December 17, 2025
As Hampden-Sydney College reflects on its enduring 250-year legacy, it looks toward a secure and vibrant future with strength that will allow the College to form good men and good citizens through changing times. Here are the news highlights of 2025:
Academic News and Achievement
Szabo Receives Award for Book Research
Hampden-Sydney College Elliott Associate Professor of Fine Arts Victor Szabo received a historical research award for his book Turn On, Tune In, Drift Off: Ambient Music's Psychedelic Past.
Werth Examines Rare Whale in New Zealand
Patterson Professor of Biology Alexander Werth spent time in New Zealand as one of only three foreign scientists invited to examine and engage with the exceptionally rare spade-toothed whale.
Kleinlein Showcases Paintings in New York City
Elliott Assistant Professor of Fine Arts Ray Kleinlein was invited to exhibit two paintings in an invitational group show at the City University of New York.
Tigers on Top at Collegiate Leadership Competition
Two teams from the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest competed and placed first and second in the Southeast Regional of the Collegiate Leadership Competition (CLC).
H-SC Chorus Takes Talent to Canada
Hampden-Sydney Chorus spent time in Canada, performing at Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal and Notre-Dame de Quebec Basilica-Cathedral in Quebec City.
Hampden-Sydney Connects Launches
The Ferguson Career Center and the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement teamed up to launch Hampden-Sydney Connects: Brotherhood in Action, with a networking dinner in Crawley Forum.
Poetry Review Celebrates 50th Anniversary
The Hampden-Sydney Poetry Review, Hampden-Sydney’s nationally recognized literary magazine, celebrated 50 years with a poetry celebration event.
Ferguson Career Center Partners with Kaplan
A partnership between the Ferguson Career Center and Kaplan provides all students and alumni with free access to graduate school and industry-specific exam preparation tools and professional development courses.
H-SC Faculty Sweep VFIC Harris Awards
Three Hampden-Sydney College professors were honored by the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC) with the 2025 Harris Family Faculty Awards making H-SC the first member college to have faculty members recognized with each of the three awards in a single awards cycle.
H-SC Announces Medical School Partnership
Hampden-Sydney has announced a new partnership with Old Dominion University (ODU), creating a streamlined pathway for students pursuing careers in the medical and health sciences fields.
Rhetoric Professor Earns Prestigious Awards
Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Director of the Rhetoric Studio Miranda Rouse received two prestigious awards at this year’s National Communication Association (NCA) Annual Convention.
Campus Improvements and College Advancement News
Welcome Home to Whitehouse
Freshmen moving into Whitehouse Quadrangle this fall were welcomed into a fresh, updated residence hall that takes advantage of its idyllic setting overlooking Lake Chalgrove.
Tiger Strides on Campus
Hampden-Sydney College is making strides to do its part in conserving the special piece of the planet that Tigers call home.
H-SC Receives Truist Charitable Fund Grant
Hampden-Sydney College received a Truist Charitable Fund grant for $300,000 to support the development and operation of the Truist Empowerment Center.
H-SC Receives Transformative Investment
Hampden-Sydney College announced an investment of over $50 million from Rob ’87 and Cindy Citrone to establish the Citrone Scholars Program, which will award four-year, full-tuition merit scholarships to talented prospective students.
Shooting Sports Academy Dedicated
Hampden-Sydney officially dedicated its new Shooting Sports Academy, located at historic Slate Hill, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Civic Engagement
Tiger Football Gets in the Game
Hampden-Sydney Football received the National Marrow Donor Program’s Get in the Game Rookie of the Year Award for their impactful bone marrow swab drive held in April 2024.
Students Exceed Big Event Service Challenge
More than 150 students participated in Hampden-Sydney's Big Event, meeting and exceeding the Office of Student Affairs' 250-hour service challenge in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the College.
Tigers Crush 250-Hour Service Challenge
As part of the 250th Anniversary celebration, the Office of Student Affairs sponsored a 250-Hour Service Challenge that included students, faculty, and staff.
College Rankings
H-SC AHS Chapter Ranks in Top 10 Nationally
The Hampden-Sydney chapter of the Alexander Hamilton Society (AHS) has earned a top-10 national ranking—6th out of 82 chapters—for the 2024–2025 academic year, outperforming many well-known universities, including members of the Ivy League.
H-SC Named to Best Value Colleges List
Hampden-Sydney College was named to The Princeton Review’s 2025 Best Value Colleges list, earning the No. 2 rank for Best Alumni Network.
H-SC Shows Strong Financial Marks
Hampden-Sydney earned excellent financial marks in Forbes 2025 College Financial Grades analysis.
H-SC Named to Best 391 Colleges List
Hampden-Sydney College was named to The Princeton Review’s list of Best 391 Colleges for 2026 and made the top 10 in 13 categories.
Athletics Success
Fitz-Hugh Recognized
Hampden-Sydney Baseball captain Alex Fitz-Hugh ’26 was named to the Lou Gehrig Community Impact team, which recognizes the character and community impact of college baseball players.
Clark Named Semifinalist for 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy®
One of three semifinalists from the ODAC and among 33 selected from NCAA Division III, senior linebacker and team captain Robert Clarke ’26 was named a semifinalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award, as announced today by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF).
Tiger Football Ranked Nationally First Time Since 2013
In the fifth week of the season, the Garnet and Grey were 4-0 for the first time since 2010 and ranked nationally in both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) D3 Coaches Poll (21) and the D3football.com Top 25 Poll (24) for the first time since 2013.
Tiger Soccer Closes Historic Season
The Hampden-Sydney Soccer team closed out a remarkable season marked by the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance and its first NCAA Tournament victory.
H-SC Hall of Fame Inductees
This year’s honorees include two-time golf All-American Brian Burt ’16, two-time lacrosse All-American Ward Smith ’99, and three-time All-ODAC basketball standout Khobi Williamson ’14, and the 2005 baseball team that advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship World Series. A special citation was awarded to Ryan Odom ’96, former All-ODAC basketball player.
H-SC Represented in Inaugural ODAC Hall of Fame
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), a class of 50 honorees were inducted into the inaugural ODAC Hall of Fame. Hampden-Sydney was represented by legendary football and baseball head coach J. Stokeley Fulton '55, four-time ODAC Men's Tennis Player of the Year William Moss '10, former basketball head coach Tony Shaver, and two-time All-American and ODAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year Russell Turner '92.
Community News
Retiring Faculty Bid Farewell to H-SC
With a combined 51 years of service to Hampden-Sydney, Pamela Fox and Marcus Pendergrass reflect on their time at Hampden-Sydney ahead of stepping into a well-deserved retirement.
Gary Ometer Appointed Vice President for Business Affairs and Finance
Hampden-Sydney College announced the appointment of Gary Ometer as vice president for business affairs and finance.
Distinguished Diplomat Named Wheat Professor
The Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest announced the next James C. Wheat Jr. Chair in Leadership, Honorable Hugo F. Rodriguez Jr. ’88.
Colleges Welcomes Next College Chaplain
College Presbyterian Church welcomed Reverend Doctor Timothy Allen Verhey as the next pastor of College Church and Hampden-Sydney College chaplain.
Alumnus Releases New Film
Scott Cooper ’92 released his latest film, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.”
Russell Appointed Vice President for Enrollment
Interim Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admission Chrystal Russell was appointed Hampden-Sydney College’s permanent Vice President for Enrollment.
Stimpert Speaks at Symposium
President Larry Stimpert spoke at the first-ever Symposium on Young American Men held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
In Memoriam
Hampden-Sydney mourns the passing of two longtime members of the College community, who throughout their professional and personal lives left their lasting marks on H-SC.
Thomas H. Shomo ’69, a dedicated colleague who embodied the mission and values of the College, was best known as the author of To Manner Born, To Manners Bred. A longtime citizen of the campus and College communities, his knowledge of the College’s history reflected a deep love for its distinctive place in the landscape of higher education. Friends and family members will be establishing a scholarship in Mr. Shomo’s honor for a worthy Hampden-Sydney College student with financial need.
Venable Professor Emeritus of Chemistry William W. Porterfield taught for nearly 50 years until his retirement and was instrumental in shaping and modernizing the College’s chemistry program. An eyewitness to nearly one-fourth of the College’s history, Porterfield was a passionate and enthusiastic H-SC historian. In 2012, the Miller-Porterfield-Sipe Chemistry Instrument Endowment was established to honor the teaching, service, and contributions of Drs. Porterfield, G. Tyler Miller, and Herb Sipe.
Hampden-Sydney’s 250th Year
Hampden-Sydney College is commemorating 250 years of forming good men and good citizens with special programs, exhibits, field trips, classes, and research projects exploring the historical and intellectual foundations of the College. Stay up to date on the latest events and reflections surrounding this historic milestone by visiting the 250th anniversary website often. The following are notable events of 2025.
History Made with March to Williamsburg
Students, alumni, faculty, and staff retraced history by marching more than 75 miles from Hampden-Sydney College to Colonial Williamsburg, reenacting the journey of the Prince Edward County militia.
Unlocking the History of Hampden-Sydney
During the recent excavation of the foundation of Hampden-Sydney’s first classroom building constructed in 1776, students unearthed the building's original front lock, opening the door to a world of discovery.
250th Anniversary Symposium Held
Titled “Civic Virtue and Hampden-Sydney College: Then and Now,” the program was thoughtfully curated to pay proper tribute to the ideals upon which the College was founded.
Explore program and access session recordings on YouTube
Historic 250th Exhibit on Display
An exhibit at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture (VMHC)—an institution with ties to Hampden-Sydney dating back to the 1830s— commemorated the College’s remarkable 250-year legacy through artifacts that reflect its storied history.
Hampden-Sydney Celebrates 250 Years on Founders Day
At an event a quarter of a millennium in the making, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin served as keynote speaker of Hampden-Sydney College’s Founders Day.