Politics Department
The Department of Politics at Washington and Lee University teaches students to be informed and active citizens of a free society, able to think about politics with rigor and nuance. We offer a wide array of courses in American government, political philosophy, global politics, and statistics and methods. We encourage students to pursue their education in an interdisciplinary manner and we provide opportunities to augment their study in off-campus and experiential learning programs.
To this end, the Politics Department faculty:
- Offer a broad, robust political science curriculum.
- Structure the major in an interdisciplinary spirit and encourage students to take advantage of off-campus and foreign study programs.
- Teach in a responsive, solicitous manner.
- Engage and contribute to the study of politics in the broader scholarly community.
- Teach courses that enable students to demonstrate competency in: Research and Analysis Objectively Evaluating Information and Arguments and Formulating their own thesis Integrating Knowledge into a broader understanding of Politics
W&L’s Jack Evans ’25 Awarded Fulbright to Uzbekistan
Evans received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to teach English in Uzbekistan and plans to pursue a career in national security and diplomacy.
‘W&L After Class’ Podcast Releases New Episode Featuring Stu Gray
Stu Gray, associate professor of politics, discusses philosophy, teaching collaboratively with students and being mindful in a technological world.
W&L Outcomes: Luke Fountain ’25
After graduation, Fountain will complete a fellowship at CNBC doing business reporting for digital and television platforms.
W&L’s Kiki Mittner ’25 Earns U.S. Teaching Assistantship to Austria
Mittner will teach English in her grandmother’s Austrian hometown before attending law school.
Lela Casey ’25 Receives Fellowship from the Center for Arabic Study Abroad
The recent graduate will serve a year-long fellowship studying Arabic in Morocco.
These faculty have been recognized for their outstanding teaching, scholarship and service to the university.
Politics Professor Holds Featured Talk at the Capital Rare Book Fair
Brian Alexander provided historical and modern insights on Thomas Jefferson’s “A Manual of Parliamentary Practice.”
Eight W&L Students Awarded Gilman Scholarships to Study Abroad
This round of recipients marks a record-setting Gilman Scholar cohort for W&L.
Lucas Morel Selected for Prestigious ACS Mellon Academic Leadership Fellowship
The John K. Boardman Jr. Professor of Politics will use the fellowship to lead W&L’s “Liberating Ideas” initiative.
Politics Professor Publishes New Book
Stu Gray’s publication examines the Bhagavad-Gita through a political perspective.
W&L’s Jack Evans ’25 Named a Grand Strategy Fellow by the Hertog Foundation
Evans will spend four weeks in an intensive learning experience focused on the most pressing national security challenges facing the U.S.
W&L Announces 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award Winners
This year’s honorees will be recognized during Alumni Weekend from May 1-4.