Longwood University Adds Wide-format, Helps Students Prosper

When art students graduate from Longwood University, they will leave with higher-quality portfolios than ever thanks to some recent additions in the in-plant.

The five-employee shop, in rural Farmville, Va., has added two wide-format printers: a 54˝ Xerox 8254E color printer, and a 36˝ Xerox 6604 black-and-white printer with a color scanner. What’s more, the in-plant will provide art students with practical training in high-resolution output, and allow them to print their design projects on high-quality equipment like the new 8254E printer or the in-plant’s Xerox 700 digital color press.

Tim Trent, director of Printing Services, says students will be more marketable armed with top quality samples of their work. Their paintings and drawings can also be scanned now, giving them digital versions. By offering this service to students, Trent feels his in-plant is aligning itself more closely with the mission of the school.

Students won’t be the only beneficiaries of this new equipment, though. Trent plans to scan architectural and engineering drawings of school buildings and store them digitally.

“It will allow us to create a digital archive of 50-plus-year-old building drawings,” he enthuses. “The scan resolution is tremendous.”

And the 54˝ color printer has allowed the shop to start printing banners, posters and marketing materials for the university.

“The response that I have gotten has been tremendous,” he says. “It sells itself.”

Next up for the in-plant, Trent says, is an engraver, so the shop can create name plates and signs.

“Anything that I can do to provide a service to the university,” he says.