W&L/The Washington and Lee University Alumni Magazine/Fall 2008

The Washington and Lee University Alumni Magazine

5743a_08.indd3 2

Fall

2008

12/2/08 7:54:34 AM

Lenfest Challenge for Faculty Compensation “No matter how much one loves teaching or a particular university, it is important to be adequately compensated for that dedication. My life benefited from great W&L teachers, and I am happy to make sure that today’s students have that same benefit.”

—Gerry Lenfest A good opportunity just became a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, thanks to W&L’s benefactor Gerry Lenfest ’53, ’55L. In 2007, he challenged the W&L community to raise $33 million by the end of 2010. The money is for one purpose: to help W&L pay its professors competitive salaries. Lenfest, ever the agent of progress, offered to match all donations dollar for dollar.

Lenfest recently added a noteworthy twist to his already attractive proposition. The latest feature of the Lenfest Challenge entices donors to meet the challenge by endowing professorships.

Goal: 33 Million

H e r e ’s h o w i t w o r k s :

As of Oct. 15, 2008: 13.14 of $1.25 million.

Million , The donor sets up a named professorship fund , A donor makes a gift (or pledge)

at W&L, which normally requires a minimum gift of $2.5 million.

, Lenfest directs his matching donation of

$1.25 million into the donor’s professorship fund, thus helping the donor meet the $2.5 million required minimum.

30 25 20 15 10 5

Thanks to Gerry Lenfest, there is no better time to endow a named professorship. The University is grateful for his extraordinary vision and generosity, and thanks the many alumni, parents and friends who have already answered the Lenfest challenge.

The deadline to meet the Lenfest Challenge is Dec. 31, 2010. For more information, please contact Dennis Cross, vice president for University advancement, at (540) 458-8232 or dcross@wlu.edu.

5743a_08.indd3 3

12/2/08 7:54:48 AM

c

o

n

t

e

n

t

s

8

11

18

28

22 W&L

Goes

Green

b y K a r e n D o s s B o w m a n a n d We n d y L o v e l l ’ 9 0 The University community and the environment.

D

2

Alumni President’s

4

e

p

a

r

t

m

e

n

t

s

The Colonnade

Journal

The alumni environment .................................

.................................

3

18

Amethyst Initiative, Fulbright Scholars, accolades for journalism students and more

Hall of Fame, Wilson Field .................................

36

.................................

16

Alumni News

Jack Goldsmith ’84 appears on “The Daily Show”; alumni report from global hot spots

Letters

Letters to the Editor, Reader Survey

Generals’ Report

W & L L aw

Steve Abraham ’80, ’83L starts a youth leadership program

.................................

.................................

51

Honor Roll of Leadership Donors .................................

Cover: President Ken Ruscio ’76 and Associate Professor of Biology Bill Hamilton harvest the first tomatoes of the summer from the W&L community garden. Photo by Patrick Hinely ’73.

5743b_p1_3_08.indd3 1

12/2/08 8:30:54 AM

A l u m n i

P r e s i d e n t’ s

J o u r n a l

P

reservation, renewal, sustainability. These concepts of environmental stewardship also apply to our Alumni Association. In that context, your Alumni Board and the Alumni Affairs Office have been examining our mission and our priorities. From this effort, we have crafted a new set of goals and an exciting plan for the next few years.

Volume 83 I Number 4 Fall 2008 © Washington and Lee University Julie A. Campbell I Editor Louise Uffelman I Contributing and Law Editor Brian Laubscher I Sports Editor Kelli Austin ’03 I Class Notes Editor Patrick Hinely ’73, Kevin Remington I University Photographers Karen Doss Bowman, Julie Cline, Julie Grover, Anne Lemon, Laurie Lipscomb, Wendy Lovell ’90, Sarah Tschiggfrie I Contributors Billy Chase, Denise Watts, Mary Woodson I Graphic Designers Bart Morris, Morris Design I Art Director

The Alumni Environment

The heart of our plan places renewed emphasis on strengthening and supporting our local alumni chapters. Many of our chapters achieve great success with creative and varied programming, community service, University support, our special W&L brand of social activities and leadership development. Others may struggle to sustain a Washington and Lee presence in their sometimes far-flung territories.

Local leadership helps build and sustain a reasonable level of activity for alumni. We intend to support them with renewed vigor and resources. Our plan calls for all 24 alumni board members to help the team in Alumni Affairs provide more systematic and sustained support to our chapters. We are also committed to helping your chapter identify, recruit and support new and energetic chapter leaders where needed.

President Dan Einstein ’83

Alumni want to remain connected and informed. We seek opportunities to enhance those connections. Communication options seem to change as quickly as the weather, and we are working hard on how best to get the right information to the right alumni at the right time. We are especially interested in learning how our younger alumni prefer to communicate with W&L and with each other. If you have ideas, please let us hear from you.

Alumni attendance for campus events is stronger than ever. The very talented Office of Special Programs stages great Alumni College seminars on campus. We are discussing how to offer new and appealing programs for younger alumni and families.

We are also exploring how campus programming can be delivered to you through Web-enabled technology. We want you to be able to hear a great professor or a noted guest lecturer in your home or office. Funding from University Advancement has already allowed us to offer streaming broadcasts of some Generals’ games on the Internet.

The Alumni Board is realigning our meetings and our mission in order to promote accountability. The new plan will evolve, while remaining true to the basic goal of making it easy and attractive for you to connect with W&L. We are eager for your input and involvement. Please contact me at deinstein@rosenfeldeinstein.com.

—Dan Einstein ’83

Un i v e r s i t y A d v a n c e ment Dennis W. Cross, Vice President for University Advancement Jeffery G. Hanna, Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs Waller T. Dudley ’74, ’79L, Executive Director of Alumni Affairs Published by Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va. 24450. All communications and POD Forms 3579 should be sent to Washington and Lee Alumni Inc., Lexington, Va. 24450. Periodicals postage paid at Norfolk, Va. B o a r d of Tr u s te e s J. Donald Childress ’70, Rector Kenneth P. Ruscio ’76, President Robert M. Balentine Jr. ’79 (Atlanta) Andrew N. Baur ’66 (St. Louis) Frederick E. Cooper ’64 (Atlanta) Kimberly T. Duchossois (Barrington, Ill.) Mark R. Eaker ’69 (Herndon, Va.) J. Hagood Ellison Jr. ’72 (Columbia, S.C.) Jorge E. Estrada ’69 (Buenos Aires) J. Scott Fechnay ’69 (Potomac, Md.) William H. Fishback Jr. ’56 (Ivy, Va.) J. Douglas Fuge ’77 (Chatham, N.J.) Benjamin S. Gambill Jr. ’67 (Nashville, Tenn.)

William R. Goodell ’80L (Bronxville, N.Y.) Robert J. Grey ’76L (Richmond) Bernard C. Grigsby II ’72 (Walton-on-Thames, England) Ray V. Hartwell III ’69, ’75L (McLean, Va.) Peter C. Keefe ’78 (Alexandria, Va.) John D. Klinedinst ’71, ’78L (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.)

John M. McCardell Jr. ’71 (Middlebury, Vt.) Thomas N. McJunkin ’70, ’74L (Charleston, W.Va.) Jessine A. Monaghan ’79L (Washington) Michael H. Monier ’62 (Wilson, Wyo.) Harry J. Phillips Jr. ’72 (Houston) Robert E. Sadler Jr. ’67 (Buffalo, N.Y.) Hatton C.V. Smith ’73 (Birmingham, Ala.) Martin E. Stein Jr. ’74 (Jacksonville, Fla.) Warren A. Stephens ’79 (Little Rock, Ark.) Sarah Nash Sylvester (New York City) Charlie (C.B.) Tomm ’68, ’75L (Jacksonville, Fla.) John W. Vardaman Jr. ’62 (Washington) Thomas R. Wall IV ’80 (New York City) Alston Parker Watt ’89 (Thomasville, Ga.) William M. Webster IV ’79 (Spartanburg, S.C.) Dallas Hagewood Wilt ’90 (Nashville, Tenn.)

John A. Wolf ’69, ’72L (Baltimore)

2

5743b_p1_3_08.indd3 2

W & L

A l u m n i

M aga z i n e

12/2/08 8:30:57 AM

L

e

t

t

e

r

Washington And Lee

s

University

h

Tell Us What You Think!

Washington And Lee Alumni Inc.

There’s more to read and do at magazine.wlu.edu: ☛ A reader survey. Please take a few minutes to tell us what you think about your alumni magazine. We are pondering a redesign and want your opinions. ☛ A poem, “Falling in Line,” by Charles Centerfit Hart ’67 ☛ Bert Hudnall’s tribute to Dean Gilliam (see below)

Professor Futch The Summer 2008 issue announced the retirement of an icon, Jefferson Davis Futch III. Although I didn’t have the opportunity to be one of his students, I have known him well.

In 1965, when I was president of a lecture series in Memphis, I Write to W&L

By Mail: Editor

Washington and Lee

Mattingly House

204 W. Washington St.

Lexington, VA 24450-2116

By E-Mail: magazine@wlu.edu

By Fax: (540) 458-8024 Web site: magazine.wlu.edu

All letters should be signed and include the author’s name, address and daytime phone number. Letters selected for publication may be edited for length, content and style. Signed articles reflect the views of their authors and not necessarily those of the editors or the University.

invited Dave to be our speaker, having been impressed with several articles of his. That was the beginning of a long friendship.

On the weekend of Bob Huntley’s inauguration, we were walking from Evans Dining Hall to the Alumni House, and what had been a rain shower became a monsoon. At the time Dave was living in the back of the Lee-Jackson House, and we knocked on his door. He greeted us warmly and got out a bottle of single malt scotch. By the time we finally got to the Alumni House, it had closed, but we S u m 2m0e 0r 8 2 0 0 8 F all

5743b_p1_3_08.indd3 3

were in distinguished company.

The legendary Cy Young, former alumni secretary, had just arrived and was wondering where everybody was.

Thanks, Dave, for the good memories, and I hope that somehow our paths will cross again in the future.

Milburn K. Noell Jr. ’51, ’54L Memphis, Tenn.

Professor Johnson I had the late Lewis Kerr Johnson for three courses in management and marketing. Company loyalty was an obvious topic for Personnel Management, which he summarized with, “Forty years, and what do you get? A goddamned watch!” Somehow he also managed to slip that expression into both of his marketing classes, so I heard it three times. The last time I visited Dr. Johnson, he had retired. With delight he showed me the gift that his last class had given him—a watch that did not work. And it would never work, for it had no mechanism. Classic!

To leave L.K. Johnson out of an article covering the history of the Williams School (Vol. 81, No. 3, 2006) is beyond the pale.

Robert C. DeVaney ’65 Singapore The omission of Prof. Johnson from the 2006 issue about the Williams School centennial was unintentional, and both the Williams School and the magazine regret it.

Dean Gilliam Every generation at W&L has its heroes, those individuals whose impact on students’ lives is fundamental to what makes our college what it is and has always been. I have a sincere regret that I cannot know the men and women who are making a difference for today’s students, and I have an even greater regret that today’s students can know Dean Frank J. Gilliam only vicariously, through a portrait or a dining hall named for him. He was the embodiment of all things right and good about W&L, and I daresay that so much of what W&L is today can be attributed to his dedication. To satisfy a longstanding need to honor this man and to portray him for students who could not have known him, I have written a tribute.

This was a giant on whose shoulders I stood confidently and, in retrospect, gratefully.

Bert Hudnall ’59 Charleston, S.C. To read Mr. Hudnall’s tribute, “The Honorable Frank J. Gilliam: Dean, Gentleman, Friend,” please see magazine.wlu.edu.

Corrections Correct information for the Summer 2008 “Generals Report”: Peter Lawrence ’08 was named a Scholar AllAmerican by the Wrestling Coaches Association, and the 2005 baseball team was ranked No. 27 by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

3

O f f i cers Daniel M. Einstein ’83, President (Greenville, S.C.) David W. Procter ’81, Vice President (Birmingham) Roger Reynolds Jr. ’88, Immediate Past President (St. David’s, Pa.) Waller T. Dudley ’74, ’79L, Executive Director of Alumni Affairs (Lexington) Di rectors Katherine Boozer Boone ’95 (Orlando, Fla.) Elizabeth Holleman Brown ’95 (Washington) Andrew R. Caruthers ’87 (Los Angeles) Nan Robertson Clarke ’76L (Charlotte, N.C.) Robert S. Clements ’80 (Baltimore) Richard F. Cummins Jr. ’95 (Nashville, Tenn.)

Elizabeth M. Formidoni ’96, ’99L (New York) Valerie Pierson Gammage ’89 (Greenwich, Conn.)

Thomas J. McBride ’88 (Dallas) Murry G. McClintock ’80 (Tunica, Miss.)

Raymond M. McGrew ’87 (Atlanta) Michel J. Marcoux ’66 (Washington) David W. Proctor ’81 (Birmingham, Ala.) Walter S. Robertson III ’76 (Richmond) William T. Robinson ’75, ’82L (Pittsburgh) Norman Z. Sigler ’88 (Seattle) Peter R. Strohm ’68 (Mantoloking, N.J.) Jamie Small ’81 (Midland, Texas) Carson Flowers Tate ’98 (Charlotte, N.C.) Wilson Vellines ’68, ’73L (Staunton, Va.) Brenton W. Vincent ’94 (Chicago) John H. Ward IV ’68 (Louisville, Ky.) Bradford L. Watkins ’88 (Atlanta) L aw A l u m n i A s s o c i a t i o n

O f f i cers A. Carter Magee Jr. ’79L, President (Roanoke) W. Hildebrandt Surgner Jr. ’87, ’94L, Vice President (Richmond) J. I. Vance Berry Jr. ’79L, Immediate Past President (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) Darlene Moore, Executive Secretary (Lexington) Law Coun c i l Eric A. Anderson ’82L (New York City) Peter A. Baumgaertner ’83, ’86L (New York City) T. Hal Clarke, Jr. ’73, ’76L (Charlotte, N.C.) Michael P.A. Cohen ’90L (Washington) Thomas E. Evans ’91L (Rogers, Ark.) James J. Ferguson Jr. ’88L (Dallas) Thomas J. Gearen ’82L (Chicago) Betsy Callicott Goodell ’80L (Bronxville, N.Y.) Nathan V. Hendricks III ’66, ’69L (Atlanta) Thomas B. Henson ’80L (Charlotte, N.C.) A. John Huss ’65L (St. Paul, Minn.)

Chong J. Kim ’92L (Atlanta) The Hon. Everett A. Martin, Jr. ’74 ’77L (Norfolk, Va.) The Hon. Mary Miller Johnston ’84L (Wilmington, Del.) Andrew J. Olmem ’96, ’01L (Arlington, Va.) David T. Popwell ’87L (Memphis, Tenn.)

Lesley Brown Schless ’80L (Old Greenwich, Conn.)

Richard W. Smith ’98L (Washington) Stacy Gould Van Goor ’95L (San Diego) Andrea K. Wahlquist ’95L (New York City)

3

12/2/08 8:30:58 AM

T h e

C o l o n n a d e

Institutional Priorities, 2008–2009

by President Ken Ruscio ’76

Each new academic year provides us the opportunity to identify a new set of institutional priorities that will guide our work in the months ahead. The priorities I outline below are not the only ones to which we will devote time and attention this year. Others will arise, as they invariably do, and each area of the University will have its own goals.

Still, it is helpful to acknowledge at least a few priorities that should bring us together around common purposes.

Academic Renewal. In our continuing efforts to provide the best education for our students, last year the undergraduate faculty adopted a renewed approach to academic life at the University and began the creative and challenging task of implementation. The faculty in the School of Law adopted a pathbreaking reform of the curriculum with a focus on the third year, and they also have embarked upon the challenge of implementation. Already we have seen the fruits of the faculty’s labor, beginning a genuine sense of excitement about the distinctive nature of education at Washington and Lee. This year, we will add further discussions of the teacher-scholar model at liberal arts colleges and the professional opportunities for faculty at an institution such as ours. The University is poised to answer many of today’s questions about a liberal arts education in the 21st century and about a legal education. We also are poised to take the lead in those national discussions.

Work-Life Initiative. In October, I presented a plan that outlines a few principles guiding the work-life environment at Washington and Lee and specific actions we will take to fulfill those principles. The initiative is based upon the recommendations of the University task forces that recently completed their work—the childcare task force, the committee on women and the committee to examine our grievance and complaint processes. It also will draw from the study of human resources

by Mercer, the national consulting firm. Several of the steps are already underway; some will require approval and further discussion by various groups on campus; and some we will put into place during the year. Even as we take these specific steps, however, I encourage all of us to think of employment at Washington and Lee as a mutual commitment between the institution and the employee that embraces our educational

4

5743b_p4_13_08.indd3 4

mission; that recognizes the need for a supportive, inclusive and respectful work environment; and that responds to our desires to balance our personal and professional lives.

Advancing Our Strategic Plan. Although we will continue to work on our overall strategic plan, I want to highlight two tasks confronting us this year. First, we are carefully preparing an ambitious and historic fund-raising campaign to support the equally ambitious and historic strategic plan. The quiet phase of the capital campaign is already underway. The initial responses have been enormously gratifying, encouraging and inspiring. Second, we are continuing to raise funds and prepare for those capital projects in the early stages of our strategic plan, most notably the renovation and restoration of Newcomb Hall, which we anticipate starting in spring 2009. In addition, the Hillel House and a sixth sorority house are the focus of financial planning and architectural design. And as those who work in Leyburn Library know only too well, they are a few short months away from the completion of a major and muchneeded renovation.

A Stronger Partnership with Our Local Community.

The University increasingly recognizes its commitment to the local community. Last year, we established a community grants program, supported a downtown-planning project and committed to lease space in the historic courthouse, ensuring the preservation of a landmark in the community. (We have not yet determined who will occupy that space.) Also, our various academic and co-curricular programs, notably the Shepherd Poverty Program, the Campus-Community Coalition, the clinics in the School of Law, the Nabors Service League, the Campus-Community Partnership and the Campus Kitchen,

W & L

A l u m n i

M a g a z i n e

11/24/08 3:36:21 PM

T h e

C o l o n n a d e

place our students directly in the community to address some of its most pressing problems. Many other students volunteer for a variety of causes. Following the example of those students, and the example of our many faculty and staff members who serve the community by working in nonprofit organizations, in their churches, in conservation efforts, in our schools and in countless other ways, Kim and I are honorary co-chairs of this year’s United Way. The University needs to renew and revitalize its partnership with the community, knowing that the character and quality of our academic and social environment derive in no small way from the strength and character of Lexington and Rockbridge County.

Sustainability. This year, we will launch an extensive sustainability initiative, guided by a new committee comprising faculty, staff and students. (See pp. 22–35 for more about sustainability.) Our effort begins with an awareness of how we can do better—with our use of energy, with minimizing our carbon footprint and with treading gently on our local environment, such as Woods Creek. This year we will be looking for meaningful steps beyond those we have already taken. By signing the Presidents Climate Commitment, I have pledged that Washington and Lee will reduce the negative impact we have on the environment. Like the commitment to strengthening our community, our commitment to sustainable practices is part of our educational mission. We must align what we preach to our students about their duties as responsible citizens and their obligations to future generations with our own institutional practices.

Accreditation. Washington and Lee’s re-accreditation process occurs this year. The Southern Association of Colleges and

F A L L

5743b_p4_13_08.indd3 5

2 0 0 8

Schools (SACS), our regional accrediting body, will be reviewing the University’s mission and our success in achieving it. Many staff members, faculty and students have already contributed to the extensive report, and many will be involved with the reporting still to come, the Quality Enhancement Plan and the site visit later in the year. The Williams School also is up for re-accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business this year, and the School of Law’s accreditation will be reviewed by the American Bar Association. Apart from the obvious importance of continued accreditation, the process—though demanding—is an excellent opportunity for us to take stock of what we do and how successful we are. It is also an opportunity to establish an ongoing process for assessing our effectiveness.

Other Goals. There will, of course, be many other goals for us to pursue. Embedded in the strategic plan are a host of equally important tasks, not the least of which is our continuing effort to recruit and retain highly qualified students regardless of their backgrounds or financial means.

We also will be assessing communications to our internal audience (staff, faculty and students) and to our external audience (alumni, parents and families, friends, scholars and the public).

Thank You. In the end, as I enter the third year of my presidency, I am grateful to be working in a community of such dedicated and competent individuals. And I am confident that the coming year will bring yet more examples of the positive impact Washington and Lee has on the lives​ of our students.

5

11/24/08 3:36:24 PM

T h e

C o l o n n a d e

Amethyst Statement P resident Ruscio C ommits

to

Discussion

of

Drinking Age

In August, President Ken Ruscio ’76 sent this message to the students, faculty and staff. We share it now with you.

Contrary to what some press reports have said, the other signers and I have not called for a lower drinking age. Rather, we want to hold a careful, civil and rational discussion of the

As you may know, I have joined more than 125 other presieffectiveness of the current law. dents and chancellors of colleges and universities in signing the

I am committed, first and foremost, to finding an effective Amethyst Initiative. It calls for a renewed and informed debate way to educate college students—especially W&L students— about the legal drinking about their responsibilities age of 21. Why? Because, as when it comes to alcohol. educators, we want young “I am committed, first and foremost, to finding an effective I want to explore a adults to make responsible variety of efforts to address way to educate college students—especially W&L students decisions about alcohol, and the problem of irrespon—about their responsibilities when it comes to alcohol.” we question whether the sible and dangerous current law leads to behavdrinking on our campus.

—P r esiden t R uscio iors that are irresponsible Neither the initiative nor and, often, dangerous. the debate it has engen For the exact statement, see amethystinitiative.org/ dered will deter W&L from continuing to administer our statement. comprehensive alcohol-education program and to enforce

The Amethyst Initiative began with an invitation from federal, state and local laws—and all of our own regulations.

The other signers and I want to confront a complex and John McCardell ’71 to a group of college presidents. John is no difficult problem and to talk about it in a reasoned, dispassionstranger to W&L, being an alumnus, a member of our Board ate manner so that we can try to solve problems associated with of Trustees and the father of a current student. He asked my alcohol use on our campuses. We take our responsibilities as colleagues and me to consider reopening the debate on the educators seriously, and some of us at least question whether drinking age. McCardell brings a knowledgeable background the current law leads to legal-enforcement discussions only, at to his concern. He is president emeritus of Middlebury College the expense of educational ones. and someone who has studied the issue for many years.

My fellow Amethyst participants and I want to examine

The initial news coverage of this effort triggered vigorthe data and discuss where it leads. That data includes the relaous debate, which, in the best liberal arts tradition, is healthy tionship between the drinking age and highway deaths, as well and important. Like the other presidents who have signed the as data showing the trends in binge drinking on campuses and Amethyst Initiative, I believe that the significant problems the trends in such alcohol-related problems as poor academic created by some college students’ abuse of alcohol demand performance, unacceptable behavior toward others and harm thoughtful consideration of whether or not public policy in this to oneself. area has worked, and what alternatives we might consider.

I welcome your thoughts as I continue this vital discussion

While my fellow signers and I welcome the debate, I do want with the other Amethyst participants, and with all of you. to clarify some elements of the conversation as it has unfolded through the media.

Shepherd Poverty Alliance Wins Grant

The Delta Bridge Project has awarded a $90,000, three-year grant to Washington and Lee’s Shepherd Poverty Alliance to form the Shepherd Delta Alliance. The grantee is a communitydevelopment initiative of Phillips County, along the Mississippi River in Arkansas, spearheaded by Southern Financial Partners.

The grant will fund 30 student internships over three years, with a goal of directly benefiting up to 1,500 residents.

The Shepherd Poverty Alliance is a key component of W&L’s Shepherd Program for the Interdisciplinary Study of Poverty and Human Capability. Through the alliance, students from W&L, Morehouse, Spelman, Berea, Middlebury and

6

5743b_p4_13_08.indd3 6

other colleges participating in the Bonner Leader program spend eight weeks in summer internships with nonprofit orga­ n­izations serving impoverished communities. The alliance has partnerships with more than 60 agencies in 11 states.

The grant will expand the Shepherd Alliance’s partnerships in the region and give new form and focus to the program’s commitment to Phillips County. Internships will be designed to address needs of community-based organizations there in economic development, housing, education, leadership development and health care.

—Sarah Tschiggfrie

W & L

A l u m n i

M a g a z i n e

11/24/08 3:36:26 PM

C a p ta i n ’ s

L o g

Ann Geier and her husband, Carl, are frequent tr av elers wit h W&L. The following are e xcerp ts from her journal describing t he group’s t hree-day safari at t he T imbavati Privat e Reserv e jus t w es t of Kruger N ational Park, in Sout h Africa.

Contrasts in Majesty South Africa, Zambia

We headed out with our driver, Johno, pointing out wildlife in the Timbavati Reserve. We had barely begun when we saw lots of impala, which Johno explained were very plentiful in the park. Soon thereafter, we came upon a solitary cape buffalo, probably a stray from a bachelor herd. A few minutes later, Elvis, our tracker, spotted an elephant, and again we got close and took great pictures. We also found vultures, lilac-breasted rollers, a giant eagle-owl, franklins and buffalo weavers, which nest in groups. Johno spotted, among other mammals, jackals, which blend in perfectly with the grasses.

The highlight of the drive was a lion enjoying the carcass of a buffalo. Johno had noticed the carcass and lion earlier and had hoped that we would see it on our drive. As we approached the area, we caught the scent. Next, we saw the hooded vultures, the clean-up crew, enjoying morsels that they had scavenged. As Johno steered our vehicle toward the river bed, there it was: a large male lion in the trees, gnawing on the remains. Johno turned off the engine so that we could study the lion in silence. The lion neither flinched nor seemed to take any notice of us. We were all so excited, as we had been at Timbavati barely an hour and had already seen three of the Big Five.

On the next day, after a safari filled with similarly exciting discoveries, we drove off road in search of the leopards Johno had learned about over his radio. Around mid-afternoon, Elvis quietly pointed to the top of a tree with bright green leaves. There were the leopards! Spying their observers, the leopards quickly descended the tree. This was apparently such a remarkable sighting that Johno and another guide followed the mother and her cub for several hours. It was dark before we finally quit.

Early the next morning, we saw a giraffe. He was so beautiful. We were close to him, but he ignored us, so we were able to watch him eat the foliage from an acacia tree, sticking out his F A L L

5743b_p4_13_08.indd3 7

2 0 0 8

3

April 25–May 8, 2008 long, sticky, black tongue to gather and sweep leaves from the thorny tree branch. After many photos, we headed on in search of a pride of lions. Along the way, we saw a dazzle of zebras.

There were seven of them grazing and ignoring us, allowing us to take lots of pictures.

I really didn’t want to leave Ngala. I’ve felt like a little child here, full of awe and wonder at the miracles God has created. It’s truly awesome being in the bush with these fantastic creatures. I’ve learned so much here, and I’ll treasure the memories forever.

Other upcoming trips: Gardens of the Caribbean: Barbados to Antigua Aboard Sea Cloud Feb. 2–9, 2009 Around the World by Private Jet: An Exploration of Legendary Places Feb. 26–March 21, 2009 Celtic Lands: From Rouen to Edinburgh May 3-14, 2009 The Flavors of Burgundy and Provence June 13-24, 2009 For more information, contact Special Programs at (540) 458-8723 or spclprog@wlu.edu, and see www.wlu.edu/x11066.xml 7

11/24/08 3:36:29 PM

T h e

C o l o n n a d e

Environmental Prof Nets Sizable Grant from National Science Foundation

Photo by Kevin Remington

Mark Carey, environmental historian at W&L, received a $150,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for his research project, “Glacier Science and Technology in the Central Andes: The Quest to Control Natural Disasters and Climate Change.” He will use the grant to study historical relationships among science, technology and society in the context of global climate change and persistent environmental hazards.

The 2007 winner of the LeopoldHidy Prize for the best article in the journal Environmental History, Carey is writing a book about the social history of climate change and glacier retreat in the Peruvian Andes.

“The goal is to use history to identify the types of societal, political, economic and cultural problems that emerge from climate change rather than focusing more on the scientific understandings of climate history or climate

change, which is what our society generally emphasizes,” he said.

Carey will explore the capacity for increasingly technical scientific disciplines such as glaciology and hydrology to convey natural hazards to local people; the ways in which the science and disaster mitigation strategies employed by indigenous people coexist

with Western science and technologies; and a comparison between the experience in the Peruvian Andes and the Swiss Alps.

Carey, who has been at W&L since 2006, is collaborating on parts of the project with Swiss anthropologist Ellen Wiegandt, from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva.

Creditworthy Randolph Hare, associate director, Physical Plant, was elected vice president for information and technology of APPA: The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers.

For the second time in three years, “The Rockbridge Report,” the multimedia, local-news Web site produced by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, received recognition as one of the top three in the nation from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). It was one of two

8

5743b_p4_13_08.indd3 8

runners-up for SPJ’s Mark of Excellence Award in the category of Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication for 2007. The awards were given at SPJ’s annual convention in Atlanta, Ga., attended

by Melissa Caron ’09 and Prof.

Doug Cumming, faculty adviser.

More than two dozen students from several classes worked on the site during 2007-08. They were guided

by Profs. Claudette Artwick, Cumming, Bob de Maria, Pam Luecke, Phylissa Mitchell and Brian Richardson and Digital Media Specialist Michael Todd.

Toni Locy, who joined the faculty of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications on July 1 as its first Donald W. Reynolds Professor of Legal Reporting, received the John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award from the National Press Club in July. A veteran of 25 years covering the American justice system at all levels, she won for her defiance of a federal district judge’s order to reveal the names of confidential sources when she was covering the Justice Department for USA Today in 2001 and 2002.

W & L

A l u m n i

M a g a z i n e

11/24/08 3:36:41 PM

T h e

C o l o n n a d e

Two Recent Grads Join the Fulbright Ranks Jamie Ferrell ’08 got a welcome surprise

Photo by Kevin Remington

in August: a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Chile. Ferrell had been named a Fulbright alternate last May and has been living and working in northern Virginia since graduation.

“Jamie was as diligent and determined an applicant as I have seen in my years as a fellowships advisor,” said George Bent, professor of art and Fulbright liaison. “She wrote a terrific proposal, knew exactly what she wanted to do and had the full support of both her faculty and those on the committee who evaluated her work.

The fact that she remained ever hopeful Jamie Ferrell ’08 as she waited to hear back from her host country speaks volumes for her tenacity and her deep desire to live and work abroad this year.”

Ferrell, whose award begins March 16, 2009, and will run through Jan. 15, 2010, will work at the University of Conception in Conception, Chile, as an English teaching assistant. She also will take classes and conduct her Fulbright research project: investigating the difference in women’s rights issues, especially domestic violence, in Chile as compared to the United States. Framing her study will be the fact that Chile has a female president.

“The Fulbright allows me to serve as sort of a U.S. cultural ambassador to Chile while also being able to immerse myself in Chilean life and culture,” said Ferrell. “This opportunity will serve me well in my future career. I just found out that I passed my foreign service exam, so I plan to enter the Foreign

“I plan to enter the Foreign Service as a public diplomacy officer with the U.S. State Department after I get back from Chile.”

Service as a public diplomacy officer with the U.S. State Department after I get back from Chile.”

“I had the good fortune of working with Jamie through the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) volunteer organization for four years,” said Ellen Mayock, professor of Romance languages. “Jamie was one of our most experienced English teachers and was well known among our clients in the Latino community. In her senior year, Jamie served as one of the co-chairs of ESOL’s English Education Committee, for which she managed teaching assignments, carried out teacher training and continued to teach English. Earning the Fulbright is a very well-deserved and appropriate next step.”

While at W&L, in addition to being an officer and member of ESOL, Ferrell worked in the Latin American Studies program, as a Bonner Leader and as an executive officer and member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. She also served as a trip coordinator for the two Volunteer Venture Leading Edge pre-orientation trips for first-years and volunteered at Project Horizon.

Of her August surprise, Ferrell said, “It just goes to show that one should never lose hope, because you never know what is going to happen.”

—Julie Cline

F A L L

5743b_p4_13_08.indd3 9

2 0 0 8

Robert DePersia ’08 received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Wels, Austria, for the 2008-09 school year. “Wels looks beautiful,” said DePersia. “And with a population of 55,000, it will be a perfect fit for me to immerse myself in the city and the language.”

A politics major with a concentration in German, DePersia studied in Germany during his junior year. “He returned to Washington and Lee with a new focus and determination to work on his German in order to return to Europe,” said Daniel J. Kramer, assistant professor of German.

DePersia said it was his desire to see the world, to experience another culture and to improve his German speaking ability that inspired him to apply for the Fulbright. “I had not really considered it until the start of my senior year, but I was encouraged by the German Department and am so grateful for their support throughout the whole process,” he said. “They went above and beyond the call of duty for me and have shown why W&L is consistently held in such high regard: outstanding, accessible, and dedicated professors.

“The application process was very simple, and the professors were all very helpful and more than willing to write recommendation letters on my behalf or discuss the application essays, even on short notice in some cases. I could tell that they really wanted me to get it, and were a great resource to have.”

DePersia says that, above all, he would like to convey a positive image of the United States in Europe. Kramer has no doubt that DePersia will achieve that goal.

“What made him such a strong candidate in my mind was his enthusiasm for engaging in discussions about contemporary topics and his ability to think critically about them,” said Kramer. “I think he’ll be a superb ambassador for America today.”

After his Fulbright year, DePersia hopes to continue his education at the post-graduate level, and eventually begin a career in international marketing.

—Sarah Tschiggfrie

9

12/2/08 8:43:15 AM

T h e

C o l o n n a d e

Johnson Scholarship Program Underway The first class of Johnson Scholars, members of the Class of 2012. Front row, l. to r.: Carolina Diaz-Menendez, Shiri Yadlin, Dominika Kruszewska, Xinnan Wang, Danielle Maurer, Ashna Sharan, Catherine Martin, Hannah Thomason.

Second row: Anna Tchenakina, Miranda Galvin, Caitlin Edgar, Jennifer Hampton, Yin Gang, Eric Gehman, Elizabeth George, Virginia Lovell. Third row: Brooke Sutherland, Kelli Jarrell, Susan Eckelmann, Timothy McAleenan, Luke Gergoudis, Devraj Kori, Kelly Harris, Robert Strong (director of the program).

Fourth row: Katherine Michelini, Courtney Perkins, Olivia Burr, Ian Sturdy, Austin Hix, Katherine McFarland, Chloe Bellomy, John Wells. Back row: Robert Warneford-Thomson, Nicholas Gioioso, Lucas Andersen, Christopher Washnock, John Grigsby, Bradley Harder, John Jacobs, Samuel Mott. Not pictured: Sean Doyle, Matthew Simpson.

The first 41 Johnson Scholars have arrived at Washington and Lee. They are studying under the auspices of the Johnson Scholarship Program, established through a $100 million donation to the University last year. The program is highly competitive, recognizing students with outstanding academic qualifications and the promise for leadership.

“This is a group of excellent students with academic accomplishments measured against the highest national standards,” said Robert Strong, associate provost and director of the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity.

Of the 41 students, 22 have at least one perfect score on a national college entrance examination, and at least five have more than one perfect score. Eleven students have earned a distinction in the National Merit competition, either a national merit scholarship or official designation as a semi-finalist or a commended student.

The scholars come from diverse corners of the world. They represent 18 different states, from New York to California, Louisiana to Wisconsin. Two live overseas (in Great Britain and Poland), and many have spent extended periods in other countries or are first-generation Americans with close ties to the native countries of their parents. The international connections involve India, Russia, China, the Ukraine, Japan and Spain.

Five are the first in their family to attend college.

The first-year students have a wide variety of interests.

One has been performing Irish dance since second grade.

Another is a costumed guide in Yorktown, Va., and a member of a fife and drum corps. There are three Eagle Scouts, a poetry-prize winner, a member of a mock trial team that came in fourth in a national competition, a second-place winner in a national patriotism essay contest, a congressional page,

10

multiple participants in governors’ schools and three winners of Virginia high school leadership awards. Three served as presidents of their high school student bodies; two headed student judicial boards; four were captains of athletic or debate teams; one was the secretary general of a model United Nations.

The Johnson Scholars do volunteer work of many kinds, but Strong was particularly impressed by one who has been going to Haiti for the past three summers to build latrines. “I would think that it takes some dedication to do that job more than once,” said Strong.

Each Johnson Scholar receives tuition and room and board.

Some students have full cost-of-attendance scholarships, covering tuition, room and board, travel to and from Lexington, living expenses and incidentals such as books.

“We are delighted to welcome these exceptional students,” said President Ken Ruscio ’76. “Graduating debt-free will liberate them to make more generous and visionary life decisions than would otherwise be possible.”

More than 1,800 high school students applied for the Johnson Scholarships. W&L selected 159 to take part in the inaugural competition in February, the strongest and most diverse group of scholarship finalists ever brought to campus.

The applicants sat in on classes, met professors and mingled with students. They attended three interviews—one with a panel of faculty, one with a panel of students and one with an admissions representative. W&L weighed writing samples, teacher recommendations and records of leadership, citizenship and involvement in non-academic activities, along with their potential to contribute to the intellectual and civic life of W&L and the world at large in years to come.

—Sarah Tschiggfrie

W & L

A l u m n i

M a g a z i n e

T h e

C o l o n n a d e

New Journalism Prof Shares Upbringing in Documentary Like most second-generation Americans, Indira Somani, a new assistant professor of journalism, has struggled with identity. Born and brought up in the Midwest, Somani led an American life, but at home her world was Indian because of her father’s immense love for his native India. Unlike others in her situation, however, Somani turned the challenges and conflicts into a documentary, “Crossing Lines.”

Co-produced with Leena Jayaswal, an assistant professor of film and media arts at American University, the film screened at the Ninth Annual D.C. Asian Pacific American Film Festival in Washington in September; at the Baltimore Women’s Film Festival in October; and at various festivals in New York, Honolulu, Washington and Los Angeles in November. It has also been distributed to more than 100 PBS stations by the National Educational Telecommunications Association, and has already aired on nearly 40 stations around the country, including San Francisco and Philadelphia.

“It was an overwhelming experience to make this film, and I feel so grateful that I had the opportunity to do it,” said Somani. The film takes viewers on a journey to India, where Somani visits her father’s extended family for the first time after his death, and explores how she tries to stay connected to Indian culture and her extended family. It is the story of how one daughter pays tribute to her father.

Somani brings 10 years of experience as a news producer to the classroom. She has worked for CNBC and network affiliate stations in Washington, Norfolk, Va., South Bend, Ind., and Springfield, Ill. Brian Richardson ’73, head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, said that the film “offers a rare combination of insights that resonate universally from an intensely personal perspective. We are pleased to have Indira Somani joining our faculty. She will no doubt enrich our students’ education enormously.”

Somani holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism; an M.S.J. from the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University; and a B.A. in Media, Race and Gender (independent major) from Knox College.

For more on Indira Somani’s documentary, see Crossinglinesthefilm.com.

—Sarah Tschiggfrie

F A L L

2 0 0 8

Keen Urges Civility, Risk Taking In her Convocation address on Sept. 3, Suzanne Keen, the Thomas H. Broadus Professor of English, reminded members of the W&L community that their words carry both power and responsibility. Addressing principally the newest and youngest members of the community, she explained “we live inside a medium of language” from our birth. “By the time we are 24 months old, most of us are engaged in shaping our reality with the words we speak,” she said. “So it matters which words we choose when we describe ourselves and our aspirations, when we greet or characterize others, when we say who we are and where we want to go.”

Keen said that the commitment to civility and respect means that “community standards are violated if and when words bring harm. Our words are deeds. They can tear down as easily as they can build up, and no constitutional protection of speech or press exonerates a person from the responsibility for the consequences of his or her words if they harm others.”

Keen invited the first-year students to take positive and promising risks—such as “committing to the study of Chinese when you place out of Spanish” or “choosing an unfamiliar discipline to fulfill a . . . requirement.” Another risk she recommended is preserving the Speaking Tradition, which is challenged these days by what she labeled “technologically induced solipsism.”

That risk is worthwhile, Keen said, “for if in every relationship with another there is an element of risk, an opening up of the self that makes us vulnerable to rebuff or misunderstanding, we must take that risk daily, or be shut out from the experience of care, to lose the chance at that most fundamental of the social virtues, friendship.”

Left to right: Professor Suzanne Keen, President Ken Ruscio ’76, Professor Kimberly Jew and University Marshal Brian Richardson ’73 prepare to lead the procession at Convoc ation.

11

Shenandoah: The Washington and Lee University R eview Volume 58, Number 3 Winter 2008 Editor: R.T. Smith Managing Editor: Lynn Leech Contents Nonfiction Joyce Davis, “Ugly” Fiction James Lee Burke, “Big Midnight Special” Charles Rose, “White Orchid” Jacob M. Appel, “The House Call” Andrew Plattner, “Welcome” Wendell Berry, “Misery” Jerry Mathes, “A Hunter’s Story”

6OLUME .UMBER s 7INTER

Shenandoah Enjoys a Fall Bounty Shenandoah: The Washington and Lee University Review is enjoying several accolades this fall.

First, the journal itself won a prestigious Governor’s Award for the Arts for 2008, in the category of arts organizations and artistic directors. Editor R.T. Smith and Managing Editor Lynn Leech attended festivities in Richmond that included Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and fellow recipient Ralph Stanley, the famed bluegrass musician. One of 10 recipients from the field of 365 nominees, Shenandoah was honored for 58 years of literary excellence.

Second, Smith won the poetry prize at the 11th Annual Library of Virginia Literary Awards for his collection Outlaw Style: Poems. This is a repeat for Smith, who won the same prize in 2002. “Every year these awards are a testament to the variety and robustness of the literary arts in Virginia,” said Smith. “Because I think Outlaw Style is my riskiest and most eccentric book, I’m especially delighted that it’s receiving recognition from the Library of Virginia.”

Third, a story originally published in Shenandoah by a former work-study student, Rebecca Makkai ’99, appears in the Best American Short Stories 2008.

Editor Salman Rushdie, the award-winning novelist, chose Makkai’s “The Worst You Ever Feel” for the annual collection.

12

5743b_p4_13_08.indd3 12

Poetry Wilmer Mills, “Walter Anderson on the Chandelleurs” John Bensko, “At Concord; The Renovators” Chloé Honum, “The Tulip-Flame” Noel Crook, “J. M. W. Turner’s Suns” John Witte Iris, “Innominata” Rita Dove, “Haydn, Overheard; Haydn’s Skull; Pulling the Organ Stops” Nancy Naomi Carlson, “Subsistence of Crickets; What My Father Knows” Rawdon Tomlinson, “Séance; Springs” Michael Spence, “Plutonium—its Roots” Gilbert Allen, “Ornament” Elaine Neil Orr, “Tennis Lessons” Joseph Bathanti, “Women’s Prison; Concertina” K. E. Duffin, “Piranhas; Gym”

The 2008 Shenandoah/Glasgow Prize for Emerging Writers Cathryn Hankla, “Judge’s Statement” Margot Singer, “Dutch Wonderland” Book Reviews Sarah Kennedy on Scott Newstok’s Kenneth Burke on Shakespeare Rick Mulkey on Thorpe Moeckel’s Making a Map of the River Matthew Poteat on Lorrie Glover’s Southern Sons: Becoming Men in the New Nation Editor’s Note “Walter Inglis Anderson: Weathering the Storm” Index Cover Walter Inglis Anderson, detail, “Saturn” panel, “The Ocean Springs Community Center Mural: The Seven Climates of Ocean Springs,” watercolor, 1950 Web site: www.shenandoah.wlu.edu E-mail: shenandoah@ wlu.edu attingly House Address: M 204 W. Washington St. Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA 24450-2116 Individual subscriptions: 1 year, $25; 2 years, $45; 3 years, $62. Institutions: 1 year, $27; 2 years, $51; 3 years, $70. Canadian individuals and institutions add $7/year for postage; all other countries add $13/year for postage. Single issue $12.

W & L

A l u m n i

M a g a z i n e

12/2/08 8:44:14 AM

T h e

C o l o n n a d e Charles Johnson, a professor of English at the University of Washington, and the winner of the 1990 National Book Award for his novel “Middle Passage.”

King Day Talk Draws Wider Attention Last January, when a full house of students and faculty in Lee Chapel listened to Charles Johnson give the Martin Luther King Jr. Day address, “The End of the Black American Narrative,” they had no idea of the explosion of interest his talk would generate.

Following his visit to W&L, arranged by Associate Dean of Students Tamara Futrell, Johnson revised his address into an essay. The American Scholar, the journal of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, edited by Robert Wilson ’73, published it in its summer 2008 edition and on its Web site. In the first week on the Web, the essay drew some 3,800 visitors. Bookstore managers told Johnson that issues of The American Scholar flew off the shelves, fueled by his provocative arguments.

Johnson appeared on Joe Hicks’ radio talk show in L.A. to discuss the essay’s applicability to today’s political climate, and numerous blogs discussed its timely perspective on American culture.

“That such a major essay in American cultural thought originated in an address at W&L is quite significant,” says Marc Conner, professor of English and director of African-American Studies. Conner is a founding member of the Charles Johnson Society, hosted at W&L, which focuses on Johnson’s work. His most recent book is Charles Johnson: The Novelist as Philosopher.

“Johnson’s main argument is that a single narrative has long dominated African-American culture and history: the narrative of African-Americans’ enslavement, oppression, victimization and struggle for civil rights and full political status in a racist society,” said Conner. “That narrative, Johnson argues, held true up to the civil rights movement, but in that movement’s aftermath it has lost its purchase. Today’s African-American population, Johnson claims, is far too numerous (over 30 million people), too diverse (witness Barack Obama’s mixed parentage and cultural background) and too spread across America’s entire class spectrum to admit of a single spokesperson or of a single story that defines their enormous diversity.”

Alecia Flynn ’10, a student in the African-American Studies Program, who met Johnson and heard his talk, thinks he makes legitimate and interesting points that encourage us to ask timely questions. “Reading the article for myself, as opposed to listening to it read aloud in Lee Chapel, made for a much more reflective and meaningful rendition of a most thought-provoking analysis,” she said. “We certainly are privileged to have had such a great mind present this at W&L.” Johnson’s essay can be read at Theamericanscholar.org/su08/narrativejohnson.html. The Charles Johnson Society Web site, which W&L hosts, is Charlesjohnson.wlu.edu.

—Sarah Tschiggfrie

F A L L

5743b_p4_13_08.indd3 13

2 0 0 8

Lee Chapel & Museum Opens New Exhibition Lee Chapel & Museum opened a new exhibition, “Martha Custis Washington: The Indispensable Woman,” on Sept. 12.

It includes objects associated with George Washington and the Custis family, on loan from the Mount Vernon Ladies Association.

The small changing exhibition runs through May 17, 2009.

Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (1731–1802), a member of the Virginia gentry, made two extraordinary marriages that defined her social status and future opportunities. Through them, she became the linchpin of the Custis, Washington and Lee families, all of whom influenced the politics and economy of colonial Virginia and the formation of a new republic.

Widowhood after her marriage to Daniel Parke Custis gave Martha economic and personal independence. Marriage to George Washington brought momentous historic events that molded her life in unique ways. The first of the First Ladies, Martha Washington set the standard for that new position and became a national icon.

The renovated museum shop is open for business, and the museum contains new text panels about the Washington, Custis and Lee family connections, Lee’s death and the Valentine statue, “The Recumbent Lee.” The museum is open daily to the public, free of charge. For hours of operation and information on upcoming events, call (540) 458-8768 or visit leechapel.com, which contains a new Web exhibition on Lee’s office.

13

11/24/08 3:37:14 PM

The Colonnade

`

Alumni Books

Donald D. Hook ’50 wrote Contradictions: Short Stories and Psychograms (A Wildwechsel Book). Hook, who is retired as a professor of modern languages and literature from Trinity College, says his stories and psychograms “comprise a continuing summary of many of the author’s life experiences and impressions.”

James R. Weiss ’88 wrote Marquis de Sade’s Veiled Social Criticism: The Depravities of Sodom as the Perversities of France (Edwin Mellen Press). The publisher says, “This work aims to separate de Sade the individual from his image in order to better understand his philosophy regarding the ‘libertine’ status quo on the Ancien Régime in France.” Weiss is a senior lecturer at Northeastern University.

Horace Douty ’54 calls his Rockbridge, Virginia: History Lessons From a Country Church “a compact book that makes learning enjoyable.” Using the Oxford Presbyterian Church near Lexington as his springboard, Douty, the church’s pastor, says these “brief snippets of history” give new life to “heroes from the archives.” To obtain a copy, contact the author at hdouty@gmail.com.

John Esperian ’59 co-authored with Peter Russo a book on the Cuban revolution, Offshore Vegas: How the Mob Brought Revolution to Cuba (iUniverse Inc.). Esperian, a professor of English at the Community College of Southern Nevada, says his research included two visits to Cuba.

Lyrae Van Clief Stefanon ’93

collaborated with Elizabeth Alexander on a chapbook, Poems in Conversation and a Conversation (Slapering Hol Press/Sleepy Hollow Chapbook Series). The verse is a meditation on the art of Romare Bearden.

` Faculty and Staff Books Paul A. Gregory

‘An important contribution to the ongoing debate over philosophical naturalism. This clearly and engagingly written work casts important new light on Quine’s contributions to the theory of knowledge, and to the development of contemporary naturalism.’

M M ,A P P , CUNY, USA

Paul A. Gregory is Associate Professor in Philosophy at Washington and Lee University, Virginia, USA.

I N

A M E R I C A N

G. Scott Thomas ’77, a longtime journalist, has published a timely book, Advice From the Presidents: The Student’s Guide to Reaching the Top in Business and Politics (Greenwood Press).

He lives in Tonawanda, N.Y.

Emily Ecton ’92 presents her second book in a series for middle-grade readers, The Curse of Cuddles McGee (Aladdin). It follows the mysterious, crime-solving adventures of friends Arlie and Ty and a dog named Mr. Boots.

14

5743b_p14_15_08.indd3 14

P H I L O S O P H Y

Quine’s Naturalism

S T U D I E S

GREGORY

W. V. Quine was the most important naturalistic philosopher of the twentieth century and a major impetus for the recent resurgence of the view that empirical science is our best avenue to knowledge. His views, however, have not been well understood. Critics charge that Quine’s naturalized epistemology is circular and that it cannot be normative. Yet, such criticisms stem from a cluster of fundamental traditional assumptions regarding language, theory, and the knowing subject – the very presuppositions that Quine is at pains to reject. Through investigation of Quine’s views regarding language, knowledge, and reality, the author offers a new interpretation of Quine’s naturalism. The naturalism/antinaturalism debate can be advanced only by acknowledging and critiquing the substantial theoretical commitments implicit in the traditional view. Gregory argues that the responses to the circularity and non-normativity objections do just that. His analysis further reveals that Quine’s departure from the tradition penetrates the conception of the knowing subject, and he thus offers a new and engaging defence of Quine’s naturalism.

C O N T I N U U M

`

Quine’s Naturalism Language,Theory, and the Knowing Subject

9 780826 490995

C O N T I N U U M

S T U D I E S

I N

A M E R I C A N

P H I L O S O P H Y

Paul A. Gregory, associate professor of philosophy, has written Quine’s Naturalism: Language, Theory, and the Knowing Subject (Continuum Studies in American Philosophy), a new interpretation of philosopher W.V. Quine’s views of naturalism.

“Quine was the most important naturalistic philosopher of the 20th century and a major impetus for the recent resurgence of the view that empirical science is our best avenue to knowledge,” says Gregory.

Rebecca Harris, assistant professor of politics, has published Black Robes, White Coats (Rutgers University Press). Using science, politics and actual court cases, Harris examines how the courts handle such evidence as polygraphs, psychological data and DNA.

W & L

A l u m n i

M a g a z i n e

11/24/08 1:38:55 PM

The Colonnade

❤

` Faculty and Staff Books Bruce MacDonald, adjunct professor of business administration, couldn’t find a book to help his students in his Art in Business course, so he wrote The Bridge: The Role of Design in Marketing (Morgan James Publishing), a behind-the-scenes analysis of why the techniques of marketing work, and the role design plays in the art of persuasion.

This volume reflects the breadth of interests of the honouree, John M. Najemy. At the core of each essay is hard primary research and that is the strength of the volume in its entirety. From front to back the articles in this collection will prove useful to virtually everyone studying any aspect of Renaissance Italy.

—thomas kuehn (clemson university) With essays from twenty-five different contributors, this collection throws its net widely and pulls in a rich variety of themes and problems. It sparkles with a number of superb papers on Italian Renaissance culture, politics, family history, and social structure, including questions of gender, literary strategies, and textual analysis.

—lauro martines (emeritus, ucla) David S. Peterson is associate professor of history at Washington and Lee University in Virginia.

Daniel E. Bornstein is professor of history and religious studies at Washington University in St. Louis, where he holds the Stella K. Darrow Professorship in Catholic Studies.

crrs Victoria University University of Toronto 71 Queen’s Park Crescent Toronto, on, Canada m5s 1k7

Florence and Beyond peterson & bornstein

This volume celebrates the many contributions of John M. Najemy to the study of Florentine and Italian Renaissance history.

Over the last three decades Najemy’s many books and articles on Florentine politics and political thought have substantially revised the narratives and contours of these fields. They have also provided a framework into which he has woven many of the innovative new threads that have emerged in Renaissance social and cultural history. The essays here presented by some of Professor Najemy’s many students and friends aim both to highlight his varied interests and to suggest where they may point for future studies of Florence and, indeed, beyond Florence.

David Peterson, associate professor of history, co-edited with Daniel Bornstein, of Washington University in St. Louis, a volume of essays titled Florence and Beyond: Culture, Society and Politics in Renaissance Italy. Essays in Honour of John M. Najemy. It is part of the series “Essays and Studies” of the Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies at the University of Toronto. Comprising 25 chapters from as many distinguished contributors, the volume surveys recent trends in the study of Italian Renaissance culture, society and politics.

Florence and Beyond Culture, Society and Politics in Renaissance Italy

Essays in Honour of John M. Najemy

Edited by david with

CRRS

s. peterson

daniel e. bornstein

Domnica Radulescu, professor of Romance languages, has not one but two books out. The first is a scholarly work, “Gypsies” in European Literature and Culture (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008), co-edited with Valentina Glajar.

The authors trace representations of Gypsies that have become prevalent in the European imagination and culture, and that have influenced the perceptions of that group in Eastern and Western European societies.

The second is her first novel, Train to Trieste (Knopf).

It tells the story of 17-year-old Mona Manoliu, who falls in love in the summer of 1977 with Mihai, a mysterious, green-eyed boy. But life under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu is difficult. Hunger and paranoia infect everyone; fear, too. One day, Mona sees Mihai wearing the black leather jacket that the secret police favor. “People always ask me how much of my novel is autobiographical, but almost everybody writes autobiographically; it’s just a matter of degree. To me, ultimately, that doesn’t matter,” says Radulescu, who escaped from Romania in 1983.

F A L L

2 0 0 8

5743b_p14_15_08.indd3 15

Student Health Has a Heart Washington and Lee purchased 16 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) this July and installed them around campus. “The AEDs make it possible for trained lay rescuers to provide immediate defibrillation, or an electrical shock to the heart, to a victim of cardiac arrest, even before arrival of emergency medical services,” said Dr. Jane Horton, director of student health and counseling.

“The survival rate following a cardiac arrest soars as much as 85 percent when an AED is applied immediately.”

In addition to Horton, W&L’s AED implementation team includes Josh Williamson, head athletic trainer; Paul Burns, environmental health and safety officer; and Steve Tomlinson, associate director of public safety.

Four mobile AEDs are located in Public Safety and Student Health and with the athletic trainers. Twelve AEDS are located around campus: •

Duchoissois Tennis Center

•

300 level Doremus Gym

•

100 level Doremus Gym

•

Stadium facility at Wilson Field

•

Lenfest Center lobby

•

Evans/Early-Fielding

•

Elrod Commons atrium

•

Lee Chapel

•

Leyburn Library

•

Gilliam Admission House

•

Law School

•

Maintenance Facility

Tell Us What You Think!

Please take the reader survey at magazine.wlu.edu.

15

11/24/08 1:39:01 PM

W&L Law

Ready, Willing and Able: Steve Abraham ’80, ’83L

by Louise Uffelman

Steve Abraham ’80, ’83L (front, in the W&L cap) and some WILL students take on the Appalachian Trail.

M

we’re least expecting it. For Steve Abraham ’80, ’83L, the light bulb went off at approximately 12,000 feet. “I was on a National Outdoors Leadership School program in the Wind River Range in Wyoming. The experience was one of the most challenging things I had ever done physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually,” he said. “Yet it was one of the most rewarding, too. I had hiked above where we were camping and was nestled into a small alcove of scrub pines to write in my journal and take in the pristine view of mountains and alpine lakes below me. At that moment, I realized I wanted to provide a similar opportunity and experience for inner-city teens in D.C.” From that mountaintop epiphany, he gave up his successful career as a trial lawyer in Washington to pursue a calling and an uncertain future—and to push his comfort zone. “If you have a goal, and are committed and accountable to it, you will succeed,” he explained. “I am a passionate advocate for the things I believe in, and I was confident I could use these skills and others learned at W&L to turn my focus from the courtroom to assisting teens to fulfill their full potential.”

Abraham, who still takes on the occasional legal case, founded Wilderness, Leadership and Learning Inc. (WILL).

The program is grounded in the belief that our youth are our ost ideas seem to jell when

16

5743b_p16_17_08.indd3 16

greatest resource, and its mission “is to help young people be successful and create a full and meaningful life, no matter what circumstances they face. We aim to inspire young men and women to become leaders among their peers, in their communities and during their lives.”

Abraham, who at W&L was president of the Executive Committee and a member of ODK , wanted WILL to provide much more than a wilderness experience. He spent hours building the program’s foundation before launching it. He juggles many different responsibilities, including fund-raiser, programmer, administrator and recruiter, and he runs and participates in all programs. “I’m the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker,” he said.

WILL enrolls 9th through 11th graders in its yearlong, experiential learning, leadership development program. “Our focus is to spend quality time with these young men and women and to impart life lessons—the same kinds of lessons I learned or honed at W&L,” Abraham said.

Now beginning its fifth year, WILL has grown from 12 students the first year to well over 34, most of whom are from lower-income families. Abraham plans each component of the program with a specific outcome in mind. For example, the challenge/rope course teaches teamwork and trust, and begins to push students beyond their perceived limits. A day

W & L

A l u m n i

M a g a z i n e

12/2/08 8:52:01 AM

W&L Law

on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers with the Chesapeake of their circumstances, experience what WILL members Bay Foundation (CBF) and its boat, the Susquehanna, provides do. In the process, they learn to communicate with one lessons on the environment, which are bolstered by three another, gain confidence and take responsibility for themdays at one of CBF’s Environmental selves. It boils down to the three Rs— Education Centers on the bay. respect for self, respect for others and On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, responsibility.”

“I am a passionate advocate WILL participants discuss civil rights, His program seems to be working. diversity and the importance of treatWILL graduates make their high for the things I believe in, ing everyone with respect and considschool honor rolls and serve as varsiand I was confident I could use eration. The College Admissions ty athletes and community volunForum (W&L is one of the panel teers. Most WILL graduates are in these skills and others learned at participants each year) introduces college, attending Michigan State, students and their parents to college Lincoln University, Cleveland State, W&L to turn my focus admissions, and introduces terrific Purdue, Cornell, Mount St. Mary’s, students to colleges early in the from the courtroom to assisting teens Virginia Commonwealth and Temple. student-identification process. And Someday, Abraham hopes one of his to fulfill their full potential.” there’s more: “With the help of many WILL graduates will be a Heinz W&L alumni in the D.C. area who Scholar at W&L. —Steve Abraham ’80, ’83L volunteer their time, WILL members Abraham said, “My hat is off to have an amazing behind-the-scenes W&L for its tradition of giving back look at the Kennedy Center, a tour of the Capitol and an educato others and for training us alumni to do the same. I want to tional scavenger hunt on the National Mall,” said Abraham. continue that line of education and show these kids that they What Abraham underscores again and again is how little have choices in life, that they can do whatever they set their exposure these youngsters have had to these kinds of experiminds to.” ences. “Some have never been on a boat before, never been As he demonstrates, where there’s a WILL, there’s a way. to the National Gallery of Art, never hiked in the woods,” he said. “WILL gives them the opportunity to see the world in a whole new way. Cumulatively, few people, if any, regardless To learn more about WILL, visit will-lead.org.

Abr aham and a buddy salute the completion of another challenge.

F A L L

2 0 0 8

5743b_p16_17_08.indd3 17

17

12/2/08 8:52:05 AM

Photos by Pete Emerson, Patrick Hinely ’73 and Kevin Remington

Generals’ Report

Out with the Old, In

by Brian Laubscher

At the first game.

A view from the end zone.

W An enthusiastic crowd.

On the field.

ilson Field is the ever-changing home of the Washington and Lee football, men’s lacrosse and track and field programs. The newly rebuilt facility features new home and visitor stands with a seating capacity of roughly 4,000; a new, state-of-the-art press box, scoreboard and sound system; lights for night games and practices; an expanded track; improved concessions areas; new restroom facilities; and spacious entryways and landscaping.

The field is named after William L. Wilson, president of the University from February 1897 until his death in 1900.

Since the initial field was built on its current site in the early 1900s, Wilson Field has received numerous upgrades. The facility initially consisted of the main athletic field and a small set of bleachers. W&L improved the field in 1923 and added a 3,000-seat stadium in 1924. Further improvements and expansions took place in 1929, 1996 and 2004, before the University decided to demolish the old facility and build a new one in time for the 2008 season.

On Oct. 27, 2007, the Generals football team closed out the old Wilson Field on a nine-game winning streak, including a 17-14 win over Bridgewater College in the final game. The team had 18 undefeated seasons at the facility and completed play at the old field with a 172-144-13 overall

Athletic Director Jan Hathorn (at podium) at the dedication of Wilson Field on Oct. 18. Surrounding her were Athletic Hall of Fame members old and new, including several members of the 1961 football team, the family of the late Rob Lindsey ’76 and the new inductees.

18

5743b_p18_21_08.indd3 18

W & L

A l u m n i

M a g a z i n e

11/24/08 3:06:42 PM

Generals’ Report

d, In with the New: The scoreboard.

The track.

record (.543). The first game on the new field took place on Sept. 20, 2008, with a 35-28 football win over Southern Virginia.

The official dedication came on Oct. 18. In addition, the newest inductees to the Athletic Hall of Fame took their bows (see pp. 20-21), and the family of the late Rob Lindsey ’76, a Hall-of-Famer for his feats in football and lacrosse, made an appearance. Lindsey’s number, 11, is imbedded on the playing surface, which is dedicated to his memory.

The event also saw the christening of the Duchossois Athletic Complex after Richard L. Duchossois ’44, in recognition of his generous support of the University. “The Duchossois Tennis Center set the standard for the rest of our facilities,” said President Ken Ruscio ’76. “Following that standard, we now have, with the rededication of Wilson Field, the finest outdoor athletic complex of any NCAA Division III institution in the country.”

Duchossois is the founder and chairman of Duchossois Industries Inc. and chairman emeritus of Arlington Park Race Course, in Chicago. In addition to Wilson Field, the complex comprises the fields for soccer, field hockey and baseball, the cross country course, the outdoor tennis courts and the indoor tennis center.

Watching from the sidelines.

The family of Rob Lindsey ’76, from left: his wife, Stacy, and children Davis, Ardith and Robert Jr.

Ready for opening day.

Richard L. Duchossois ’44 and President Ruscio at the dedication of the Duchossois Athletic Complex, of which Wilson Field is a part.

F A L L

2 0 0 8

5743b_p18_21_08.indd3 19

19

11/24/08 3:07:35 PM

Generals’ Report

The captains of the 1961 football team, from left to right: Steve Suttle ’62, Ned Hobbs ’62, Barton Dick ’62 and Terry Fohs ’62, with Athletic Director Jan Hathorn at far right.

The Athletic Hall of Fame: Class of 2008

by Brian Laubscher The 1961 Football Team was one of the greatest in W&L’s rich athletic history, with a perfect 9-0 overall record, just the second football team in school history to achieve an undefeated and untied record.

It was featured in Sports Illustrated and received the Timmie Trophy from the Washington, D.C., Touchdown Club as the Outstanding Small College Football team in the country.

The Generals opened the season with a 7-6 victory over Hampden-Sydney, but went on to outscore their next seven opponents by a total of 257-20 before finishing the season with a 33-20 victory over Washington University of St. Louis. Under the direction of Head Coach Lee McLaughlin and Assistant Coaches Boyd Williams and Buck Leslie, and with the leadership of captains Barton Dick ’62, Ned Hobbs ’62, Steve Suttle ’62 and Terry Fohs ’62, W&L featured an equally explosive offense and stingy defense. The Generals averaged 33.0 points per game, while allowing an average of just 5.1 points per outing. The defense posted four shutouts and finished the season ranked third in the country in rushing defense and fourth in total defense.

The 1961 team was the centerpiece of a three-year run that saw W&L post a 25-1-1 overall record from 1960-62.

Center Terry Fohs ’62 was named Second Team Little AllAmerica by the Associated Press, while quarterback Steve Suttle ’62, back Charlie Gummey ’63, guard Tommy Goodwin ’62 and tackle Bob Payne ’63 were all named Honorable Mention All-Americans.

Dave Warfield ’75 was a four-year letterwinner for the lacrosse team, serving as a team captain during his senior season. He was one of W&L’s top scoring threats for some of the school’s most heralded lacrosse teams.

After totaling 11 points as a reserve attackman during

20

5743b_p18_21_08.indd3 20

his freshman season, Warfield broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore and finished second on the team in scoring, with 62 points on 41 goals and 21 assists. That season, he helped lead the Generals to a 14-1 overall record and a trip to the NCAA Semifinals.

As a junior, Warfield led the team in scoring with 76 points on 47 goals and 29 assists, helping W&L to a 15-1 record and another trip to the NCAA Semifinals. He was named Second Team All-American.

As a senior, Warfield finished third on the team in scoring despite several injuries. He missed the first five games and then played the final three in a cast due to a broken thumb, including a thrilling 11-7 upset victory over Johns Hopkins in the NCAA Tournament. Warfield still managed to complete the season with 64 points on 36 goals and 28 assists as the Generals finished 11-7 overall and again advanced to the NCAA Semifinals. Warfield received the Wheelright Memorial Trophy as the Team MVP and was again tabbed for the Second Team All-America squad.

Warfield finished his stellar career with 213 career points on 131 goals and 82 assists and helped the Generals to a 52-12 overall record and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He is ranked fifth all-time in points, fourth in goals scored and eighth in assists. His seven-goal performance in a 15-14 win over Towson in 1975 is also tied for the second-most goals scored in a game at W&L. Warfield capped his lacrosse accomplishments with his selection to the 1978 U.S. National Lacrosse Team.

Jack Berry ’76 was a tremendous two-sport athlete during the mid-1970s.

He lettered all four years as a member of the track and field and football teams and was a captain for both sports, two years for the football team. Berry was a top performer in the

W & L

A l u m n i

M a g a z i n e

11/24/08 3:07:44 PM

Generals’ Report

Dave Warfield ’75

Jack Berry ’76

javelin all four years. It was on the football field, however, where he made his biggest impact.

Berry was a three-year starter at quarterback and held nearly every passing record at W&L. He passed for better than 1,000 yards in each of his final three seasons and finished ranked third in Division III in passing completions per game and fifth in total offense.

A three-time All-Virginia College Athletic Association (VCAA) selection, Berry received Honorable Mention Little All-America honors from the Associated Press following his senior season. He was twice offensive MVP of the homecoming game and received the 1975 Dan Ray Justice Award.

Berry is ranked fourth all-time at W&L in career total offense and fifth in career completions, career yards and career touchdown passes. He holds the record for the longest passing play in school history, a 99-yard connection with Mercer West against Hampden-Sydney in 1974.

Berry received the Pres Brown Award as W&L’s top senior athlete. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him in the 17th round of the 1976 NFL draft, the final selection of the Buccaneers’ first-ever draft class.

Andrew White ’88 was a four-year letterman for men’s track and field, serving as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons. He won 10 titles at the ODAC Track & Field Championships and 10 additional titles at the ODAC Outdoor Championships.

He took the gold in the outdoor 110-meter hurdles all four seasons and set the ODAC Championship record in that event during his senior campaign.

White received the ODAC Indoor and Outdoor Trackman of the Year Award twice, while leading the Generals to a pair of ODAC Outdoor Track & Field titles and four straight ODAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. White qualified

F A L L

2 0 0 8

5743b_p18_21_08.indd3 21

Andrew White ’88

Beth Stutzmann ’90

for the NCAA Championships three times in the 110-meter hurdles and 400-meter relay.

White still holds the W&L records for the outdoor 110meter hurdles, the outdoor 400-meter hurdles and the indoor 55-meter hurdles. He was part of the 4x100 meter relay team that shared the school-record time of 42.10.

White received the 1988 W&L Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award and the 1988 Harry “Doc” Jopson Award as the top male student-athlete in the ODAC. He received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

Beth Stutzmann ’90 was one of the pioneers of women’s athletics at W&L. She lettered as a member of the track and field, soccer and swimming and diving teams, serving as a two-year captain for track and field.

Stutzmann was a member of the first women’s soccer and women’s track and field teams. She earned four letters in soccer and was a two-year starter on the defensive unit.

In swimming and diving, she lettered in both her freshman and sophomore seasons.

In track and field, Stutzmann lettered for the first two seasons of varsity competition and received the Team MVP award for two years. She won five individual events at the unofficial ODAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships (ODAC did not sponsor women’s track until 1995) and graduated holding individual school records in the 60-yard hurdles, 60-yard dash, 100-meter hurdles, 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump and triple jump. She was a member of the record-holding teams for the 4x100 meter relay, 800-meter relay and 4x400 meter relay. Her record in the 100-meter hurdles stood until 2008.

Stutzmann, a W&L Scholar-Athlete, capped her career by being named the 1990 W&L Female Athlete of the Year.

21

11/24/08 3:08:06 PM

“Washington and Lee takes seriously its role as an environmental and community steward.

Some of our students have never set foot in a garden nor have they gone without a meal, so projects like the community garden and Campus Kitchens are a great way for them to learn lessons in the laboratory and lessons in life.”

— P r e s i d e n t Ke n R u s c i o ’ 7 6

The environment is one of the most important subjects of our times. It permeates all areas of our lives, from our choice in the recent presidential election to our choice to recycle at home. On campus, staff, faculty and students are studying the issue from all angles and trying to make the University ever more sustainable. Off campus, alumni are working on myriad environmental concerns. For W&L, as President Ruscio says, it’s all about education.

22

W & L

A

l u m n i

M

a g a z i n e

The Wearing of the Green b y W e n d y L o v e l l ’90

The campus is the stage for all manner of environmental efforts on the part of students, faculty and staff.

Here are a few of their stories.

Wi t h t h e s k i l l s Mackenzie Brown acquired during her summer internship, she could run a restaurant after she graduates next spring.

It is more likely, however, that the environmental studies major will pursue a job in the field of sustainable development or with a non-profit.

As a summer intern for the University’s Campus Kitchens Project (CKP), the native of Kingwood, W.Va., learned to manage and operate a full-service kitchen. She worked six days a week to guide a team of volunteers in recovering food from Dining Services, cooking meals and delivering them to eight agencies in the area that serve low-income clientele.

Brown also taught two cooking classes at Project Horizon, the local domestic-violence shelter; coordinated with local farmers to receive their extra summer produce; obtained vegetables from W&L’s garden; moved the kitchen to a new location; and helped the program transition from Styrofoam to more sustainable packaging for meals.

“One of the most interesting things about the Campus Kitchens Project is that the food we receive is food that would otherwise be thrown away,” said Brown. “I love my work with CKP because it creates such an obvious solution to food waste and feeding the hungry. My experience with the project is another facet of my W&L experience that helped link my desire to be environmentally friendly with my interest in helping the poor.”

The busy campus leader will continue to pursue those interests as she winds down her time at W&L. She continues to volunteer with CKP and serves on its leadership team, and she helps guide W&L’s environmental efforts as a member of the University Sustainability Committee.

In October, Brown got some icing on her cake—the Leah Prudhomme Volunteer of the Year Award from the National Campus Kitchen Conference.u

Leader and Volunteer: Mackenzie Brown ’09

F

a l l

Mackenzie Brown amid the peppers at the community garden.

Joe Champion, an avid hiker and mountain biker from Roanoke, A t t h e F o r e f r o n t : considered himself an environ- J o e C h a m p i o n 11 ’ mentalist before coming to W&L. His interest in the subject has really grown, however, through his association with the Environmental Studies Program.

“W&L’s role as a steward of the environment is immensely important,” said the physics and engineering major. “During my time as a student, I have seen many strides taken by W&L to maintain a healthy relationship between the school, the Rockbridge community and the environment. From drastically increasing recycling efforts to promoting the consumption of local produce and water, W&L is attempting to put the environment and sustainability in the spotlight.”

Champion takes his role as an environmentalist to a new level with his involvement on the University Joe Champion, Sustainability Committee. As one who’s thinking about a career of three student members (two in architecture. undergraduates and one law), he helps guide the committee’s efforts to reach out to students.

“After graduation, I hope to continue pressing the issue of sustainability and a healthy environment wherever I end up,” he said.

“I may pursue a career in architecture, which has truly begun to make a change with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Many architects and firms are beginning to follow LEED guidelines to construct high-performance green buildings, and I would love to be at the forefront of this movement.”u

2 0 0 8

5743b_p22_35_08.indd3 2

12/2/08 8:56:27 AM

R e m i n g t o n

a g a z i n e

K e v i n

M

a n d

l u m n i

’ 7 3

A

H i n e l y

W & L

P a t r i c k

Alex da Silva at the Marketplace, a shining example of sustainable practices at W&L.

b y

24

Growing up in Brazil, Up to the Challenge: Alex da Silva consumed fresh, locally A l e x d a S i l v a grown produce. He vividly remembers buying his first bottled orange juice soon after moving to the United States. “I took a sip and immediately spit it out,” said da Silva. “It was horrible because it wasn’t freshsqueezed, and I wasn’t accustomed to juice from concentrate.”

Da Silva’s upbringing influences the decisions he makes as director of Auxiliary Services, which includes all on-campus dining and catering. To that end, he has developed a local purchasing program that accounted for 8.5 percent of total food purchases in 2007-2008. He expects that number to grow to 12 percent this year as he contracts with local vendors for beef, chicken, pork, cheese, grains and honey.

“I don’t just look at green in the decisions I make but at sustainability,” said da Silva, who joined the staff in 2002. “Our initiatives are supporting local economic development, land conservation and improving our community. We’re still in the infancy of developing our program, but we’re working to be sustainable here in a way we haven’t before.”

While some of the changes da Silva has made in Dining Services to improve the environment have come with a higher price, they have added value to the overall program, and he thinks they will pay dividends in the long run. He’s also been able to save in other areas of Dining Services to support these new programs and improve the quality of W&L’s culinary products.

“One change that supports savings is going trayless in the Marketplace,” said da Silva of a program that began this fall. “Not using trays yields savings in chemicals, energy and water usage, and hopefully will result in less waste. It’s not popular with some of the students, but we think they’ll become accustomed to it.”

Da Silva said that his department is moving its vehicle fleet from gas to diesel, and it has begun to replace all washers and dryers on campus with Energy Star units, which is expected to yield water and energy savings. Copy Services has implemented a post-recyclable paper purchasing program, and Dining Services has begun using compact fluorescent lights that they expect will reduce energy use significantly and provide approximately $10,000 in savings per year.

“We are fortunate to be located in a beautiful, rural environment that offers much toward our efforts to become a sustainable campus,” said da Silva. “The challenge is great, but I think we are up to it, and I think as an institution, Washington and Lee takes environmental responsibility seriously. I look forward to guiding Auxiliary Services in doing its part to make a difference.”u

P o r t r a i t s

Although she recycled at home, Valerie Cushman wouldn’t have classified herself as a staunch environmentalist when she joined W&L in October 2007 as executive assistant to the president. One of her duties, however, is helping President Ruscio structure the new University Sustainability Committee. The committee, which met for the first time in September, will create a strategic plan to guide the University in achieving the goals of the Talloires Declaration and the President’s Climate Commitment (see pp. 26 and 27). “Assisting President Ruscio with these efforts has helped me grow personally in my interest in the environment,” said Cushman.

Cushman came to Lexington from Randolph College (formerly Randolph-Macon Woman’s College), in Lynchburg, Va., where she was special assistant to the president, director of athletics and chair of physical education. “It makes sense that I’m enjoying this aspect of my job,” she said, “as one of the things I’m most proud of at Randolph College was gathering a large group of student athletes to give something back to the Lynchburg community.”

Cushman was inspired to organize a watershed clean-up effort in downtown Lynchburg after reading Earl Swift’s Journey on the James: Three Weeks Through the Heart of Virginia, about the reporter’s trek down the James River in Virginia. She enlisted about 85 athletes and coaches to spend a day cleaning up a section of the river, and she found the positive response of her students to volunteering to be as invigorating and rewarding as any victory on the field.

“What we’re doing here at Washington and Lee is the right thing to do,” said Cushman. “We should be role modeling for our community and our students. We Val Cushman have something sits on a to be gained from Lexington committee ensuring that our concerned with students think environmental about the comissues. munities in which they live, and teaching them and learning from them about how we all can make a difference in protecting our environment.”u

Something to be Gained: Valerie Cushman

Green Light for Awareness

/

During the 2006-2007 academic year, Campus Kitchens recovered nearly 6,000 pounds of food from Dining Services and distributed it to underprivileged families throughout Rockbridge County. In 2007-2008, Dining Services provided nearly 8,000 pounds of food to Campus Kitchens. Using a conservative estimate of $2.50 per pound, Alex da Silva estimates that Dining Services’ financial investment in the community over the past two years was approximately $34,300, which doesn’t include the time investment to manage and run Campus Kitchens.

/ Campus Kitchens received a Cargill Grant for 2008-2009.

Taylar Hart ’10, Campus Kitchens’ Cargill intern, put together an innovative proposal to do nutrition education at some of our partner sites, with a particular focus on the benefits of eating local and sustainably produced food. Hart plans to use the Campus Kitchen community garden and its produce as part of her education plan.

/

On Oct. 1, W&L held its second annual Local Fall Harvest Dinner to increase awareness of local food. At W&L’s invitation, nearby campuses sponsored similar events: the University of Virginia, James Madison University, Hollins University, Sweet Briar College, Bridgewater College, Eastern Mennonite University, and the Harrisonburg, Lexington and Rockbridge County public schools.

/

This fall, Bill Hamilton and the University Sustainability Committee, with support from the University Store, spearheaded the Klean Kanteen™ program, which encourages the community to drink local water and reduce the purchase of bottled water. Ninety first-year law students and 310 undergraduate first-years received the reusable, stainless steel, 27-ounce bottles to welcome them to campus and help kick off the program. They are available for purchase in the University Store.

/

In addition to the Klean Kanteen, the University Store offers a number of green products and encourages sustainable practices. Among the products are index cards, filler paper and blue books of recycled paper; organic-cotton clothing; and books about ecology. The store gave free tote bags to all students during the fall book rush; installed energy-efficient light bulbs; recycled waste materials; and sought local sources for their goods.

/

On Oct. 16, W&L hosted a one-day workshop as part of COVES, the Commonwealth of Virginia Energy and Sustainability Conference. The three-day conference continued at the Virginia Military Institute. W&L’s portion, titled “GHG Inventories and Management—Emerging Regulation and Responses,” gave an overview of the development and management of greenhouse gas inventories. Breakout sessions for representatives of higher education, business and industry, state government and local government focused on specific details of inventories and climate change programs.

Dr. Anthony Cortese, president of Second Nature and codirector of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, spoke at the workshop and also with the Introduction to Environmental Studies class.

F

all

2 0 0 8

Last Christmas, his father gave An Environmental Bill Hamilton, associate profesEducation: sor of biology, a framed essay that Bill wrote in the second or B i l l H a m i l t o n third grade. It implored readers to keep water clean and prevent forest fires. Matted in green (what else?), the essay now hangs in Hamilton’s office. It represents both a life committed to environmental awareness and the motivation behind Hamilton’s efforts to help the University’s sustainability initiatives.

Hamilton joined the faculty in 2001 and was quickly recruited to serve on W&L’s Environmental Planning and Management Committee (EPMC), which coordinated, planned and managed environmental concerns. In that capacity, Hamilton and other committee members brought environmental efforts into the classroom and Bill Hamilton in the the administration.

W&L greenhouse, where he grows basil With the assistance for Dining Services. of W&L’s Auxiliary Services Department, he’s implemented a composting program and community garden that not only serve as an outdoor biology lab but also provide an outreach to the community.

More than 15 tons of food scraps and trimmings from Dining Services are composted each year, not to mention the containers, cups and plates that are used in Café 77 in Elrod Commons. Made in part from corn, potato, cane and sugar beet starch, these products are compostable and biodegradable. The compost is used in the community garden, which provides tomatoes, herbs, peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and popping corn for use on campus and in the Campus Kitchens Project, where student volunteers package unused food from campus dining facilities and deliver it to local food banks and community members in need.

“Implementing these programs and making our campus sustainable is the right thing to do,” said Hamilton. “We should be role models for our students and our community. Sustainability issues touch every area we teach here, and I can’t think of another subject that does; therefore, not only do we benefit as an institution by educating our students about sustainability issues, but we also reap a potential benefit from financial efficiencies.”

Hamilton was recently tapped to chair the new University Sustainability Committee, which succeeds the EPMC. It supports W&L’s commitment to a sustainable campus environment 25

Learning about biodiesel during Campus Sustainability Week.

and advises President Ruscio. Hamilton hopes that funneling environmental issues through a committee of this stature will serve to strengthen the University’s success in this area.

“The greatest challenge we face is educating our campus community on the need to support these initiatives, and the University Sustainability Committee now has the teeth to do that,” said Hamilton. “In the future I want to see students coming to Washington and Lee because we are a sustainable campus, and once we change the student culture, the overall program will work and grow.” u Jim Kahn examines a map of Brazil, a focus of W&L’s Environmental Studies Program.

that allowed students from different majors to take courses in environmental subjects from different departments. Kahn joined the faculty in 2000 to run the environmental studies interdisciplinary concentration; in 2007, the program was approved as a major.

“One of my goals in coming to Washington and Lee was the chance to develop a program that would change students’ lives,” said Kahn. “I had been exploring chairs at research universities and in liberal arts programs, but the opportunity to do this at Washington and Lee was right for me. I worked with graduate students the first 20 years of my career and wanted to mentor undergraduate students.”

The Environmental Studies Program has made its mark on campus, educating students from all disciplines on a broad range of issues related to the environment and humanity’s place in the natural world. So far, 18 students have participated in a six-month exchange program with Brazilian universities that focuses on the environment and matches them with families and professors, offering a hands-on approach to living and studying in South America.

In Lexington, students in the program teach local secondary pupils about habitat, soil and water topics at Boxerwood Gardens, a nature center outside of Lexington; learn about composting by supporting the University’s composting operation; and work at Cherry Ridge, a local, community-supported farm. This winter, environmental studies students will examine pollution and overfishing in the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.

“A lot of students come to W&L geared to pre-med, law school or business, but they experience an environmental economics class and are tuned in to something new,” said Kahn. “The courses we offer in the Environmental Studies Program mix well with any major at Washington and Lee, and it is a program that challenges students and gets them to start thinking about the causes and consequences of, and solutions to, environmental problems.” u

Presidents C l i m at e C o m m i t m e n t w w w.presidentsclimatecommitment.org

Jim Kahn’s academic Changing Students’ Lives: path is more like a full circle bringing J i m K a h n ’7 5 him back to the University where he received a degree in economics. Since graduation, the John F. Herndon Professor of Economics and head of the Environmental Studies Program has become an internationally known environmental economist, innovative teacher and leader in interdisciplinary research. In fact, he literally wrote the book on environmental economics, The Economic Approach to Environmental and Natural Resources, a widely used textbook.

His experience was just what W&L was looking for in 1998 when it sought a director for a new interdisciplinary program 26

“We believe colleges and universities must exercise leadership in their communities and throughout society by modeling ways to minimize global warming emissions, and by providing the knowledge and the educated graduates to achieve climate neutrality. Campuses that address the climate challenge by reducing global warming emissions and by integrating sustainability into their curriculum will better serve their students and meet their social mandate to help create a thriving, ethical and civil society. These colleges and universities will be providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to address the critical, systemic challenges faced by the world in this new century and enable them to benefit from the economic opportunities that will arise as a result of solutions they develop. We further believe that colleges and universities that exert leadership in addressing climate change will stabilize and reduce their long-term energy costs, attract excellent students and faculty, attract new sources of funding, and increase the support of alumni and local communities.”—The Signers of the Commitment

Talloires D e c l a r at i o n www.ulsf.org/programs_talloires.html Composed in 1990 at an international conference in Talloires, France, this is the first official statement that university administrators made of a commitment to environmental sustainability in higher education. The declaration is a 10-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities. More than 350 university presidents and chancellors in more than 40 countries have signed it.

President Ruscio drove one of W&L’s new biodiesel-powered vans at the summer staff picnic, at Skylark, up on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Liberal Arts and the Environment: President Ken Ruscio ’76

Ruscio thinks one of the challenges facing the liberal arts today is helping students understand the connection between their education and the world around them. If the goal is to educate them for lives of consequence, they also need to see how their education provides insight into the key problems facing their generation.

“While sustainability is for me a personal commitment, so too is the mission of the liberal arts,” said Ruscio. “I don’t know how to confront the problems of the environment without the intellectual breadth of a liberal arts education. It is not simply that it requires a knowledge of politics, economics, science, literature and philosophy; it also requires an understanding of how all those areas of knowledge come together and are interwoven in a single problem.”

In the past two years, Ruscio has taken several steps that signal the importance the University places on bringing together students, faculty, administrators and staff to reduce W&L’s carbon footprint. In early 2007, he signed the Presidents Climate Commitment and the Talloires Declaration (see sidebars). “We must align our own institutional practices with what we preach to our students about their duties as responsible citizens and their obligations to future generations,” said Ruscio.

In September, Ruscio announced six institutional priorities for the 2008-09 academic year, of which sustainability is one (see p. 4). With the formation of the University Sustainability Committee, W&L will look for ways it can do more to reduce its use of energy, minimize its carbon footprint and tread gently on the local environment, all the while tying its commitment to sustainable practices into its educational mission.

“The commitment also derives from living and working in a place such as Rockbridge County, where the connection between the natural world and the character of this community is so close,” said Ruscio. “We sometimes take for granted how the sense of place—the civility of our personal interactions, for example—is, in no small part, a function of the natural setting in which we live, the graceful mountains in the background, Woods Creek and the Maury River, Goshen Pass, Natural Bridge. In a place such as ours, the physical and natural settings intertwine with the social and cultural.”u F

a l l

2 0 0 8

5743b_p22_35_08.indd3 6

It wasn’t until he came to Virginia from La Jolla, Calif., W o r k i n g T o g e t h e r : that Michael Thompson truly M i c h a e l became an environmentalT h o m p s o n ’09 ist. Through his studies as a geology major with a concentration in environmental studies, Thompson has discovered interests that are steering him toward a career in renewable energy.

Since his sophomore year, Thompson has belonged to the Student Environmental Action League (SEAL), an organization

Michael Thompson relies on a bike to get around.

25

12/2/08 8:59:49 AM

dedicated to increasing environmental awareness, promoting campus sustainability and informing students about service opportunities. SEAL supported the University’s Sustainability Week in the fall. Among other activities, it plans a light-bulb exchange where the W&L community can exchange incandescent bulbs for compact florescent lights that increase energy efficiency and last years longer.

“I think W&L is doing a great job of greening its campus, specifically with help from the leadership of our faculty and the president’s office,” said Thompson. “We still face a daunting task to achieve a sustainable campus under national standards, which means that all members of the W&L community need to work together to achieve our goal.”u Chris Wise checks out the harvest this summer at the community garden.

son of a chemistry professor, Chris M i n d f u l o f The Wise grew up on W&L’s campus. Here t h e F u t u r e : he came to appreciate the beauty of C h r i s W i s e Lexington and its surroundings. The community made a strong impression on him as did its motto, “Not Unmindful of the Future.” Wise ventured off to North Carolina to attend college and worked as an extension agent in the Outer Banks before returning home in 28

5743b_p22_35_08.indd3 7

1988 to give his daughter an upbringing similar to his own.

Wise joined the University staff as a horticulturist. In 2006, he was named W&L’s first environmental management coordinator.

While the University has taken steps to protect the environment in the past, its recent focus on developing a sustainability plan and coordinating efforts across campus is new. In his post, Wise helps develop policies and programs to reduce the consumption of raw materials and capital.

Among the many programs Wise manages are a campus-wide, separate-stream recycling program; the RecycleMania competition, a benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs; and W&L’s partnership in the Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise program (to reduce municipal solid waste) and Waste Minimization Program (to reduce the use and release of priority chemicals). In addition, the University was the first college in the state to join the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program, which encourages superior performance through environmental management systems and pollution prevention.

“I’m sometimes seen as a troublemaker because I’m asking people on campus to change their habits,” said Wise. “Many times I have to make people understand how helping the University reduce its carbon footprint can benefit them, too.”

Wise finds the educational aspect of his job challenging, but it’s also one of the most rewarding parts. “What’s really exciting is that we are training the leaders of tomorrow and helping them understand what sustainability is all about,” said Wise. “It also goes back to being mindful of the future. Washington and Lee has been here for more than 250 years, and if we want to be here another 250, there are some serious environmental factors that will affect whether or not we can.”u

The Blue Bike Program, housed at Leyburn Library, has five bikes available for loan to members of the campus community as a convenient and environmentally friendly way to get around. The bikes are locked and stored on the bridge leading to the main entrance of the library. Anyone wishing to use the bikes may do so by obtaining a bike helmet and a key at the Information Desk of Leyburn Library. The bikes may be checked out for 24 hours.

(And yes, these particular bikes are red.)

W & L

A

l u m n i

M

a g a z i n e

12/2/08 9:01:38 AM

C a m p u s S u s ta i n a b i l i t y W e e k W&L hosted activities from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1 to raise awareness among students, faculty and staff and the local community. Personnel of Dining Services, Facilities Management, the Biology Department, the Geology Department and the Environmental Studies Program planned the events:

/ Water Awareness Day featured educational displays, plus talks

by Robert Humston, assistant professor of biology; Tamim Younos, associate director of the Water Center and research professor of water resources, Virginia Tech; David Harbor, professor of geology; and Mark Carey, assistant professor of history.

/

Climate Action/Community Service Day presented displays on water and energy conservation, solar energy, biodiesel, the Blue Bike Program, the Presidents Climate Commitment/ Tallories Declaration, W&L’s greenhouse gas inventory and waste minimization.

/

Local Food Stewardship Day had the second annual Local Harvest Dinner at the Marketplace, with most of the food coming from local sources; educational displays; and a farmers’ market.

During Sustainability Week, students decorated cups to reuse, thus cutting down on plastic water bottles.

University Sustainability Committee ...................................................................

William Hamilton, Chair

...................................................................

The props from the corn-shucking contest later made their way to Dining Services or the compost heaps.

Ex Officio Members: Michael Carmagnola, Executive Director of Facilities and Capital Planning Valerie Cushman, Executive Assistant to the President Alex da Silva, Auxiliary Services Lorie Holter, Coordinator of Environmental Studies Robert Strong, Dean’s Council Representative Chris Wise, Environmental Management Coordinator ...................................................................

Three-year faculty appointments: David Harbor, Geology James Kahn, Williams School Faculty William Hamilton, Environmental Studies and Biology Hari Osofsky, Law Faculty James Warren, College Faculty ...................................................................

Three-year student-affairs staff appointment: James Dick, Student Affairs

...................................................................

Student members: Mackenzie Brown ’09 Joseph Champion ’11 Megan Williams ’09L F

all

2 0 0 8

29

Mellon Grant

for

E n v i r o n m e n ta l S t u d i e s

Washington and Lee received a four-year, $600,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to expand and enhance place-based learning in the interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Program.

The grant will create a specialization in the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, the nation’s largest estuary and the largest Atlantic watershed, where pollution, over-fishing and other impacts of development are eroding critically important ecological services.

The Chesapeake Bay aspect will add a domestic component to the program’s already strong international program in the Brazilian Amazon, which allows students to make a comparative analysis of two critically important watersheds, and to examine environmental policies that differ from one country to another for historical, cultural, political and environmental reasons.

James Kahn, John F. Herndon Professor of Economics and head of the Environmental Studies Program, notes that the program will focus on the upper watershed and how decisions made by communities and individuals in that region affect the bay as a whole. The program is intended to help those communities make better decisions concerning ways to reduce pollution.

Students will see the difficulty of solving problems associated with the complex interactions of community dynamics, science, the economy and policy making and, over time, realize the results of those efforts.

The grant also will make possible the expansion of the Environmental Studies Program in a number of ways, adding a tenure-track faculty position, increasing the number of student internships and faculty-mentored student research opportunities and more fully integrating the program with the Biology Department.

Environmental Studies course offerings will also increase to meet the demand among W&L students, which has risen dra30

matically in recent years. The program added more sections of its introductory course and has plans for new courses in aquatic ecology and environmental modeling, interdisciplinary courses that integrate science and policy and a team-taught capstone course.

Robert Humston, assistant professor of biology and the program’s newest faculty member, is developing a two-course sequence for the Chesapeake Bay program. “The winter term course will be a broad watershed ecology and management course, which will be classroom-based and will consider not just the structure and function of watersheds, but also the major issues facing them with respect to conservation and management,” Humston said. “The spring term course will be a field-based course that will take students from the headwater streams in the mountains to the river mouths at the bay, and will explore all the concepts covered in the classroom course from the ground level.”

The addition of the Chesapeake Bay program will help more students fulfill Environmental Studies’ experiential learning component—an internship, a research project or an approved study abroad, leading to a capstone paper or honors thesis—that is a requirement for the major. And W&L students won’t be the only ones to benefit. Brazilian students studying at W&L as part of the U.S.-Brazil Consortium will be actively involved and eligible for funding to do research or internships with agencies and non-governmental organizations in the Chesapeake Bay area.

W & L

A

l u m n i

M

a g a z i n e

Ever Green b y

K a r e n

D o s s

B o w m a n

W&L alumni of all generations are working on environmental concerns in a variety of intriguing and useful ways. Here is a look at what eight are up to. For online profiles of other alumni in the field, see magazine.wlu.edu.

Providing Incentive and Knowledge: E a r l e B a t e s ’54

Earle Bates and his faithful dog, Willis, enjoyed the October sunshine in Lexington.

F

all

2 0 0 8

When Earle Bates was a student at W&L in the 1950s, the environmental movement was virtually non-existent. But since retiring to Lexington in 2000, Bates has learned as much as he can about the topic, auditing courses at the University, attending on-campus lectures and participating in Alumni College seminars.

A former partner in the Washington office of the Pittsburgh-based law firm of Reed Smith, Bates has supported the Environmental Studies Program through generous gifts. He established the Earle S. Bates Environmental Studies Fund, which supports activities such as the Brazilian exchange program, summer internships and research projects, and the new Chesapeake Bay program. Further, the Earle Bates Prize in Environmental Studies goes to a graduating environmental studies student. The program’s core faculty choose the winners on the basis of general academic performance, academic performance in the program, participation in cocurricular activities and contributions to campus and community sustainability. (This year it went to Bonnie Fay ’08 and Katelyn Huffman ’08.)

Bates, who also supports organizations such as the Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund and Defenders of Wildlife, is pleased that W&L offers a major in environmental studies. His gift, he says, is a practical way to leave a legacy for future generations of students. “We’re gradually degrading the environment to the detriment of present and future generations,” he said when he made the gift. “A program like W&L’s Environmental Studies Program gives future leaders the incentive and the knowledge to preserve the natural resources we have left.”u

31

Lee Brading lives and works in Charlotte, N.C.

As managing director and head of credit research for Wachovia Capital Markets L.L.C., in Charlotte, N.C., Lee Brading is accustomed to crunching numbers. But working on special projects with the company’s integrated research team gives him deeper insights into the environmental trends affecting American businesses.

In March, Brading’s team released a report, “The Greening of America,” which included case studies on 46 American corporations—including the Walt Disney Co., Time Warner Inc., and Genzyme Corp.—to show what they are doing to become more sustainable and how many are profiting from their efforts. Among the report’s conclusions: Consumers are demanding environmentally friendly practices; companies are integrating green efforts into their public relations strategies; and most businesses today are earnestly seeking to shrink their carbon footprints.

Though he majored in business and accounting at W&L, Braden thinks this kind of project shows how critical it is for students to develop other skills. “In a report like this, you do a lot of writing and research, but at the same time, a lot of detailed analysis of companies and their balance sheets and income statements,” he said. “I’ve gotten that benefit of the liberal arts education combined with a skills set in my major.”

As for the subject of his report, “the green movement is not a fad,” said Brading. “It’s going to be around forever and will be a driving force.” u

A Driving Force: Lee Brading ’89

32

5743b_p22_35_08.indd3 11

When Jenny Elmes and her Nourishing the Earth: classmates return to cam- J e n n y E l m e s ’91 pus for their 20th reunion in 2011, she hopes they have the distinction of the first all-green alumni reunion in the University’s history. In her vision, it’ll come complete with locally produced food and beverages, biodegradable utensils, energy-efficient lighting and composting at the end of the party.

“I think it would be a great way to reinforce that W&L is attempting to become more ecologically sound,” said Elmes, owner of Full Circle Catering, in Lexington, which is certified

by Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality and the Green Restaurant Association.

Going green isn’t a gimmick for Elmes, who is the daughter of David Elmes, professor emeritus in the W&L Psychology Department. Not only does she personally compost, recycle and shop locally, but she also integrates these practices into her business model. If her clients don’t have on-site composting systems or recycling bins, for example, Elmes will collect the waste in airtight, leak-proof bags, and lug it home for her recycling and compost bins.

Elmes is pleased when others join her efforts to reduce waste and save resources. Recently, she catered a party for about 100 people, and was heartened by the results: a large bag of recycling—and only one piece of trash.

“I love that I can leave my job knowing that I have nourished folks with healthy, great-tasting and artfully presented food that leaves a little footprint on the environment,” she said. u Jenny Elmes no doubt turned this produce into something delicious.

Scientists All: Eric Lundquist ’94

W & L

A

l u m n i

M

a g a z i n e

12/2/08 9:10:56 AM

Eric Lundquist on the job with Earthwatch, studying the New Jersey shore with scientists from the University of Pennsylvania’s Sea Level Rise Lab.

S c i e n t i s t s A l l: As a student, Eric Lundquist have imagined that Eric Lundquist ’94 couldn’t the unlikely combination of an English major and a work-study job as lab assistant for the Biology Department would be excellent career preparation.

“I was destined to not be the scientist, but to be the person working with them,” Lundquist joked. “A liberal arts education taught me that you don’t have to be a scientist to participate in scientific discovery.”

For three years, the resident of Greenfield, Mass., has worked as program manager of educational initiatives for Earthwatch. The non-profit organization funds scientific field research and engages volunteers to participate in the projects.

The strategy is designed to develop citizen-scientists who care about the earth and will take action for a more sustainable environment, Lundquist explained. Each year, he has the opportunity to join at least one field project. In July, for example, he took two groups of high school students to Iceland to help scientists examine landscape responses to rapid glacial retreat.

For Lundquist, whose graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania emphasized cross-cultural communication on environmental issues, it’s rewarding to see people from all backgrounds learning about and engaging in scientific research.

“I definitely like being part of igniting a new discovery, an ‘Eureka!’ kind of thing,” he said. “We can all be scientists at some level.” u

F

a l l

2 0 0 8

5743b_p22_35_08.indd3 12

Though Porter McNeil Happy with Less: admits that he’s been a P o r t e r M c N e i l ’77 “closet tree hugger” for most of his life, it was at W&L, as a biology major, that he began to really think about conservation issues.

Two of McNeil’s favorite professors, L.R. Emmons and Tom Nye, of the Biology Department, taught him that the planet is home to human and non-human organisms. They emphasized that humans have a responsibility to care for their non-human counterparts.

“Humans should lead their lives with this respect in mind,” McNeil said, “using only what they need and attempting to recycle whenever possible.”

These days, the resident of Orlando, Fla., is making sure people have the tools they need to embrace the green movement. In 2001, he established Conserv-A-Store (www.conserva store.com), an online business that offers eco-friendly, sustainable living goods—from long-life light bulbs and solar water heaters to compost bins and chemical-free pest control. McNeil also posts to a blog and publishes a monthly e-newsletter to share conservation tips, and he meets with schoolchildren throughout the year to teach them about alternative energy sources.

“A more green lifestyle can be approached by everyone on the planet,” McNeil said. “It will mean less requirement of resources—less mining that needs to be done and less development of oil and gas—yet people can still be happy.” u

Porter McNeil embraces his work with enthusiasm.

33

12/2/08 9:21:51 AM

of the subjec ts, except for those of Bates, Elmes

Lewis Perkins visited campus in October to talk about corporate sustainability.

and Perk ins, which are by Patrick Hinely ’73.

34

cour tesy

For Robyn McCord O’Brien, of Boulder, Colo., living green has meant rethinking her family’s food choices. On Mother’s Day 2006, the mother of four launched www.AllergyKids.com to spread awareness about the staggering increases in children’s food allergies (and autism, ADHD and asthma) in the United States.

The impetus for her business came when her youngest daughter, Tory, suffered a life-threatening allergic reaction to eggs. Since then, the O’Brien household has mostly phased out processed foods. From citing evidence that synthetic and chemical additives in food may be the culprit for the rise in these conditions to exposing questionable connections between food allergy research and powerful U.S. food corporations, the Web site has become a battleground over American food politics.

“My liberal arts education has given me the ability to creatively and intellectually deconstruct an existing system,” said O’Brien, who majored in Spanish and French. “And then to analytically and creatively rebuild it, engaging new resources, provides not only new answers, but new opportunities.”

The former Fulbright fellow, who is married to Jeff O’Brien ’93, created a universal symbol—a green stop sign with an exclamation point—to identify children with allergies.

She has been interviewed by national media outlets, including ABC’s “Good Morning America” and the New York Times, and she is writing a book, The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick—And What We Can Do About It. u

photos

Seeking New Answers: Robyn O’Brien ’93

All

Robyn O’Brien raises her family and runs her business in Colorado.

Before Lewis Perkins, Social Consciousness: of Atlanta, joined the L e w i s P e r k i n s ’93 Mohawk Group in March, the carpet manufacturing giant was one of the best-kept secrets of the environmental movement. These days, Perkins is the face of the organization, charged with creating a brand identity for Mohawk and showcasing the company’s best sustainable initiatives, which they have practiced for years.

Whether promoting Mohawk’s status as the largest U.S. recycler of plastic soda and water bottles (which it turns into carpet), or explaining how old carpet is transformed into new flooring at the company’s GreenWorks Center in north Georgia, Perkins enjoys sharing the Mohawk narrative. One of his first significant efforts was initiating a partnership between Mohawk and Global Green USA, an organization that is rebuilding communities across the U.S., particularly in New Orleans.

Perkins, who majored in art history, said his experiences at the University reinforced the strong ethics that his family instilled. There is a moral code that guides all of his decisions as an adult, and embracing a sustainable lifestyle is a value-driven choice that takes into consideration factors such as human rights, wellness and spirituality.

“Sustainability and the green movement is just one part of a whole piece that is social consciousness,” he said. u

W & L

A

l u m n i

M

a g a z i n e

Good For Thought Seasonal glimpses of the environment right here on campus.

Herb Rubenstein enjoys the great outdoors at home in Colorado.

Herb Rubenstein predicts that Colorado will experience a “green rush” during the next decade. As the lead author of the first-ever master energy plan for Mesa County, the resident of Golden, Colo., already is a key player in that movement.

The author of several books on leadership, Rubenstein is well poised to boost the Grand Junction area’s efforts to set an example in reducing energy consumption. The project will include identifying state energy resources, writing county health and safety regulations and advising residents and businesses on ways to reduce their energy consumption.

The former lawyer is president of Herb Rubenstein Consulting, which he established in August. Previously, he was chief operating officer for the International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (iCAST), where he generated more than $560,000 in energy-related contracts and grants. The former U.S. congressional candidate for Colorado’s seventh district is writing a book, The Colorado Green Rush, projecting an increase in energy-sector jobs that will entice people from across the U.S. to relocate to the Rocky Mountain state.

At W&L, Rubenstein learned that “if you can think something new, and you think it’s right, you have a duty to make it happen,” he said. “For me, a degree in politics was not just about political theory—it was a degree in how to change the world.” u

Changing the World: Herb Rubenstein ’74

F

a l l

2 0 0 8

5743b_p22_35_08.indd3 14

12/2/08 9:24:28 AM

A l u m n i

Eyewitness to History

N e w s

Three alumni sent W&L their first-person observations about momentous world events: the U.S. war in Iraq, the earthquake in China and the war between Russia and Georgia. Thank you to Jim Batterson ’68, Katelyn Finely ’08 and Mark Robertson ’89 for so eloquently sharing their experiences with us.

“Life in a Combat Zone” Capt. Mark Robertson ’89 is a chaplain with the U.S. Air

Force, serving in Iraq. Here are a few of his impressions of life on the front lines, excerpted from a much longer account. He sent it with this note: “I’m deeply indebted to the college for my undergraduate education and the integrity of its honor code.”

He signed it, “A Proud Chaplain to the Troops.”

I

’m doing hospital ministry at a casualty collection point in the combat zone. Mostly, I’m working nights at the hospital, doing ministry in the ER, intensive care units and the CASF, the Contingency Aeromedicine Staging Facility. Their motto is “Anytime, Anyplace—Helping Heroes Home.” From this staging facility, we load wounded soldiers on cargo planes and fly them out of Iraq for convalescent medical care.

Life in a combat zone, from my standpoint, is reduced to the bare essentials. I work, eat and sleep. And when not working, I read my Bible, write letters home, run errands (mostly to the post office, barber shop and Laundromat) and do physical exercise to stay in shape. My workout, in 115-degree heat, is a three- to four-mile run—on gravel roads, through dust and dirt, and sometimes even through sandstorms. As I run, I eye concrete barriers and fortified bunkers for an even quicker run, if need be, to cover, should there be a rocket or mortar attack.

Here is a typical day counseling patients and doing pastoral care. A PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) soldier is anxious because his predecessor, a teenage female, lost a foot and the other half of her leg in a convoy attack.

Another patient, an older civilian contractor, is hospitalized for pneumonia, only to receive an HIV diagnosis. Next, a bored Marine with nerve damage to his trigger finger (a machine gunner’s version of carpal tunnel, I guess) wants me to escort him outside the hospital for a smoke in the smoke pit, where he laments the loneliness, frustration and shame of being separated from his battle buddies. Finally, a sniper 36

5743b_p36_50_08.indd3 36

Mark Robertson ’89 in Iraq

with 50-plus confirmed kills can’t sleep because faces of the dead return to haunt his sleep.

A few weeks ago, we couldn’t find a dog tag on a dead soldier, so we had to search the body for positive ID. We found no identification but a blue-green tattoo of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall never perish, but have eternal life.” In the morgue, after bagging and tagging the body, I recited John 3:16, then said a prayer for the casualty affairs team, a prayer that emphasized God’s love and His promise of eternal life.

As a relief from our “honor guard” work, we started baking fresh bread, using a bread maker donated by Operation Quiet Comfort. I sliced pieces from the loaf, serving each member of the casualty affairs team individually, as if administering communion. We ate mournfully and talked pastorally. It was a grace-filled moment of quiet comfort.

W & L

A

l u m n i

M

a g a z i n e

11/24/08 2:03:29 PM

A l u m n i

“I Didn’t Want to Believe I Might Not Return”

S

ince our villages are pretty close to Gori (the city that has been hit the hardest), the Peace Corps wanted to relocate us to somewhere safer. With no idea how the situation would unfold, I had no idea how to pack my stuff and how to interact with my host families as I left. I didn’t want to pack much because I didn’t want to give my family any indication that I might not return. I also didn’t want to believe that I might not return. I told my family that I was going to the mountains for the weekend and would be back on Sunday (which was the official line from the Peace Corps). I tried to make it seem like this trip to the mountains would be a sort of leisurely excursion. Although I knew that that I might not return to my village, I really didn’t want to face an emotional goodbye. The goodbyes ended up being strangely emotional anyway, though, since I think both my family and I recognized that I might not return. I heard my host sister say that she was scared for the first time.

The Peace Corps volunteers and trainees then spent Friday night through Sunday safely nestled away at a ski resort in the mountains, which was really bizarre given the contrast with what was going on in the rest of the country.

Throughout the weekend, we heard updates that sometimes gave us hope and sometimes made us frustrated and nervous for our families and teachers.

Although I was obviously thankful to be in such a safe place in the mountains, I wanted to be able to empathize with the Georgians and my host family in the midst of the war. My host sister sent me a couple text messages saying that she was very scared and that the Russians had bombed more cities. She told me that her cousin was recruited into the army and was fighting in South Ossetia. We had become pretty close over the past eight weeks, and so it was difficult to be communicating with her from so far away.

The Peace Corps decided that the situation wasn’t going to improve soon and told us that we would need to leave Georgia for Armenia. I’m obviously completely safe here, but again I still feel strange and somewhat guilty about being so far removed from everything.

I have had many wonderful experiences building close relationships with my host family, learning the impossible Georgian language, trying to integrate into a very quirky culture, hanging out with some awesome Peace Corps volunteers and trainees, and working with some really energetic and adorable kids.

F

all

2 0 0 8

5743b_p36_50_08.indd3 37

N e w s

Katelyn Finely ’08 left Lexington this summer bound for a post-

ing with the Peace Corps in the former Soviet state of Georgia. She was living with a host family when war broke out with Russia.

Here are excerpts from an e-mail she sent from Armenia to a group of friends and family: Postscript, Sept. 24 Peace Corps Georgia had to be suspended for the year, and so I left Armenia at the beginning of September. I decided to do some traveling with some fellow volunteers after we left Armenia, and I just returned home to California.

“We Felt the Earth Move Beneath Our Feet” Jim Batterson ’68 e-mailed his account of the May 12 earth-

quake in China’s Sichuan Province; here is an excerpt. He and two traveling companions were in nearby Tibet, visiting the small hillside village of Gambao. They had hiked into the hills for several hours, visiting with hospitable locals along the way, including a woman who offered them cherries from her trees. On their way back down:

S

uddenly we felt the earth move beneath our feet.

We were alongside a very high and steep mountain.

John and Shirley began running the same way we were going, but it wasn’t clear to me that it was any safer there. I stood there looking straight up at the mountain above me, big rocks jarred loose and tumbling down toward me. I mean really, really big rocks. They would come loose, bounce and fly hundreds of feet toward me. For a

37

11/24/08 2:03:34 PM

A l u m n i

while I stood there moving left and right to avoid them.

Sometimes, one would strike the hill above me and send a shower of smaller rocks down, and I had to run to avoid this. I felt like I was going to die and was just playing for extra seconds. In my maneuvering, I got closer to John and Shirley, who had wisely found a big overhanging rock to hide under, and I joined them there. The shaking continued for what seemed like a minute or two, and the cascade of rocks and slides continued for much longer after that.

As far as we knew, we were the only people in the world who had witnessed this strange phenomenon. As we looked around, we could see dust clouds rising from other parts of the valley, above, below and across from us. We wondered, but our thoughts were not focused on anything but what to do next.

We took off quickly for the settlement where the woman with the cherries was. Just as we reached it, there were other tremors, sending more rocks down, and we scrambled down and took shelter and assembled in the wide spot in the road with the locals. Some houses had been smashed and one car was flattened, but nobody seemed to be hurt. Tremors were nearly constant. A landslide that nearly missed the settlement continued to send rocks down for hours. We all seemed resolved to sit there in the open, the safest place around, and plans were made to put up a tent for everyone to spend the night in.

We could see the town on the hillside with many houses caved in. The tower that we had hiked to was not there any longer. The people had quickly harvested a cabbage patch in the most open area and were turning the bare ground into a tent city. People whose houses had just been destroyed were looking after us to make sure we were warm enough and later brought us food.

As it was getting dark, a single-file parade of elementary school children came into town from the nearby school.

Normally, Tibetan children smile, but these children had a blank, grim look on their faces from having spent the last fourplus hours gathered on the downward side of their school building as tremors rained rocks into the valley around them. The feeling of relief as the parents reunited with their children was palpable and an emotionally overwhelming moment for me.

People built a bonfire and sat around it late into the night. Tremors continued. It rained lightly, and the tents in the cabbage patch must not have been pleasant. The people offered us the best place in their humble shelter, but John, Shirley and I sat dry and comfortable enough in Shirley’s little car and slept fitfully all night.

Safe back in Chengdu, he wrote: I know that I am lucky to be alive. The Chinese would tell you that I am lucky because I was born in the Year of the Golden Pig. But I think that I am lucky because I have friends who look after me, and friends of friends, and sometimes even strangers. Thank you, friends.

38

5743b_p36_50_08.indd3 38

N e w s

When Goldsmith Met Stewart

Jack Goldsmith ’84 talked to a class during his October 2007 visit to c ampus.

W

hen Jack Goldsmith ’84 walked onto the set of “The Daily Show” and took his seat opposite the host, comedian Jon Stewart, he felt a little apprehensive. The Henry L. Shattuck Professor of Law at Harvard Law School had just published a book, The Terror Presidency: Law and Judgment Inside the Bush Administration, and his publicist at W.W. Norton and Co. had set up the appearance on Comedy Central’s satirical news program before telling him.

The Emmy Award-winning show mixes comedy with serious discussion of politics and other issues. Unlike the hosts of most politically oriented talk shows, Stewart doesn’t hesitate to get straight to the point or share his opinions.

“I wasn’t necessarily reluctant to go on the show,” Goldsmith said of his appearance on Oct. 4, 2007, “but I hadn’t really watched it before, so I was a little nervous. I was anxious about being skewered.”

Goldsmith appeared on Stewart’s radar not just because of his impressive education (B.A. in philosophy from W&L, B.A. and M.A. from Oxford University, J.D. from Yale Law School, diploma in private international law from the Hague Academy of International Law); not just because he clerked for notable judges (J. Harvie Wilkinson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, Anthony M. Kennedy of the U.S. Supreme Court, George A. Aldrich of the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal); not just because he taught at two fine law schools (University of Virginia and University of Chicago).

Instead, Goldsmith hit the national scene because of his nine months as the head of the Office of Legal Counsel at the United States Justice Department. He resigned in July 2004 because “he had led a small group of administration lawyers W & L

A

l u m n i

M

a g a z i n e

11/24/08 2:03:37 PM

A l u m n i

in a behind-the-scenes revolt against what he considered the constitutional excesses of the legal policies embraced by his White House superiors in the war on terror,” as reporter Jeffrey Rosen wrote in the New York Times Magazine.

In The Terror Presidency, Goldsmith gave an insider’s perspective on that vital issue. And so he found himself in “The Daily Show” green room, chatting with Stewart before show time. As they practiced for the on-camera interview, Goldsmith found Stewart smart and up to speed on the issues.

In addition, “he couldn’t have been nicer.”

Once the cameras rolled, Goldsmith enjoyed himself, though the subject under discussion was serious. “Stewart was saying some harsh things about people I worked with,” said Goldsmith, who disagreed, for he thought they were good men doing the best they could with a tough job. Nonetheless, he said, “Stewart was so funny that it was hard to know how to respond.”

When the professor returned to his Harvard classroom, he found “lots of student interest and feedback that wasn’t there for other events I’d been involved in,” such as the extensive New York Times Magazine profile by Rosen, “Conscience of a Conservative,” which ran on Sept. 9, 2007. Instead of traditional media like newspapers, many young adults now choose “The Daily Show” and its spinoff “The Colbert Report” as their news sources. “Because ‘The Daily Show’ delivers serious news and serious opinion with humor,” Goldsmith said, “it can provide a viable source of truth for college students.”

He agreed to a repeat appearance for an April 15, 2008, episode on a controversy over U.S. torture policy. In addition to his insider knowledge, Goldsmith thinks they picked him because “I’m not a comedian, and I’m not even a very funny guy,” and comedian Stewart works best when he’s got a straight man. Once again, “I was very impressed,” Goldsmith said. “He didn’t give me a hard time at all.”

Goldsmith finds being interviewed on television “like talking about issues with anyone,” he said, though he thinks Stewart is able to “get people to lighten up and say things they normally wouldn’t say.” The difference between appearing on a satire like “The Daily Show” and on a straight talk show like “Bill Moyers Journal” (where Goldsmith appeared on Sept. 7, 2007) is that he sometimes found it hard to keep a straight face while talking to Stewart.

During the April 15 show, for example, Stewart summarized a point of Goldsmith’s by saying, “The president has to play by the rules unless he chooses not to, and he will notify people that he’s chosen not to by violating the rules.”

“That’s not quite the way I’d put it,” smiled Goldsmith.

“Well, I’m a comedian,” quipped Stewart.

Goldsmith, now a regular viewer of “The Daily Show,” will visit campus on Jan. 19, 2009, to deliver the address at the Founders’ Day/ODK convocation.

—Jessica Simmons ’08 F

all

2 0 0 8

5743b_p36_50_08.indd3 39

N e w s

Two N e w Tr u s t e e s J o i n B o a r d At the November meeting, in New York City, the board swore in two new members.

Robert E. Sadler Jr. ’67—Sadler is vice chairman of M&T Bank Corp. and its principal subsidiary, M&T Bank, in Buffalo, N.Y. From 1970–1983, he was associated with Chemical Bank, holding several key national and international positions in New York and London. He joined M&T in 1983 as executive vice president for commercial banking. He was president of M&T from 1996–2007 and CEO from 2005–2007. Sadler serves on the board of Delaware North Companies Inc., Gibraltar Industries and Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York.

Born in Tupelo, Miss., he earned a B.A. from W&L and an M.B.A. from Emory University in 1970. He has three children. He and his wife, Robin, reside in Buffalo, and their daughter Trelsie is a member of W&L’s Class of 2012.

William M. Webster IV ’79—Webster is the co-founder and vice chairman of the board of directors for Advance America, Cash Advance Centers Inc., the largest payday advance lender in the United States.

He is the past president and a founding board member of the Community Financial Services Association (CFSA), the national trade association for payday advance lenders.

Before founding Advance America in 1997, Webster belonged to the (George H.W.) Bush-Clinton transition team and subsequently served the Clinton Administration in various capacities, including chief of staff to Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley and assistant to the president and director of scheduling and advance in the White House.

Webster is a Fulbright Scholar and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of W&L, where he earned a B.A. in English and German. He also holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia.

39

11/24/08 2:03:40 PM

Childress Makes Handsome Gift to W&L J. Donald Childress ’70, rector of the Board of Trustees, has given $5 million to the University.

He makes the gift at the earliest planning stages of the forthcoming capital campaign, which will help fund the priorities of the decade-long strategic plan the board approved in 2007. Former rector Phil Norwood ’69 and current trustee Warren Stephens ’79 are co-chairs of the campaign.

The University will announce the campaign’s ultimate goal in 2010.

p h o t o b y P a t r i c k H i n e l y ’ 7 3

Half of Childress’ gift will establish two new professorships at W&L—the J. Donald Childress Professorship in Foreign Languages (preferably Spanish) and the Sidney Gause Childress Professorship in the Arts (named for Childress’ wife, Sidney).

Childress has also designated $500,000 of his gift for a challenge fund for the new W&L Hillel House, a $4 million project that will result in a new facility for Hillel. With $1.5 million left to raise, the Childress challenge represents a third of the remaining funding.

Childress has not yet designated $2 million of his gift.

“This is a magnificent gesture on Don Childress’ part,” said President Ken Ruscio ’76. “We are extraordinarily grateful for both his leadership and his vision in identifying initiatives that are so critically important to the University’s future.”

In establishing the new professorships, Childress also boosts the Lenfest Challenge for Faculty Compensation. In 2007, Gerry Lenfest ’53, ’55L committed $33 million as a challenge gift to match dollar-for-dollar any new gifts to support faculty compensation. Consequently, the Childress gift will mean an additional $5 million in endowment for faculty salaries. (See the inside front cover for a new feature of the Lenfest challenge.)

“I was pleased to be able to make an investment in what will prove to be an important campaign for Washington and Lee,” said Childress. “There are many needs and many opportunities in our educational priorities, which stem from the strategic plan. There are many aspects of this plan, and they all cost money.

I thought it was my obligation as an alumnus and as a trustee to step up with this gift.”

For more on the Lenfest Challenge, see www.wlu.edu/x482.xml or call the Development Office at (540) 458-8410.

5743a_08.indd3 4

Don Childress ’70

For more information on Hillel House or the Childress challenge, contact Joan Robins, director of W&L Hillel, at (540) 458-8443 or robinsj@wlu.edu.

12/2/08 7:55:05 AM

The Washington and Lee University A l u m n i M a g a z i n e L e x i n g t o n ,

V i r g i n i a

Non Profit Org. U. S.

P

24450

P o s ta g e

a

i

d

P e r m i t No. 508

w w w. w l u . e d u

N o r f o l k , Va

Honoring an Alumnus: The Schlegel Prize for International Studies b y P a t r i c k H i n e l y ’ 7 3

u Support for W&L students to participate

p h o t o

O

On the seventh anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, Washington and Lee University announced the restructuring and expansion of the Schlegel Prize for International Studies, which was created to honor Navy Commander Robert Allan Schlegel ’85, who was killed at the Pentagon that day.

He was serving as deputy of current operations and plans branch head for the chief of naval operations.

Established in 2002 through a fundraising campaign spearheaded by members of Schlegel’s fraternity, Chi Psi, the prize will now support three initiatives:

u Establishment of the Schlegel Prize for the

in foreign affairs conferences, including the Student Conference on United States Affairs at West Point and the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference in Annapolis;

best paper on foreign affairs or international relations in a given academic year;

u Support for student research projects

5743a_08.indd3 1

related to international affairs.

A plaque on campus commemorates Robert Allan Schlegel ’85 and James Andrew Gadiel ’00, who lost their lives in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

12/2/08 7:54:23 AM