A Personal Announcement
December 4, 2025
Dear Members of the W&L Community,
I am writing to share the news that this will be my final year at Washington and Lee. This coming summer, Carola and I will move to California, where I will become the president of Claremont McKenna College.
The commencement exercises in May will be my 10th at W&L. Ten years is long enough to grow deeply attached to the people and the place. I will miss it and, most especially, all of you. Carola and I love Lexington, Rockbridge County, and the Shenandoah Valley, and we treasure the many friendships we have made, both here locally and with alumni and parents around the country. Spending time with you, in all of the ways that you make our beautiful campus come alive, never ceases to bring us joy.
Ten years is also long enough for a university community to accomplish a great deal, which we have done together. And ten years is roughly the right amount of time for a president to serve before passing the baton. I take pride in leaving Washington and Lee in a strong position, and in knowing that our exceptionally talented students, faculty, and staff will continue to advance our educational mission long after I am gone.
Each of you plays a part in making the university the best it can be for current students. And all of you seize opportunities to strengthen the university for future generations. If you do those things every day and take stock once a decade, it is gratifying to consider what we have accomplished.
W&L is now need-blind in undergraduate admissions and rightly regarded as a national leader in making first-rate liberal arts education accessible to students from all financial backgrounds. Our community has become much more diverse, in meaningful ways, enriching the lived experience for everyone. We have exceeded our ambitious goals for law school scholarships, and consequently, the academic credentials of our law students have never been higher. We have also made significant investments in our curriculum, in student opportunities, and in our facilities — including the Duchossois athletic center, the Williams School academic building, and the Lindley Center for Student Wellness — all of which enhance the life, work, and play of our community. Most importantly, our students report a degree of satisfaction with their teachers and experience at Washington and Lee that is at or near the top of national surveys, and they go on to enjoy great professional success, with approximately 95% employed or in graduate school shortly after their graduation.
All of this has been made possible by the generosity of our alumni, parents, and friends. The love of the Generals for their university, and their willingness to support it however they can, is unsurpassed. Nowhere is this more evident than in the resounding success of our capital campaign, Leading Lives of Consequence — already the largest in W&L history — with nearly 23,000 people having contributed more than $568 million, putting us ahead of schedule to achieve our $650 million goal by June 2027.
There is never a perfect time to leave and, of course, there is always more to do. One of the things I love best about our community is that we are justifiably proud but never complacent. Washington and Lee is already excellent but resolutely aspirational. Having led the university through some challenging, even soul-searching times, I am deeply appreciative of your collective resilience and unwavering commitment to our noble mission. This is an extraordinary university, with tremendous momentum, and I look forward to seeing how it continues to grow into its very bright future.
W&L means a great deal to me, and it is difficult to contemplate saying goodbye. The prospect stirs up complex emotions. But my primary feeling is gratitude. I am thankful for the opportunity to be part of this exceptional place. I am thankful for my time with you. And I am thankful we have six more months together before the commencement ceremonies on the front lawn in May.
Non incautus futuri,
Will