Message from the Alumni Association President

On behalf of the Alumni Association and the Alumni Board of Directors, I want to share some of the latest news from W&L.

At the top of everyone's mind is the alumni trustee election process. The process recently closed with just over 4,600 alumni votes cast. We congratulate Lee Hollis, Class of 1986, on his election and thank all alumni for participating. Our work developing the ballot illustrated that W&L is fortunate to have so many talented graduates. In the February edition of, Generally Speaking, I shared an inside look on the trustee selection process and how the Alumni Board arrived at the talented and diverse three-person slate. A description of the process used by the Alumni Board was shared in early fall and provides an overview of the new process used for the selection of the new "alumni trustee," who will serve just like other current trustees.

While the trustee selection process has been front and center, there are other highlights at our university.

• As of December 31, 2021, the mid-year Annual Fund numbers look really positive.
• On February 11, 2022, I provided a report to the Board of Trustees summarizing alumni activities since they last met in October 2021.
• The Alumni Board of Directors' nominating committee has begun its work to choose the next class of six members. To submit a name for consideration, please complete our nomination form by March 10, 2022.
• The W&L Generals athletic teams were honored by the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame for the highest overall winning percentage of any college or university in Virginia: a remarkable 75.8% for the 2020-2021 school year.
• Alumni chapters are gradually returning to in-person activities with numerous Presidents' Day and other events. We thank Will Dudley for visiting Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Birmingham, Atlanta, and Palm Beach, and other presidential visits are in the pipeline. See what is happening in your area by checking out the full list of chapter events.
• There are four alumni gatherings happening on campus this month! The Alumni Engagement team has been hard at work putting together the following:
  • Virtual Five-Star Festival for senior alumni March 3-5, 2022
  • Student Association for Black Unity March 3-5, 2022, including commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Black Ball that the founders of SABU started in 1972. All Black alumni have been invited and they are raising money to endow a fund in honor of Marjorie Poindexter, a beloved former administrative staff member who assisted numerous minority students.
  • Institute for Honor Symposium March 4-5, 2022, sponsored by Lifelong Learning. The topic is "The Civil War and the Ethics of Loyalty."
  • Reunion Reconnect March 17-19, 2022, which will bring together 16 different graduating classes whose Alumni Weekends in '20 and '21 were cancelled due to COVID.
• The current alumni magazine has a feature on Craig Jones, Class of '73, and the KIPP schools. Three W&L students visited KIPP Metro Atlanta on February 18 under the auspices of the Owings Fellowship program to foster discussions on academic integrity.
• Lifelong Learning recently published a new episode in its W&L After Class podcast series - "Protect Yourself! A Discussion about Cybersecurity" with Taha Khan, assistant professor of computer science. Learn more about the series and listen today!

Before I close, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge Beau Dudley ('74, '79L) for his tremendous service and commitment to W&L. In February, the university announced Beau's retirement as executive director of Alumni Engagement, effective June 30, 2022. Fortunately, he will begin a new role as senior advisor to the vice president of the University Advancement. In his 16 years at the helm of Alumni Engagement, Beau has been a guiding force for alumni boards. He is a superb advocate by connecting and engaging with alumni all over the country, fostering a sense of excitement and dedication to the school. The Alumni Board joins me in thanking him for his support of W&L and its alumni and wishing him every success in the new position.

Along with the rest of the Alumni Board, it's an honor and a privilege to represent the W&L alumni family in this capacity. We hope to see you on campus or at a local chapter event soon.

Stay healthy!

Nelson Bunn '08
Alumni Association President