President

Washington and Lee University seeks a president with the skill, vision, and commitment to lead this historic and principled university as a model of academic rigor, integrity, and civility, preparing graduates to lead lives of great character and achievement.

The University has a distinctive approach to liberal arts education that is evident in its three-part curricular structure, which includes two undergraduate divisions — the College and the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics — and a graduate School of Law. Washington and Lee offers undergraduate programs in a wide range of liberal arts disciplines, as well as accredited programs in business, journalism, and education. The School of Law, one of the smallest in the nation, shares the liberal arts ethos and offers an innovative academic program with an emphasis on experiential education.

The core values of honor, integrity, and civility are central to W&L’s identity. The Speaking Tradition – a commitment among students, faculty, and staff to exchange friendly greetings in passing – sets the tone for a culture of respect and engagement evident in personal interactions and classroom conversations on campus. The University’s Honor System, whose roots stretch back to the mid-1840s, is entirely student-run and operates with a single sanction. Adherence to the Honor System creates an atmosphere of trust and freedom on campus and a bond among students and faculty that informs interactions in and beyond the classroom. Alumni frequently cite the Honor System as the most valuable and cherished element of the Washington and Lee experience, preparing them for ethical leadership in their communities and their professions.

The University’s core values also underwrite its longstanding commitment to freedom of expression. Washington and Lee actively nurtures intellectual pluralism, bolstered by its faculty-led Liberating Ideas initiative, and has sustained a vital community able to engage in respectful debate on any topic – including its own history.

Washington and Lee is one of the most selective and highly regarded universities in the nation.  Undergraduate student satisfaction is high. According to recent student polls by The Wall Street Journal, W&L ranked #1 in student satisfaction among all liberal arts colleges for the last three years. Demand and selectivity have increased accordingly in the last decade, with an undergraduate acceptance rate of 14% and a yield of over 40% in 2024-25. The Law School is also on an impressive trajectory, with incoming classes reporting the highest GPA and LSAT scores in the school’s history.

Generations of careful financial stewardship and consistent giving have placed the University in an enviable position in American higher education. W&L benefits from an endowment of over $2 billion and consistently ranks among the top 10 liberal arts colleges in the U.S. for endowment per student.  As of June 30, 2025, its endowment per student was $978,237, a figure that has grown by over 415% in the last 30 years.

The University is deeply committed to access and affordability.  In 2024, W&L became need-blind in undergraduate admissions thanks to a $132 million gift – the largest in University history.  Washington and Lee is one of the very few colleges and universities in the nation that is need-blind while also meeting the full demonstrated need of every undergraduate student through grants or work-study jobs, without loans. With 10% of each incoming class also receiving a full, merit-based Johnson Scholarship, its financial aid resources are truly best in class.

W&L’s outstanding academic programs and student support prepare graduates for success. The University’s first-year undergraduate retention rate is 97%, and its four-year graduation rate is 93% – both among the highest in the nation. Washington and Lee students enjoy extraordinary success in post-graduate fellowship competitions. The University is the number one producer of Rhodes Scholars among all liberal arts colleges over the last decade and has been named a Top Producer of Fulbright Scholarships for U.S. students for eight straight years.

W&L students also enjoy exceptional career and professional development resources and employment outcomes. Within six months of graduation, 94% of undergraduate students are employed or in graduate school, with many entering careers in finance, consulting, healthcare, and technology. Five-year acceptance rates to medical and law school are 92% and 85%, respectively. Law graduates experience similar success, with a 93% bar passage rate for first-time takers and 95% of graduates employed in bar passage or JD advantage jobs within 10 months of graduation. While most law graduates go on to law firms, they also pursue clerkships and careers in government, business, and the public interest.

The University is invested in the holistic curriculum inherent to the liberal arts yet committed to providing an education that is vital and relevant in the 21st century. Its academic offerings, campus culture, close-knit community, and commitment to access and affordability create an exceptional educational experience that combines intellectual rigor with personal support and broad access to opportunity.

The next president will join Washington and Lee at an exciting moment. In recent years, undergraduate applications and law applicant credentials reached an all-time high. Alumni remain actively engaged, setting records for reunion attendance, and the University’s current capital campaign, Leading Lives of Consequence, has raised approximately $600 million to date toward a $650 million goal and a campaign completion date of June 30, 2027. Progress on the initiatives in W&L’s 2018 strategic plan is well underway, and exciting opportunities remain, including the renovation and expansion of the University’s STEM facilities, the creation of an Institutional History Museum, and the expansion of residential and social spaces. The next president will oversee these initiatives while strengthening the University academically and financially, leading its community in the next generation of strategic planning, and championing the culture that makes W&L distinctive in higher education.

APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent below.

John Isaacson and Daniel Rodas are leading this search with Andy Marshall, Stephen Kalogeras, and Mindy Cimini.

In compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Virginia Human Rights Act, and all other applicable non-discrimination laws, Washington and Lee University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, military status, genetic information, or any other protected class under the law in its educational programs and activities, admissions, and with regard to employment. Inquiries may be directed to Lauren E. Kozak, Title IX Coordinator, Elrod Commons 237, (540) 458-4055, kozakl@wlu.edu, who is designated by the University to coordinate compliance efforts and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX, as well as those under Section 504 and other applicable non-discrimination laws.