Corrine Louden’s impressive collection of Longwood gear has grown even bigger in the last year, thanks to her passionate dedication to the 1 Hour a Month program.
Louden ’02 is among more than 500 alumni who have donated 1,200 volunteer hours on behalf of Longwood in the inaugural year of the initiative by the Office of Alumni and Career Services. The program, launched in July 2016, provides numerous ways for alums to engage with Longwood and be rewarded for it. Rewards, based on a monthly point system, include various types of Longwood gear.
“I was already marketing Longwood, and this gave me more of an incentive,” said Louden, a hotline investigations supervisor for the Virginia Department of Corrections. “I wear the swag that I’ve received from the program—hoodie, baseball cap, scarf and T-shirt—all the time, and my office is fully decked out with Longwood gear, which includes a coaster, a painting of the Rotunda, a wall hanging, a notepad, pens, a mug and a travel cup. I’ve always been an avid Longwood supporter.”
Louden has earned points by posting on Facebook and Instagram; sending messages and photographs to the alumni office; hosting a Vice Presidential Debate party; talking up Longwood with prospective students and their parents; and writing letters to prospective students.
Becky Schnekser ’05, M.S.’06, also has participated in 1 Hour a Month every month since its inception. “You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who knows me who doesn’t know I’m a Longwood Lancer,” said the lower-school science teacher at Cape Henry Collegiate School in Virginia Beach. “It’s all over my car, my clothes and my kids’ clothes. I have an Elwood bobblehead, and my Longwood scarf is just above my desk.”
Parks Smith ’08, director of alumni relations, hopes that others will follow Schnekser’s and Louden’s example and sign up for the program.
"You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who knows me who doesn’t know I’m a Longwood Lancer."
Becky Schnekser '05, M.S. '06, Science teacher
“It’s really amazing how just one hour per month adds up to a major contribution to Longwood,” said Smith, adding that other activities that count toward program points include submitting class notes for Longwood magazine, sharing photos and posts on social media, and posting internships and job openings on the Longwood Network.
An infographic about the program appeared in the March/April issue of CASE Currents.
“People from other schools have reached out to us, wanting to copy 1 Hour a Month and bring it to their campus. It’s been a lot of fun,” said Smith.
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