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At Longwood, move-in is a staggered, multistage process for the various groups of students who will be living in Longwood-managed housing for the 2025-26 academic year. Staggering the dates and times for the groups of students moving in helps to alleviate some of the congestion and long lines that are inevitable when hundreds of students and their families converge on a relatively small area such as the Longwood campus.

Move-in for the general student population begins on Wednesday, Aug. 20. The first day of classes is Monday, Aug. 25.

I hope you find the information below helpful as you plan to move your student into Longwood-managed housing.

We can’t wait to welcome them to campus, and we wish them all the best for the 2025-26 year!

When and Where

Move-in dates and times vary based on residence hall or apartment complex, residence hall room number and student type. If your student plans to live in Longwood-managed housing this year, they should have already received an email with their specific move-in date and time. If your student has not received an email or doesn’t know their specific move-in date and time, please contact the Office of Residential and Commuter Life at housing@longwood.edu.

You may also be able to find your student’s specific move-in date and time here under Check-in Schedule: https://www.longwood.edu/housing/move-in-information/

You’ve Got Questions—We’ve Got Answers

A wealth of information about move-in is available online here: https://www.longwood.edu/housing/move-in-information/

You’ll find answers on these topics:
—Things to Think About Before Move-in
—Need-to-Know at Check In
—Check-in Schedule
—Early and Late Arrivals
—Permitted and Prohibited Items
—Where to Unload
—Where to Park After Unloading
—Tips and Reminders for a Smooth Arrival

If you can’t find the answer you need on this website, contact the Office of Residential and Commuter Life at housing@longwood.edu.

Where to Unload and Where to Park After Unloading

—Routes to each residence hall, unloading areas and designated parking lots are shown on the printable move-in maps below.
—Drivers should activate vehicle flashers when unloading.
—Vehicles may not be left unattended.
—After unloading, residential students should park in their designated parking permit zone.
—Families and guests are welcome to park in the designated lots on the maps below.

Printable Move-in Maps
August 20, 2025 – Move In Map (pdf)
August 21, 2025 – Move In Map (pdf)
August 22-24, 2025 – Move In Map (pdf)

Volunteers Stand Ready to “Welcome Home Lancers”

A group of faculty, staff and student volunteers is ready to help make the move-in process as smooth as possible for first-time Lancers who will be living in Moss, Johns, Sharp, Register and Wheeler halls. Through the Welcome Home Program, volunteers will be available at these halls on Aug. 20 and 21 from about 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. They can help with unloading vehicles, staying with belongings while families take care of checking in and parking their cars, or assisting with the check-in process. Whatever your need, don’t hesitate to ask. A volunteer or staff member will try to help you themselves or to direct you to someone who can.

Think About Bringing a Rolling Cart or Dolly—and Water

Having a dolly or a rolling cart can make the move-in process much easier. These items will not be available on campus, so consider bringing one with you. Our experts highly recommend! Also, don’t forget the water. You can expect to experience some physical exertion—both inside and outside in the heat—so it’s important to stay hydrated.

How Many People Does It Take to Check In? Just one!

Just one person—your student—can take care of everything needed for check in, including picking up their keys. The lobbies of the residence halls can get very congested if several people are standing in the check-in line with a student. Please consider letting your student handle this—or having just one person join them in line in case they need help.

Managing Expectations

We have tried very hard to streamline the move-in process, but you should still expect to experience some waiting in line as you move into loading zones, check in, and use the elevators (where applicable) and stairwells.

One Last Thing: Outstanding Bills

If your student has outstanding financial obligations with Longwood University, please resolve these issues prior to move-in. In accordance with Longwood University policy, any student with an outstanding bill will not be permitted to move into Longwood-managed housing or to use their meal plan.

Questions regarding outstanding bills can be directed to Cashiering and Student Accounts at 434-395-2067 or Financial Aid at 434-395-2077.

—Sabrina Brown

Currently, all graduate assistantship positions have been filled. However, continue to check this site as positions will be posted here if/when they become available.

The Center for Faculty Enrichment (CAFE), Civitae Core Curriculum, Cormier Honors College, the Digital Education Collaborative (DEC), and the Post Graduate Success Initiative invite you to participate in Longwood’s annual day of undergraduate faculty professional development–a day filled with several options and opportunities to collaborate with and learn from your faculty colleagues. The full schedule is available @ https://blogs.longwood.edu/longwoodcafe/undergraduate-faculty-professional-development-day-2025/. Breakfast and lunch are provided.

Please go to https://forms.gle/cgovC4Wb6QhgXh388 to register; registration is required for all events. 

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