Happy 40th Anniversary LCWS!

In the fall of 1986, students from Muhlenberg College came to DC to participate in a new semester program. Within a year, students from Gettysburg and Roanoke enrolled and the Lutheran College Washington Semester was born. Forty years later, LCWS has had over 3000 students participate from nineteen colleges and universities around the country. This is a milestone worth celebrating!

Share your LCWS stories.

Submit the form below to contribute your stories to LCWS history and send a birthday wish!

CELEBRATE 40 Years

September 26, 2026

Open House

Location: LCWS Office

Time: 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Apartment tours and light snacks

Forty and Forward

Location: Upside on Moore (Rosslyn, VA)

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Program starts: 6:30

EVENT PAGE AND TICKETS

Help us guarantee student a paid internship!

every

INVEST FORWARD

DONATE

Event Sponsors and Donors

Spring 2001

Thank you to our Supporters!

Event Sponsors

Douglas E. Clark

Would your organization like to be a sponsor?

Contact us!

Scholarship Donors

Lead Donor ($15,000)

Nancy D. Joyner

Semester Stipend Level ($2,000)

Prince Adhikari

Douglas E. Clark

Ed and Cathy Hasecke

Donors

Daniel Boomhower

Mary Martha Churchman

Deborah Dakin

Christopher and Page Finger

H. Robert Hayes

David Hollar

Jamee Hood & Yungnam Lee

Mondre H. Kornegay

Susan Rightsell

Anna Rose

Morton J. Zetlin

Anonymous (x2)

Become a Donor

Planning Committee

Audrey Bird
(Luther College)

Juliette Rhinow
(Gettysburg College)

Susan (Van Dyke) Rightsell
(Valparaiso University)

Emily Robinson
(Muhlenberg College)

Anna Rose
(Augustana University)

Erik Wallevand
(Concordia College)

LCWS 40th Anniversary Alumni Questionnaire

LCWS is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026! Before the big weekend in September, we want to spend the next few months reminiscing and featuring alumni stories on social media. We're excited to share different memories each month, but we need your help to do it!

Answer some or all of the questions below to be featured on social media and cement your story in LCWS history. At the bottom of this form, please submit at least one photo to go with your responses.

Thank you for helping make LCWS truly an experience for a lifetime!

Questions? Contact: alumni@washingtonsemester.org

First name

Last name

Email

LCWS Semester (ex. Fall 2017)

Home Institution (ex. Roanoke College)

Are you an LCWS couple? Tell us your love story!

Tell us about your favorite LCWS field trip memory.

Tell us your favorite LCWS roommate story/memory.

Tell us your favorite internship story.

What was your favorite LCWS class or class memory?

Why was LCWS important to you? How did your semester impact your life and/or career?

Contribute an LCWS staff shout-out.

Contribute a birthday message to LCWS!

Submit pictures to go with your social media post and for our LCWS birthday slideshow!

Add up to 10 pictures or videos.