![Emma Malinak, Editor-in-Chief](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Headshot-Emma-1-951x1200.jpg)
Emma Malinak, Editor-in-Chief
![Sigma Nu moved out of its house in 2020 when no new members joined. They will move back into the house for fall 2025.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250115_104849-1200x900.jpg)
W&L’s Latinx community moves again as Sigma Nu reclaims house
Nuestro Hogar Latino, a Latinx theme house, has been based in three different buildings in its six-year history. It’ll jump to a fourth location in September when Sigma Nu returns
![Past clients send thank you notes to the Law School’s tax clinic.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/color_tax-1200x909.png)
W&L students provide lifeline of free tax services to low-income families
As tax season begins, the Williams School’s VITA program and Law School’s tax clinic are giving Rockbridge residents free resources to file taxes and resolve problems with the IRS
![Hamlet 50/50 casted Hana Chang, ‘26, as Hamlet and Alania Pastore, ‘25, as Ophelia for its
gender equitable adaptation of the famous Shakespeare play.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hamlet_RAW-1200x800.jpg)
“Hamlet 50/50” brings gender equity to a centuries-old tale
The reimagined Shakespeare play turns Elizabethan England’s gender power structure on its head, giving new voice and agency to female characters
![In Reid Hall, you’ll find stacks of newspapers and “In Reid We Write” stickers, but no enemies of the people.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241113_192426-1182x1200.jpg)
I’m a journalist, not the enemy
Thanks to the re-election of Donald Trump, my first four years in the workforce will take place in the most hostile environment journalists have ever seen. But I’m not scared.
![College Republicans presidential watch party.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Color_CollegeRepsWatchParty_raw-1200x745.png)
Student organizations amp up programming ahead of presidential election
Leaders of College Democrats and College Republicans say event attendance and energy are up as students prepare to cast their vote
![Currently, at the Tea House, long lines form during peak hours and students have to wait to get their orders. Photo by Emma Malinak, ’25](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20240403_131849-1200x900.jpg)
Tea House will adopt mobile ordering system during spring term
The app will go live for other campus dining venues, including Café 77, this fall
![The eclipse's path of totality does not pass through Lexington, but the sun will still be partially covered on campus on April 8. Graphic courtesy of USA Today.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/USA-Today-eclipse-map-1200x799.png)
A W&L guide to watching the solar eclipse
Mark your calendars for 3:16 p.m. on April 8 to watch the sky go dark in Lexington
![Previous Fancy Dress themes include racist framing.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Misc.-FD-posters-1200x900.jpg)
Lee’s image in Fancy Dress promotion sparked anger. It’s nothing new.
A poster featuring Robert E. Lee poses the question: What does the W&L tradition mean for an increasingly diverse student body?
![Donald Trump addresses students and praises Washington and Lee in a pre-recorded video.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_9396.jpeg)
Donald Trump wins Mock Convention’s GOP nomination
Trump’s win was no surprise, students said. But the speakers sparked disagreement and conversation
![State chair Sam Griffiths, ’24, shares jokes about Michigan.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/S4_statechair_Chiguluri-2-800x1200.jpg)
Ring-Tum Phi awards for best jokes by state chairs
Laughter filled the Tennis Center as state chairs threw insults at each other and themselves during the roll call vote
![The new class schedule will include one additional class block each day, requiring classes to start earlier and end later.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Schedule-916x1200.jpg)
New schedule with shorter passing periods will start next year
Classes will begin earlier in the day and end later under the new schedule
![The student leaders of Mock Con bundled up to travel through Iowa in freezing temperatures.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/IMG_9353-2-1200x900.jpg)
Trump sweeps Iowa Caucuses, but Mock Con leaders aren’t ready to call the race
Students leading Mock Con are sharpening their predictions after visiting Iowa
![DeLaney Center probes what it means to be a modern university in the historical South](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Washington_and_Lee_Universitys_DeLaney_Center_hosted_its_first_symposium_on_race_and_southern-ness_on_Dec._1._Photo_by_Catherine_McKean_24_-1200x900.jpg)
DeLaney Center probes what it means to be a modern university in the historical South
Washington and Lee’s DeLaney Center’s first symposium brought southern studies scholars together to find answers
![Law enforcement continues to clear buildings on campus.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_5907-575x1200.jpeg)
Angry professors, students and parents want answers following W&L lockdown
Frustration has been building in the two weeks since the Nov. 1 threat
![Jesse Friedrichs, co-owner of New Dimension Masonry, explains how stones are cut and placed to replicate the 18th-century structure.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Photo1-1200x900.jpg)
One foundation, many lives: 200 years of history unfold at Structure Nine
The archaeology department is ensuring the memories of Liberty Hall Academy students and the enslaved people who lived on the land are preserved
![A law enforcement officer carrying a rifle leaves a room in the Center for Global Learning, amid an hours-long campus search yesterday.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/F94NLcQXEAA5Ooz-e1698873905115-1200x931.jpg)
Washington and Lee community still shaken one day after lockdown
Students came in close proximity to rifles after a 'disjointed' threat was emailed to university officials
![Students line Stemmons Plaza with flags representing lives lost in Israel on Wednesday.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231011_162610-1200x900.jpg)
Students mourn lives lost in Israel-Hamas war
Days after the outbreak of the conflict, members of the W&L community are uniting to find peace
![Brendan Hunt shares comedic stories of his Hollywood experiences with the W&L community.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/photo-by-Emma-Malinak-25-1200x900.jpg)
‘Ted Lasso’ creator coaches W&L community
Brendan Hunt kicked off Parents and Family Weekend with stories about his Hollywood career and lessons on the entertainment industry today
![Phi Zeta Delta’s letters have been scrubbed from the group’s former house, which has been converted to over-flow housing. Photo from September 2023.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_7351.jpg)
Phi Zeta Delta suspended for 5 years
It’s unclear how the fraternity plans to move forward from last spring’s verdict
![A group of people talk near a small tree, which is inside a protective cage with balloons tied to the top.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20230506_142237-900x675.jpg)
W&L alum honors victims of Oklahoma City bombing, shares message of resilience
A planted sapling from the only tree to survive the bombing represents “the merging of two communities,” one student said
![An art piece shows a family gathered around a kitchen table.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20230426_184851-rotated-e1683590642171-900x834.jpg)
New art exhibits illuminate underrepresented narratives
The collections fill gaps in W&L representation of Arab American and Chicana artists
![A group of male and female dancers in black and white Polynesian outfits half-kneel and spread their arms toward the audience.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IMG_0022-900x600.jpg)
Around the Globe hosts spring festival, celebrates culture with dance
The student organization's first year on campus concluded with a night of music and movement from around the world
![A drag queen in a green wig, wearing a black and white striped dress and hat, accepts tips from dancegoers. Purple lights and strings of lights are behind her.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EqualityGala1-900x827.jpg)
Equality Gala celebrates LGBTQ+ community
All proceeds from the event will be donated to a local LGBTQ+ resource center
Blue Ridge Mile celebrates first year of community work, plans for future impact
A team of student advocates helps Rockbridge residents reinstate their driver’s licenses
![A table with a spinner, posters and information flyers.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/table_by_Catherine_McKean_-900x675.jpg)
SSA invites students to embrace liberal arts
Students will present their research and discuss their interests at the interdisciplinary conference
![The recital showcased both experienced pianists and those who started learning recently. All participants had taken Applied Music: Piano classes.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Recital4-836x900.jpg)
Inaugural concert celebrates student pianists’ hard work
Nine W&L students took the stage for the "Let's Dance" recital on Feb. 5
![Three people sit at a table, which is covered in shirts and tote bags with the Ukrainian flag colors.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/UkraineTablingCat-900x675.jpg)
‘This is my frontline’: W&L student fights for justice and visibility for Ukraine
Tania Kozachanska, '26, partnered with W&L organizations to host "Ukraine Week" and support her home country
![Two young men wearing hair nets ladle soup from a pot into small cups.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SouperBowl-900x730.jpg)
Campus Kitchen’s Souper Bowl raises money to fight food insecurity
Proceeds from the event will fund Campus Kitchen’s
backpack program
![A woman gestures towards a pottery figure in a display case. Two other pottery artworks sit to either side.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/MotherClayGalleryTour-882x900.jpg)
W&L museums showcase female artists’ pottery with two new exhibits
The "Born of Fire" and "Mother Clay" exhibits
opened on Feb. 1
![A crowd of people stand in a circle holding flashlights and signs. Behind them are lit up buildings with tall columns.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/AE46AF7B-F1C8-48A5-81F7-256DDAE2C31C-900x675.jpg)
Students protest University Chapel speaker in lead-up to MLK Day
Over 100 students staged a silent walkout during a speech by Rodney Mims Cook Jr., '78, honoring Robert E. Lee
![A crowd of people sit and look at a person speaking at a podium. They are all in a large room with a high ceiling.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MLKreflections-900x498.jpg)
‘Sing a song of hope’: W&L honors MLK with reflection on the past, focus on the future
Students and community members learned and celebrated through a week of programming
![A projected slide in a dark room shows a photograph of a young man in a white outfit. The slide reads, "All for Eli #closertosafe"](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/BirdieLight-900x583.jpg)
BirdieLight educates students on dangers of fentanyl
W&L organizations worked together to bring Dr. Beth Weinstock to campus
![Sion Jang ,’24, prepared pork and kimchi dumplings for the PAACE table.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Sion-Jang-24-prepared-pork-and-kimchi-dumplings-for-the-PAACE-Table.-Photo-by-Elena-Lee-25-900x601.jpg)
Students celebrate culture with food at POC-luck
Multicultural clubs shared family recipes and traditions
![Four panel members sit behind a table with a W&L tablecloth and a screen behind them projecting their biographies. One student stands at a podium next to them.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/20221108_181810-900x675.jpg)
Alumni share challenges, benefits of being first-generation students
Washington and Lee celebrates students that were the first in their family to attend college
![Clara Albacete, wearing a sunflower shirt and jeans, stands on a stage with phone in hand. She is gesturing to welcome students to poetry night.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Clara-Albacete-23-welcomes-students-to-the-slam-poetry-event.-Photo-by-Emma-Malinak-25-900x675.jpg)
Students embrace their identity with slam poetry
Diversity and LGBTQ+ peer counselors invited students to share original poetry
![Reporter in a mask and floral shirt holds a boom microphone out to two men holding Black Lives Matter signs in a protest march.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SOANScreenshot1.png)
W&L alum says sociology background enhances her reporting
Caleigh Wells, ‘17, said SOAN prepared her to work with data and prioritize diversity
![The University Singers made a cameo at the March 15th performance at Wilson Hall.
Photo by Jess Kishbaugh ‘24.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220315_204728-900x796.jpg)
‘Existing is not enough:’ Winter Choral Concert celebrates the joy of love and live performances
Two years after Washington and Lee’s campus-wide pandemic shutdown, two choir ensembles joined forces for a moving Winter Choral Concert.
![Despite the lack of letters written by Baptiste herself, Mitchell is working to piece together a timeline of her life. Photo by Emma Malinak, ‘25.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220302_175338-895x900.jpg)
Dr. Robin Mitchell uncovers hidden history of Suzanne Simone Baptiste
Students gained unique insight into the research process behind the first biography of Toussaint Louverture’s wife
![“The Adjacent Possible” and “honeypot” are available for purchase online and in the W&L Bookstore. Photo by Emma Malinak, ’25.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/20220202_121113-900x720.jpg)
Brown and Womer share debut poetry collections
Julie Phillips Brown and Visiting Assistant Professor Brenna Womer read original poetry for students
![George Packer, in conversation with politics professor Robert Strong, speaks at University Chapel. Photo by Emma Malinak, ’25.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/20220203_170306-900x675.jpg)
George Packer offers “last best hope” for American democracy
One journalist’s argument on what could save the future of America
![Lenfest will host ARTrageous, a multidisciplinary performance, April 28. Photo by Elena Lee, ’25.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-01-at-7.52.49-PM.png)
The show must go on: 2022 Lenfest Center season brings performers and audiences together again
This season at Lenfest Center for the Arts will bring performers and audiences together again
![The play was the first live show at Keller Theater since 2019. Photo by Emma Malinak, ’25.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Screen-Shot-2021-12-14-at-4.48.36-PM-900x668.png)
Estrella Burks-Parra shines in The Dramatic Circle: first live play since 2019
Burks-Parra waited three years to perform in-person
![Tran read from his recent book of poetry in Northen Auditorium. Photo by Brenna Womer, visiting assistant professor of English.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/20211109_183802-900x614.jpg)
Dr. Tran shares poetry, encourages students to “find joy in dark times”
The up-and-coming poet read from his first book, “The Gutter Spread Guide to Prayer”
![The “I Love the Female Orgasm” event was held in Stackhouse Theater on Thursday, Nov. 4. Approximately 150 students attended. Photo by Emma Malinak, ’25.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Screen-Shot-2021-11-09-at-6.02.35-PM-900x717.png)
Sex Week fosters safe, healthy campus culture to “reduce harm” and “promote connection”
Sexual Health Awareness Group (SHAG) hosts its annual Sex Week after one-year hiatus
Latinx culture shines through Hispanic Heritage Month events
Over 300 students attended the Latinx Student Organization’s first dance, or “Baile."
!["Dear Evan Hansen," a movie adaptation of a Broadway musical, was released to theaters Sept. 24. Photo by Lilah Kimble, '23.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/movie-theater-900x675.jpeg)
Dear Evan Hansen shines from Broadway to box office
Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical now available in Lexington theaters.
![Both the first edition (front) and the centennial edition (back) of the Ring-tum Phi are shown here. The first issue was released Sept. 18, 1897.](https://ringtumphi.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20210922_155420-806x900.jpg)
New organization emerges, aims to explore and preserve local history
Students for Historical Preservation started ‘in the midst of a controversy.’