I MADE IT. Hello, fellow Longwood students. I know many of you don’t know me, so here is a brief biography. My name is Thomas (Tom) Lanigan. I am 64 years old and I have been a Farmville area resident since moving from Richmond to Pamplin with my girlfriend, Betty in 1974.
A few years after graduating high school in 1970, I moved to Richmond, Va. and early family obligations prevented my going to college after high school. During my life, I had several work related accidents that left me with broken ribs, punctured left lung, crushed left hand, broken left leg, broken collar bone, broken right wrist and with my right arm amputated at the shoulder and I lost my right eye. I had surgery on both knees twice and I have chronic bursitis and degenerative arthritis in my left shoulder, which severely limits the range of motion.
I truly enjoyed being the “non-traditional” student; 60 plus years old, with multiple physical disabilities, in class with 17-24 year old students. I will treasure my time as a student for the rest of my life. Longwood’s Office of Disabilities Resources (ODR) is, in my opinion, a department that all other schools should follow.
ODR Director Lindsay Farrar and her staff are personnel that Longwood and the Farmville Community can be proud of. They go the extra step to make sure every student registered with ODR has all the necessary accommodations to ensure their success in the class, as well as enjoying college life outside of the class room.
The faculty members that I had courses with are a true credit to Longwood and the community as well. They are educators that truly care about their students and want to see them succeed in life. All encourage their students to use their office hours and make appointments as well. All have true open door policies, where students know they are welcome when they walk in.
I owe three professors in my major my sincere thank you, as they have made it a point to push me just as hard as they would any other student while making sure I was comfortable and had assistance. These professors are Jeff Halliday, Laura Farrell and Naomi Johnson. Thanks to their guidance, I always had friends who helped while working on computers, handling expensive news broadcasting cameras, working with computer editing software and assignments where the use of both hands were necessary.
All have taken time to make sure ODR and IT had formatted computers with me in attendance to make sure the clarity and visual effects were adjusted so my use of them would not cause undue strain on my left eye.
And my classmates? Hey, when you are tagged with nicknames like “the antique Lancer,” “Grandpa Lancer” and my favorite, “the recycled teenager” what can I say? Longwood students live up to their being “in a class all their own” and are truly among the best in the nation and the world.
I would like to mention some of my classmates that have stepped up to offer their time to make sure I had everything I needed to feel at home in the class room and around campus. One student, Victoria Walker, who was one of the first students I met in my first class has been a true friend and has helped me since day one, needs a special thank you. Other students special to me are: Jessica Darst, Carly Shaia, Shannon Pilgrim, Abbie Early, Natalie Joseph, Morgan Edmonds, Emily Haswell, Briana Adhikusuma, Tayloe Clements, Emily Barksdale and Paloma Alatore. I am sure I left out some names, as every one of my classmates have been ready to offer any help and assistance.
I met the softball head coach Kathy Riley and assistant coach Kayla Miller around 15 years ago. During my time supporting the softball team, meeting different players and parents, somehow the talk of me going to Longwood and getting my degree in Communication Studies with a concentration in Mass Media was always the topic of discussion.
I would be brain dead if I didn’t offer my most sincere thanks and appreciation to the Longwood softball team and coaching staff for their role as the catalyst that started my becoming a Longwood Student. This, of course, includes those who have graduated and whose spirit remains with me. One former student and softball player, Brittany Matthews, is one that I must credit with getting everything started.
After four years of hard, tenacious work, the recycled teenager is graduating with honors, an abundance of positive experiences and even more friendships that I am sure will last forever.
