Christine Bender '08's First Year in Med School

Happy Holidays everyone! We hope you are enjoying the season and time with family and friends. This week we heard from 2008 graduate Christine Bender about her busy life in Medical School:

1. Where are you in Med. School?
Christine: I am at University of New England, located on the southern coast of the great (and wintery) state of Maine.

2. Overall how has your first term gone?

Christine: The first trimester went well. We are well into the second and it is hard to believe I am halfway through my first year. All in all I like school and have great classmates.

3. Have you thought about what concentration of medicine you'd like to focus on? Christine: I am interested in orthopedics and sports med. But I am keeping an open mind to everything at this point. I'll probably have a much better idea once I start rotations during my third year (so perhaps another blog entry then!)

4. Did you always know that you wanted to be a Doctor?

Christine: Hmmm. Well no, but I am not exactly sure when I figured that out. It had been in the back of my mind for several years but I always questioned whether or not it was something I actually wanted to pursue. Even last year I was still a little unsure about it. But fortunately I think it's been a good choice so far!

5. What do you do in your free time (if you have any!)?
Christine: Free time??? I am no longer familiar with that concept. But I guess I had been finding some time to run...mostly along the fabulous beach right by school. I also played some IM flag football throughout the fall...but that led to an unfortunate incident. I somehow managed to tear my ACL so I'm now having that surgery right before Christmas. Occassionally I would go home (only about an hour away) for a weekend to see the fam and dog and get some good meals. Immediately following a week of block exams, my class generally manages to have some fun...I won't bore you with details, but these are by far the best weekends. I was planning on getting a ski pass for the winter but looks like that plan has changed...guess it leaves more time for studying.

6. Have you kept up with Women's Lax Alumnae?

Christine: Yup. Mostly the 08'ers...a classy bunch.

7. What's the biggest thing you miss about W&L and/or Lexington?
Christine: Hmmm...Utah, lax, Goshen, the colonnade, warm weather, the Chessie trail, Lex Coffee, our field, spring term (we dont exactly have that here)....I'm sure the list could go on.

8. Anything else you'd like Generals fans, players, parents and alumnae to know?
Christine: Well yes. A bunch of my classmates and I are going on a Medlife trip to Peru this summer. We basically hire a local doctor there and set up clinics in different villages each day where we treat the locals. In the past, it has been a huge success and hundreds of people line up at these clinics to get treatment they might not otherwise receive. It is an incredible opportunity to get clinical exposure and see things medically that we will probably otherwise never get to see in the US. Anyway, we have to raise money for trip costs and medical supplies to take with us, so if anyone would be willing to donate to this trip, I would be very appreciative. Donations can be made at: https://owa.wlu.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=8ea52d7f61f648e2b88152bb643740c4&URL=https%3a%2f%2fwww.paypal.com%2fcgi-bin%2fwebscr%3fcmd%3d_s-xclick%26hosted_button_id%3d10633843
Thanks and happy holidays!!!

Lisa Dowling Costello '93 - Catching Up With W&L's 1st All-American

This week we heard about how former Generals Women's Lacrosse player Lisa Dowling Costello '93 is enjoying life in Baltimore, MD and staying in touch with the game:

1. Where do you currently live?

Lisa: In Baltimore, where I grew up.

2. In what career field are you currently working?

Lisa: I am currently working in retail – actually two separate part time jobs. One is for a friend and W&L classmate of mine, Josh Levinson, who owns a running store called Charm City Run (check out their web site!!) The other is for a jewelry store in my neighborhood. I also coach lacrosse in the spring at Notre Dame Prep.

3.Have you been in the same area/career field since graduation?

Lisa: No I taught school here for 5 years and then left to have my daughter, Lilly, who is now 9.

4.What do you like to do in your free time?

Lisa: Wow, hard to say. I am trying to become a more enthusiastic runner although as Jan Hathorn can attest, that day may never come. In the summer, we are big beach people!

5. What has been the biggest milestone in your life since graduating from W&L?

Lisa: Having a child – it makes you reprioritize as well as analyze your life!!

6. Are you still involved in lacrosse at all?

Lisa: Yes I still coach Varsity lacrosse at NDP here in Baltimore – it is a great spring job and I love being around the girls and the game! It is amazing to have seen the progress of women’s lacrosse over the years. I am lucky that some of my players have ended up at W&L, Annie Rochfort, Daley Formby and Rachel Wallick to name a few.

7. Have you made it back to campus recently?

Lisa: Not too recently but my husband (Tom ’91) and I are hoping to get down there and see the new Wilson field and all the changes this spring!

8. Do you keep in touch with your fellow Generals Alums?

Lisa: Definitely. Baltimore is W&L north in a lot of ways so I am fortunate to see a lot of Generals on a regular basis. As for my former teammates, we still email and facebook and laugh about our old antics.

9. Anything else you'd like Generals' fans, players or parents to know?

Lisa: Just what a great experience W&L was and how much I loved playing D3 sports. It enabled me to become a bigger impact player without sacrificing my “life” to the sport. And how happy I am to have seen the women's lacrosse program’s continued success over the years – it was fun to have been there in the beginning!

Sarah Tilbor '08's Life in Washington DC

This week we spoke with 2008 graduate Sarah Tilbor about living and working in D.C. and her continued involvement in and love for lacrosse:
1. How long have you been living in D.C.?

Sarah: I have been living in DC since graduation from W&L in June 2008.

2. What are you doing there?

Sarah: I am working as an environmental consultant at a DC-based company. My main client is Department of Energy. I set up trainings and collect data for industrial energy efficiency. We just started a new contract for “Save Energy Now,” which was launched in early December at the Capitol.

3. What's your favorite thing about living there?

Sarah: My favorite thing about being in DC is being surrounded by all different cultures. I love running to Dupont then up Massachusetts Avenue, which is lined with Embassies. I can eat any kind of food any day of the week… it is GREAT!

4. What do you like to do in your free time and on weekends?

Sarah: It depends on the time of year. I enjoy trying new restaurants/types of food and music venues/music. The music scene is awesome; it is great to have so many options every night of the week. I also enjoy getting out of the city to hike and camp. DC is only an hour and a half from the Shenandoah National Park, which has some great hikes!

5. Have you kept in touch with your '08 class?

Sarah: I have! I love keeping in touch with everyone in my class. Every time I talk to someone new, there is a new adventure – new job, new goal, new location. One is a banker, lacrosse coach, Peace Corp volunteer… it is so interesting and inspirational to see how lives can change in such a short time. I have had the opportunity to visit with almost all of my teammates since graduation, including a trip out to Colorado to see Bender and Katherine.

6. Have you stayed involved in lacrosse in some way?

Sarah: Have I ever! I currently coach a competitive club team in the DC-Metro area called Capital Lacrosse Club. Many W&L girls played in similar leagues while in high school. This team takes up much of my free time during the fall and summer. I also coach private lessons for goalies in the area. It has been interesting seeing the other side of the recruiting process. And I love seeing the W&L coaches at tournaments. Whenever I see a Trident, my smile widens.

7. What is the biggest thing you miss about W&L?

Sarah: I miss being in such close proximity to so many of my best friends. I miss waking up and being able to jump on my teammates and friends to rally them for the day. I miss the close proximity to the mountains. But mostly, I miss my best friends.

8. Plan to make it back on campus for a game in the spring?

Sarah: I do! I plan on getting to a few games close to DC and I plan on visiting for ODACs!

9. Anything else you would like Generals players, parents or fans to know?

Sarah: Generals – don’t put off the things you want to do while at college. Life after college isn’t as bad as you think. But it isn’t like W&L. Live it up and love the process. It’s a great day to be a General! L4L!

Checking in in the off-season.

It's been a few weeks since the blog has checked in with our 2009-2010 team so here's an update on what they've been up to here on campus:

Hard work! The Generals' Women's Lacrosse team has made a big commitment to their preparation in the off-season. Led by our Captains and Upperclassmen, the members of our team have been demonstrating just how much they aim to achieve this season through their efforts. They've been fully invested in attending speed, agility and quickness sessions offered by the University as well as improving their strength in the weight room. From the looks of things it appears that this team has taken to heart the motto "create your own destiny." Be prepared to expect BIG things from them this spring!

We've also welcomed back our fall sport student athletes and they have already begun to make big motivational impacts. Junior Captain Emmy Mathews (Batimore, MD/Bryn Mawr School), Junior Kate Donnelly (Houston, TX/St. John's School), Sophomore Christina Benedetti (Derwood, MD/Academy of the Holy Cross) and First-Year Ashley Barnes (Annapolis, MD/St. Mary's HS) enjoyed a hard-earned 10-7 record with the Generals' Field Hockey team, advancing to the Semi-Final of the ODAC Championships before falling to Eastern Mennonite. Emmy Mathews earned second team All-ODAC recognition for her play this season. First-Year Sarah Stiefvater joins us from the Generals' Women's Soccer team who bolstered a tremendous 17-2-3 record, an ODAC Championship and a trip to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. They are all shifting into lacrosse gear and we're excited to have them back!

The team has also dedicated their time outside of the classroom and gym to other efforts deserving a hand. The Student Athletic Advisory Council teamed up with W&L athletic teams and members of the community to send Soldier Care Packages to our troops abroad. Senior Meredith Freeman (St. Louis, MO/MICDS) played an extraordinary role in organizing and rallying support, as did Head Coach Brooke Diamond. Our team was responsible for supplying Little Debbie-like snacks, which we did a fabulous job of.

We continue to stay in touch with Maggie, our Friends of Jaclyn adoptee. The Captains organized sending her a Halloween care package and Thanksgiving cards and we also often use Facebook to hear about what she's doing as well as keep her posted on how things are in Lexington.

Thanks for checking in and we hope that you all continue to get excited for the spring!

Katharine Farrar's Fall Term Abroad in Sevilla, Spain

This week we heard Junior Katharine Farrar's (Lexington, VA/Episcopal High School) perspective on spending her Fall semester abroad in Spain:
Where are you studying in Spain?
Katharine: Sevilla (Seville) which is in Andalucía in southern Spain.

What made you choose this location?
Katharine: Friends from W&L who studied abroad in Sevilla last spring couldn’t stop talking about how amazing it was. Also, being a small town girl from Lexington, I knew that I didn’t want to be studying in a huge city like Madrid so I looked at my other options. Sevilla seemed to best fit the profile of the study abroad experience that I was looking for so I went for it!

What's the best part about living there in Sevilla?
Katharine: The best part about living in Sevilla is the learning experience that I am having. Going off to college and being on your own in the US is one thing, but leaving the country and being on your own in a completely different cultural setting is another. I think that being here has enabled me to learn a lot about myself as well as the outside world and other cultures. I have finally been able to apply my many years of studying Spanish in a real life setting which is so cool to be able to do.

What's the hardest thing about living there?
Katharine: The hardest thing is probably not having all of the conveniences that we do at home in the US. It is pretty hard to find certain things that you really need and not having a car also makes things pretty difficult. You can’t just zip across town to pick something up; you have to plan ahead because it takes at least 20 minutes to get anywhere you need to go. Something else that is pretty hard about being in Sevilla and not another part of Spain is the difference in the Spanish accent. In Andalucía there is a very distinct accent that doesn’t sound like “normal” Spanish so it is pretty hard to understand people at times and even harder for them to understand us when we speak because we don’t have that accent.

What are the biggest adjustments you feel you've had to make living in a foreign country?
Katharine: Learning to adapt to the different kind of lifestyle has been a huge adjustment. The day to day routine here is so different from the one I follow at home which was very hard to get used to. I was pretty exhausted the entire first 2 weeks because I was not used to the schedule of a very early breakfast, a late lunch and a late dinner. Not to mention we walk EVERYWHERE here so it can get pretty tiring. Another big adjustment would have to be the supermarket scene over here...which isn’t so “super.” It is not as easy to go into one store here and find everything you need. Most times you go to one store for fresh bread, one store for fresh veggies etc. and the grocery stores provide the basics. There is no such thing as your one-stop-shop Rockbridge County Super Wal-Mart over here.
What classes are you taking?
Katharine: I am taking four classes that are all helping me fulfill my Spanish major requirements: Spanish Realist Novel, Writing and Composition of Texts, Culture and Society of Spain and Spanish Art: El Greco to Picasso.

What do you and Wilton do on weekends?
Katharine: We have been using most of our weekends to travel around Spain and other parts of Europe. In Spain, we have gone to Granada, Toledo, Madrid, Cordoba, Malaga and Cadiz. We have also ventured to Munich, Portugal, Morocco, London and we plan to head to Rome in December. When we are in Sevilla for the weekends we usually treat ourselves to eating out for meals, since we cook for ourselves during the week days. We also walk around the main part of the city, going in and out of shops and just to kill some time. The weather is pretty consistent here in that there is usually sunshine and blue sky so venturing out during the day is very enjoyable!
What is the one thing you miss most about W&L/Lexington?
Katharine: I miss the atmosphere of the W&L campus and my favorite places to eat. We really don’t have a school campus here…I go to classes in one building and that’s it. There is no true “campus” which I miss because you really feel like you are at school and you get to see all of your friends during the day. I also must say that I really miss Blue Sky, Franks and Lexington Restaurant. To be honest…the list could go on and on but I won’t embarrass myself by mentioning all of the places that I can’t wait to go to when I get back.
Anything else you'd like Generals' fans, players and parents to know?
Katharine: I can’t wait to get the season started and reunite with everyone at our AWESOME tailgates. I also look forward to seeing Maggie and her family, some of our biggest fans, at our games cheering us on! See everyone in the new year!!!

Catching up with Amanda Strickler '06 in Washington, DC

This week we're catching up with 2006 graduate Amanda Strickler on how she's enjoying life and work in Washington, DC:

What made you decide to move to Washington, DC?
Amanda: After living abroad for the better part of the last three years, I wanted to be fairly close to family and friends. A career may have had something to do with the choice as well...

When did you move?
Amanda: June 2009

Where are you living in the city?
Amanda: Alexandria, VA-southwest of D.C.

Where are you working?
Amanda: The L-3 Services Group

What’s your favorite part about living in our nation’s capital?
Amanda: The vibrant, upbeat, and exciting atmosphere. There is always something to do in D.C.

What’re the biggest adjustments you’ve made since moving?
Amanda: The cost of living in the D.C. area - I am accustomed to Lexington prices...Additionally, I am now without my annual RCHS "Drive Your Tractor to School Day" viewing.

What do you like to do in your spare time and on weekends?
Amanda: I love to walk around D.C. and discover the city. The outdoor farmers markets, museum exhibits and events on the mall-there is constant change. I'm also taking an art class in Alexandria which has been fun. But when I'm not feeling cultural, I put on my #3 penny, UA Shorts, white lighting turfs, and gogs and spend hours pelting lax balls at small woodland creatures.

Still keeping in touch with your fellow Generals’ alums?
Amanda: Yes! They will all tell you that I suffer from a correspondence handicap, but I think we do a good job of talking and getting together. We're hoping to have another laxy reunion sometime in 2010.

Anything else you’d like to share with Generals fans, players, parents and alums?
Amanda: Go Gennies! Stab and Kick! Also I am currently without a camera so I'm sorry for no pictures!

Kathy Brown's Term Abroad in Cortona, Italy

This week we heard from Junior Kathy Brown (Baltimore,MD/Catonsville HS) about how much she's loving her time abroad in Italy:

Where are you studying abroad in Italy?
Kathy: My study abroad program is located in Cortona, Italy. Cortona is in an part of Tuscany about an hour or two outside of both Florence and Rome. If I were to provide a visual that anyone at W&L could relate to, I'd say that the town would be similar to a Lexington that was built on the side of House Mountain (only about 2000 years older). The view from this mountaintop town allows me to see most of the Tuscan valley and all the way into Umbria.

What made you choose this location?
Kathy: I ended up choosing the UGA- Cortona program for a number or reasons. I seriously considered going with Syracuse's Florence program, but a large part of me thought that I would miss out on a more relaxed, authentic atmosphere. My art major adviser actually recommended the Cortona program to me and from there it really seemed like a no brainer. After all I am used to going to school in small-town Lexington, so Florence would have been an even bigger change.
Are you happy with your decision?
Kathy: I have been here for over two months now and I have very little to complain about. There are 48 people in my program and I think the thing that everyone has the biggest problem with is the food. Funny concept right? Actually the problem with the food is not that it is bad, but rather that we are served too much of it. On a more serious note though, this program is very well-established. When we first arrived, we flew into Rome and traveled to Florence from there. They exhausted us with sights and visits to more museums than you can imagine. I thought they were crazy, but when we arrived in Cortona it became quite clear that it was all a ploy. They had exhausted us intentionally knowing that Cortona would be that breath of fresh air at the end. A place that felt more homey. I don't think anyone here has regretted not being in a big city after that. The UGA set-up is also very inclusive, from the meals to the field trips I would be hard-pressed to find another program that provides this much for me (and at this cost). I also love, love, love my professors. W&L is not too shabby either, but it is good to get out and experience other styles of teaching. Especially with regards to the art department. The art department is pretty small, but this semester has taught me so much already. The professors here come from all types of backgrounds and they have really exposed me to the possibilities available in the art world. OH! and I have met so many people from all over the U.S. Yes my program is small but we have people from California, Montana, new Mexico, Fargo, you name it and we have the region covered. If I had to do it all over again, maybe I would have signed up to come in the summer and the fall.

What is your living situation like there?
Kathy: My living situation is pretty fabulous. I live in an old monastery that was converted into a dormitory. The dorm is located on one of the highest points in town and the view out of my bedroom window is just wild. (Did I mention that it is one of the highest points in town? Yes, I essentially scale a mountain every time I have to walk back to our building. There have been days when I didn't think I was going to make it.) Anyway I have two roommates that are both from Maine and they very kindly gave me two beds...well a bunk-bed all to myself. That may sound luxurious but I cannot actually sit up in my own bed. Luckily most of my work has to be done in the studios anyway. My bathroom situation is another story, but lets just it has the European touch.
Have you done a lot of travelling thus far/do you plan to travel more?
Kathy: Well as I said the program started off with a few days spent in Rome and Florence. A car backed into me in Rome and the gypsies stalked me in Florence. We saw just about every sight there was to see in those two cities. My favorite events from that week were probably wandering around in Trastevere, Rome and sitting by the Tiber River at night (the Trevi fountain was also really neat at night). In Florence, the gelato at Vitello's and climbing the Duomo. Additionally every weekend we take field trips to different Italian towns for my art history class. I have been to Viterbo, Orvieto, Urbino, Gubbio, Arezzo, Assisi, Perugia, Pienza, Montepulciano, San Gimingano and Volterra. Out of those towns I thought that the Orvieto Duomo and Orvieto Underground (caves) were neat, Pienza felt like you were in a poppy up fairytale book and Arezzo had a particularly great antique market. I have also been to Lake Traismeno. My parents came this past week and we went there for the day. The lake is huge and monumental looking. AS for the remaining field trips, I am going to Bevagna and Torgiano tomorrow, then Siena and Naples in a few weeks. Last but not least I am going to hop around in Spain for a week. Spending a few days in Barcelona, then jetting off to Sevilla to spend Thanksgiving with Katharine and Shwilton!!!

What has been the biggest adjustment/challenge you've faced in living in Italy?
Kathy: Well I'd say it has been an adjustment not playing field hockey this year. I think I needed to take this time for Italy, but a part of me was sorry that I had to leave the team.
The cultural adjustment hasn't been more than I can handle. Yes, I used to get stared down when I would go for my runs in Nike and Under Armour but that's nothing too serious.

What classes are you taking?
Kathy: Over here I am taking Italian Language, Renaissance Art History, Painting and Printmaking.
Have you come across any familiar faces in your travels?
Kathy: Familiar faces, well my parents came to visit and a friend from school is stopping by next week but no pleasant surprises. I guess you could say that the Madonna and child has popped up in more places than I ever imagined.
Besides familiar faces from home, I see many of the same townspeople everyday, so in that regard the faces here have become familiar.

Anything else you’d like Generals fans, parents, players and alums to know?
Kathy: If they know of anyone looking for a good art program they should look into going with UGA. My time here has been incredible and I am going to be a mess when I have to leave in a month. I am already really grateful for this experience. It has probably been the best thing that I have done in my academic career.

Wilton Megargel's Fall Term in Spain

Junior Wilton Megargel (Charlottesville, VA/St. Anne's-Belfield) is enjoying her semester abroad in Sevilla, Spain. We caught up with her to find out just how much she's liking it and what she's up to over there:1.)What made you choose Sevilla as your study abroad location?
Wilton: I chose Sevilla because I wanted to go to Spain and Madrid was too big of a city and in Barcelona they speak Catalan instead of the type of Spanish I have been learning in my classes. Also, I had friends from W&L who went last winter term to Seville and had a great time, so after talking to them, I was sold!

2.)Are you happy with your decision?
Wilton: I am really happy with my decision! I always knew I wanted to study abroad and being here and taking classes is better than I imagined! At first it was kind of a shock and the style of life here took a week or two to get used to. For example, everything closes here for siesta (yes that still goes on) from one o'clock to five o'clock in the afternoon so you can't run errands during that time and have to plan your day accordingly. This also means that if you forget something at the store for lunch, you can't run around the corner to the grocery store to pick it up. At first I found this really frustrating but now it's just normal. I really like that when I decide I want to go to the beach for the day randomly I can say, "Oh, I think I will spend the day on the beach in the south of Spain to catch some sun..." Sounds a little cooler than driving to Roanoke for chinese buffet (not that I don't love Red Palace).

3.)What is your living situation like there?
Wilton: I am living in an apartment with Katharine and two other girls from Colorado who are in the same program. We have a living room that feels small when filled with all four of us and our laundry rack (because they don't have dryers), a kitchen (complete with a clothes washer next to the sink), and two bedrooms and a bathroom. Oh and we have an air conditioner!!!! Which is pretty key seeing as it still gets into the 80s these days!
4.)Have you done a lot of traveling thus far / do you plan to travel more?
Wilton: I haven't packed all my weekends full of trips but I have done a good amount of traveling. Our program takes us on trips around Spain, so I have been able to visit Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba and Granada. It is fun seeing different parts of Spain because they are so different. Katharine and I traveled to Munich for our first "big trip" and loved it!! It has to be on my top five list of places I have been in my entire life. The city is so clean, the people are really nice and everyone there loves Americans AND everything is very efficient. Germany has got it going on! (SO jealous that Mere can communicate with the Germans...) I also got to spend a beach weekend in Lagos, Portugal (probably second to Munich on my list of great places...) which was really cool. Lagos is a small beach town on the southern, most western point of Portugal and it used to be thought of as the end of the world before Columbus! Tomorrow I leave to go to Morocco to see the Medina in Fez and then ride a camel to spend the night in the desert. The camel ride is by far the part that I am the most worried about. Katharine and I are also planning to make it to Rome and Paris for our December break.

5.)What's been the biggest adjustment or challenge you've faced living in Sevilla?

Wilton: It has been hard adjusting to the pace of life here. The Spaniards are not the most efficient people and really don't have a sense of urgency doing anything, especially when you are American. They walk really slowly on the street, are never in a rush, constantly sitting outside sipping coffee/wine and like to take long siestas. Sometimes things happen on time, and sometimes they don't - why get stressed? Also, it took us a while to realize what everything on the menu meant. The first night I almost ordered pig intestines because the picture looked like pasta and red sauce - yeeuck. And everything comes with the eyeballs still attached. But these are really small prices to pay when you are studying abroad. It just comes with being in a different culture. Oh yeah, and we have to cook for ourselves!!! Some nights this is a challenge. No madre/dhall/srat over here to make us hot meals! Katharine and I have had some wild experiences trying to cook a good dinner.

6.)What classes are you taking and are you enjoying them?
Wilton: I am taking four classes over here and they are all in Spanish - three literature and one writing. Our university here is at the total opposite end of the spectrum compared to W&L, being a huge public university. Again, everything just runs a little differently in Spain and it took me an hour to locate all my classrooms before the first day of school because the rooms aren't numbered in order and the building is huge!! I also learned the first week of school that when I went to a class and the professor never showed up, that I should not worry because it is totally normal here for a professor to skip a class - I just had to pick a different class to take (silly me!).

7.)Have you come across any familiar faces in Europe?
Wilton: In Munich at Oktoberfest, Katharine and I saw some friends from W&L who are in our class and also studying abroad which was really fun. We have also had some of Katharine's friends from high school visit and Kathy Brown is going to be appearing in Spain for a week before she heads back to the US!!!!!! Can't wait!

8.)Anything else you'd like Generals' players, parents, fans and alumnae to know about your time in Sevilla?

Wilton: Can't wait to see everyone in January and meet all the freshmen I don't know yet!!! Miss everyone!

Parents' Weekend 2009 - Annual Parent Appetizer Party

October 31st marked the Annual Parent Appetizer Party for Generals' Women's Lacrosse. We had a great turnout, complete with a festive spread of appetizers and desserts. Senior Captains Laura Cavanaugh (Pyslesville, MD/North Harford HS) and Julia Gotwald (Alexandria, VA/St.Stephen's & St. Agnes) kindly hosted the event along with their parents, Betty and Wayne Cavanaugh and Joan and Robert Gotwald. It was a great opportunity for current Generals players and parents to get to know and welcome new faces to the group. Thank you to everyone who was involved in making the event a success. We're all looking forward to seeing everyone this spring!

A Weekend Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

The Generals volunteered with Habitat for Humanity this weekend in Lexington. Here's a reflection of the weekend's activities from the First-Years: This past Saturday, the lacrosse team split into two groups to spend some time doing community service in Lexington. The first group helped out Habitat for Humanity by building a wheelchair ramp together.
We learned a lot about teamwork as we helped each other out to complete our task. It was a really good experience for us as a team to be able to work together in something other than lacrosse and off the field.

The second group went to Habitat for Humanity Restore. The Restore takes donated construction items and sells them in order to raise funds for Habitat projects. It was a great team-bonding experience and we enjoyed learning about The Restore and doing the tasks they gave us together. We had lots of fun loading trucks, sweeping the store, and perusing the Book Nook.

It was good knowing we were able to better someone's life, while still being able to enjoying each other's company and learn how to cooperate with one another in order to be successful. We definitely learned valuable things that will definitely help to make us a more successful team on and off the field!

Kate Lester '06's Life Back in Lexington as a Law Student

This week we caught up with 2006 Generals' Alum Kate Lester to find out how she's liking her post-undergrad time as a W&L law student in Lexington:

Are you enjoying your second year of Law School at W&L?
Kate: I am enjoying my second year of law school. It is much busier than my first year because of extra-curricular activities, schoolwork and the job search. However, there are many advantages to having a year under my belt. Reading and writing gets accomplished much more quickly and efficiently and I'm enjoying the courses I chose to take this semester.

What are the biggest differences you see between living in Lexington as an undergrad and living here as a Law Student?
Kate: As a law student I find myself much less involved with the community and much more wrapped up in my schoolwork. I find that I rarely get time to visit the undergraduate side of campus because of all of the activities going on at the law school. Lexington is still a great place to study and live. I continue to feel safe and love its history.

What do you miss most about being an undergrad?
Kate: I miss having time to play two hours of sports everyday, of course! Along with that, I miss being a part of a team and living with my best friends and teammates. My years as an undergrad were much more carefree, but I still find time to have fun in law school. No worries!
Have you made any new discoveries about Lexington now that you’re living here as a Law Student?
Kate: I have not made too many new discoveries because I was sure to do as much as possible as an undergrad. However, I did get a chance to go to the Lexington Wine Festival at Lenfest several weeks ago which was great! I also got out to Panther Falls several times while the weather was nice. Both activities I did not participate in as an undergrad.

What do you like to do in your free time/on weekends?
Kate: On weekends I spend most of my time with law school friends hanging out outdoors, watching football, playing Apples to Apples or cooking together. I take trips to Charlottesville and DC every once in awhile and make sure to stay active.
Do you keep in touch with your ’06 Generals Lacrosse class?
Kate: Yes, I keep in touch with all of my '06 lacrosse class. They are actually the W&L alumnae that I keep in touch with the most because they are my best friends.

Have you thought much about plans after graduating Law School?
Kate: I have been forced to think about my plans after graduation because the job search for next summer has already begun. Last summer I was in Wilmington, Delaware working for a Superior Court Judge and I am leaning towards returning to that area to practice in the future. I will probably begin at a law firm that has practice areas in corporate and commercial litigation. I have become more and more interested in products liability litigation as well. Ultimately I have to wait and see how the job market fares over the next year. I would also love to clerk for a Judge again at some point.
Anything else you’d like alums, current players, fans and blog readers to know?
Kate: Seven years at Washington & Lee will be a gift of significant proportion in the future and I will strive to use it to the best of my ability. So thankful that four of those years were filled with lacrosse! GO GENERALS!

2009 Alumnae Game Recap

Saturday, October 10th was our 5th Annual Alumnae Women's Lacrosse Game. The team was joined by (from left to right) Katie Flippen '09, Sarah Tilbor '08, Kelsi Robinson '09, former assistant coach Rachel Barr, Christine Bender '08 and Kelly Evans '07 for a morning of competitive lacrosse.

It was a great day for Generals Women's Lax due to both the strong play on the field and the opportunity for our recently graduated alums to connect with former teammates and to meet some of the new faces on our squad.

We hope all of our Alumnae enjoyed Homecoming Weekend and look forward to seeing you at our games this spring!

Fall Ball Update and First Annual W&L Fall Scrimmage Day

The fall season for the Generals has flown by this year. We are beginning our last week of practice tomorrow, followed by our annual Alumnae game on Saturday, October 10th. Yesterday, October 4th, we held our first annual Fall Scrimmage Day on the turf field. It was great getting the chance to compete against outside opponents after working hard and challenging each other for the past three weeks.
Our Seniors, Laura Cavanaugh (Pylesville, MD/North Harford HS), Meredith Freeman (St. Louis, MO/MICDS), Julia Gotwald (Alexandria, VA/St. Stephen's&St.Agnes) and Britten Mathews (Richmond, VA/Collegiate) shared their thoughts on the fall season has gone thus far:

"We are so excited to be back with the team! The days of working hard are finally paying off and we as a team have decided to be in better shape than we've ever been. Our fall season has been a great opportunity for our team to begin the bonding process and for individuals to get comfortable playing with each other. It's also been a chance for players to get stronger and faster. This will hopefully continue throughout the winter and give us a head start when the spring season starts in January. Our practices have been very productive on both ends of the field and we cannot wait to see it all come together in the scrimmages against Guilford and Lynchburg. With all the work we have put into our fall season so far there is no doubt that we will crush any ODAC opponent who comes our way. As seniors, we have put a lot of emphasis on introducing the first years to our program and making sure that all of our teammates are one hundred percent dedicated to our end goal: reclaiming the ODAC championship!"

The team's hard work definitely did pay off yesterday and we proved that if we keep it up we will surely be top competitors in the ODAC this spring. We opened the day with a scrimmage against Lynchburg at 11AM. At 12PM Lynchburg and Guilford played each other and then at 1PM we were back on the field to take on Guilford. Both games were successful in that we executed much of what we've been emphasizing at practice. No score was kept, however we had great offensive plays generated by quick and precise ball movement from our attacking end of the field. The defense did not disappoint either - we communicated loudly, our collapses were quick in the 8M and our on-ball pressure definitely rattled our opponents. We received stellar play from our First-Year Goalkeeper Alex Hamill (Darien, CT/Darien) who remained very strong and consistent throughout both scrimmages.

The day ended with a chance for us to hang out and catch up with our #1 fan Maggie and her family. Maggie is our adoptee through the Friends of Jacyln program and she loves Generals' Women's Lacrosse. We were very happy to give her the opportunity to watch us play well on the field and to have her and her family's support.

Kelley Zwart '08 Updates us on Life in Manhattan

This week we heard from 2008 Generals' Lacrosse Alum Kelley Zwart (Lexington VA/ Rockbridge County High School). Kelley is living and working in Manhattan and loving every minute of it:

1)Where are you living and what have you been doing since graduating from W&L in 2008?
Kelley: I live in New York City with three other W&L ’08 roommates. Since graduating I’ve been working in advertising at McCann Erickson NY. I work in account management in the pharmaceutical and healthcare division of McCann.

2) What made you decide to take this job and to move to NYC?
Kelley: I’ve been intrigued by advertising since I was little. I used to tear print ads that I liked out of magazines and cover my bedroom walls with them! But it wasn’t until after taking Professor Macdonald’s Art in Business class my freshman year at W&L that I was convinced I wanted to pursue a career in advertising. I first visited McCann during my Junior year on the Advertising Trip to NYC that Professor Macdonald organizes every year and really liked it. So much so, in fact, that I got an internship there the summer before my Senior year and had a great experience. After graduation I headed to New York to see if I could land a job at McCann and I did! I really enjoy working in advertising because it is a great blend of business and art. I was a Business Administration major at W&L but took studio art classes every chance I got because I love art too. Advertising allows me to combine both my business skills and my creative side, so it’s a great fit for me!

3)How do you keep yourself busy outside of the office?
Kelley: My favorite thing to do when I’m not at the office is run. After sitting behind a desk all day, my body is begging for exercise! I also really, really missed having any sort of athletic competition in my life, so I’ve started running road races. I love it! I joined the New York Road Runners, the big running organization in the city, and I occasionally run with one of the local running clubs up here, the Central Park Track Club. It’s great to have a group of people to run with because I really miss being on a team! Right now I’m training to run my first half marathon race in Richmond, VA in November.

4) What is your favorite part about living in Manhattan?
Kelley: I absolutely love Central Park! It’s by far my favorite place in Manhattan. Our apartment is only 5 blocks away from the park, so it’s really easy to head there for a run or walk or even an afternoon laying in the sun on one of the many lawns. After growing up in Lexington with the Rockbridge countryside all around, I really need a good dose of nature whenever I can get it! There are so many roads and trails to run and explore in Central Park – I never get bored there. This summer there were lots of fireflies during my runs at night, and once I even saw a raccoon! Felt almost like home, haha.
5)Are you in touch with other former Generals?
Kelley: Of course! I especially love hearing from Henson about her adventures in Africa! When I’m really lucky I get to hang with the Generals Lax Alums up here in the city. One of the highlights of the spring was getting together with a bunch of former Generals for the 2009 ODAC Lacrosse Championships! It’s not often that you can get alums from so many years together all in one place. It was really great to see everyone, put on our old pennies and cheer for the Generals! I really hope we can do it again next year. And I miss all the ’08 Alums!
6)What are your favorite memories from W&L?
Kelley: Hmm, well I could probably write a book about that!! If I had to narrow it down, though, I’d have to say beating Middlebury our senior year is way up there at the top! The energy going through the team during that game was unreal. It was magical! That game was amazing and I’ll never forget it.

7)If you could go back and do it all again, is there anything that you would change?
Kelley: I truly loved my entire experience at W&L. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think about how great it was! But if there is one regret I have it’s that I didn’t study abroad during my four years at W&L. At the time it seemed like there wasn’t a right time for me to leave for a semester, but in hindsight I realize that I should have gone anyway! My friends that went abroad had the most amazing and fulfilling experiences and now have memories that will last a lifetime. I feel like I missed out on that. I can always travel and visit places, but it’s not the same as studying there and forming special bonds with other students who are abroad. So my advice to current W&L students is to just make it work and go!
8)What is one thing that you know now that you wish you knew when you were still in college?
Kelley: Well, you know how stressed out you get during school about papers and exams and class? Don’t stress! Some days I would give anything now to have to take a test or write a paper and then go to a class or two instead of sitting behind a desk ALL DAY! Looking back, class wasn’t that bad, having to do schoolwork wasn’t that bad… I wish I hadn’t stressed so much and had relaxed and had fun a little bit more!

9)Anything else that you want to share with fellow Generals Laxers and blog readers?
Kelley: Every day truly is a great day to be a General! Current Laxers: whether you’re winning a game or running sprints in the freezing cold, love every minute of it! Don’t take for granted the four years you have to be a college athlete, and better yet, a W&L General. Also, I hope to see you all on the field in October! GO ALUMS!!

Generals Lax Players Volunteer at the W&L Girls Sports Clinic

Yesterday, Sunday September 20th, members of the Generals Women's Lacrosse team spent the afternoon volunteering for the W&L Girls Sports Clinic. The clinic was put on collectively by the W&L Women's Swimming, Women's Track/Cross Country, Women's Basketball and Women's Lacrosse teams in an effort to help girls in Rockbridge County understand the enjoyment in being active and the value of being fit. The clinic ran from 2pm-5pm yesterday afternoon and began with lacrosse and running. Half of the girls worked with our team learning lacrosse while the other half worked with Women's Track/Cross Country in the running workshop; after ample amount of time in each the groups switched . For the second half of the afternoon, the girls rotated between swimming and basketball workshops.

We caught up with Women's Lacrosse Seniors Julia Gotwald (Alexandria, VA/St.Stephens&St.Agnes), Laura Cavanaugh (Pylesville,MD/North Harford HS), Britten Mathews (Richmond, VA/Collegiate) and Meredith Freeman (St. Louis,MO/MICDS) on how they felt the afternoon went and what the team got out of the experience:

Junior Ellie Van Sant (Chevy Chase, MD / Taft School) and Sophomores Maddie McKaig (Annapolis, MD/Annapolis HS) and Alli Shearin (Essex Falls, NJ/West Essex Regional HS) stretch with the girls in warm-ups.

Meredith: In terms of our team bonding I think it was a fun and easy way to spend time together, and I think we have a few inside jokes as a result of that, which is always great. Additionally, I like how we gave a general lesson as a group and then EVERYONE got to be involved on a personal level and nobody was just standing on the sidelines feeling unused

Meredith leads the group in ground ball demonstrations

Julia: All the girls seemed excited to be there and their skills and knowledge of the game improved drastically within just forty five minutes. The team definitely bonded over teaching these young girls and a lot of people's personalities definitely came out this afternoon. I think the team benefited from this clinic as well because it made us think about the basics of lacrosse and the little things about cradling and catching and throwing that we sometimes overlook yet are a staple of the game.

Alli Shearin and Freshman Neely Burch (Gladwyne, PA/Agnes Irwin) work on ground balls

Britten: Today was a chance for our team to work together to teach these campers the fundamentals of the game but more importantly, to hopefully instill the love of the game in some younger laxers around Lexington.

Junior Kate Speare (Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven HS) helps her clinic buddy learn to cradle

Laura: It was great to coach such an enthusiastic group of girls, many of whom were at or around the age I was when I started playing lacrosse. Today was a wonderful opportunity to take a small portion of our day and devote it to interacting with members of the community. Having our team there working together was fantastic because all of the girls could get one-on-one instruction with their skills. We saw vast improvements as the clinic progressed and I hope that some of the girls will pursue the sport that I have grown to love over the past 13 years.