Hello and welcome to Virginia University of Lynchburg. I am University President Dr. Ralph Reavis and I invite you to explore the unlimited possibilities for you at Virginia University of Lynchburg. Inside the walls of this institution you will find a wealth of history, which was set in motion by the university’s founding fathers Phillip Fisher Morris, John Mitchell Jr., Gregory Willis Hayes and others. Inside the classrooms you will find some of the best educators in the country. Our instructors promote open dialogue and creative thinking in every course. All over the campus you will find a very gifted and diverse student body. Virginia University of Lynchburg takes great pride in offering higher education to students who may not have the chance to attend larger traditional universities in America. In a real sense we see ourselves as the ancient phoenix who recreates itself from the ashes of its past. We invite you to participate in our resurrection. Our mission is clear. In 1886 the Virginia Baptist State Convention founded the Lynchburg Baptist Seminary as an institution of "self-reliance," "racial pride," and "faith." It first offered classes in 1890 as the renamed Virginia Seminary. Under the direction of the second President, Mr. Gregory Willis Hayes, from 1891 – 1906, the school became a pioneer in the fields of African-American education. In 1900, the school was reincorporated as the Virginia Theological Seminary and College and in 1962 became Virginia Seminary and College. The college was renamed and incorporated as Virginia University of Lynchburg in 1996. Historically, Virginia University of Lynchburg has held the position that, in order to have academic freedom, the concept of financial independence must be incarnated into the hearts and minds of the African Americans and others in our global community who support her. While we are moving to a posture of interdependence, we must continue to foster the spirit of freedom from political and governmental restrictions. Even though the university was founded as an African American institution we open our doors to all.
