Photo from Washington & Lee University website.
Recently, I joined 134 members of my graduating class to celebrate our 25th college reunion. It was an amazing weekend being back on campus, catching up with our retired professors, reminiscing with old friends about our pre 21-year-old selves and dancing to one of our favorite college bands that reunited just for this occasion.
But for me, as someone who talks about accelerating business growth by embedding vision, intention and learning into the company’s DNA, I was also interested in learning how my alma mater, has been able to continue its ascent to the top of the college rankings while not losing site of what makes it unique.
It boils down to a few key factors:
- Is clear in purpose: “to develop every student’s capacity to think freely, critically and humanely and to conduct themselves with honor, integrity, and civility.”
- Remains relevant and responsive, guided by its motto: “not unmindful of the future”
- Has done the hard work of identifying key ways they support their purpose:
- Approach: “By combining the benefits of a liberal arts foundation with emerging technologies and interdisciplinary perspective.”
- Scope: By considering opportunities both inside and outside the classroom … on campus and globally … and across all programs (the arts and sciences, pre-professional programs and School of Law.
- Community: “By providing a small community that nurtures strong ties among students, faculty and staff… by promoting research, scholarship and the creative arts, by embracing diversity and by engaging in service to others.”
- Utilizes this work as the criteria against which new ideas and decisions are evaluated.
The last item (#4) is where the magic happens. Whether considering admissions, curriculum, faculty, or facilities and housing, by utilizing purpose, motto, mission, and focus areas as lenses for decision making, Washington & Lee is assured of bringing innovative change to campus while remaining true to their mission and mindful of their rich traditions. Skipping this step makes one vulnerable to fads and great ideas that ultimately fail due to cultural or purpose-based misalignment.
A few examples of programs and traditions that support the university’s mission include:
Examples of additions to the curriculum since I graduated:
- The Shepherd Program for the Interdisciplinary Study of Poverty and Human Capability: A cross-disciplinary curriculum that “integrates thought and action in direct service to disadvantaged communities.”
- The Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity: In addition to “awarding a debt-free education for 10% of each incoming class,” the program supports a lecture series, has endowed new professorships and funds student research all geared toward leadership and ethical decision-making.
- The Roger Mudd Center for Ethics: “Advances dialogue, teaching, and research about issues of public and professional ethics across all three of the University’s schools – the College, the Williams School, and the School of Law.”
- The J. Lawrence Connolly Center for Entrepreneurship: “An interdisciplinary center intended to help students from across campus learn how to turn their creative ideas into successful business ventures.”
Examples of long-standing university traditions:
- The Honor System: “Honor pervades every aspect of life, deepening relationships and allowing uncommon intellectual freedoms. Civility and integrity create the conditions for mutual trust, resulting in an open community and a rich, frank exchange of ideas.”
- The Speaking Tradition: “Members of the W&L community regularly say ‘hello’ to one another, whether passing on the Colonnade or meeting in the Commons.”
- Mock Convention: “The entire student body participates in this political exercise aimed at choosing the presidential candidate of the party out of power in the White House. The Mock Convention has achieved a remarkable record of accuracy and is considered to be the most realistic event of its kind in the nation.”
Harper Strategy 