Vote in the Board of Trustees Alumni Election

Washington and Lee University Alumni Engagement Alumni Volunteers Alumni Board of Trustees Election Process Vote in the Board of Trustees Alumni Election
Alumni Volunteers

The Alumni Association, acting through the Alumni Board of Directors (Alumni Board) and the Office of Alumni and Career Services, solicited nominations from all alumni for consideration to be one of three candidates on an alumni ballot for election to the Washington and Lee University Board of Trustees. After a rigorous review process, the Alumni Board approved a final three-person slate for the ballot:

  • Kevin Batteh ’95, ’98L – Washington, D.C.
  • Meghan Bollens ’04 – Pittsburgh, PA
  • John Comly ’01 – Charlotte, NC

Vote in the Alumni Trustee Election

Vote in the Alumni Trustee Election

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 cast your vote: Once you log in to Colonnade Connections, you will be taken directly to the ballot, where you can read each candidate’s statement before making your selection. Select only one candidate and click “Submit.” Once you have submitted your vote, you will not be able to change it or vote again.

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

Timeline – Board of Trustees Election Process

  • November 13, 2025, through January 9, 2026 – The nomination and endorsement period.
  • January 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET – All nominated candidates had to 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 conducted confidential due diligence on the nominees’ applications. The Alumni Board then deliberated and selected by a confidential majority vote the final slate of three alumni who now stand as candidates for election as a Trustee.
  • April 2, 2026 – Launch of secure electronic alumni voting on the three candidates through Colonnade Connections. No proxy voting is allowed.
  • May 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET – The voting period ends.
  • 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 – The Alumni Board anticipates the new Trustee will take the oath to begin their term.

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