W&L Celebrates Return of Five-Star Generals to Campus

W&L Celebrates Return of Five-Star Generals to Campus The weekend marked a near record-breaking celebration for the classes of 1975 and earlier.

Office of Alumni Engagement
October 15, 2025

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Washington and Lee University welcomed nearly 120 alumni and guests from the classes of 1975 and earlier back to campus Oct. 3-5 for a near record-breaking Five-Star Festival celebration. Festival participants traveled from 20 states and the nation's capital to reconnect with one another and their alma mater. The classes of 1970, 1965 and 1960 were honored in recognition of their 55th, 60th and 65th W&L reunions, respectively. Special recognition was given to attendee Jerry "Murph" Murphy '55, celebrating 70 years post-graduation.

This year's festival marked a 35% increase in overall attendance compared to 2024, as attendees enjoyed a weekend filled with dynamic programming, entertainment and activities that provided unique opportunities to reconnect with one another and the university.

The weekend kicked off with the Opening Assembly led by John Jensen '01, executive director of Alumni and Career Services, and the presentation of commemorative reunion pins for those in attendance from the classes of 1970, 1965, 1960 and 1955. In his keynote address, David Bethea '70 reflected on the profound impact that W&L professors have had on generations of students and emphasized how the university continues to shape lives of purpose, integrity and consequence. The assembly was followed by the Celebration of Life service led by Beau Dudley '74, '79L, and accompanied by John Nolan '70, P'99, P'01, Tim Vanderver '65, P'92, P'96 and Sofie Ramirez Soto, W&L's Jewish life director.

Other highlights of the weekend schedule included:

• Honored Benefactors Wall Ceremony recognizing John Carrere '69.
• Dedication of the Tom Wolfe '51 Reading Room in the newly renovated Special Collections and Archives area of Leyburn Library.
• The Law and Literature Weekend Seminar, hosted by the law school and the Office of Lifelong Learning, examined Colson Whitehead's "The Nickel Boys."
• President Will Dudley hosted a reception for alumni and guests in Lee House, followed by a special soirée to close out the evening with dessert and entertainment.
• President Dudley gave a university update, and Matt Davis, director of the Institutional History Museum, delivered a presentation on plans for the new Institutional History Museum. A recording is available here.
• Presentation of the 2025 Five-Star Distinguished Alumni Awards to Robert "Chip" Schooley '70, P'96; George "Ashley" Allen '65, P'90, P'92; and Joseph "Woody" Rutter '65.
• Paul Youngman '87, P'27, interim dean of the College, and Kathekon member Rebecca Vaughan '27 led an early afternoon stroll to visit areas of campus construction, including the new Williams School building and Lindley Center for Student Wellness.
• Director of Lifelong Learning James Lambert introduced the Office of Lifelong Learning's unique offering of educational programs that continue to empower alumni and friends.
• A workshop and discussion led by Sybil Prince Nelson '01, P'28, assistant professor of mathematics, and JT Torres, director of the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning, demonstrated how artificial intelligence is altering the way we think about learning, creativity and freedom.
• Five-Star Festival Grand Finale featured a special performance by W&L's co-ed a capella singing group, General Admission, with closing remarks by steering committee member Max Shapira '65, P'96.

The reunion classes continue to generously give back to the university through fundraising efforts, directly influencing the lives of current students. During the festival, Vice President for University Advancement Susan Wood recognized the tremendous efforts of W&L Fund class agents and the significant and inspiring impact of the Five-Star classes. She also presented the philanthropy awards for the reunion classes, noting that 92% of Five-Star alumni donors have given consecutively over three years. One of the many highlights of W&L's record-breaking fiscal year 2025 was raising the largest amount in university history for the W&L Fund (over $10.8 million raised), with nearly 10% of that total coming from Five-Star alumni donors.

• The 65th reunion Class of 1960, led by class agent David Weaver, contributed $39,377 to the W&L Fund (in fiscal year 2025) and $1,068,511 to the Leading Lives of Consequence capital campaign (since 2020).
• The 60th reunion Class of 1965, led by class agent Woody Rutter, contributed $92,705 to the W&L Fund (in fiscal year 2025) and $6,257,848 to the capital campaign (since 2020).
• The 55th reunion Class of 1970, led by class agent John Nolan, contributed $136,735 to the W&L Fund (in fiscal year 2025) and $26,957,272 to the capital campaign since 2020).
• The Class of 1957, led by class agent Bill Kauffman, received the Richmond Trophy, awarded to the class with the highest percentage of members participating in the W&L Fund, as well as the McCutcheon Trophy, which acknowledges consecutive giving and goes to the class with the highest percentage of members in the 1749 Circle, with over 53% of the Class of 1957 giving at least three years in a row.
• The Class of 1969, led by class agents Joe Davenport and John Wolf, received the Washington Trophy, awarded to the class with the largest amount of money contributed to the W&L Fund.
• The Class of 1971, led by class agents Buddy LeTourneau, Cliff Walters and Chris Lee, received the Bierer Trophy, awarded to the class with the highest percentage of members in the President's Society.

"Five-Star Festival was an incredible weekend celebrating our alumni who graduated 50-plus years ago," said Jensen. "It was especially meaningful to welcome our alumni celebrating their milestone 55th, 60th, 65th and 70th reunions. Their loyalty to W&L is a testament to the ties that bind alumni many decades beyond graduation. I am especially grateful to our steering committee members for their hard work in helping coordinate this event."

Steering committee members who worked hard to make the weekend a success were Dave Bethea '70; Jim DeYoung '65, P'05; Larry Manning '65, P'08L; John Nolan '70, P'99, P'01; Max Shapira '65, P'96; Drew Thomas '70; and Tim Vanderver '65, P'92, P'96.