Our Mission
Longwood University's Mission:
Longwood University is an institution of higher learning dedicated to the development of citizen leaders who are prepared to make positive contributions to the common good of society. Building upon its strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, the University provides an environment in which exceptional teaching fosters student learning, scholarship, and achievement. As the only four-year public institution in south central Virginia, Longwood University serves as a catalyst for regional prosperity and advancement.
What is a Citizen Leader?
We are a nation of neighbors, a constellation of individuals connected in communities small and large; the forward motion of our culture depends on our active, daily participation. Longwood graduates citizen leaders who embody the values required to advance communities: a commitment to learning, critical thinking, selflessness and personal integrity.
How does Longwood's core curriculum, Civitae, fit in?
Civitae, Longwood's unique general education program, prepares students for 21st century careers and democratic engagement by blending creative energy with an intense focus on our mission of creating citizen leaders. While the approach is new, Civitae is shaped, like Longwood itself - by the history, tradition, and wisdom of ages past.
Students who complete Civitae have a qualification that transcends a college degree: time-tested skills of communication, critical thinking, and teamwork-skills that are invaluable both in the workplace and in democracy. Civitae also emphasizes understanding issues or topics by considering a variety of perspectives. The knowledge and skills gained in initial Civitae classes don't just disappear after the final exam-they're put into use and context in the next level of classes, culminating in a senior-level symposium on the common good.
