Submit a Board of Trustee Nomination

Washington and Lee University recently launched a new version of our alumni directory, Colonnade Connections. To ensure security, accuracy and administrative efficiency, the Trustee nomination and election process will be conducted through Colonnade Connections. Alumni must be logged into Colonnade Connections to nominate a candidate, to accept a nomination and to vote.

Since this is a brand-new system, all alumni need to activate a new account before logging in for the first time. It only takes a few minutes:

1. Visit the Colonnade Connections login page.
2. Under First time users, select the blue “click here” link.
3. Complete and submit the brief activation form.
4. Once verified, you will receive an email with your login credentials for your new account.

To submit a nomination: Once you enter Colonnade Connections, search the directory for the alumnus/alumna you wish to nominate and select the nomination icon beside their name. You will then be prompted to complete and submit a brief nomination form.

If you have any questions, please contact the Alumni Association at alumni@wlu.edu. 

Timeline – Board of Trustees Nomination Process

• January 9, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET— The nomination and endorsement period ends.
• January 14, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET— All candidates must provide the required information for consideration to the Alumni Board. 
• From mid-January to mid-March 2026 — The Trustee Election Committee of the Alumni Board and the executive director of Alumni and Career Services will conduct confidential due diligence on the nominees’ applications. The Alumni Board shall deliberate in confidence and select by a confidential majority vote the final slate of three alumni who will stand as candidates for election as a Trustee.
• By early April 2026 — Launch of secure electronic alumni voting on the three candidates through Colonnade Connections. No proxy voting is allowed. 
• At or before the May 2026 meeting of the Board of Trustees — The executive director of Alumni and Career Services John Jensen ’01 and 2025-2026 Alumni Association President Kristen Youngblood Archer ’06 will review the voting results and communicate the winner to the secretary of the Board of Trustees and the chair of the Governance Committee. The expectation is that the winner will be elected at that meeting.
• October 2026 meeting of the Board of Trustees — Alumni Board anticipates the new Trustee will take the oath to begin their term.

For more detailed information, please review the Alumni Board of Trustee Election Process webpage.