Hey from the Colonnade

Saturday, December 12 at 9 a.m. EST
Join local Lexington yogi, Wendy Orrison, for an hour-long yoga class. This all-levels class will be accessible for those that don't have a regular practice and modifications will be offered for the more experienced yoga practitioner. Yoga is a wonderful way to destress and treat yourself to a little self-care. If you are shy about being seen during the class, leave the camera off; however Wendy would love to see all the alumni, especially former field hockey and lacrosse players.

Wednesday, December 16 at 6 p.m. EST
A holiday-themed evening with Charlie Brown biographer and W&L Associate Professor of Business Administration, Stephen Lind. Hear from Lind as he shares behind-the-scenes insights into A Charlie Brown Christmas and other Peanuts classics from his book, “A Charlie Brown Religion.” Lind authored this biography of Charles Schulz with the support of the Schulz family and Peanuts franchise. Included will be a reading from an abridged portion of his Christmas TV chapter and a Q&A session.

We're heading into a brand new year, let's do it actively! Join Holly Snyder, CSCS, CPT, for a three-part series, GENERALly Fit. Holly will walk you through creating a fitness plan, putting that plan into action and how to build on that plan to take it to the next level. 

On December 3, Alumni and friends had a chance to talk to a real rocket scientist, Bill Benson '92, NASA Flight Design Expert. Bill shared his more than twenty years of industry experience in GN&C (Guidance, Navigation and Control), flight controls, trajectory analysis and missile guidance. We learned all about recent and upcoming missions and the economy of space exploration including public-private partnerships, space tourism and “new space." Recording coming soon.

On November 18, President Will Dudley and V.P. for Finance Steve McAllister gave alumni a University update. President Dudley shared his insights on our Strategic Plan, built on themes of community, curriculum, citizenship and campus. Mr. McAllister discussed W&L's financial status, endowment, staffing, spending per student, and how we compare to peer institutions on key metrics.

This fall, Lifelong Learning hosted a five-part discussion series led by W&L Faculty, Guest Faculty, and Alumni on Challenges Facing Racial Relations in American Society Today.

On November 11, we learned how the Student Affairs and Campus Activities teams are working with engaged students to provide resources and activities to keep students active and involved on campus. Panelists included: James Dick, Director of Outdoor Education and Recreation; Kelsey Goodwin, Director of Student Activities; and Margaret McClintock, Associate Director of Intramurals and Adventure Programs. Recording coming soon.

On October 22, Lexington's Mayor, Frank Friedman P'21 joined us for a walkabout tour of Main Street, bringing everyone’s favorite Virginia town to you since we can’t have visitors to campus. It was so fun to have a chance to hear about the latest hamlet hotspots and to catch a glimpse of favorite Lexington haunts.

On October 20, Tom Jennings, W&L's new Vice President for University Advancement discussed  his vision, the University’s current (2018) strategic plan, and took questions. As vice president, Tom reports to the president, sits on the administrative cabinet, and oversees 66 staff members in the departments of Alumni Engagement, University Development, Advancement Operations, Advancement Communications, Law Advancement, and Special Events.

On October 10, Will Thomas '92 treated us to a whole body stretch following a 45-minute 26-position program adapted by Will himself. The session was accessible for anyone with an injury or an awareness of the need for more flexibility – from Beginner to Advanced.

On October 4, 2020, Bob Strong, the William Lyne Wilson Professor of Political Economy, and Brian Alexander, Assistant Professor of Politics, and current sophomore Avalon Pernell ’23 discussed the upcoming presidential and congressional races and helped put this election in context for the audience.

On September 24, Haley Sigler, Professor and Director of W&L Education Studies, and Layne Setash '19, Fairfax County Public Schools teacher and a recipient of the Virginia Colleges of Teacher Education Distinguished Student Teacher Award, joined us for a conversation about virtual learning during the 2020-2021 academic year. Haley shared her current research about the teaching of writing and Layne shared experiences from her virtual first grade classroom and tips for parents for keeping their child engaged in a virtual setting.

On September 15, Trevor Stores from The Southern Inn taught us how to stock the perfect home bar; mix, garnish, and serve our favorite cocktails/mocktails and showed off his mixology trade secrets!

On August 19, we hosted an alumni town hall with faculty and administrators to talk about how W&L is re-opening safely this school year. For those who missed it, we've posted a recording of the discussion.