Though each Hampden-Sydney man is a student first, you'll enjoy a robust life outside the classroom. With special interest clubs, honor societies, social fraternities, and the outdoors at your doorstep, Hampden-Sydney has a special interest to suit any man.
At Hampden-Sydney
Opportunities abound for the well-rounded guy including student-run clubs and organizations. Leaders can sharpen their skills in student government or formal leadership programs. With easily accessible amenities like the TigeRec Fitness Center, Leggett swimming pool, frisbee golf course, and the Wilson Hiking Trail, you can choose how to spend your personal time. Whether intercollegiate athletics, intramural sports, or outdoor activities are your preference, you'll have easy access to them all. Social and professional fraternities offer weekend socializing and welcome visitors and friends to concerts, formal dances, and athletic events throughout the year.
The Brown Student Center, a beautiful new facility that became the central hub of student life in 2017, is a great place to socialize, shoot pool, and watch TV. Don't forget to check out the menu in the Tiger Inn café or relax by the fire-pits overlooking Chalgrove Pond.
The small, intimate environment at the college fosters relationships that last. The college offers an opportunity to create friendships that are really special.
Eric Lindberg ’93
Road Trip!
There are several women's colleges within a two-hour radius of Hampden-Sydney, as well as many other colleges and universities. Virginia is home to some of the best state parks in the country and some of the most scenic landscapes, from a weekend trip to the Atlantic Coast to a day hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether you are interested in history, performing arts, or music, there are lots of opportunities on and off campus to enjoy a little culture. About seventy miles from both Richmond and Charlottesville, Farmville and Prince Edward County are rich with history, culture, and recreational venues. Just check out the Area Attractions.
Clubs and Organizations
With more than 60 clubs ranging from philanthropy and service to athletics and music, Hampden-Sydney has a special interest to suit just about any man.
At Hampden-Sydney College, Greek-letter fraternities have thrived for nearly 170 years, and they continue to serve as a fundamental feature of campus life today. About 50% of all Hampden-Sydney students join a fraternity, forming life-long friendships, enriching their social lives while complementing the College's rigorous academic program, and ultimately joining a nationwide network of fraternity brothers.
There's no better way to learn leadership skills than by trying your hand at leading, and every student has the opportunity to do so at H-SC. We offer many paths to explore and sharpen your skills and to lead your peers. No matter which path you choose, you will strengthen your ability to work effectively with others and to make a difference in your community, your workplace, and the world.
Student government is a valued tradition at Hampden-Sydney, with many students serving as elected executive officers or as members of the Student Court, Student Senate, and College Activities Committee. And if you'd like to pursue the discipline in a classroom setting, you won't find a better program than H-SC's Wilson Center for Leadership, named for a U.S. Army general and spymaster who served as Hampden-Sydney's 22nd president.
If you like hunting, fishing, trap shooting, hiking, biking, or camping, you'll have easy access to forests, fields, streams, and open water. Hampden-Sydney men enjoy being outdoors, and they have plenty of places on our 1,300-acre campus and nearby central Virginia to do so.
Staying fit, healthy, and active is easy with TigeRec. In addition to using the Fitness Center and the Leggett swimming pool, students have access to group fitness classes, racquetball courts, a disc golf course, and intramural sports.
Good men make a difference in the world, and helping you become "a man who serves" is part of the mission of Hampden-Sydney College. Our Civic Engagement program provides you with opportunities for volunteer service and other forms of engagement outside the college gates.
Matt Eversmann ’88 left the Hill in the summer of 1987 after his junior year due to academic difficulty not knowing what the future held but knowing he needed to learn a lesson in personal responsibility. On October 3, 1993, as a staff sergeant in the 3rd Ranger Regiment, he found himself in the thick of the historic Battle of Mogadishu, responsible not only for himself but also for the men he served with.
