The campus effect: First impressions of Longwood yield diverse, talented Class of 2030

I loved that it was walkable. And I actually met one of my professors, and I felt like he would be a great fit for me while I'm here. I also befriended somebody in my major during orientation.

"I loved that it was walkable. And it was so green," Lawson said. "And I actually met one of my professors, and I felt like he would be a great fit for me while I'm here. I also befriended somebody in my major during orientation."

For Longwood's Class of 2030, that "campus effect" helped yield a massively diverse and academically impressive group that totals more than 900 first-year students, including both freshmen and transfers. Though 90 percent of those new Lancers are from Virginia, the cohort represents 21 different states and more than 20 countries outside the United States. Their average GPA is a staggering 3.67, buoyed by seven valedictorians and 149 incoming students who will enroll as part of Longwood's prestigious Cormier Honors College program.

And while the group's diversity is also represented by a wealth of majors that span the full breadth of Longwood's academic offerings, the unifying theme among the class is that setting foot on campus was a defining factor in their selection of Longwood as their university of choice-even for those crossing state lines.

I toured a lot of schools in Virginia, but when I got to Longwood, I just loved it so much.

"Even though we're from Philly, my dad had a job in Farmville and he went to Randolph College, so he thought it would be great for me to tour Longwood's campus and see if I liked it," said Maura Champion '30, one of the incoming class's out-of-state newcomers from Pennsylvania. "I toured a lot of schools in Virginia, but when I got to Longwood, I just loved it so much."

But while the influence of seeing Longwood's campus in person is prevalent among those incoming students, it's not a sentiment that's unique to the Class of 2030. Upon further investigation, or simply a conversation with a Longwood alumnus, it's one that spans generations of Lancers and one of the earliest shared experiences for all who eventually cross the university's graduation stage.

"When I was a sophomore in high school, my school counselor was a Longwood alum, and he brought a small group of us in for an information session, a campus tour and lunch," said Aaron Sims '17, Longwood's associate director of admissions and a Lancer alum who is one of the first points of contact prospective students have with the university.

"Everything about that day-the people I met, the things I saw, the conversations we had, even the food I ate-opened my eyes to what could be possible. A couple of years later I applied, and I still remember my admissions counselor walking me through the process and showing me everything I could be part of on campus. That was it. I was sold. And it all traced back to that first visit."

Sixteen years later, I'm sitting in the same seat that admissions rep once sat in, helping students see Longwood for what it really is: one of the most transformative universities in Virginia.

"Sixteen years later," Sims added, "I'm sitting in the same seat that admissions rep once sat in, helping students see Longwood for what it really is: one of the most transformative universities in Virginia."

Anecdotes from Lancers past offer similar sentiments, suggesting that even as Longwood has evolved over the years-be it through the unifying addition of Brock Commons, the transition from a women-only to a co-educational institution, the shift from college to university, or any number of changes that have taken place during Longwood's 187 years of existence-the influence of the campus's first impression remains prevalent.

We talk about the 'sense of home' at Longwood a lot, but it's a very real feeling. It's multigenerational. It's not a new thing.

"Everybody has a story about the moment they stepped foot on campus and knew it was home," said Nicole Wright Perkins '05, Longwood's senior director of alumni engagement. "We talk about the 'sense of home' at Longwood a lot, but it's a very real feeling. It's multigenerational. It's not a new thing. A 1980s grad will tell you the same thing; so will a 1970s grad, a 1960s grad, and so on. It's quite amazing that those stories transcend decades and eras of Longwood's history."

Now joining those past generations, Longwood's Class of 2030 is the latest crop of Lancers to experience the uniquely personal connections that pervade the university's intimate campus, classrooms and community. As evidenced by the varied majors of the group-of which nursing, elementary education and teaching, psychology and business administration are most popular-that culture of connection is not confined to specific academic departments or campus groups.

Instead-as felt most recently by Longwood's incoming class-it's an underlying thread that has long defined the university and remains a unifying characteristic of campus as tangible as Wheeler Mall's manicured grounds and visible as the Johns and Moss residence halls that dot the campus skyline.

Now the Class of 2030, which officially moves into Longwood residence halls this week, will soon become a living part of that campus legacy, carrying forward the community-focused culture they felt on their first visit-just as the generations of Lancers who came before them and those who will, very soon, come after.