Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Our Commitment to Our Community
Institutional Efforts and Leadership
W&L's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion includes initiatives outlined in W&L's Strategic Plan, membership in the Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Alliance, and the creation of several standing committees and working groups on campus.
Academics
Initiatives to create a more inclusive academic experience include comprehensive reviews of W&L's general education requirements and teaching evaluation process, as well as new academic programs, coursework, training opportunities and co-curricular programs.
Student Life
The Office of Inclusion and Engagement, with a new physical home to open in Elrod Commons in 2022, develops programs that explore, promote, and celebrate the increasingly diverse backgrounds of our students, and partners with the Office of Student Affairs to provide training programs and student support.
Student Recruiting
We strive to recruit talented students from deep and diverse applicant pools for undergraduate and law school admission, and admit the strongest applicants, regardless of family financial circumstances.
Employee Hiring and Retention
We seek to recruit talented and diverse faculty and staff, and foster a campus culture where every member of the community can thrive.
Alumni Engagement
Our efforts to increase multicultural engagement on campus and in our alumni chapters include more diverse representation on volunteer boards, targeted outreach, and expanded programming.
Institutional History
We are teaching and presenting our institutional history as comprehensively and accurately as possible, and expanding the stories we tell about those who played important roles in it.
W&L Hosts Fourth Black Future Leaders Experience Conference on Feb. 4
This year's Black FLEX conference theme is a Legacy of Excellence.
Maria Saez Tatman Joins W&L Law as Associate Dean of Student Affairs
In her role, Saez Tatman will develop and implement programs to enrich the law school experience and to help law students succeed in school, personally, and professionally.
Leslie Wingard Cunningham Named W&L’s Associate Provost for Faculty Development
Wingard Cunningham joins W&L from College of Wooster, where she is the Mildred Foss Thompson Professor of English and dean for faculty development.
W&L Presents 2021 Ted Delaney Lecture
The Feb. 24 online lecture, titled “Black Entrepreneurs: Where Does Money Fit into Protest?,” will examine capitalism as a part of the Black freedom-fighting arsenal.
W&L Presents ‘Queer Theology’ Panel Discussion
The conversation on Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m. will center on the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and religious affiliations and practices.
Program Spotlight: The Office of Inclusion and Engagement
The Office of Inclusion and Engagement (OIE) supports Washington and Lee University's mission by striving to foster a culture in which all community members feel entirely welcome and able to participate in everything the university has to offer.
W&L’s Office of Inclusion and Engagement is expanding, reaching an unprecedented number of people with its programming.
W&L Celebrates Black History Month
W&L presents a monthlong schedule of events celebrating Black History Month.
W&L’s Hillel House Marks 10 Years as a Space Celebrating Jewish Life
A decade after the building's dedication, W&L Hillel shines brighter than ever.
Lena Hill Named Provost at Washington and Lee University
Lena Hill, dean of the College and professor of English and Africana studies at Washington and Lee, has been appointed to be the university’s next provost, beginning July 1, 2021.
W&L’s Rainville Discusses African American Burial Grounds
Lynn Rainville will participate in the virtual symposium "Revealing Fayetteville – A New Landscape" on Nov. 2 from noon to 3:30 p.m.
Minority Student-Athletes Form New Campus Group
The Perry Minority Athlete Coalition aims to boost the W&L community.