Who am I?
My name is Jacob Farmer-Rylands, and I am a History and Communication Studies major with concentrations in Pre-Law and Public Relations, respectively, and a minor in Political Science, as well as a proud member of the Cormier Honors College (CHC) at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. I attended a tiny private school in Southside Virginia for 14 years prior to attending Longwood, where I participated extensively in all sorts of clubs, conferences, and activities. From Latin Club to Brunswick Academy Theatre, I loved every bit of high school, but I have loved every bit of Longwood even more.
The work included in this e-portfolio exemplifies my academic strengths and abilities, most notably my writing. Much of it pertains to my studies as an aspiring educator and public servant, while other sections chronicle my experiences as a CHC scholar. I hope that by reading the many entries in my portfolio, you gain insight into the heart of my time at Longwood.
Upon satisfactory completion of my undergraduate studies as a Lancer, I plan to pursue a master’s or Juris Doctor degree.
Why Cormier?
Though my maternal grandmother was a Longwood alumna, I never had any intention of attending Longwood myself. It was not until a good friend of mine, Madison Lewis, invited me to Farmville one evening for dinner that I had even stepped foot on campus. Once I did, I knew instantly Longwood was home. That night, after dinner, Madison asked me if I wanted to go on a tour (which I truly did not, but I agreed to one anyway because she is literally the nicest human being on Earth, and it is impossible to say no to her). It was about 9 p.m., and the only light on campus came from the lampposts, but even in the dark, I knew definitively that I wanted to become a Lancer. I could feel it in my bones. I wanted to become a Lancer so badly, in fact, that on the first day of what was supposed to be my Junior year of high school, I added five classes to my schedule and joined the Senior class of 2019 in order to graduate a year early and apply to Longwood, and on December 16, 2018, I was formally offered admission by the school and invited to join its Honors College.
Graduating early and accepting that offer was the single greatest decision I have ever made.
Longwood University is a seriously special place. The school likes to tout itself through advertisements and during tours as “public school cost, private school feel,” and it is exactly that. Never in my life have I met faculty, staff, or students as dedicated, as engaged, and as willing to help me as I have here. I have a family through the CHC. That family is reinforced through the Honors Service Retreat we go on each semester, where we volunteer in an underserved community in Virginia’s Northern Neck, as well as through our Honors Student Association, HSA, which holds biweekly meetings and all Honors students are automatically a part of. Alongside HSA, I am a member of four additional organizations: Alpha Lambda Delta, the Politics and History Clubs, and the College Democrats of Longwood University, where I hold the office of president. My membership in so many organizations exemplifies my two favorite aspects of student life at Longwood: inclusivity and accessibility.
Every waking moment I spend at Longwood, I feel welcomed and accepted. Honors is family, and Longwood is home.
I cannot wait to see what the future holds.