An eager Class of 2026—and all of their creature comforts—descended on Farmville and Longwood’s campus this week, amid unseasonably cool summer temps and an air of excitement that comes with beginning a new life chapter.
A vibrant new neighborhood will soon be taking shape in Farmville, thanks to a creative partnership between Longwood, an award-winning housing non-profit and local leaders and community organizations.
I feel like Longwood is the right place for me. Everyone has been extremely friendly and welcoming.
One of the finest university music facilities in the Commonwealth, if not the nation, in the heart of campus at Longwood, is scheduled to open in spring 2027.
My relationship with Longwood is kind of a revolving door. When I was a student here, Dr. Wade Edwards—who just hired me to teach French—was my senior research thesis director and Dr. Mc Amoss—whose position I am filling—was my advisor. So it’s kind of poetic that I’m stepping into his shoes.
I had a scholarship for college and that was really helpful to me. So the first place I came back to work in higher education was at a scholarship foundation.
Longwood feels like the kind of place where I am at home. I started my journey in higher education in Virginia public universities, and to come back to one now as a dean feels like a full circle.
For 22-year-old me, this was my dream job. Ever since I graduated from Longwood in 1993 I wanted to be working in fraternity and sorority life.
Matthew Wright ‘23 is working with Dr. Ravi Darwin Sankar, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Geography, on studying shoreline changes at the Gerald L. Baliles Center for Environmental Science at Hull Springs Farm.
Summer is an exciting time for new Lancers—a time of hope for new beginnings and anticipation of what the future holds. We asked 21 incoming freshmen to tell us what they are looking forward to most about Longwood and one interesting fact about them.