Lancer Parent Pipeline

Today’s post focuses on how to successfully send a package or have items delivered from local merchants to students living in Longwood-managed housing. Instructions for students living in residence halls and apartments are below.

Please remember that no deliveries from local merchants (flowers, food, groceries, etc.) can be accepted at the Longwood post office, at the front desk of residence halls or apartment complexes, or at your student’s floor or room in a residence hall, Longwood Landings or Lancer Park North and South buildings.

Main Campus Residence Halls and Longwood Landings Deliveries

Traditional Package Deliveries

Use your student’s PO Box number for traditional mail and package deliveries (USPS, UPS and FedEx, for example). Your student should have received this information at Orientation, and it’s available to them through their account at my.longwood.edu.

Local Merchant Deliveries (flowers, food, groceries, etc.)

When ordering items from local merchants that are being delivered to campus, please provide the merchant/delivery service with your student’s physical building address, which can be found below.

For every order, please also provide a contact number where the merchant/delivery person can reach your student to coordinate a meeting place for the delivery.

Physical Building Addresses

Building Name	Street Address
Johns Hall	401 South Main Street
Moss Hall	315 South Main Street
Register Hall	508 Vine Street
Sharp Hall	507 Redford Street
Stubbs Hall	306 Griffin Blvd
Wheeler Hall	114 Griffin Blvd
Longwood Landings
Landings — Northeast	120 S. South Street, Apt. #___
Landings — Northwest	120 Midtown Avenue, Apt. #___
Landings — Southeast	150 S. South Street, Apt. #___
Landings — Southwest	121 Midtown Avenue, Apt. #___

Lancer Park Deliveries 

For all package and local merchant deliveries, residents should use their standard mailing address, which includes an apartment number and street address. This includes packages being delivered by USPS, UPS and FedEx as well as flowers, meals, groceries and other items being delivered by local merchants. Your student’s address is available to them through their account at my.longwood.edu.

For every order made through a local merchant, please also provide a contact number where the merchant/delivery person can reach your student to coordinate a meeting place for the delivery.

No deliveries can be accepted at the Brown Commons front desk.  Floor-level deliveries are not permitted in Lancer Park North or South buildings. However, local merchants are permitted to make deliveries to other residences at Lancer Park (other than North or South buildings).

—Sabrina Brown

For students living on campus, move-in is less than two weeks away!

Freshmen will move in Aug. 16-17; continuing students in main campus residence halls and apartments, Aug. 18-20; transfer and readmitted students, Aug. 17-20.

Student-athletes, student employees, international students, students in the Cormier Honors College and other special student groups may have different move-in schedules. Members of these groups who have an early move-in date will receive that information from their group leaders.

All other students who will be living in Longwood-managed housing in the coming year should have already received specific information about their individual move-in schedule and instructions via email.

You can also find general information online from the Office of Residential and Commuter Life here.

Please keep these things in mind …

Smoke-Free Policy
Please observe Longwood’s smoke-free policy. Smoking is permitted only in designated smoking areas on campus.

Arrival
—Arrive at your designated move-in time.
—Plan to report to the lobby or check-in location of your assigned residence hall.

Check-in
Staff will verify your student’s room assignment and identity. (Your student will need to provide photo  identification.) Staff will then will provide you with keys and other check-in material.  If you have made arrangements/ordered in advance, student IDs and parking permits will also be issued.

Parking Do’s and Don’ts
—Parking regulations are in effect year-round.
—Do not park on the grass.
—Move unloaded vehicles immediately to the appropriate student parking area. You can find your designated parking area here. (Scroll down to the bottom of the page.) In addition, personnel will be providing directions to your designated parking area as you exit the unloading area at your student’s residence hall or other Longwood-managed housing.
—Vehicles that park on campus anywhere other than their designated parking areas will be ticketed and/or towed.

Unpacking/Rearranging
—Do not drag personal belongings or university furniture across the floors in the residence halls. Please respect the hard work of our housekeeping staff.
—All Longwood issued room furniture must stay in the assigned room/apartment.

Maintenance and Housekeeping
Report any maintenance or housekeeping needs online with a work order.

Cleanup/Safety
—All cardboard should be crushed and taken outside to the designated recycling sites (look for the large dumpsters).
—Do not obstruct the walkways or stairways with your personal belongings or trash. Think fire and personal injury prevention!

—Sabrina Brown

 

Safety is a top concern at Longwood, and the university is always looking for ways to improve and expand the measures we’re taking to help keep everyone safe.

New Emergency Alerts Platform and Safety App

One of the latest advances is a new emergency alerts platform that was implemented this summer and is available to parents as well as students.

The new system is more versatile than its predecessor and has expanded capabilities for notifying the campus community of important safety information. Parents are welcome to sign up for these alerts, which will be sent through a variety of channels, including text, email and our alerts.longwood.edu webpage.

The new system will not import previous participants, so, if you were receiving alerts through the old system, you’ll need to sign up again (see next paragraph) to continue receiving alerts.

To sign up for text alerts, just text LUALERTS to 226787. This will enter your mobile phone number into the system, and you will receive all text message alerts that are sent out. These are the same alerts that go out to students.

Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to 226787 to cancel messages.  For additional support, text INFO or HELP to 226787 at any time.  For full terms and conditions, visit https://getrave.com/help/Terms.action

For all other notifications, you—and your student—can download the new Longwood Ready app. It’s free and can be found in your app store by searching “Longwood Ready.” The app has an array of helpful safety information and features, including

—A feature called Friend Walk that allows you to virtually “walk your student” to their destination
—One-touch emergency calling
—Mental health information and resources
—Push notifications

If you have trouble downloading the Longwood Ready app, please email questions@longwood.edu, and we’ll do our best to help you solve the problem. (Be sure to turn on notifications once you’ve downloaded Longwood Ready.)

This Ladder Goes All the Way Up

Longwood has a long history of cooperation and support for the Farmville Fire Department. The strong community partnership between the two entities reaches back at least 45 years, when the university was instrumental in helping the department purchase a custom-built ladder-tower truck in 1978, primarily to protect the students living in Longwood’s high-rise residence halls.

That original ladder truck was replaced in 2005, when the university donated $100,000 toward the purchase of a new truck with a 105-foot aerial ladder. Purchased specifically to reach the roofs of Moss and Johns halls, it was on campus recently for a firefighter training staged at those residence halls with crews from the fire departments in Farmville and nearby Hampden-Sydney.

Other Safety Features

You can find out more about Longwood’s safety measures on the safety webpage and the page detailing campus security operations. Here are a few highlights:
—Residential and Commuter Life (RCL) organizes an Annual Campus Safety Walk (see photo at top) as part of a continuous safety improvement process for the university.
—All LUPD officers are police academy-trained and sworn.
—LUPD operates more than 450 security cameras that keep an eye on Longwood properties.
—More than 50 blue light emergency phones across campus and at Longwood-managed housing complexes are GPS tagged and provide a direct link to the local 911 center.
—The State Fire Marshal inspects approximately 20 percent of residence hall rooms each year to ensure that room occupants are living safely.

—Sabrina Brown

The Longwood community had the happy task last week of showing new students and their parents the ropes during Orientation.

My job as editor of the alumni magazine and this blog doesn’t directly involve Orientation, but I always enjoy seeing new students and their families during Orientation week.

I hope those of you who are parents of new Longwood students found the answers to your questions and felt reassured that your Lancer will be in good hands when you deliver them to campus next month. In my experience of working at several universities, both public and private, Longwood faculty and staff are among the most caring. They are truly committed to students’ success, both in and outside the classroom.

To the parents of returning students: The excitement surrounding your Lancers’ return to campus is definitely ramping up. We have missed our students this summer!

A traditional kickoff to fall semester

Preparations for the fall semester are in full swing. Especially notable are events on Aug. 25:  The G.A.M.E., a march to the sports complex for a game and distribution of this year’s Lancer scarf, and First Friday Back, which will include a pep rally in Longwood’s stunning new Joan Perry Brock Center. (The Brock Center officially opens Aug. 25 and will be the home of our basketball teams and a venue for campus ceremonies and events.)

The new Joan Perry Brock Center, with its arches and white facade, will be the home of Lancer basketball and a venue for ceremonies, concerts and other events.

How to get a Lancer scarf

If you have the chance, please let your student know that to get their Lancer scarf they first need to get a wristband, which can be exchanged for a scarf at the sports complex. Wristbands will be distributed on Aug. 25: New students can get theirs from noon-3 p.m. in front of Lankford Hall; upper-class students can get theirs from 3:15-5:30 p.m. in front of Greenwood Library.

Family Weekend

Also, leaving your student at college for the first time—or even for the last time—can be an adjustment. So mark your calendars for Family Weekend, Sept. 15-16. This is a perfect reason for you to come back to campus—other than just missing your student—to have a few more hours with them and get another hug. Keep an eye on the Longwood website and this blog for more information about registration and planned activities.

Have questions? Get answers here

Finally, if you have questions related to the start of the fall semester (or anything else), send them to questions@longwood.edu and someone will get back to you.

—Sabrina Brown

The 2022-23 academic year officially wrapped up this past weekend with Commencement ceremonies for students receiving undergraduate degrees on Saturday and graduate degrees on Friday. The campus was dressed up as much as the Class of 2023 and their guests, and the weather could not have been more perfect, especially for Saturday’s outdoor ceremony. What beautiful, happy days!

For those of you whose students received degrees, Congratulations! You might just find a familiar face in one of the photo galleries or the video below.

For those of you whose students are still working toward their diplomas, you can see what’s in store for you and your Lancer in the future.

I hope you and your students have a wonderful summer.

—Sabrina Brown

Commencement 2023 Video

Undergraduate Commencement

Graduate Commencement

I’m a writer, so I believe in the power of the written word. But photographers and videographers also are amazing storytellers. Below are a few visual highlights from the spring semester.

Just What the Doctor Ordered: Fun

When students need a break before the final sprint to exams and the end of the semester, Spring Weekend can be just what the doctor ordered.

Many student organizations set up fundraising booths, offering food or pay-to-play games. There are performances by student groups and live music. And it wouldn’t be Spring Weekend without oozeball. See for yourself why students love this Longwood tradition.

Show and Tell on a Much Higher Level

Twice a year Longwood dedicates an entire day to student research and scholarly activities. Through oral presentations, poster sessions, live performances and more, students show off their “muscles” in their areas of study.

The variety of topics is truly impressive, as you can see in this video and these photos from the Spring 2023 Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry.

Stress-Lowering Treatment in a Fur Coat

It’s pretty well-known that final exams can be stressful. Also well-known is that interacting with a friendly, tail-wagging canine can help reduce stress.

So when exams roll around, so does Study Paws. Faculty and staff bring their dogs to campus, and students gather for a furry therapy session. Take a look.

Putting a Ring On It

Just before Christmas, I posted some information about how to buy your student a Longwood class ring. What makes this gift even more special is the Ring Ceremony. Held in the spring, the event starts with the rings spending the night in the Rotunda.

The next day, family are invited to be on hand as the rings are presented. This year Vice President for Student Affairs Cameron Patterson ’10, M.S. ’17, was there to receive his own Longwood ring.

—Sabrina Brown

The longer I work in higher education, the faster the years seem to go by. I keep looking at the calendar and wondering how it’s already the end of the academic year.

I sincerely hope this year has been productive, enlightening and fun for your student. I have worked for several universities, and I can honestly say that Longwood students are special. They are friendly, caring, unpretentious, talented and hard-working. In short, they are a joy to be around. What I often say is that Longwood students were raised right. You have good reason to be proud.

And special congratulations to those of you whose students will be graduating in May! The undergraduate ceremony is set for Saturday, May 20.

I hope the information below will make the moving-out process a little easier for those of you whose students live in Longwood-managed housing.

Moving Out

Residence halls close at noon on Saturday, May 6.
Except for the groups mentioned below, all students must depart their residences within 24 hours of the conclusion of their last spring 2023 exams or by noon on Saturday, May 6, whichever comes first.

The following students may remain on campus after noon on May 6*:
Graduating seniors**
Graduating master’s degree students who live in the residence halls**
Students approved to assist with Commencement**
Apartment residents participating in 12-month housing
Students working with select faculty- or staff-sponsored department activities (for example, some athletes and students working with Brock Experiences)
*Students who believe they should receive special approval to remain in Longwood-managed housing after noon May 6 should contact their coach or the appropriate faculty member for approval information.
**Students participating in Commencement must depart campus no later than 4 p.m. Saturday, May 20.

Helpful Hints

—Do not drive or park on the grass.
—Do not park in the nearby lots for private businesses. These lots are TOW-AWAY ZONES at all times, including weekends.
—Farmville Area Bus (FAB) service ends at 6 p.m. Friday, May 5.
—Residents are encouraged to consider donating items—especially those they might otherwise throw away—to the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, FACES Food Pantry, Southside SPCA or a local clothes closet.Collection boxes are available in Moss and Johns halls, Lancer Park and other locations. For more information, contact steelecl@longwood.edu.

Checkout Process 

Remove all belongings. Residents must remove all personal items from their assigned space or any other areas of their unit before departing campus.
Abandoned property. Personal items still in a unit after a resident has checked out OR left in an unauthorized area of a unit will be considered abandoned and are subject to disposal and financial charges. Residents should be sure to double-check their unit and remove all personal items prior to departing campus.
Using checkout envelopes and drop box (available for all residence halls and apartment communities).
—Envelopes are available at each service desk.
—Fill out the envelope.
—Place key(s) inside envelope.
—Place the envelope in the drop box. For residence halls, the drop box is in the vicinity of the front desk. For Lancer Park, there is an exterior mounted box close to the Brown Commons front service desk. In the Landings, each ground floor elevator lobby area has a wall-mounted box.

Departure Expectations

Prior to leaving campus, all residents must complete the tasks below. Units will be inspected to ensure compliance. Failure to comply may result in judicial sanctions and/or financial charges.
Departure Checklist
—Remove all trash and perishable food.
—Thoroughly clean the unit, including the bathroom and common spaces.
—Remove all personal items (medication, electronic devices, eyeglasses, wallet, etc.).
—Turn off all lights.
—Close and lock all windows.
—Lower all window blinds/shades.
—Lock all doors.

Information for Residents of Moss and Johns Halls

—Loading zone access on the South Main Street side of Moss and Johns halls will be closed from Wednesday, May 3, through Saturday, May 6.
—In order to access Spruce Street, enter Wynne Drive to Pine Street and turn onto the sidewalk in front of the Fitness Center.
—Spruce Street and Redford Streetwill be open for exit only (one-way traffic) onto South Main Street from Thursday, May 4, through Saturday, May 6. Do not enter campus at Redford Street from South Main Street.
—U-turns will be permitted on Spruce Street, if/when the construction gates are closed.

—Sabrina Brown

I have been seeing some questions about Commencement from parents on social media, so I thought it might be a good time to provide answers to some frequently asked questions now, even though Commencement is still more than a month away.

If you have questions that aren’t covered in this post, please don’t hesitate to email commencement@longwood.edu or visit the Commencement website, which has more information than I’ve included below.

When and where is the undergraduate ceremony?

The undergraduate Commencement ceremony for students receiving undergraduate degrees will take place Saturday, May 20, outside on Wheeler Mall. The ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. (Information about the ceremony for students receiving graduate degrees can be found on the Commencement website.)

When do students need to arrive on campus?

Graduates are expected to arrive at Willett Hall gymnasium at 8 a.m. in their academic regalia on May 20 to receive instructions and line up. Guests should proceed directly to Wheeler Mall and may not accompany students to line up.

Do guests need tickets to attend Commencement?

No, tickets are not needed. Seating for guests is on a first-come, first-served basis. There usually are lots of people in attendance, so arriving early is a good idea.

Where can guests park?

Commencement parking is available in several locations, some on campus and some off campus.
Central campus parking
Multiple central campus lots will offer both general parking and ample ADA-specific parking. A pdf of a parking map identifying the lot locations is available on the Commencement website.
Off-campus parking
Shuttle service will run loops between two off-campus locations noted below. Those with ADA specific needs should park in a central campus ADA-identified lot as shuttle vehicles are not equipped with lifts.
Sunchase Apartments, 501 Sunchase Blvd., Farmville, VA
Lancer Park, 200 Cormier Drive, Farmville, VA

Will shuttle service to and from campus be available at area hotels?

Guests staying at local hotels are encouraged drive to the shuttle stop at either Lancer Park or Sunchase Apartments. Shuttle pickup and drop-off at hotels is not planned.

What about accessible parking?

Accessible parking is available in multiple lots on campus. Please refer to the parking map on the Commencement website for locations. Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis; no reservations are required. Golf carts will be available from the ADA-identified lots for those with accessibility needs in getting to and from the ceremony area.

What if I have other questions related to access or accommodations related to a disability?

If you have questions concerning access or need accommodations related to accessibility, please contact the Accessibility Resources Office at 434-395-2391 or email accessibilityresources@longwood.edu. Accessible parking and seating will be available at a first-come, first-served basis. There is no need to make a reservation.

What is the plan in case of rain or inclement weather?

In the event of extreme conditions, including thunderstorms, tornadoes or other severe weather events, the university will activate the rain/inclement weather plan. The announcement about activating the plan will be made on Friday, if possible, and no later than 6 a.m. on the day of Commencement. Please check the Commencement website or call 434-395-2000 for the latest weather-related information.

What are students required to wear for the ceremony?

Students participating in Commencement must wear a gown, hood and mortarboard of the style and color designated by the university. Students also should wear dark shoes. Regalia can be purchased here. Volunteers will be available in Willett Hall to assist students with putting on their regalia. Students who are not able to purchase regalia can check with Martha Butler (butlermh@longwood.edu) in the SGA office, which has a limited number of gowns, caps and hoods available to borrow at no cost. Students can also “pass down” their regalia for use by future graduates after the Commencement ceremony at the Info Desk in Upchurch University Center.

Will I be able to purchase photos of my student from the ceremony?

Yes. Professional photographers from Grad Images will take pictures of each graduate during the ceremony. They will have proofs available by July 1 on their website: www.GradImages.com. Graduates and their families are invited to pre-register their contact information to receive notifications at the following link: http://gradimages.com/Preregistration.

What about a video of the ceremony?

Yes, a copy of the Commencement ceremony will be available for purchase on a DVD or Blu-ray. The video can also be downloaded post-ceremony through Memories Videography. You can order here.

Is there a way friends and family can watch the ceremony from a remote location?

Yes, there will be a livestream link available closer to the date of the ceremony. You’ll be able to find it on the Commencement website.

Is there any way I can offer my congratulations to the Class of 2023?

Yes, Longwood is doing something new this year. Faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents and other family members have the opportunity to let graduating seniors know how proud we all are of their achievements and to wish them the best as they begin the next chapter of their lives. For each gift of $20.23, you can write a personal message that will be printed and attached to the back of the chair in front of a graduate. Anyone who gives 5 or more messages (or makes a gift of $100 or more) will be entered in a drawing for exclusive VIP seating at the undergraduate Commencement ceremony. If you’d like to find out more about participating in this show of support or make a gift and create a message, click here. You can participate through April 21.

—Sabrina Brown

We know that your student’s educational expenses are a big part of your financial planning each year.

To help you start your 2023-24 financial planning as early as possible, this month your student will receive an estimate of the financial aid we project they will receive next year. (This applies only for students continuing enrollment at Longwood in 2023-24.)

Traditionally this information hasn’t been available until May, so we hope receiving the information two months earlier will be helpful.

It’s just an estimate, though, so changes in your student’s situation could result in adjustments to the actual amount of financial aid they will receive for 2023-24.

Please keep the following in mind:

The financial aid award estimate is based on the following three assumptions:

1. Your student will register as a full-time student (12 or more credits) for each semester of the 2023-24 academic year (or for the fall semester if they expect to graduate in December 2023).
2. Your student will maintain the required GPA for each of their scholarships and grants (if applicable) throughout 2023-24.
3. Your student will fulfill the requirements for making “satisfactory academic progress.”

The following additional special circumstances/considerations also could affect the actual/final financial aid offer:

• If your student receives any additional scholarships—such as those from external sites or their academic department—that are currently unknown, their gift aid amount could be affected.
• Merit scholarship renewal is estimated based on the student’s first-semester grades (fall 2022) and the number of credits they are currently taking (spring 2023). If a previously awarded merit scholarship is not represented on your student’s aid estimate, please encourage them to contact the Office of Financial Aid so we can provide suggestions to help them meet the merit award criteria as they finish out the spring semester.
• Estimated financial aid offers for students scheduled to graduate in December 2023 will include only the fall semester. If circumstances change, the offer can be re-evaluated.

Important Note: The financial aid offer estimate your student receives is based on the assumptions and criteria explained above. All offers will be re-evaluated in May to confirm accuracy. Your student will be notified of any changes to the estimate at that time. If needed, appeal processes are available for your student’s satisfactory academic progress as well as their merit scholarship eligibility.

Federal Work-Study

If your student is eligible for Federal Work-Study, spring is a great time to secure a campus job for the next term. Information about work-study jobs will be provided to students by the student employment office. All Federal Work-Study jobs are based on a student’s financial need. Each student applying for FWS must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Questions?

If you have questions about your student’s financial aid offer estimate, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.

—Sabrina Brown

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams go into the Big South Tournament, set for later this week, as defending champions. You’ll find several bits of information in today’s post about how you and your Lancers can be part of the postseason excitement.

The tournament will be held in Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The most up-to-date and detailed information can be found at Longwood’s Tournament Central website.

Free Tournament Tickets for Students

The university is giving away tickets on site to the first 150 students who arrive for each game the Lancers play in the tournament.

Who Plays When and Where (Including Televised Games)

The women’s team (#6 seed) plays its first game vs. Campbell at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 2. The first game for the men’s team (#2 seed) is at 6 p.m. on Friday (vs. the winner of the Campbell-vs.-Presbyterian matchup on Wednesday). Both of these games will be streamed on ESPN+.

The semifinals also will be streamed on ESPN+. The men’s championship game (1 p.m. Sunday, March 5) will be on ESPN2, and the women’s championship game (6 p.m. Sunday, March 5) will be shown on ESPNU.

Tournament Tickets

But really there’s nothing like experiencing a game in person. Tournament tickets are available online at Longwood’s Tournament Central website ($20 plus fees on Ticketmaster) or at the door of the coliseum in Charlotte ($20). More information about the tournament and lodging in Charlotte can be found on the Big South Conference Tournament website.

Go Wood Lancer Gear

During the tournament or after, you can show your Lancer pride and support Longwood athletics with an official Go Wood 2023  T-shirt, sweatshirt or hoodie available on Amazon.

Next Year in Joan Perry Brock Center — Sign Up for Early Access to Season Tickets

Are you ready to join the loudest and proudest crowd that will have JPB shaking with energy? Are you ready to cheer on the Lancers? Let us know you’re interested in purchasing season tickets once they’re available by completing the 2023-24 season ticket interest form.

Completing the interest form will automatically qualify you for the exclusive purchasing window before sales are open to the general public.

It’s an exciting time to be a Lancer!

—Sabrina Brown