May 14, 2026: Presidential Search Update

May 14, 2026

Dear Members of the W&L community: 

I am writing to provide an update on the search for Washington and Lee’s next president. 

As you know, the Board of Trustees recently appointed president emeritus Ken Ruscio ’76 to serve as interim president. Given the timing of President Dudley’s announcement and our commitment to running a thorough and professional search, the Board of Trustees anticipated the need for interim leadership. We are grateful to Ken for his willingness to serve W&L as our work continues.

Each of us on the search committee is deeply invested in Washington and Lee, and we have learned a great deal from the community survey and listening sessions. We have received a strong response to the presidential profile, which was developed with your input, and we are pleased with both the quantity and quality of candidates who have expressed interest since the profile was published in April. The candidates come from a wide range of fields and high-quality institutions, and their varied experiences make each of them compelling in different ways.

While we continue to develop the candidate pool, the search committee will focus this summer on identifying a short list of well-qualified prospects for deeper engagement. We will take the time to get to know each of them well, understanding their aspirations and priorities, and sharing Washington and Lee’s strengths, as well as the opportunities in store for our next president. 

We expect to have more information this fall regarding the selection of W&L’s next president and the timeline for that president to take office. In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming Ken Ruscio back to Lexington and wish Will Dudley our very best as he departs for Claremont McKenna College this summer.

Sincerely,

John Robinson ’94
Chair, Washington and Lee University Presidential Search Committee