Take a look back at some of Hampden-Sydney’s top news stories of 2021.
Academic News and Achievements
ODK (Omicron Delta Kappa) Awarded National Grant
Hampden-Sydney College’s Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Circle received a 2021 Maurice A. Clay Leadership Development Initiative Grant.
Inaugural Sipe Research Fellowship Awarded
Hampden-Sydney College is excited to announce the inaugural recipients of the Sipe Summer Research Fellowship— Heath Rozier ’22 and Connor Eickelman ’24.
Compass Receives Program Development Grant
Hampden-Sydney's experiential learning program, Compass, has been awarded a Program Development Grant from the Council of Independent Colleges Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), with support from Lilly Endowment, Inc.
The ‘Long Wait’ Celebrating the 245 th Graduating Class
A year later, H-SC was finally able to properly celebrate the College’s 245th graduating class.
Remembering Ron Heinemann
More than 13 years after his retirement, Squires Professor Emeritus of History Ron Heinemann remained a fixture on the Hill. Proof of his lasting legacy can be found in these tributes authored by his former students and fellow faculty members following his passing on November 18, 2020.
Hampden-Sydney Icons Announce Retirement
With more than a century of combined service to the College, Thompson Professor of Classics James Arieti, Squires Professor of History Ken Lehman, and Professor of Psychology Dan Mossler have dedicated their professional lives to educating generations of good men and good citizens, and we are forever grateful.
Faculty and Staff Achievements
Thornton Recognized by National Football Foundation
Hampden-Sydney College is proud to congratulate Elliott Professor of Economics & Business and Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Saranna Thornton, who is among 12 faculty athletics representatives nationwide being honored by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame.
Hargadon Named Research Award Finalist
Elliott Associate Professor of Biology Kristian Hargadon has been named one of 19 finalists for the 2021 MolecularCloud Distinguished Research Awards.
Kagan’s Screenplay Honored
Barger Barclay Professor of Theatre Shirley Kagan’s screenplay, Civil Blood, was recently honored as a quarter-finalist in the Atlanta Film Festival and a semi-finalist in the prestigious Cynosure Film competition.
Staff Members Recognized with Honors
Two Hampden-Sydney College staff members were honored with prestigious awards: Maryśka Connolly-Brown was awarded the 2021 Academic Innovator Award and Zita Barree was awarded the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) 2021 Regional Leadership Award.
Michael Wolyniak Awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant
Associate Professor of Biology Michael Wolyniak has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant funding undergraduate educator workshops on CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
National Rankings
H-SC Named Best Value College
Princeton Review ranks Hampden-Sydney College No. 2 in Best Alumni Network and No. 6 in Best Schools for Internships categories.
U.S. News Ranks H-SC in Top 100
Hampden-Sydney College Advances into Top-100 in U.S. News Rankings.
Campus Improvements and Updates
At Home in the Grove
When students returned to campus this past fall, 150 of them became the first official occupants of Hampden-Sydney College's newest residence hall complex, The Grove.
DEI Lounge Fosters Equity and Inclusion
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Lounge—a resource that welcomes the entire Hampden-Sydney College student body and campus community—debuted in September.
The College Announces $12 Million Gift
Hampden-Sydney College is pleased to announce a $12 million gift from the estate of the late Mr. and Mrs. M.Blair Dickinson, Jr. ’37. The Dickinsons’ extraordinary gift is the second-largest in the College’s history.
Major New Investments in the Sciences
New investments in the sciences at H-SC include a gift of $11 million from the estate of the late Dr. W. Glenn Hurt ’60 to establish the Hurt Science Scholars Program, as well as a $1 million gift from Trevor Boyce ’83 to support the Pauley Science Center.
H-SC Receives $3 Million Matching Gift
Hampden-Sydney College receives $3 million matching gift through the Ann K. Kirby Foundation and the Guilford Foundation to support the revitalization of Kirby Field House.
Athletics Success
NCAA Grant to Create Athletic Internship
A grant from the NCAA provides funding to establish a new coordinator of athletic diversity & inclusion.
Tyler Howerton '21 Voted Academic All-America® First Team
Tyler Howerton ’21 was voted to the 2020-21 Academic All-America® Division III Football First Team the second year in a row.
H-SC News Beyond the Hill
The Honorable John Hillen, James C. Wheat Professor in Leadership, pens op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch: “Words Matter: The Responsibility of Public Rhetoric”
Charlie Capito ’76 first man to lead Congressional Club
Louis Briel ’66, portrait artist whose work has been displayed at the National Portrait Gallery and the U.S. Capitol, dies at 75
James Patterson and Co-writer Matt Eversmann ‘88, First Sergeant, U.S. Army (Ret), debut new book Walk in My Combat Boots: True Stories from America's Bravest Warriors
Warren Thompson ’81 and Maurice Jones ‘86 appear in Virginia Business: “Leadership Lessons, Black Business Leaders Offer Wisdom, Advice for Next Generation”
John Sharp ‘12 featured in the Wall Street Journal: “The New Trend in Home Gardens—Landscaping to Calm Anxiety”
Ryan Odom ’96 hired as head coach at Utah State
David Marion pens op-ed in Richmond Times-Dispatch: “The Founders' Republic and Young Americans”
Bradford Webb ’20 selected in MLB draft