Global Posts

Nobody knows Commencement like Judith Campbell knows Commencement. As the director of university events and ceremonies at Longwood, she is in charge of all Commencement planning/logistics/communications, etc.

So I thought it might be helpful if I asked her some questions that could be on the minds of parents and other guests who plan to attend the ceremony on Saturday, May 17.

First and foremost: “My biggest tip is that parents make sure their student has been reading (and sharing with them) the emails we send every month with updates,” Campbell said. “Be sure to ask your student to share with you the last email, which goes out on Monday, May 12.”

Below are Campbell’s answers to some other pertinent questions.

What time should students arrive at Willett Hall prior to the ceremony?
Graduating students, dressed in their academic regalia, need to report to Willett Hall, through the Brock Commons entrance, at 8 a.m. Saturday. The undergraduate ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. Graduates will line up in Willett and process from there to Wheeler Mall for the ceremony.

Can parents come with students into Willett Hall?
To facilitate a smooth and quick check-in process, it is imperative that guests proceed directly to Wheeler Mall. Please do not go with your student into Willett Hall.

How can I help my student Commencement morning?
Ask your student if they would like you to hold onto any items for them before they go to Willett. There will be nowhere to store totes, purses or backpacks in Willett, so your student should hand those items off to you or one of their other guests before they go into Willett.

Are tickets required?
Tickets are not required, and there is no limit on the number of guests a graduate can invite to the outdoor ceremony on Wheeler Mall. (Information about inclement weather plans has been shared with your graduate in those emails mentioned earlier in this post.)

What time should parents and other guests arrive at Wheeler Mall?
We ask that all guests be seated by 9 a.m. When the ceremony starts, we ask that guests stay clear of the walkways so that those processing can easily pass by. People jumping into the walkways to take pictures holds things up!

Is there assigned seating?
Designated seats are reserved for graduates. Other than that, seating is open and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Where are the best places to park to catch a shuttle to Wheeler Mall?
Shuttle service will run loops between two off-campus locations from 7:30-9:30 a.m. and from noon to 1 p.m. Guests are welcome and encouraged to park in the lots noted below for easy and close drop-off access to the ceremony location. The shuttle will run loops through the Sunchase Apartment complex.
—Sunchase Shopping Center, 215 Sunchase Boulevard, Farmville, VA 23901
—Lancer Park, 200 Cormier Drive, Farmville, VA 23901

What other parking is available?
Multiple central campus lots will offer both general parking and ample ADA-accessible specific parking. All parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis and no reservations are required. Parking lots are shown on this map: Undergraduate Commencement Parking Map (pdf). There is no need to make a reservation.

What if a member of our party is handicapped?
Attendees who have Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specific needs should park in a central campus-accessible-identified lot because shuttle vehicles are not equipped with lifts. See the parking map for the location of these lots: Undergraduate Commencement Parking Map. Golf carts will be available from the ADA lots for those with accessibility needs in getting to and from the ceremony area.

What should guests wear?
Virginia weather can be tricky. Also, there is very little shade on Wheeler Mall. We recommend dressing for the weather, wearing sunscreen and bringing a hat.

What should guests bring with them to the ceremony?
We recommend bringing a hat, sunscreen and water.

What should guests NOT bring to the ceremony?
Please do not bring to the ceremony umbrellas, alcohol, air horns, beachballs, bubbles or any other items that may become distractions for other attendees and disrupt the reverence of the ceremony. We have 7,000 chairs set out in  the ceremony area, so there’s no need to bring lawn chairs.

About how long will the ceremony last?
The ceremony usually lasts about 3 hours.

Is there somewhere on campus guests can watch the ceremony in an air-conditioned space?
Guests are welcome to watch the ceremony in Jarman Auditorium, Blackwell Ballroom (in the Maugans Alumni Center) or Soza Ballroom (in the Upchurch University Center). The ceremony will be live-streamed in these locations.

If I’m not able to attend the ceremony, is there a way I can watch it live from where I am?
Yes! On the morning of the ceremony, you can watch the ceremony live on the Commencement homepage or you can go to go.longwood.edu/live .

Will there be a lot of traffic after the ceremony?
Generally, we don’t find there to be heavy traffic after the ceremony because parking is equally distributed across campus. Also, many guests and graduates stay after the ceremony to take photos. All this makes exiting campus after the ceremony relatively easy.

Additional information about Commencement can be found online here: https://www.longwood.edu/commencement/undergraduate-ceremony/ 

—Sabrina Brown

Get tickets here: https://la1.glitnirticketing.com/laticket/web/login.php?ret_link=%2Flaticket%2Fweb%2Fwportal.php&type=notLogged

My internship with the PULSE Ambassador Program has been the most valuable thing I’ve been able to utilize and learn from so far in my academic journey as a sociology major. What I’ve come to know is that PULSE is a leadership development program that basically trains people who are in various institutions to go out and invoke and create change. This internship gave me the opportunity to apply sociological theories with real world experiences. During my time with the program I observed interviews, coded themes, created a literature review and reflected on the impact and importance of leadership and collaboration. This not only expanded my understanding  of sociological theory but also helped me realize how I’ll need that in my future career of medical social work which would most likely need me to be a collaborator or leader in all aspects. 

Responsibilities

My responsibilities during my time were observing and analyzing interviews with PULSE ambassadors all over the country. Around 7-10 weeks total I spend time reading through transcripts, linking common themes and finally creating a summary table for each participant to emphasize their responses. To further explain my duties in my interview stage I sat in and used active listening skills and noted how ambassador’s came to the program and their personal opinions on things and experiences.  I then also created a literature review on Kurt Lewin’s (1976) three stage model of change in regard to applying it to the ambassadors. Each week I spend around 4-8 hours doing my responsibilities and reflecting on what I did which I believe is a testament to my commitment to this internship.

Skills 

One of the most valuable skills I developed is the ability to create a theme analysis based on qualitative data. From reading and coding the interview transcripts, I learned how to point out recurring themes and how to apply them in a sociological framework. I noted patterns like resistance, and peer learning to which I linked theories of group roles and socialization. I only got to participate in one interview but in it I learned condense but not take away insights from interviews. This would be critical in my future field of medical social work which is needed to listen to people carefully and interpret their needs and get them the service they need. Additionally to my new found research skills I also got a good grasp on time management and professional writing which I most deficiently need and am very grateful for those correctional aids. 

Takeaways

The biggest thing I’m taking away from this would be how meaningful change can be and how it is with understanding and empathy. A lot of ambassadors emphasized how they realized how they need to connect on some level with people before creating change. I also gained a deep appreciation for the emotional tolls it would take for these people in unpaid volunteer work to do these things. They are essentially sacrificing time for change that isn’t even for themselves which is so selfless. Ambassadors have a deep dedication to this in spite of the challenge that comes with it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my Internship with the Pulse Ambassador Program was not only deeply enriching but so informative for me. It allowed me to take what I learned so far in my sociology class and apply it to what I learned and interviews without me even knowing I was doing so at first. Through this experience I fully believe I am steady in my choice of profession and now with these valuable skills. I am not only grateful for Dr. Pederson’s generosity but the patience of her and Gracie with me and my learning curve with all of this.

With the spring semester drawing to a close—exams are next week and Commencement is May 17—it seemed like a good time to take a look back at the past few months.

Of course, there has been a whole lot of studying—we totally agree about keeping the main thing the main thing. But college is important in many other ways: making new friends, deepening connections to things you already love, discovering new interests and growing into adulthood in so many ways.

This semester your Lancers have, collectively, played in the snow, explored career paths, found out more about student organizations, joined a fraternity or sorority, been officially recognized as future educators, volunteered, raised money for good causes and so much more.

I hope you enjoy looking through the photos below that captured some of the high points of spring 2025. Maybe you’ll even catch a glance of your own Lancer.

January

Spring Involvement Fair

Each semester, representatives from Longwood’s student organizations figuratively open their doors to new members through what we call an Involvement Fair. With 175 clubs and organizations to choose from, most students find one that matches their interests. But, if they don’t, no worries—they can start a new one!

February

Fraternity Walk

Longwood’s seven IFC (Interfraternity Council) organizations welcomed 36 new members at Fraternity Walk in February. Longwood also has sororities that are part of the Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC), and fraternities and sororities that are part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).

Snow Day!

After several years with no snow, students celebrated the return of their favorite frozen precipitation in early February with all of the customary frolicking.

Teacher Preparation Pinning Ceremony

February was also the month to celebrate Longwood’s future educators with a formal pinning ceremony, which is an annual event at Longwood.

March

Networking Lancer-Style

One of the great things about Longwood is the willingness of our alumni to connect with and help current students. In March, alumni in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields came to campus for a speed networking event with students.

Ring Ceremony

Each year, the alumni office hosts a ceremony for those who have purchased Longwood class rings. Surrounded by their loved ones, students—and sometimes a few alumni—are presented with their rings, which spent a night in the Rotunda in anticipation of this very special occasion.

The Big Event

The importance of community service is woven throughout the Longwood experience. One of the year’s seminal opportunities that puts this into action is The Big Event, where students head into the Farmville community to help with various projects.

Career Fairs

There’s never a dull moment in Longwood’s reimagined Office of Career Success. Some of the biggest events of the year are Career Fairs. At two career fairs in early March, students had the opportunity to impress 150+ employers with their polished resumes and talking points.

April

Spring Weekend

Spring Weekend is one of Longwood’s most popular traditions. The fun takes many forms, from student organization fundraising booths with games and prizes, to student performances, to concerts by popular bands chosen by students.

Greek Sync

From Marvel to murder mystery, the Greek community put on a fantastic show at this spring’s Greek Sync competition!

Relay for Life

Students and others in the area come together at this annual fundraiser to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost and fight back against cancer.

—Sabrina Brown

CAFE’S 12^TH ANNUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING INSTITUTE

PRACTICING FOR POST-GRADUATE SUCCESS
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
8:30-4:00 pm
Blackwell Hall, Longwood University

Registration NOW OPEN @ https://forms.gle/wQc3m2iCxDE6Myeg9.

The Center for Faculty Enrichment (CAFE) and the Post-Graduate Success Initiative leadership team invite ALL faculty and staff to the 2025 Teaching and Learning Institute. This year’s Institute will feature workshop-style sessions, practitioner panels, and a lunch with topical roundtables, all facilitating exploration of the roles (e.g., advisor, mentor, course instructor, employer) and expertise we bring to forming campus communities dedicated to post-graduate success.

By the end of the Institute, participants should be ready to work with students as they develop and revise their curricular and co-curricular experiences plan and facilitate student practice by articulating experiences to outside audiences. Specifically, participants should be able to:

• Identify their role and expertise in creating a campus culture committed to post-graduate success
• Mentor students to create and revise a plan
• Develop learning activities that promote metacognition and reflection

The Institute is free for all Longwood University, Hampden-Sydney College, and Southside Community College faculty and staff. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks provided.

***The first 25 people to register will receive a copy of Weiss’s Long Life Learning: Preparing for Jobs That Don’t Exist Yet.

Keynote Speaker

This year’s keynote speaker is Meg Evangelista. Evangelista is a Director-Employer on the 2024-25 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Board of Directors.

She is the global manager for Dell’s HR Rotation Development Program, where she is responsible for building and nurturing the early-in-career ecosystem of talent, from internship recruiting through full-time programming and graduation. Evangelista is passionate about coaching professionals as they join the Dell team and navigate HR. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Women’s Studies from Assumption University and a Master of Education degree in higher education administration from Suffolk University.