Sabrina Brown

For those of you whose students are graduating in May or who want to do an internship this summer, it’s not too early for them to start looking into opportunities.

The good news is that there are two great events happening this month right on campus where students can meet with potential employers. Longwood also has a Career Services office staffed with career coaches who offer advice and guidance.

EDUCATION RECRUITMENT DAY
Friday, March 8
10-11:30 a.m.
Soza Ballroom, Upchurch University Center

Students who are thinking about a career in education can take advantage of this fair, which will bring representatives from more than 70 school districts to campus to talk about jobs in their schools for Longwood students who are graduating and will have a standard teaching license.

Districts planning to attend include Chesapeake, Richmond, Fairfax, Roanoke, Stafford, Virginia Beach, Newport News and Williamsburg-James City County. Some of the districts will also be conducting interviews with potential candidates after the fair from 12:30-4 p.m.

SPRING JOB AND INTERNSHIP FAIR
Wednesday, March 27
1-4 p.m.
Blackwell Ballroom, Maugans Alumni Center

A variety of companies will be represented at this fair to discuss job and internship opportunities. Even though the event is almost a month away, more than 40 companies and organizations have already signed up.

Among the employers scheduled to attend are CarMax, CapitalOne, the Federal Reserve in Richmond, National Ground Intelligence Center, Enterprise Holdings, Centra and Walgreens.

Both of these fairs are sponsored by Career Services at Longwood, which offers many additional services to help students find jobs and internships.

Services include:
*Work shadow program with Longwood alumni
*Assistance in writing resumes and cover letters
*Mock interviews
*Linkedin training
*Graduate school preparation
*Strategic planning for conducting a job or internship search
*Skill assessments

Career Services offers walk-in hours, but staff encourage students to make an appointment for a one-hour, one-on-one meeting with a career coach. The phone number is 434-395-2063.

More information is available here: http://www.longwood.edu/career/

Best of luck to your student in their search for a job or internship!

—Sabrina Brown

Ask just about anyone who works at a university, and they’ll tell you campus involvement is key for students to get the most out of their college experience.

There are many ways to do this, but one of the easiest is joining a student organization. Longwood has loads of these organizations—more than 175—and students are always starting new ones based on their specific interests.

We have a belly dancing club and a club football team. We have clubs for languages, musicians, academic disciplines, thespians and equestrians. We have social fraternities and sororities.

We have a student organization whose members work with children in Farmville to encourage academic achievement, good citizenship and a healthy lifestyle. We have students who get together to play chess, to strengthen their spirituality in a variety of religions and to support Longwood athletics.

In short, we have a club for just about everything. You can see a complete list of Longwood’s student organizations here: https://lancerlink.longwood.edu/organizations

At the beginning of each semester, members of these organizations participate in an Involvement Fair to reach out to their fellow students and welcome them to join the club. But students can join many clubs at any time during the semester.

Here’s the link to a video of a recent Involvement Fair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Aogg-ZG1E

Encourage your student to get involved! It’s a great way to make friends and to get connected on campus.

—Sabrina Brown 

 

 

 

 

Whether they’re staying on campus, going to the beach or heading somewhere more—or less—exotic, your student is probably getting excited about spring break, which is a little more than a week from today. Last year, more than 700 students registered to stay on campus over spring break, so your student will not be alone if that’s their plan.

For students living in Longwood-managed housing, spring break is officially from 6 p.m. Friday, March 1, through noon Sunday, March 10, which means that the residence halls and apartments will not be accessible during that time unless your student has filled out the required form in advance. Classes resume March 11.

If your student is planning to stay on campus for the entire break—or if they have academic or personal obligations after 6 p.m. Friday, March 1—please encourage them to go ahead and “register to stay” on campus, which will give them uninterrupted access to their assigned community.

To register, your student should log in to the Student Housing Gateway and complete the designated form. It’s simple and only takes a few minutes. The deadline to submit the online form is 11:59 p.m. next Thursday, Feb. 28, but there’s no need to wait until then.

Just to be clear: Any student living in any Longwood-managed housing—whether a residence hall or apartment—will not be able to access their building/room/apartment from 6 p.m. Friday, March 1, through noon Sunday, March 10, if they have not filled out the “register to stay” online form by the deadline.

If your student has an emergency, there are some measures in place to provide access to residences over spring break—but they’re much more of a hassle than filling out the “register to stay” form:
—The Lancer Card Center can provide access assistance during business hours from March 6-8. (University offices are closed March 4-5.)
—In extreme cases, LUPD officers can provide limited after-hours access assistance.

For a list of things your student should do before leaving campus housing for the break, go to www.longwood.edu/housing/.

Here’s some additional important information about spring break:
—University offices will be closed March 4-5.
—Farmville Area Bus (FAB) service will end at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 1, and resume at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 10. There is no bus service between campus and Lancer Park or Longwood Village during the break.
—Residence hall rooms and apartments are subject to entry during break. Entry may be necessary during the break period to facilitate preventive maintenance tasks (changing filters, for example), general work orders or safety inspections. Special work projects will be directly communicated to impacted residents/buildings.
—Dorrill Dining Hall will close at 2 p.m. Friday, March 1, and will re-open at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 10.  Regular hours of operation resume on Monday, March 11. Visit https://longwood.campusdish.com/ for operation hours for all other campus food venues.

All of us at Longwood wish your student a safe, fun and/or productive spring break!

—Sabrina Brown

It’s February 14, and it’s a Thursday, so chances are your students won’t be wishing you a happy Valentine’s Day in person.

But take heart! (I know, but I couldn’t resist.) There’s a small chance your son or daughter is one of the Longwood students that I asked to write Valentine’s Day notes to their parents.

I prompted them to write about something good that happened to them recently.  So even if your student isn’t included in this post, I hope you can enjoy the happy events mentioned below and think that your student is probably having similar good experiences this month.

The smiling faces below made me smile. I hope they have the same effect on you.

—Sabrina Brown

Shiann, freshman, environmental science major
Dear Mom and Dad,
My environmental science professor helped me get a bit more informed about college writing and different assignments. She also introduced me to my advisor.
Love you guys!

Jamyl, freshman, business major
Dear Mom and Dad,
I’ve been getting involved in many different clubs and organizations to meet new people at school.
Love y’all!

Madison, freshman, business major
Dear Mom,
I got an A on my first exam of the semester!
Love you!

Zachary, freshman, political science major
Dear Mom and Dad,
I was able to share my faith with someone and make a new friend.
Miss you!

Aaqila, junior, psychology major
Dear Mom and Dad,
I got my fifth 100% in one of my classes, keeping me at a perfect grade. Also, I gave my first candidate tour, and it was amazing.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Love you both! Thanks for all that you do. I miss you guys. See you soon.

Nicola, junior, social work major
Dear Mom and Dad,
I got an A+ on my first social work paper of the semester!

Rian, freshman, biology major
Dear Dad,
I had a really exciting biology lab, and we added two new species to the Longwood Bioblitz. And I get my big in my sorority today!
Love you!

Matthew, sophomore, communication studies/political science major
Dear Mom and Dad,
I got my first A on a test.
Happy V-Day!

Ashley, freshman, liberal studies major
Dear Mom and Dad,
I got a B on my first English test!
Happy Valentine’s Day! I love y’all!

Siara, junior, communication studies major
Dear Mom and Dad,
I did an interview with Lancer Link, I applied to more internships and I put in my desk assistant (DA) application.
Thanks for the love and support!

Christopher, junior, business major
Dear Mom and Dad,
I got invited to attend a regional Ambassador Leadership conference in Richmond—and they’re paying for me to go!
I love you both and my animals!

Libbie, freshman, information systems and cyber security major
Dear Mom and Dad,
This week I had so much fun playing in an intramural basketball game—and I ended up scoring!
Love you!

Liam, junior, political science major
Dear Mom,
I got an A on an exam that I thought I’d failed.
Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whether it’s the stress of exams, a difficult relationship breakup or homesickness, it’s not unusual for college students to experience challenges they need help to handle more successfully.

At Longwood, students can find that help through skill-building workshops and group counseling sessions offered by CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services).

CAPS is located on the upper level of the Health and Fitness Center.
Phone: 434-395-2409
Email: longwoodCAPS@longwood.edu

Each student first meets with a psychologist or counselor for a 30-minute initial consultation. In that meeting, students can talk about their concerns, and  the psychologist or counselor will ask questions to help clarify the situation.  At the end of the consultation, a referral to the workshops or a group will be made, if therapeutically warranted.

Counseling Workshops
Workshops are a rotating series of three skill-building sessions that cover mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation and distress tolerance. Students will learn skills to become more aware of their inner thought processes, improve their relationships with others, manage changing emotional states and cope with times when their emotions are high. If you think your student would be interested in the workshops, encourage them to contact Dr. Jenny Glass.

CAPS also provides three group counseling opportunities. Groups meet weekly; individual counseling is provided every other week.

The benefits of group counseling are many:
–Students learn that they are not alone with their concerns
–Group members receive support from peers and benefit from helping their peers
–Group members see that others with similar concerns have improved
–Group members learn more effective coping strategies

Advanced Skills Group
If your student has completed the counseling workshops and is interested in learning more advanced skills, CAPS offers a group that focuses on emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance, all incorporating mindfulness. Group members also share their experiences with these skills and gain/provide feedback about personal matters. If you think your student would be interested in this group, encourage them to email or call the CAPS office. 

Stress and Anxiety Management Group
This group is designed for students who have symptoms related to stress and anxiety and are seeking support and strategies to cope more effectively. In the group, students can gain support and constructive feedback from other students who struggle with problems related to stress/anxiety. Counselors will present psychoeducational information related to stress/anxiety. If you think your student would be interested in this group, please encourage them to contact contact Dr. David Davino.

ACT Group
This weekly support group is a longstanding collaboration between CAPS and the Office of Disability Resources (ODR). The group is open to any student who has registered with ODR.  The Advocacy, Communication and Transition Group (ACT) provides a safe and supportive place for students to openly share concerns, discuss issues, and gain specific skills and strategies to meet personal goals and receive support and encouragement.  If you think your student would be interested in this group, please encourage them to contact Madeline Schutt or Dr. Maureen Walls-McKay. 

More information about the workshops and group counseling can be found at http://www.longwood.edu/caps/.

The sky was a brilliant blue, the mercury had barely reached 20 degrees and the wind was wickedly whipping across campus when I came to work this morning. I had bundled up in a sweater, boots, a mid-calf wool coat, a scarf and gloves to brave the short walk from the parking lot to my office in Lancaster Hall. It didn’t feel like enough.

Thinking you might be wondering how your student is faring in the cold today, I ventured back out around 10:30 during class change to take a look. Here’s what I saw:

—Some boots and knit hats

—A few big, puffy coats
—Mostly bare hands (maybe because you can’t text wearing gloves?)

—A lot of bare ankles (among young women) and bare heads

—A lot of lightweight jackets, many unzipped
—A lot of hoodies (often with hoods down) and sweatshirts as the only outerwear

 

No judgment.

My college-age daughter often wears shorts with her UGGs in the winter. And I remember when I was in college (in Memphis, Tennessee, where it gets quite cold) that dressing warmly was not cool, no matter the temperature. Ah, youth. Some things never change.

The forecasters are predicting a warming trend with a high of 72 on Tuesday (no, that’s not a typo), but just in case your student comes down with a case of “There’s nothing to do” over the next few days, here are some antidotes you can offer.

 Comedian: Kevin Yee
Friday, February 1, 8 p.m. in the Upchurch University Center Soza Ballroom
Come on out and join Lancer Productions in welcoming Comedian Kevin Yee and his original comedy songs, which have been featured on the hit podcast 2 DOPE QUEENS (WNYC) and on The Gong Show(ABC)!

Peer Mentor Interest Meeting
Saturday, February 2, 2-3 p.m. in the Upchurch University Center Wilson Chamber (300)
The Office of Student Success is beginning its search for students who want to assist new Lancers in their transition to college. Peer mentors are role models and leaders on Longwood’s campus. Come to the meeting to learn more about who peer mentors are, how they engage incoming students, and the application and interview process.

Super Bowl Watch Party
Sunday, February 3, 6 p.m. in the Upchurch University Center (First Floor Lounge)
Want an awesome place to hang out with friends and watch the Super Bowl? We will be having a viewing party Bdubs style in the first floor lounge in Upchurch. We will have free food. Just come on in and claim a table!

Women’s Empowerment at Women’s Basketball Game
Tuesday, February 5, 7 p.m. in Willett Hall (gym)
Join Longwood University Athletics and the Lancer women’s basketball team for a special women’s empowerment event to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Cheer on the Lancers in their game against High Point and recognize the accomplishments of some of Longwood University’s and Central Virginia’s outstanding women. Admission to the game is free for all women.

—Sabrina Brown

If you have a student who is a budding researcher or artist (musician, actor, photographer, etc.) in the making, they can apply for funding from the university to support their efforts.

The Office of Student Research is currently accepting applications for awards of up to $500 per student to help defray the costs of engaging in research or in activities related to a creative field. Students can apply as individuals or in groups of up to three students who are collaborating on a project.

“Undergraduates in every discipline are eligible,” said Dr. Crystal Anderson, director of the Office of Student Research. “So a music major working on a recital who needs to travel to access materials at another institution or to receive instruction in a master class are examples of what could be funded.”

Examples of other eligible expenses are

• Art supplies
• Exhibit supplies
• Performance supplies
• Competition fees
• Conference fees
• Membership fees
• Software services
• Subscription services
• Laboratory supplies
• Travel to academic conferences

There will be two rounds of awards during the spring semester.
Application deadlines
Round 1: Feb. 18 at 5 p.m.
Round 2: March 25 at 5 p.m.

Students can apply for funding during both rounds. Funds must be spent by April 30, 2019.

“The council does look for projects that would best benefit from funding at the time of the request,” Anderson said. “Fully fleshed-out projects have a better chance of getting funded, as the funding process is competitive.”

To apply, students must first complete three online tutorials that help them understand how to successfully complete the application. These tutorials take about five minutes each to complete. The tutorials, the application and the required faculty acknowledgment form—as well as more information about the program—can be found online at http://blogs.longwood.edu/studentresearch/.

The number of students funded each round depends on the number of applications submitted and the strength of the application pool, Anderson said. Last semester, the office received 14 applications and funded nine projects.

So encourage your student to give it a shot if they’re engaged in eligible activities. I always say: “You don’t ask, you don’t get.”

—Sabrina Brown

The medical staff at the University Health Center includes Michelle Dunn, LPN, (left); Jeanne Strunk, FNP, (women’s health); Dr. Robert Wade, medical director; Harriet Vincent, FNP; and Bethany Rothwell, RN.

 

As cold and flu season cranks up, it seems an appropriate time to share with you some information about our University Health Center, a resource available to all currently enrolled Longwood students.

Clinic Director Ronald Goforth, Medical Director Dr. Robert Wade and the rest of the University Health Center staff are committed to providing a high level of care and to keeping your student healthy so they can be successful at Longwood.

Toward that end, the center directors asked me to emphasize one thing in this post:
Encourage your student to get a flu shot!

The University Health Center’s primary goal is to see all students needing care within 24 hours, “but most of the time they are seen the same day,” says Dr. Wade.

Now, on to some basic information about the University Health Center. For more detailed, comprehensive information, please visit the center’s website at
http://www.longwood.edu/health/

Or give them a call at the phone number listed below.

Services
The center provides primarily acute, wellness and preventative care. This means the medical staff can help if your student

• is experiencing a short-term (acute) illness
• is injured
• wants to take precautions to avoid getting sick
• wants an annual wellness or women’s health exam

In addition to these primary services, the University Health Center medical staff can also

• administer flu shots
• administer allergy shots (with serum provided by the student and a medical order from their allergist; fee required)
• write prescriptions for ADD/ADHD (with proper documentation of psychological workup within the prior three years; see website FAQs about this topic. Students who need this testing can have it done through Counseling and Psychological Services at Longwood. Information about CAPS services and fees is available at http://www.longwood.edu/caps/.
• administer IV fluids for students who have become dehydrated due to illness
• provide osteopathic manipulation for neck and back pain
• perform a tuberculosis skin test, which is required for nursing students
• collect lab specimens for testing and coordinate with LabCorp

Medical Staff
When your student visits the University Health Center, they will be seen by a member of the medical staff, which includes

• a physician
  
• a general family nurse practitioner
• a women’s health nurse practitioner
• three nurses

Appointments
Appointments are preferred but not required. Your student can make an appointment

• online through the student portal: https://cumulus.longwood.edu/cas/login?service=https://longwood.studenthealthportal.com/CASIf no appointment slots are available online, please encourage your student to call.
• by phone: 434-395-2102
  

Walk-ins
The clinic accepts walk-ins, but your student should be prepared to wait if necessary. Also, the earlier they get to the health center, the better, though every attempt will be made to see all walk-ins the same day.

Talking to the Medical Staff About Your Student
Parents of students who are 18 or older should be aware that FERPA (Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act) prevents members of the medical staff from discussing your student’s health issues with you unless your student signs a separate release form for each day they were seen at the center. (These forms are available at the center.) Of course, your student can share any and all information with you about their conditions and treatment.

After-Hours Care
If your student feels their illness or injury can’t wait until the center reopens, they can go to

• Centra Medical Group at 935 S. Main Street: 434-315-2850
• Centra Southside Community Hospital Emergency Department at 800 Oak Street: 434-315-2530
• Their primary care provider (PCP)

In addition, if your student has a non-life-threatening medical issue after hours, they may contact the health center’s nurse advice line at 805-858-3117.

Hospital and Emergency Care
Centra Southside Community Hospital and its emergency department, located at 800 Oak Street, are within walking distance of the Longwood campus. Your student may be referred to Centra Southside for X-rays and other diagnostic procedures, as well as care outside the scope of the University Health Center.

If your student has a medical emergency, they should call 911 or the Longwood University Police Department at 434-395-2091.

Payment
Being seen by a member of the medical staff is covered by student fees. If the student has health insurance, the clinic will bill the insurance provider, but no copay is required. Charges for off-site services such as prescriptions, visits to the emergency department or other health providers, hospitalization, injections and laboratory tests are the student’s responsibility.

University Health Center
Location, Hours and Contact Info
Location: Longwood Landings (106 Midtown Ave.) across from Subway
Hours of operation: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday except university holidays
Phone: 434-395-2102
Fax: 434-395-2738
email: studenthealth@longwood.edu

A Partnership with Potomac Healthcare Solutions
The University Health Center is operated by Potomac Healthcare Solutions, headquartered in Woodbridge, Virginia. PHS operates clinics and provides medical staffing in the U.S. and abroad, including for the Department of Defense and Veterans Health Administration.

—Sabrina Brown

By now many of you are probably aware that there’s snow in the Saturday and Sunday forecasts for Farmville (and consequently Longwood). Rest assured that Longwood is well-versed in preparing for snow and meeting the needs of students when it arrives.

Key administrators and staff from across the campus are meeting regularly to monitor the forecast and make preparations for the impending weather.

One change that has already been made is the time move-in will begin. Students can now begin moving back onto campus at 1 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 11. Classes are still set to resume Tuesday morning.

As the forecast becomes more clear and decisions are made, updates to building hours, the class meeting schedule and campus events will be posted to alerts.longwood.edu. (The screen shot above shows what the site looks like.) You can visit this site for the most updated information concerning winter weather.

Updates also will be texted or emailed to students. If you would also like to receive alerts via text and/or email, you can sign up here.  Click on “Sign Up” in the upper right corner; then fill out the requested information and click on the “Create Account” tab. You’ll then have the options to fill in a phone number that can receive texts and an email address.

Of course, there’s always the chance that the snow will completely miss us. Hope springs eternal.

Best, Sabrina Brown

 

 

 

 

 

Happy 2019, Lancer parents!

If your student has mentioned wanting to step up their physical activity in the coming year, here’s some information you can pass along about how they can make that happen at Longwood.

Included are individual workouts, group fitness classes, sessions with personal trainers and intramural sports. Many of these offerings are free, while others are offered for a small fee.

Individual Workouts
Longwood’s Health and Fitness Center on the main campus offers state-of-the-art facilities and workout equipment available to all enrolled students at no charge.  Basketball and racketball courts, an indoor track, weight and cardio equipment, and free weights are accessible throughout the day and evening.

Group Fitness Classes
Free group fitness classes are held in the Health and Fitness Center Monday through Friday. Your student can participate in Zumba, yoga, Pilates, spin and more.

Free classes are also held at Longwood’s Midtown Fitness Performance Center, which is just a short walk from the main campus. Classes include circuit training, hardcore abdominal work and Bootcamp (a workout involving tires, sandbags and sleds).

Workshops
Workshops such as Women on Weights, which focuses on strength training, are offered at the Midtown location. Held on weekly from Jan. 21-March 1, workshops cost $20 for students.

Personal Training Sessions
Individual or “buddy” sessions with a personal trainer also are available in a variety of packages. For example, an individual “starter pack” includes an assessment appointment where the trainer and the student decide on goals and three workout sessions for $54. A “buddy pack” includes an assessment and five workout sessions for two students at a cost of $39 per student.

Intramurals
Intramural sports, where teams of students compete against each other, are offered throughout the spring semester. Sports begin at different points throughout the semester, beginning with 5v5 basketball, then going to indoor soccer and softball and ending with team handball. Costs range from $15-$30 per team. Students can sign up and get more information at imleagues.com/longwood.

If your student is interested in finding out more about these fitness options, direct them to www.longwood.edu/recreation.

Best, Sabrina Brown