Dear Students,
Congratulations on the end of exams. It has been a joy seeing you around campus this week celebrating as you wrap up your academic work, posing for pictures in regalia, and enjoying spring on our beautiful campus.
Whether you are still in Farmville or have returned home, I wanted to send you a note of congratulations, appreciation, and thanks.
Thank you for the energy, optimism, hard work and respect for one another you have brought to Longwood this year. Students are the beating heart of our university, and every day I am proud of you.
I want to say a special word to the Class of 2024 – though the sentiment applies to all students. These next few weeks, between the end of classes and graduation, I hope will be an especially happy time of celebration with friends and family that you will remember always. For graduating seniors, Commencement itself will be particularly meaningful; so many of you were not able to experience a true high school graduation because of Covid.
This senior class has earned a place in Longwood history. Your transition to college was disrupted and difficult. But you have helped ensure that our campus traditions, spirit and camaraderie endured through this challenging period, to be passed down to the Class of 2025 and long beyond.
That has not happened at every college. But here, thanks to you, the spirit of Longwood remains bright, and Longwood will be forever grateful.
Two of the most important Longwood traditions are active citizenship and mutual respect. Lancers take interest and action in the world. You learn how to express your views and persuade with arguments, and how to use the levers of democracy to advocate for change. At the same time, you have demonstrated an admirable ability – in classrooms, in student organizations and activities, on athletic teams, and in everyday life in the residence halls – to honor differences of background and deeply held opinion, treating one another as you would hope to be treated yourself.
It remains a tumultuous and anxious time in the nation and the world, including on college campuses. Unfortunately, this will likely continue -- through the upcoming election and perhaps beyond. But because of what I observe constantly in Longwood students, I am very confident that our institution will continue to honor both of these great traditions -- active citizenship and mutual respect --- and model them for the generations to come.
To all students – congratulations, enjoy these days ahead, and thank you for all you have done for Longwood.
President Reveley