Owens knew she wanted to pursue a career in forensic science and thought a major in criminal justice was the way to get there—but that was before she talked with Longwood chemistry professor Dr. Sarah Porter. “She said I should major in chemistry because that would get me to my career goal.”

“Speaking to community members [as part of the Yellowstone Brock Experience] on very controversial civic issues that we don’t experience here was extremely eye-opening. I was able to expand my horizons and step out of my comfort zone.”

“What Longwood did to prepare me for success was the requirement of two internships. My junior and senior internships at the Department of Social Services ... enabled me to apply the knowledge I learned in the classroom to real-world practice. I worked with clients, learned how social service programs operate, and developed stronger skills in communication, advocacy and professional problem solving.”

Fedderman served in leadership positions for several student organizations. “It meant a lot watching people and organizations grow, as well as having the chance to discover aspects of myself that I was unaware of.”

“Longwood has prepared me to be a successful teacher and an active community member. My student teaching experience allowed me to connect with students and create an inclusive environment. Longwood has taught me a lot about myself, specifically how to balance my goals, recognize my strengths and grow as both a teacher and an individual.”

Playing Division I soccer was a lifelong dream. I chose Longwood because of the people. It’s a community that provides a very loving and caring support system. The coaches and players were dedicated to our academic and athletic success, as well as our personal growth as we developed into mature adults.”

“I was at a larger school before, which I also enjoyed, but I found it difficult to ask questions and get the help I needed when I didn’t understand something or was behind. Longwood prepared me to be successful through its small classes, which allowed me to get to know my professors and classmates and to work closely with others.”

“In my job, I direct and produce the broadcasts of Chili Peppers’ home games. I also produce and direct the on-field entertainment for our Cosmic Takeover Tour games around the country. Cosmic Baseball was invented by the Coastal Plain League. It’s baseball played under stadium black light, with all gear, equipment, uniforms and field markings designed to be black light reactive.”

In the Peace Corps, I’ll be providing health education in homes and communities to promote safe pregnancies, child nutrition, illness prevention, immunizations and malaria control. I will also support hygiene, sanitation and adolescent health through clubs, camps and school programs.”

“The San Francisco Brock Experience really opened up so many new opportunities for me. Being able to tour the labs at Stanford and UCSF [University of California San Francisco] helped me realize research was within my grasp. I remember talking to Dr. [Dale] Beach at the train station as we were leaving Stanford. He pointed out that, while all of their equipment seemed fancy, we had the exact same things here at Longwood and that I could do any of the things they were doing if I wanted to. I applied to PRISM [Longwood’s research program], and over that summer I absolutely fell in love with research.”

“Longwood brought me out of my shell and showed me it’s OK to try new things. I feel you have to be open to new things to continue to grow and be successful.”

“I participated in an economics study abroad in Qatar and Thailand. This being my first time abroad, I was incredibly nervous initially. But after the trip I had so much more appreciation for the differences in culture, politics, geography and many other things between the U.S. and other countries.”

“I knew coming into Longwood I wanted to do more than just be an athlete or just to go to class. Being involved in Longwood clubs and organizations has been such a rewarding experience and has been the heartbeat of my years as a Lancer. Being a student-athlete gave me the best of both worlds. I got to learn and be challenged in the classroom and in practices and races. I had a community within my major and also a community every single day at practice.”

“My favorite thing at Longwood was the time I spent with a close group of fellow students and friends.”

“Longwood taught me it’s OK to fall down as long as you get back up. I was a fifth-year nursing student who fell behind because of one class. Because of that I made more friends, and, more importantly, I learned how to pick myself back up. It wasn’t easy, but I had more than enough help from my friends and my professors.”

“Being the chair of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee was a great experience. I provided overall guidance to the subcommittees and helped out if they had any issues. We volunteered, donated food for charity and helped manage athletics at Longwood. We also participated in events throughout the year to spread happiness and to raise awareness.”