General Samuel V. Wilson, a former Hampden-Sydney president who “combined the savvy of a spymaster with the grit of a hardened combat veteran,” according to a 2017 New York Times obituary. 2019 saw the launch of a new experiential learning program called Compass, which requires students to complete at least three experiential learning courses from options including internships, study abroad, research, service learning, and hands-on classroom experiences. A $6 million gift from Cindy and Rob Citrone (class of 1987) was dedicated to support the Compass program. In August 2020, the college completed a new 147-bed residential complex called the Grove. The lodge-like, apartment-style residence halls are linked by footpaths and a central courtyard. A neighboring community lodge overlooks Lake Chalgrove and features indoor and outdoor fireplaces and grilling space. Construction began in 2020 on a new, 73,000-square-foot science center. The state-of-the-art Pauley Science Center will be named for the late Stanley F. Pauley, whose $30 million gift in September 2019 made the project possible. The $40 million facility is expected to be completed in the spring of 2022. Name Under the influence of his mentor and father-in-law Witherspoon, Smith named the college for two English champions of liberty, John Hampden (1594–1643) and Algernon Sydney (1622–1683). Hampden lost his life in the battle of Chalgrove Field during the English Civil War. Sydney, who wrote "Discourses Concerning Government", was beheaded by order of Charles II following his (unproven) implication in a failed attempt to overthrow the king. These proponents of religious and civil liberties were much admired by the founders of the college, all of whom were active supporters of the cause of American independence. Presidents The following is a list of the Presidents of Hampden–Sydney College from its opening in 1775 until the present. Academics Hampden–Sydney enrolls approximately 1,000 students from 30 states and several foreign countries and emphasizes a rigorous, traditional liberal arts curriculum. Rankings U.S. News & World Report ranked Hampden–Sydney #98 in its 2022 rankings of the top National Liberal Arts Colleges. Forbes awarded Hampden–Sydney with an "A" grade in its 2016 Forbes College Financial Grades; an evaluation methodology designed to "measure the fiscal soundness of nearly 900 four-year, private, not-for-profit colleges with at least 500 students". The Princeton Review ranked Hampden–Sydney #2 in its 2020 rankings of Best Alumni Network. The Princeton Review also ranked Hampden-Sydney's Bortz Library #5 in its 2020 rankings of Best College Library.