11/19/2025
Dr. Nancy Anderson Haga passed away earlier this week at the age of 90. Nancy is why the COMMunity exists and we join thousands of her students, colleagues, and friends in honoring her memory.
Among her many accomplishments, Nancy helped organize and run debate workshops for students in the Farmville region (for both public and private high schools and colleges) since the late 1960s. Because of this longstanding work in forensics, in 2016 she became the first inductee of the PEA/Fuqua School Nancy Anderson Haga Forensics Hall of Fame.
Nancy’s work in forensics led her to create and run the Longwood Forensic, Debate and Speech team. Because of this, in 1969, two weeks before the start of classes, she was asked to join the faculty of Speech and Theater. She said yes. And in 1989 she became chair of that department, increasing the number of majors from 30 to 50 over her tenure. That initial “yes” in 1969 led to a 31-year career in higher education working with students, retiring in 2000.
But what is the COMMunity connection? Haga’s experience teaching courses in forensics and interviewing provided her an opportunity to create a new major in communication to serve a growing need on campus. Nancy was responsible for developing and writing the proposal that led to the creation of the Communication Studies major. And once approved, she was integral in the initial hiring of Dr. Bill Stuart for the program. The rest, as they say, is history.
Apart from her work at Longwood, Nancy was a community leader and volunteer while living in Farmville. She was the face of the Heart of Virginia Christmas Mother program, seeking to raise donations to provide presents for families in need. She also joined the Prince Edward Volunteer Rescue Squad in 1984 as one of the first female volunteers earning her certification as an Emergency Medical Technician.
Most recently, Nancy was recognized as an icon that helped shape Longwood as part of the 125th anniversary of CHI. Also, a scholarship in Nancy Haga’s name is setup in the Theatre department for first year students.
We will communicate the celebration of life details for Dr. Haga when they become available.
