University of Lynchburg history

The first graduating class, the Class of 1904, consisted of five men and three women.

In 1909, construction was completed on Main Hall, the first academic building (later named Hopwood Hall), and Carnegie Hall, a men’s residence hall, partially funded by a gift from industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

The institution officially changed its name to Lynchburg College in 1919, citing a constituency that had expanded beyond Virginia.

The university was again renamed in 1962 as the Virginia Seminary and College.

In fall 1994, a few months after Intel introduced its Pentium microprocessor, Thomas R. Nicely, from the University of Lynchburg, was performing computations related to the distribution of prime numbers and discovered the Pentium FDIV bug.

In 1998, the College expanded into Bedford County with the creation of the Claytor Nature Study Center, a 470-acre outdoor classroom for environmental study.

Doctor Kenneth R. Garren began his tenure as the tenth president of Lynchburg College in 2001.

A former vice president and dean of Roanoke College, Garren led Lynchburg College through its 2003 centennial celebration and initiatives such as a strategic plan, campus facilities master planning, building projects (including Elliot & Rosel Schewel Hall), and restoration work on College Lake.

The Hornets have won many ODAC championships throughout their history; the most recent came in 2010 for men’s indoor and outdoor track and field.

A partnership between University of Lynchburg and Historic Sandusky, an important Civil War site, was established in 2011, offering students real-world museum and research opportunities.