This August, the College welcomed 47 freshmen into the new four-year leadership fellows program.  These outstanding young men represent the very best of Hampden-Sydney College.  They are smart, outgoing, polite, honest, and hardworking.  These young men have become involved in nearly every aspect of campus life.  They are participating in varsity athletics, writing for The Tiger, rushing fraternities, engaging with UPLS, competing as part of the Ethics Bowl team, and succeeding in the classroom.  Two of the three newly elected student senators from the Class of 2022 are members of the program.

Here is a short overview of the four-year program.  Year one began with an immersive leadership experience that took place three days before classes started.  They read case studies, participated in leadership exercises, visited the historic Moton Museum, bonded with one another, and heard from legendary former professor, Dr. Alan Farrell.  They will continue to learn about themselves and how to relate to others throughout the year.

One freshman said the following about his experience this semester, “the orientation program gave me the opportunity to break the ice with new people even before matriculation.” He continued, “being introduced to a community of like-minded people who take an interest in leadership was and is a big help to understanding how I fit in at a college like Hampden-Sydney. In the coming months and years, I am looking forward to applying the concepts and skills I am learning as a member of the program to jobs, internships, and ultimately, a career.”

In year two, these men will become members of the Society of ’91 where they will be exposed to important leadership theories and be provided with space to practice and hone their leadership skills.

Years three and four will see our young men go out into the community to do important service projects for others.  Each fellow will also be provided with an internship between their junior and senior year.

These young men will be guided throughout their four years by a faculty or staff member who serves as a leadership advisor.

As always, the Wilson Center hosted a wide range of events this fall.  Hampden-Sydney alumni and faculty are serving others in a wide variety of fields.  Below are some highlights.

• Jack Tomarchio, retired Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Operations at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, spoke to our students about efforts to prevent terrorism since the tragic events of September 11^th, 2001.
• Father Brian McVey ’90, an Episcopal Priest in Nashville, spoke to our students about the need to combat human trafficking.
• Kristian Hargadon ‘01 (Biology) and Dr. James Frusetta (History) discussed the influenza pandemic of 1918.
• Roger Barrus (Government and Foreign Affairs) spoke to our students about the way Federalists and Anti-Federalists might view contemporary controversies in our politics to commemorate Constitution Day.
• Thomas McDaniel ’63, retired Dean and Interim President at Converse College, spoke about the benefits of single gender education to commemorate our College’s Founders Day, November 10, 1775.

Be sure to follow us on social media to get the latest information about spring events!

• Wilson Center Twitter
• Wilson Center Facebook

As the end of the year approaches, please consider making a gift to the Wilson Center!  Your gift will be used immediately to support the great work of the Wilson Center.  Faculty salaries, programming for students, symposia and lectures are supported by your generosity.  Please note this gift should not take away from your support of the College’s Annual Fund, which supports all aspects of campus life.
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The Wilson Center and Hampden-Sydney College are excited to announce an articulation agreement with the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.  Students and alumni are offered a priority track for admission into the Masters of Public Policy (MPP) program.  All students and alumni who apply, regardless of admissions decision, will receive an application fee waiver.  Students and alumni selected for admission will receive an annual fellowship.  For more information, those interested should contact the Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest, Ryan Pemberton ’00 at rpemberton@hsc.edu.

The Wilson Center Board of Advisors and the Faculty Advisory Committee have put together a strategic plan that asks the Wilson Center to work with more students and faculty across all disciplines, raise money and connect with more friends and supporters, and strengthen curricular and co-curricular programs.  These task forces are a way to engage supporters and keep alumni, friends, faculty, and staff connected and informed.  They are meant to be informal with little formal hierarchy.  They are project based.  If folks have questions or ideas, they can engage and support as needed.  Task forces may adapt and end as challenges are complete and new opportunities arise.  Please contact Dr. Ryan Pemberton at rpemberton@hsc.edu with questions or to volunteer.

Outreach:  The goal of this task force is to engage as many friends and supporters as possible to meet Wilson Center priorities.  The ultimate goal of the group is to raise the funds needed to support current operations and long-term goals.  Priorities include support for student scholarships, program enhancement, and internships.  The task force will also provide advice about building and executing our current year fundraising plan and building our social media and communications infrastructure.  Frank Roach ’73, Member of the Wilson Center Board of Advisors and Hampden-Sydney College Board of Trustees, is leading this task force.

Career:  The goal of the task force is to create a broad and deep network of supporters who connect current students and alumni with potential internship and career opportunities.  We will initially focus on building the number of internships provided to students as our four-year leadership program, leadership, and national security studies minors grow.  We also hope to build a mentoring program to connect experienced professionals to students and early career alumni for support and advice.  Frank Wheeler ’85, Member of the Wilson Center Board of Advisors, is leading this task force.

Washington DC Task Force: The ultimate goal of the group is to expand the College’s and Center’s presence in the DC area.  We expect that increased presence will help the College recruit additional students, raise needed funds, and build career connections for current students and recent graduates.  Our goal is to provide students with a May term in the DC area, build on and harness the collective good will of alumni, parents, and friends in the area, and build a plan to assess costs and logistical challenges of building a physical presence in the DC area.  Trey Lackey ’85, Vice Chairman of the Wilson Center Board of Advisors, is leading this task force.

On February 6^th, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia will present General Wilson’s family with a resolution honoring his lifetime of service.  Read the Resolution honoring General Wilson.

In honor of this wonderful occasion, President Stimpert will be hosting a reception at the Commonwealth Club from 5:30 to 7:30.  You and your guest are cordially invited!  This is a great opportunity to celebrate General Wilson’s amazing legacy and learn more about the important work of the Wilson Center.

We hope to see you then!  Contact Dr. Ryan Pemberton ’00 at rpemberton@hsc.edu with more questions.