Incredible opportunity
for those with
incredible potential.

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Leading Lives of Consequence The Campaign for Washington and Lee

Leading Lives of Consequence celebrates W&L’s ideals and represents a powerful investment in current and future students who will carry those values forward. This campaign funds critical priorities that will allow the transformative power of a W&L education to endure for generations to come.

Learn more about the campaign.

Why W&L

Washington and Lee University is a small liberal arts university nestled in the mountains of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. We are committed to providing a highly personalized academic experience, making our education affordable for all students, and preparing our graduates for lives of personal fulfillment and professional success.

Access and Affordability

Washington and Lee’s dedication to access and affordability is reflected in its generous need-based financial aid and merit-based scholarships. The university is need-blind for all undergraduate students and guarantees to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need with aid packages that do not include loans. Through the W&L Promise, students with an annual household income of less than $150,000 pay no tuition, and those with an annual household income of less than $75,000 pay no tuition, room or board.

In addition to need-based aid, the Johnson Scholarship Program awards merit-based, full tuition, room and board scholarships to roughly 10% of each incoming class.

Academic Opportunities

Solving problems in today’s world requires bringing ideas and people together in unexpected ways. At W&L, students cultivate their intellectual curiosity in small classes with the guidance of faculty mentors who teach them to collaborate, ask difficult questions and discover meaningful connections across academic disciplines.

Our expansive liberal arts curriculum is amplified by nationally accredited programs in business, journalism, education and law. The unusual breadth of educational opportunities we offer encourages exploration and discovery. Students have abundant options for in-depth and experiential learning, including our immersive four-week Spring Term.

Post-Graduate Success

A W&L education develops versatile, necessary skills like critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and effective communication that prepare students not only for their first job after college but for every job they’ll have in their careers.

From the moment students arrive on campus, they have opportunities for one-on-one advising, career exploration trips, and skill development workshops. We offer funding for students to pursue internships, research opportunities, and professional conferences, and our loyal alumni network opens doors for graduates in cities and industries around the world.

The results speak for themselves. Over the past decade, an average of 96% of graduates were employed or attending graduate school within six months of graduation.

Student Outcomes

Beautiful Setting

Nestled in Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley, Washington and Lee is located in Lexington, Virginia — just three hours from D.C., and a quick drive from Roanoke. It’s a small town with a big personality, offering the best of both worlds: space to focus, and endless ways to get involved.

There are abundant opportunities to connect with the local community through hands-on learning and service, while also exploring the outdoors year-round. Hike to the summit of House Mountain, kayak the Maury River, or take part in excursions through our Outing Club—one of the most popular organizations on campus.

Life in Lexington means fewer distractions, more adventure, and a community that feels like home. Many students come for the education—and leave with a lifelong connection to the town.

Explore Lexington, VA

Explore Our Curriculum

Undergraduate Experience Graduate School of Law

Scene on Campus

Scene on Campus is a frequently updated collection of candid photos highlighting W&L campus life.

Want to see more?

View the Scene on Campus Archive

The Heart Of W&L

We have a long tradition of educating smart, ambitious students who have the ability and the desire to make a difference in the world.

Fly high

Experiential Education

We believe in the power of learning through experience, encouraging students to go beyond conventional classroom settings.

Experiential Education at W&L

Isabel Duarte ’26

Isabel has embraced leadership development through the Choral Conducting Mentorship Program.

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Global Education

Most students travel abroad at least once during their W&L experience, whether for a semester, a full year, a Spring Term, a summer program, an internship, research, or service.

Study Abroad

Spring Term’s Got Seoul

Students in the Spring Term Abroad course Statistics in Korean Music explored mathematics in the traditional and contemporary music of Korea.

Fly high

Undergraduate Research

W&L students are encouraged to pursue undergraduate research, either independently or with a faculty mentor.

Research at W&L

Science, Society and the Arts

A group of students passionate about research made this year’s conference an event to remember.

Distinctively W&L

Our size, resources, and focus on teaching ensure students get personal attention and have opportunities for distinctive experiences.

Distinctive Programming

Chris Smith ’26

A Shepherd Consortium internship solidified Chris’s career path to become an advocate for those in need.

From The Columns

Read The Columns for W&L stories on campus and around the world.

Stories

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Living Lab

This fall, W&L students learned environmental field methods at a six-acre site in Rockbridge County set aside for experiential learning.

President Jimmy Carter at W&L Mock Convention

W&L Remembers: President Jimmy Carter

The former president, who died Dec. 29, interacted with the Washington and Lee University community on multiple occasions.

Students Share Entrepreneurial Ideas in Video Pitch Competition

Students polished their pitching skills at a video pitch competition on Dec. 6 in the Harte Center for Teaching and Learning.

Inside SSA

A group of students passionate about research has been working tirelessly to make this year’s Science, Society and the Arts 2025 conference an event to remember.

Forging Their Futures

Helen Ezgo ’25 and Maina Shodmonbekova ’25 traveled across the world to expand their horizons at W&L thanks to the John M. Gunn International Scholarship.

Student Organization Spotlight: Career Fellows

W&L Career Fellows offer peer-to-peer support for students exploring their career aspirations.

Innovation and Collaboration

Mackenzie Brooks, associate professor and digital humanities librarian, has made an impact on campus through her innovative and collaborative approach to teaching and scholarship.

Members of the Iota Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at JMU participate in the third annual NPHC Step Show Competition on the Keller Theater stage.

Showcasing History, Culture and Community

W&L’s third annual NPHC Step Show Competition invited the campus and local community into a vibrant tradition.

Positivity Meets Personal Connections

Mariam Drammeh ’25 has approached research, internships and campus involvement with an eye toward a future rooted in service to others.

Rho Gammas Guide First-Years Through Sorority Recruitment

Sorority recruitment counselors, or Rho Gammas, assist first-year women in W&L’s formal recruitment process to join Panhellenic sororities.

On Our Honor

Past presidents of Washington and Lee University’s Executive Committee reflect on how it prepared them for a life of values-driven leadership.

Student Organization Spotlight: WLUR

At WLUR-FM, Washington and Lee University’s radio voice since 1967, students get an introduction to audio production, podcasting and more.

Living Lab

This fall, W&L students learned environmental field methods at a six-acre site in Rockbridge County set aside for experiential learning.

President Jimmy Carter at W&L Mock Convention

W&L Remembers: President Jimmy Carter

The former president, who died Dec. 29, interacted with the Washington and Lee University community on multiple occasions.

Students Share Entrepreneurial Ideas in Video Pitch Competition

Students polished their pitching skills at a video pitch competition on Dec. 6 in the Harte Center for Teaching and Learning.

Inside SSA

A group of students passionate about research has been working tirelessly to make this year’s Science, Society and the Arts 2025 conference an event to remember.

Forging Their Futures

Helen Ezgo ’25 and Maina Shodmonbekova ’25 traveled across the world to expand their horizons at W&L thanks to the John M. Gunn International Scholarship.

Student Organization Spotlight: Career Fellows

W&L Career Fellows offer peer-to-peer support for students exploring their career aspirations.

Innovation and Collaboration

Mackenzie Brooks, associate professor and digital humanities librarian, has made an impact on campus through her innovative and collaborative approach to teaching and scholarship.

Members of the Iota Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at JMU participate in the third annual NPHC Step Show Competition on the Keller Theater stage.

Showcasing History, Culture and Community

W&L’s third annual NPHC Step Show Competition invited the campus and local community into a vibrant tradition.

Positivity Meets Personal Connections

Mariam Drammeh ’25 has approached research, internships and campus involvement with an eye toward a future rooted in service to others.

Rho Gammas Guide First-Years Through Sorority Recruitment

Sorority recruitment counselors, or Rho Gammas, assist first-year women in W&L’s formal recruitment process to join Panhellenic sororities.

On Our Honor

Past presidents of Washington and Lee University’s Executive Committee reflect on how it prepared them for a life of values-driven leadership.

Student Organization Spotlight: WLUR

At WLUR-FM, Washington and Lee University’s radio voice since 1967, students get an introduction to audio production, podcasting and more.

Living Lab

This fall, W&L students learned environmental field methods at a six-acre site in Rockbridge County set aside for experiential learning.

President Jimmy Carter at W&L Mock Convention

W&L Remembers: President Jimmy Carter

The former president, who died Dec. 29, interacted with the Washington and Lee University community on multiple occasions.

Students Share Entrepreneurial Ideas in Video Pitch Competition

Students polished their pitching skills at a video pitch competition on Dec. 6 in the Harte Center for Teaching and Learning.

Incredible opportunityfor those withincredible potential.

Explore Our Curriculum

Want to see more?

We believe in the power of learning through experience, encouraging students to go beyond conventional classroom settings.

Most students travel abroad at least once during their W&L experience, whether for a semester, a full year, a Spring Term, a summer program, an internship, research, or service.

W&L students are encouraged to pursue undergraduate research, either independently or with a faculty mentor.

Our size, resources, and focus on teaching ensure students get personal attention and have opportunities for distinctive experiences.

Stories

Incredible opportunity
for those with
incredible potential.