W&L Sees All-Time Record-Breaking Attendance at Young Alumni Weekend

Office of Alumni Engagement
September 29, 2025

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Washington and Lee University welcomed nearly 700 alumni and guests from the classes of 2015-2025 back to Lexington, Virginia, Sept. 19-21 for the annual Young Alumni Weekend. Participants traveled from 34 states, the nation's capital and two countries to experience the beautiful beginnings of fall on campus and reconnect with each other and their alma mater. As tradition, the reunion classes welcomed soon-to-be graduates from the current senior class (Class of 2026) to the festivities on Saturday evening at the Grand Finale, making this Young Alumni Weekend gathering the highest attended of all time with a total of 889 participants.

The weekend saw many previous attendance records broken as this year marked a 45% increase in alumni attendance and 39% increase in overall attendance compared to 2024. The Class of 2025 dismantled the first reunion record set last year by the Class of 2024, with 199 alumni returning to campus. The Class of 2020 also set a new fifth reunion record previously held by the Class of 2005 in 2010, with 202 alumni returning. And 103 alumni from the Class of 2015 celebrated their 10th reunion.

The excitement of the weekend started at check-in on Friday, Sept. 19, with the Alumni Engagement Chapter Programming team connecting with several hundred returning alumni. This created an opportunity to engage with alumni and encourage them to join their local alumni chapter volunteer committee and participate in chapter activities. Also on Friday, the university held its inaugural PLAI Summit, led by JT Torres, director of the Harte Center for Teaching and Learning, and hosted in partnership with Alumni and Career Services, the Provost's Office and the Associated Colleges of the South. The full-day summit brought together scholars and industry leaders, including several alumni, to explore the topic "Harnessing AI to extend human capability without losing our humanity," with the goal of encouraging attendees to thoughtfully engage with AI while also preserving their creativity, critical judgment and ethical reasoning.

The university welcomed a record number of leadership W&L Fund donors to The President's Society reception on Friday evening, which provided the opportunity for the fifth and 10th reunion scholarship recipients, who are members of the Class of 2029, to meet their donors. Alumni Engagement Kathekon students hosted the Lunch and Lawn Party, which featured special guest Terlynn Olds, W&L's new associate director of athletics for facilities and operations. And in what has now become a Young Alumni Weekend tradition, attendees, faculty and staff gathered in Washington Hall for the bestowing of the Alumni Association's highest honor, the Distinguished Young Alumni Award, given this year to Wilson Hallett '15 and Jillian Katterhagen '15.

Other highlights of the weekend schedule included:

• Shepherd open house in the Mattingly Living Room;
• W&L Pride Alumni Network and Allies social at Heliotrope Brewery;
• Men's lacrosse fall alumni game;
• Welcome Back Bash, with all returning alumni and guests attending a gathering on Cannan Green;
• Sunrise Celebration Breakfast sponsored by the W&L Fund;
• Women's field hockey brunch;
• QuestBridge and FGLI gathering;
• Game Day gathering on the Law School Lawn;
• Alumni Sing with the University Singers, followed by a Department of Music Open House;
• Grand Finale dinner and concert on Cannan Green; and
• Hillel Open House and meet and greet with new Jewish Life Director, Sofie Ramirez Soto.

The weekend was a success thanks to the efforts of 69 reunion volunteers who worked throughout the year to encourage classmates to register and raise money for class gifts. Reunion chairs Katie McCartin Kupersmith '15, Nick Peacher '15, Mark Sanders '15 and Eileen Small Siebken '15 led the way for the 10th reunion, with Kelsey Anderson '20, Stuart Ayer '20, Garrett Clinton '20, Ally Gsell '20, Philip Kensinger '20, Catherine Latour '20, Will Webster '20 and Kana White '20 diligently coordinating efforts for the fifth reunion.

The reunion classes continue to generously give back to the university through fundraising efforts, directly influencing the lives of current students. The Class of 2015, represented by its reunion co-chairs, presented President Will Dudley with its class gift of $258,772. This gift, representing donations from 29% of the class, will support the W&L Fund over the next five years and provide financial support for five first-year W&L students through the Class of 2015 10th Reunion W&L Scholarship. The Class of 2020 raised $114,009 to become only the second fifth reunion class to raise at least $100,000 in its five-year total. This gift, representing support from 32% of the class, includes financial aid for three first-year students through the Class of 2020 5th Reunion W&L Fund Scholarship. These scholarships have been awarded to current first-year students in the Class of 2029. And the Class of 2025 senior gift campaign committee members, Frankie Maloof, Alexis Park, Harris Stripling, Asa Tuke and Trip Wright, presented President Dudley with their class gift of $8,975 from an impressive 55% of their class.

While the 2015, 2020 and 2025 reunion classes are to be celebrated, young alumni as a whole are responsible for a tremendous part of the W&L Fund's success. Last fiscal year, more than 1,725 young alumni supported the Leading Lives of Consequence capital campaign through gifts to the W&L Fund, collectively raising more than $250,000 in single-year gifts that immediately went to work to support current students. These gifts, averaging $202 per young alum, provide vital support across campus every year. Notably, an impressive 361 young alumni are counted as members of The President's Society, reflecting their commitment to a W&L education. The Class of 2025 alone had 60 members join The President's Society. The cumulative impact of young alumni giving is facilitated by the efforts of many class agents and reunion volunteers.

"What an amazing weekend," said John Jensen '01, executive director of Alumni and Career Services. "The Classes of 2015, 2020 and 2025 returned to Lexington in record numbers, bringing an energy that was felt across campus. That spirit is contagious and a powerful reminder of the lifelong community they share at W&L. Even just a few years out, they're already giving back, mentoring students and serving as some of our greatest ambassadors. That was on full display Friday afternoon in Washington Hall as we honored our Distinguished Young Alumni Award recipients and celebrated the classes' fundraising successes."