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

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INVEST FORWARD

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Event Sponsors and Donors

Thank you to our Supporters!

Event Sponsors

Douglas E. Clark

Would your organization like to be a sponsor?

Contact us!

Scholarship Donors

Lead Donor Level ($10,000)

Nancy D. Joyner

Semester Stipend Level ($2,000)

Douglas E. Clark

Ed and Cathy Hasecke

Donors

Daniel Boomhower

Mary Martha Churchman

Deborah Dakin

Christopher and Page Finger

Robert Hayes

Anonymous

Jamee Hood & Yungnam Lee

Mondre H. Kornegay

Anna Rose

Morton J. Zetlin

Anonymous

Become a Donor

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.

Planning Committee

THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED! WE HAVE FILLED THE COMMITTEE POSITIONS

Would you like to help us plan our 40th anniversary party? We are looking for 3-4 LCWS alumni and friends to help plan the event and (re)connect with alumni far and wide. If you have experience in event planning, social and digital media, graphic design, or just know how to throw a good party, please fill out this interest form. We are excited to assemble an effective, efficient, and enthusiastic team to help the LCWS staff plan this event.

Social Media Strategist

THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED! WE HAVE FILLED THIS POSITION

To generate enthusiasm for our 40th Anniversary, we are looking for someone to develop and help execute a social media campaign. We hope to use this campaign to reconnect with alumni, provide points of pride for our partner schools, and celebrate the impact that LCWS has had on the alumni.