Longwood’s Class of 2026 urged to dream big and lead with purpose at 187th Commencement

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Today we mark the proud and joyful fulfillment of your years of study and purpose on this historic ground. You came here seeking not only an education, but direction, community and meaning. Four years later, you leave stronger, wiser and ready to meet these fulcrum years of our dynamic age.

Longwood President W. Taylor Reveley IV

Longwood President W. Taylor Reveley IV, reflecting on the nation's 250th anniversary, noted Prince Edward's ties to historical figures Patrick Henry, who represented the county in the state legislature, and Barbara Johns, who led the 1951 student walkout at all-Black Moton High School. He also highlighted Longwood's rich history as Virginia's third-oldest public university, celebrating its 187th commencement this year.

"We are one of America's 100 oldest institutions of higher learning, public or private. And you, Class of 2026, have earned your place in this long and honorable tradition," he said. "You have endured through challenges and risen through determination. Today we mark the proud and joyful fulfillment of your years of study and purpose on this historic ground. You came here seeking not only an education, but direction, community and meaning. Four years later, you leave stronger, wiser and ready to meet these fulcrum years of our dynamic age."

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I encourage each of you to follow through on your aspirations. I want you to be willing to dream and to realize that you can do anything you want to do. It's up to you to be bold enough to say this is where I want to go and this is how I'm going to get there.

The Honorable Bernard Goodwyn

The Honorable Bernard Goodwyn, whose tenure on the Virginia Supreme Court concluded earlier this year, delivered the undergraduate Commencement address. He urged graduates to live lives of integrity and work to make the world a better place, offering three pieces of advice: dream big, persist and trust.

"You should use your newly earned degree as keys to unlock your dreams," Goodwyn said. "I encourage each of you to follow through on your aspirations. I want you to be willing to dream and to realize that you can do anything you want to do. It's up to you to be bold enough to say this is where I want to go and this is how I'm going to get there."

Goodwyn, who was raised in a working-class family in rural Southampton, Virginia, and went on to earn degrees from Harvard and the University of Virginia School of Law, shared lessons learned from his parents, neither of whom finished high school. They believed strongly that their children should have every educational opportunity they did not have.

"My parents taught me lessons that have held me in good stead that no textbook could ever fully capture," he said. "They taught me that hard work matters. Character matters. Being kind to others matters. And perhaps most importantly, they taught me that your current circumstances do not determine your possibilities and when opportunities come your way you have to be prepared to take advantage of them."

Goodwyn, who was appointed to the Virginia Supreme Court in 2007 and served as chief justice from 2022 to 2026, told graduates that the diplomas they receive today are passports-tickets that can take them anywhere they have the boldness to imagine.

"Use your education to serve something larger than yourself," he said. "The world does not simply need more accomplished people. It needs more good people-people who care about truth, justice, their families and their communities. You do not need fame or a title to make a difference in the world. Quiet integrity and dependable service change lives every day-often more than anything else."

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Rising like a phoenix after the fire, [Longwood's iconic Rotunda] reminds us that even after setbacks, we can rise again-stronger and more determined. Our Rotunda embodies the foundational Longwood tenants of perseverance and resilience, which I hope all of you will always carry with you as citizen leaders.

Longwood Rector Ron White

Longwood Rector Ron White, in his final year on the Board of Visitors, compared Longwood to "home base" in a game of tag, reminding graduates the university will remain a place of support and belonging as they move forward.

"No matter where life takes us, finding or creating a place, a people or a faith to call home is what truly sustains us in our most challenging times," White said. "Longwood's iconic Rotunda carries a similar message. Rising like a phoenix after the fire, it reminds us that even after setbacks, we can rise again-stronger and more determined. Our Rotunda embodies the foundational Longwood tenets of perseverance and resilience, which I hope all of you will always carry with you as citizen leaders."

In her reflection, Senior Class Vice President Trinity Hazelgrove '26 told fellow graduates that four years ago they arrived uncertain about their future, but grew and changed during their college journey. Today, they leave stronger-shaped by the community and experiences they found at Longwood-and carrying its spirit forward in how they lead and support others.

"Today marks an ending, but it's also a beginning," Hazelgrove said. "Beyond this campus, an alumni family is waiting to welcome us to a network that stretches far and wide. Because though our time as students has come to an end, our place in Longwood's history has not."

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When things feel uncertain, remember how you got here. Remember the challenges you have already overcome. Remember the community that supported you and the person you became because of it. And remember that you are capable of more than you think.

Senior Class President Grace Ashbrook '26

Senior Class President Grace Ashbrook '26 welcomed her classmates with a reminder that while uncertainty can feel overwhelming, it also creates opportunity.

"As we move into the next chapter of our lives, maybe none of us feel completely ready for what comes next, but that does not mean we are not capable of it," she said. "When things feel uncertain, remember how you got here. Remember the challenges you have already overcome. Remember the community that supported you and the person you became because of it. And remember that you are capable of more than you think."

Ashbrook was also one of seven graduates who shared the Sally Barksdale Hargrett '21 Prize for Academic Excellence, Longwood's top academic award given annually at Commencement to the graduating senior(s) who has the highest cumulative grade point average among those students with a full tenure at Longwood. The 2026 recipients were: Ashbrook of Manassas (B.S., political science), Abigail Grace Angell '26 of Rocky Mount (B.S., mathematics), Megan Lin Brown '26 of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (B.S., business administration), Sarah Elise Cordrey '26 of Mechanicsville (B.S., psychology), Sara Joyce Lisenby '26 of Fairfax (B.S. elementary education and teaching), Hannah Sophia Newton '26 of Haymarket (B.S., integrated environmental sciences) and Kara Jane Wright '26 of Christiansburg (B.S., psychology and sociology).

Sierra Nicole Stern '26 of Amelia Court House received the prestigious Dan Daniel Award for Scholarship and Citizenship, which recognizes a Longwood senior who exhibits a commitment to a life of public service and leadership. Stern earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting and served as president of the Lancer Student Investment Fund and Delta Sigma Pi, excelling academically while translating learning into action through campus leadership.

Dr. Rhonda Brock, professor of English, was awarded the Student-Faculty Recognition Award, given annually to one faculty member for professional excellence and service to students.

During his welcome, Reveley also recognized several longtime faculty and staff members retiring this year: Dr. Roger Byrne, dean of the Cook Cole College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Chuck Ross, professor of physics; Dr. Bill Abrams, professor of mathematics; Cheryl Steele, associate vice president for student engagement and initiatives; and Burt Hazelwood, Longwood University Foundation chief executive officer.

Several annual student and faculty awards were conferred at Friday's graduate Commencement ceremony: