The Sweet Briar Campus is often cited as one of the nation’s most beautiful, with its 2840 acres, 18 miles of trails, two lakes, old hardwood forests, lush greens and dells, mountain vistas, and 22 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Generations of Sweet Briar women have relished this environment for the motivation, awe, and inner peace it brings.
Campus Aerial During Fall
Hands-On Laboratory
We don’t just enjoy the beauty of the campus; we use it. We harvest grapes, tend bees, and grow our own vegetables. We engineer hydroponic systems, track water quality and develop market strategies for our honey. We photograph and draw the landscape, flora and fauna. By tying our classrooms and academic research to the land, we shape the future of conservation and sustainable agriculture.
Prof. Lisa Powell in the campus greenhouse.
Walk to class under the crisp fall air
Riding in the fall.
Bee tending at Sweet Briar
Sweet Briar lake.
Expert instruction in photography.
Equestrian Life
You can ride here. We’ve been doing it well for 100 years. In a region known for equestrian talent, we excel. In 2021, our Vixens won a national championship. We have a130-acre on-campus riding center and one of the nation’s largest indoor college arenas.But most of our riders are intermediates and beginners. Like everything at Sweet Briar, you are so welcome to join.
Creative Community
Students rehearse for the Fall 2022 Dance Concert.
With three galleries, a performing arts center, and a museum, Sweet Briar offers students many ways to connect with their creativity.
Plus, we neighbor the renowned artist residency program at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Fellows from VCCA share their work with us as visiting writers, artists and composers in our classrooms, at our monthly Salon Series, and on Open Studio days.
Also nearby is Amherst’s community arts center at Second Stage. A little further from our campus is the Harlem Renaissance poet, Anne Spencer’s home and garden in Lynchburg, as well as the third president, Thomas Jefferson’s retreat at Poplar Forest, and his home, Monticello, located in nearby Charlottesville.
Sure, it’s beautiful but where’s the closest…?
3 minutes from Amherst, with 15 restaurants, 2 breweries, grocery and drug stores, antiques, coffee shop and motel.
20 minutes from Lynchburg, with downtown dining and bars on the James River and the Academy Center for Arts, where you can see a show.
50 minutes from Charlottesville, with the University of Virginia, clubs, restaurants, arts venues, great shopping, and Monticello.
Join us for a presentation and community discussion with Dr. Pasha Dashtgard, Director of Research at PERIL (Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab) at American University. Dr. Dashtgard’s work explores the mechanisms of online radicalization as well as effective strategies for disrupting online extremism. Bring your lunch and join in this important discussion of gender, extremist ideologies, and conspiratorial thinking in online spaces. Dr. Dashtgard has a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the Department of Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine, and was formerly a postdoctoral Fellow at Loyola Marymount University’s Psychology Applied Research Center (PARC). He has an MA in Mental Health Counseling and an Ed.M. in Education from Columbia University, Teacher’s College. Pasha’s research interests include masculinities, online radicalization, PTSD, and large-scale mental health policy/service delivery. Research projects include analysis using his Male Supremacy Scale (MSS) and its intersections with online behavior, PTSD in solitary confinement, and various projects intervening with populations beset by misinformation, conspiratorial thinking, and political polarization.
The Teacher Education Committee meets at least twice yearly to support the work of the Education Department as the Education Department works with several stakeholders.
Riding Council’s annual tree lighting ceremony! Located on Upper Quad, horses and students come together to sing carols, enjoy hot cocoa and cookies, and watch the tree be lit for the holiday season!
Join CRU for our last Bible study of the fall semester. We are studying the book of John. CRU is a caring community that is passionate about connecting people to Jesus Christ. Everyone is welcome to come fellowship and learn more about the Bible. Check their Instagram @lynchburg_cru for more information.
In this DEI workshop co-hosted by ICC and OSSB, guest speaker Jasmine McKinney will present on how cultural differences and backgrounds influence one’s individual leadership styles and team collaboration. This workshop is open to all students, faculty, and staff as the information will benefit our collective community.
Join Delight Christian Faith Community as we gather and grow together. We will engage in fellowship with each other and ground ourselves in prayer. All are welcome.
