Bryant Priester

Associate Director of Admissions / Director of International Recruitment
(he/him/his)

Home Admissions & Aid Contact Us Find Your Counselor Bryant Priester

Email: bpriester@wlu.edu
Text: 540-254-5814
Regions: Initial contact for non-U.S. citizens looking to apply to Washington and Lee University as first-year applicants.

Short Answer Prompt

To help jumpstart your brainstorming and to demonstrate that we empathize with the challenges you face in applying to college, our staff has published their own responses to our supplemental short-answer prompts. We hope you'll enjoy learning a bit about us and will feel more comfortable showcasing something new about yourself. Remember, these are optional, and you are asked to submit only one.

Prompt #1 (Max 250 words or 2-Minute Video)
Please describe an aspect of your life outside of school that is important to you, such as an extracurricular activity, a job, or a family responsibility. How has your involvement shaped your personal qualities and growth, and how has it impacted those around you? I have always enjoyed reading and the creative arts but never viewed myself as a writer. Friends, family, and colleagues believe my travels and experiences to over 60 countries to meet with students and other educational stakeholders would be interesting to share with the world. In 2020 and 2021, I decided to write a TV pilot and develop a potential series based on an international university admission professional as the lead character. Writing for television is different from academic writing, so I sought the assistance of an experienced writer in the industry. I learned new terms like logline, pacing, and writing in standard industry format. The decision to write a TV pilot has taught me it is never too late to do something different in life. The job responsibilities I may consider mundane may be appealing to others. The ability to translate personal emotional experiences and put them into words (and eventually film) so that I can accurately convey the emotion needed to move the story forward has been valuable to me personally. My colleagues from across the US and the world are optimistic about a series that spotlights our profession. At meetings and conferences, it is typical for individuals to seek me out with stories or situations they think would be good for the series.

Prompt #1 (Max 250 words or 2-Minute Video)

Please describe an aspect of your life outside of school that is important to you, such as an extracurricular activity, a job, or a family responsibility. How has your involvement shaped your personal qualities and growth, and how has it impacted those around you?

I have always enjoyed reading and the creative arts but never viewed myself as a writer. Friends, family, and colleagues believe my travels and experiences to over 60 countries to meet with students and other educational stakeholders would be interesting to share with the world. In 2020 and 2021, I decided to write a TV pilot and develop a potential series based on an international university admission professional as the lead character.

Writing for television is different from academic writing, so I sought the assistance of an experienced writer in the industry. I learned new terms like logline, pacing, and writing in standard industry format.

The decision to write a TV pilot has taught me it is never too late to do something different in life. The job responsibilities I may consider mundane may be appealing to others. The ability to translate personal emotional experiences and put them into words (and eventually film) so that I can accurately convey the emotion needed to move the story forward has been valuable to me personally.

My colleagues from across the US and the world are optimistic about a series that spotlights our profession. At meetings and conferences, it is typical for individuals to seek me out with stories or situations they think would be good for the series.

Admissions & Aid