusion of the February 2024 meeting, succeeding Michael R. McAlevey ’86, who has been rector since 2020.
Melanie Wilson to Serve as President-Elect of AALS
The AALS House of Representatives voted to accept Wilson’s nomination as the 2023 President-elect. Wilson has served the AALS in numerous capacities, including membership on its Executive Committee since 2020.
Michael Hill Named Inaugural Director of the DeLaney Center at Washington and Lee
Michael Hill, professor and chair of the Africana Studies program at Washington and Lee University, has been named the inaugural director of the University’s new DeLaney Center, an interdisciplinary academic center for teaching and research on Southern race relations, culture, and politics.
Melanie D. Wilson Named Next Dean of Washington and Lee University School of Law
Melanie D. Wilson has been named the next dean of Washington and Lee University’s School of Law. She will also hold the Roy L. Steinheimer Jr. Professorship in Law.
W&L Welcomes New Trustees Betsy Pakenas ’94 and Jonathan Wortham ’04
Pakenas and Wortham joined the W&L Board of Trustees on October 15.
Cassie Hunt Named Executive Director of Strategic Analysis at Washington and Lee University
Cassie Ritter Hunt, executive director of advancement operations at Washington and Lee University, has been named executive director of strategic analysis, effective October 18. She succeeds Tim Diette, who will join the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty as its executive director this month.
Washington and Lee University Selected as SHECP Academic Home
Washington and Lee has been selected as the new academic home of the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP) following a competitive application process. Tim Diette has been named executive director of the consortium.
W&L to Name New Center of Southern Race Relations, Culture, and Politics in Honor of Ted DeLaney
Washington and Lee University will name a new interdisciplinary academic center for teaching and research on Southern race relations, culture, and politics in honor of late professor of history emeritus Theodore “Ted” Carter DeLaney Jr. ’85.