Scholarships for Leaders

A W&L education is being offered to select students who meet the high standards of academic ability and leadership promise sought by the University’s new Johnson Scholarship Program. Each Johnson scholar—44 in each class, or almost 10 percent of the student body—will have his or her tuition, room, and board paid in full and will graduate from Washington and Lee free of debt.

Johnson Program Influence

The Johnson gift strengthens W&L’s role in the national conversation on educating tomorrow’s leaders. Each year, under a unifying theme, the University community will benefit from direct encounters with prominent thinkers and national leaders. The program endows two new professorships, centering on leadership and entrepreneurship, and on exploring how individuals and ideas shape history. And a new Johnson summer program supports internships and projects, allowing seniors to develop their own leadership potential.

The Johnson Gift

For generations, W&L graduates have provided substantial leadership in communities around the world. Alumni and friends faithfully give of their time and resources. This spring’s $100 million gift continues that history of selfless generosity. The Johnson program now becomes a signature element of Washington and Lee, ensuring that leadership and integrity continue to be hallmarks of the University’s graduates.

How to Apply

The Johnson Scholarship deadline for applicants to the class of 2012 has passed. To be considered for a Johnson Scholarship for the class of 2013, apply for admission to W&L by December 15, 2008 and complete a separate Johnson Scholarship application (an additional essay). Factors that are weighed: writing samples; teacher recommendations; records of leadership, citizenship, and involvement in non-academic activities; academic achievement; and potential to contribute to the intellectual and civic life of W&L and the world. Two hundred finalists will be invited to campus to interview with faculty, student leaders, and administrators, and to attend classes and experience life at W&L first hand allowing them to judge whether Washington and Lee is a good personal fit.

The University

W&L is the ninth-oldest school in the country. Its namesakes are George Washington, whose 1796 gift kept the fledgling institution alive, and Robert E. Lee, whose visionary presidential leadership greatly expanded and enriched the school. With an enrollment of 1,770 men and women, classes are small and discussion-focused. The historic but continually updated 55-acre campus is in Lexington, Virginia, between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains.

The Educational Program

W&L is a university in a liberal arts college setting. Students build programs from more than 1,000 courses and 41 majors, a rich array seldom found at a small college. Core studies reveal multidisciplinary ways of thinking. Approximately 25 percent of all students major in the natural sciences; courses in the arts and humanities are nationally recognized. W&L’s Williams School offers programs in accounting, business, economics, and politics. And students may choose the accredited journalism program or, as undergraduates, take advantage of academic opportunities available through the top-ranked School of Law.

Honor-Based Culture

Educating students in a climate of learning that stresses personal responsibility and integrity is central to Washington and Lee’s mission—an emphasis reflected in the University’s renowned Honor System. Student-administered and acknowledged to be among the strongest of its kind in the nation, the Honor System creates a safe and trusting environment, influencing W&L students’ lives long after graduation.

Special Opportunities

Critical national and international issues are addressed across disciplines at W&L. Some examples: The Society and the Professions Program in Ethics focuses on social responsibility in business, law, medicine, journalism, and the environment. In the nationally recognized, interdisciplinary Shepherd Program, students apply studies of poverty to real-world solutions through service and reflection. Dozens of other student organizations thrive on campus and benefit local, national, and even global communities.