It’s one of Longwood’s highest honors – a scholarship honoring Prince Edward County’s local civil rights history that celebrates students preparing to make their own difference in the world.
This year marks a decade since Longwood’s Board of Visitors, in partnership with the R.R. Moton Museum, established the Moton Scholarship. And the 10 past recipients are indeed very much out there doing great good in the world.
This year, to mark the anniversary, Longwood for this first time named a pair of winners: Caden Houchins ’26 and Logan Macklin ’26, two promising young men committed to carrying the Moton legacy forward in a teaching career.
The museum profoundly shaped my understanding of history and the importance of diversity in education. It reminds me daily of the need to fight for equity and representation in classrooms.
Caden Houchins ’26 Tweet This
“I applied for this scholarship because of how much the Robert Russa Moton Museum changed my path at Longwood and my future,” said Macklin, an art education major from Glen Allen, Virginia. “The museum profoundly shaped my understanding of history and the importance of diversity in education. It reminds me daily of the need to fight for equity and representation in classrooms.”
For Houchins, who is a history secondary education major, the connection with the Moton Museum and the civil rights history of Prince Edward County has an added dimension.
“I want to teach any type of high-school history—American or world history—but I want to incorporate some elements of different ethnic groups and cultures that are often overlooked when it comes to the main events in history,” said Houchins, whose roots are in Detroit, Michigan. “The Moton Museum tells the story of the struggle in the fight against segregation. A lot of people overlook that the fight for civil rights started way earlier than the 1950s. Pushing a different perspective of events such as World War I and World War II will give my students a broader and more accurate understanding of history.”
The Moton Scholarship program was established in 2014 to recognize and provide financial assistance for students who demonstrate a commitment to equality of educational opportunity. Also in 2014, Longwood forged a partnership with the Robert Russa Moton Museum, Virginia’s only civil rights museum, which is named for one of the most prominent U.S. Black educators of the early 20th century. First awarded in July 2015, Moton Scholarships provide tuition and fees for the recipient’s senior year.
Both of this year’s Moton Scholars chose teaching as a career because of the opportunities it provides to change students’ lives and, in turn, the communities where they live.
“I grew up in a Title 1 school district through middle school, so I am passionate about helping students who aren’t given an equal chance due to reasons beyond their control,” said Houchins.
As a Black male aspiring art teacher, a rarity in the profession, I am determined to provide students with a role model who looks like them and to create spaces where all students feel seen and empowered.
Logan Macklin ’26 Tweet This
Macklin, who aspires to be a principal one day, wants to start his career as a middle-school art teacher and to “inspire creativity, self-expression and confidence in young students.”
“As a Black male aspiring art teacher, a rarity in the profession, I am determined to provide students with a role model who looks like them and to create spaces where all students feel seen and empowered,” said Macklin, who sees art as a different and powerful form of communication. “I believe art is a powerful tool for communication and personal growth, especially during the transformative middle-school years. For those who may struggle with reading, writing or speaking, art becomes a voice they never knew they had.”
As is always the case, the financial component of the scholarship is significant for this year’s recipients. But they also believe the scholarship will impact their lives and choices far into the future.
“This scholarship will not only impact my education but also my life after graduation as I enter a new chapter of my life,” said Houchins.
Macklin echoed that sentiment.
“In my future career, this scholarship represents more than just a scholarship. It is a source of motivation to pursue excellence, give back to my community and carry forward the legacy of advocacy for educational equity,” he said.
If Houchins and Macklin follow a similar path of Moton Scholars who came before them, they will surely be forces for equality and change—and they will continue to feel the influence of receiving the scholarship long after they graduate.
We caught up with a few previous Moton Scholars from the past decade to find out where life and the residual impact of their scholarship have taken them since graduating from Longwood.
Amber Litchford ’17
Assistant director of field experiences, Longwood Office of Teacher Preparation
“In every experience I’ve encountered since leaving Longwood in 2017, Moton comes to mind,” said Amber Litchford ’17, who majored in liberal studies and received a Moton Scholarship in 2016. “My Moton Scholarship continues to have an impact on my life, and the Moton legacy is part of the reason I am constantly drawn back to Farmville.” In her role at Longwood, Litchford places teacher candidates in their field experiences, from their practicum to student teaching internships. Her future plans are to continue her education and become a school counselor working with K-12 students. “When I meet someone new and they have not heard of Longwood, Farmville, Prince Edward or Moton, I take time to tell them the rich history of the area, specifically about Moton. Being a Moton Scholar has encouraged to me help mentor those coming after me while reflecting and appreciating those who came before me.”
Danyelle Henderson ’20
Honors and AP teacher, Richmond (Virginia) Community High School
“When I decided I wanted to be a teacher, I always knew that I wanted to teach students who have backgrounds and educational goals that closely aligned with my own experience,” said Danyelle Henderson ’20, who majored in history and social science secondary education at Longwood, and received a Moton Scholarship in 2018. Her commitment to that goal, despite the challenges Covid presented, paid off with a position at the Richmond Community High School. The school was founded to promote education and opportunities for academically gifted children, with 60 to 75 percent of the spaces in each year’s freshman class earmarked for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. “I couldn’t think of a better place for me to be, considering this school’s focus and goals are the exact traits that helped me receive the Moton Scholarship in the first place,” said Henderson, who teaches honors Virginia and United States history, AP Government and Politics and AP Psychology. She hopes to someday earn a master’s or doctoral degree, ideally in history.
Destiny Brown ’22
Master’s degree candidate in urban and regional planning, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Wilder Fellow, Survey Evaluation and Research Laboratory (SERL) in the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU
“The Moton Scholarship deepened my appreciation for the legacy of resilience and courage for social justice and equity,” said Destiny Brown ’22, who majored in sociology at Longwood and received her scholarship in 2020. “It reminds me that meaningful progress in our communities often stems from individuals whose efforts may go unrecognized. This realization inspires me to have those same qualities of strength and dedication in my work and community.” After receiving her master’s degree, Brown plans to pursue a Ph.D. in urban and regional planning. “I’m passionate about addressing environmental justice, including greening infrastructure, community participation and community health in underserved communities,” she said.
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