Lee Universit gton and y Alumni ashin Maga e W zine Th Fall 2014 Education of a New Professor Jemma Alix Levy President Ruscio: Respect, Democracy and Purpose Shannon Bell ’00 and Paul Trible ’03: Accomplished Alumni - LT ' 1 20 L\ l). I)\\ I\ Sil . Ll~c 2:0J.93 B. \l l'l ll C. 11 1:sux 49.07 1982 ,\~f ORo 1986 II. F i l)\\\\ ::-: .b H-1. R I :52.13 l.\ 1 \\1 () 1{1) 2:llS . \.' :\'.\ 1982 H. '.'\ oc"- I :53.35 198 2 h. 11 l I { 111 \ \ () \ "-11.S"l .\ , TO'\, 8 .\R\Ds 4:00.03 1982 \ . \I( 1101 \ I :, ~.h \ \1.\'\. S\\ EE.T B. / \ ( II \ ll 1 \ I "-'i. \ I 1 :2 1.ss _0 11~ . <, I\ l<l'\ ',\\i I I 4·11k. I., C :\, 8 \ R \ Ds \\ Ei::·1 ' 11 <>1{1 . (,l'\ 11 ~4. 112 3:02.S3 I 'J C ·• S\\ EE I 2 T.\ h.l , ll'\ ( <>1 I I. I 1:114 . Snapshot ,l'\DER 6:44.57 I\J 82 3 . IREL \ '\I) Y. SYKES l :31.63 2012 13 I. IRl::L \'\D H ,\ LE\ . S\ 1': ES 3:24.20 1')8'.'_ \\i i I I \\I < 0111 L I \ : 11} .4, ...I. FEATURE DEPARTMENTS 22 A Dramatic Entrance 20 Generals’ Report —> By Laure Stevens-Lubin 2 General Stats Hall of Fame inductees ALUMNI PROFILES By the numbers 21 Lewis Hall Notes 3 Speak Order of the Coif, a visit from Supreme 28 Shannon Bell ’00 Brings Court Justice Samuel Alito Appalachia to Academia Letters to the editor —> By Laure Stevens-Lubin 32 Milestones - 4 Along the Colonnade - Messages from the Alumni Association pres 30 A Cut Above the Rest: President Ruscio on recent issues; construc ident and Annual Fund president; alumni Paul Trible ’03 tion update; the Shepherd Poverty Con- news and photos; Young Alumni Weekend —> By Rich Griset sortium; books; new trustees; noteworthy and Homecoming accomplishments On the Cover: Jemma Alix Levy, new assistant professor of theater. Photo by Kevin Remington This page: First-year students SCAN ME complete the mandatory swim test to go to the during Orientation. alumni magazine website Photo by Kevin Remington © Washington and Lee University r by the Volume 90 Number 3 Numbers Fall 2014 General StatsGeneral J Julie A. Campbell EDITOR Louise Uffelman MANAGING EDITOR & LAW EDITOR Brian Laubscher SPORTS EDITOR Happy 90th birthday to this magazine, which has Jennifer Mero been bringing W&L news to alumni, families and CLASS NOTES EDITOR friends since November 1924. Patrick Hinely ’73 Kevin Remington UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHERS Washington and Lee University 90! Rich Griset has contributed 13 graduates to Teach for America’s 2014 teacher Julie Grover Peter Jetton TEACHFOR corps, placing it among the top Laure Stevens-Lubin AMERICA 20 small colleges and universities Sarah Tschiggfrie in the country for the second CONTRIBUTORS straight year. Bart Morris, Mary Woodson GRAPHIC DESIGN Mary Woodson 13 DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Published by Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450. All communications and POD forms 3579 should be sent to Washington and Lee University, Alumni Magazine, 7 Courthouse Square, 204 W. Washington Street, Lexington, VA 24450-2116. Periodicals postage paid at Roanoke, Va. At 1 p.m. on a Friday afternoon over the summer, Eddie Irvine, facilities and equipment coor- 187,000dinator, pulled the plug on the Cy Twombly pool for cleaning. It took about three-and-a-half days for 187,000 gallons of water to empty out. Then a crew of five spent the rest of the week University Advancement scrubbing it with 26 gallons of Foam-Tastic. Eddie turned on the tap, and 54 hours later the Dennis W. Cross pool was ready for the mandatory swim test (see photo on the previous page). VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Brian H. Eckert EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS achieve AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS more· Julie A. Campbell ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS The SAT scores of the Class of 2018 averaged above 700 for Waller T. Dudley ’74, ’79L SAT.the first time: 707 in critical EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AFFAIRS reading and 704 in math, WASHINGTONANDLEE and their average composite ACT score was a record-high 32. The class UNIVERSITY comprises 239 women and 234 men admitted from 5,801 applicants. Lexington, Virginia They represent 390 secondary700 schools in 40 states and 18 countries. 2 W&L Alumni Magazine From the Editor: alone demonstrates some of the un- sensitive eyes and minds of a group While the University received during derlying racism that exists within our of namby-pambies, or should the the summer many letters, e-mails country. Why assume a student of names of both Lee and Washington Speak and phone calls about the topics color has to be on scholarship? be removed from the school’s name discussed on pp. 4–11, the magazine Even if students are on scholarship, (after all, both Lee and Washington Volume 90 Number 3 received only a handful of letters to does that imply they have no right to were slave owners at one time). Then Fall 2014 the editor on those topics. Here is express their opinions? Institutions we could call it No Name University. a sampling of those missives, all of of higher learning should be places I say, put the flags back where they Julie A. Campbell them edited for space. of civilized discourse, questioning were, and instruct the Committee to EDITOR and evolution of thought and at- get their education someplace else Louise Uffelman The Civil War cannot be slipped titude. I applaud the “rabble-rousers,” if seeing the flags is more than their MANAGING EDITOR & LAW EDITOR under the rug; relics of that war are as one writer called the students, for ultrasensitive level of tolerance can important to understand who we are their courage in drawing attention endure. Brian Laubscher as Americans. But they are relics and to these issues. No institution will James D. Deacon ’55, M.D. SPORTS EDITOR artifacts. The Confederate symbols create a truly diverse setting unless Waynesboro, Virginia Jennifer Mero of that war were used in the 19th and it encourages all participants to ex- Staying Connected to W&L CLASS NOTES EDITOR 20th centuries (and sometimes now) plore issues of race, class, creed and as symbols of hate and injustice; gender. For the last few years, I’ve served Patricia Jorgenson P’14 Patrick Hinely ’73 thus, they are fine for museums but as the alumni admissions program Editor the to Letters Kevin Remington not for American institutions. W&L Kalamazoo, Michigan chair for Chicago. Recently I heard UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHERS is at an important crossroads—much from Charlotte Karp ’16, whom I in- Unfortunately, history also informs terviewed a few years ago: “You were Rich Griset like Lee faced when he received THE Julie Grover letter from Lexington. Do we self- us that George Washington once the first W&L connection I ever Peter Jetton justify and focus on the past, or do owned slaves, inherited from his spoke to, and I have been incred- Laure Stevens-Lubin we, as an American institution, with wife’s family. Therefore, the name ibly happy with my choice.” This is Sarah Tschiggfrie Lee’s guidance and inspiration, focus Washington & Lee is doubly indicted why I donate my time (and money) CONTRIBUTORS on the reality of the present and for being politically incorrect. So, to W&L. It’s a special place for a improving the future? I, for one, fol- here’s a suggestion: Why not revise lot of us, and knowing I’ve helped Bart Morris, Mary Woodson low Lee’s example and focus ahead. the name, but still retain a tenuous someone else discover this is special GRAPHIC DESIGN It is with this sense that I support relationship to what we might look to me, too. I’d encourage you to Mary Woodson President Ruscio’s decision. back on as the university’s dated remain connected to the University. DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Andrew Hollinger ’73 identity? My suggestion, which is We spend only four years in college, Bedford, Texas simple, innocuous and short: George but we are alumni for the rest of our Published by Washington and Lee University, Lexington, & Bob University. I don’t think lives. VA 24450. All communications and POD forms 3579 should be It is unbelievable to me that our anyone who attends Washington & Stephanie Hardiman Simon ’10 sent to Washington and Lee University, Alumni Magazine, national culture of victimhood has Lee should be embarrassed to admit Chicago 7 Courthouse Square, 204 W. Washington Street, Lexington, VA reached a point where a small group he or she attends Washington & Lee, 24450-2116. Periodicals postage paid at Roanoke, Va. of students can claim to be ag- a fine university with an unfortunate Corrections to the grieved, issue demands, and shame name. Summer 2014 issue: an institution like Washington and James I. Greene ’60 The photo at the top of p. 5 is of University Advancement Lee into disavowing its own history. Dallas Nelson O’Bryan, not Christopher It will be a bland world indeed when Pelling, the Oxford scholar who Dennis W. Cross VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT anything that could offend anyone Walking to lunch and wearing my received an honorary degree. Our must be removed, neutralized or W&L cap, I was stopped by a very apologies to both men. Brian H. Eckert suppressed. I miss the days when nice young man from our area, who EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS wanted to know about my cap. I In the story on p.