Cormier Honors College has three main pillars that we like to focus on: Service, Scholarship, and Community. Each one holds a special place in my heart, as I have seen them all here in my first year at Longwood. Hearing about these values made me wonder if I would actually see them in action, or if they were just words. I can confidently say that they are all very much encouraged by the students and faculty at Longwood, especially in the honors community.
From the start, Service has been something that has been presented to me all over campus. In high school, I rarely volunteered as I worked every weekend and had limited time during the week. Coming to Longwood, I was very eager to get involved and start making a difference on campus. I have seen how many volunteering opportunities there are on campus and it has inspired me so much. I cannot wait to get more involved in the coming years. My first service experience was during the honors retreat. One of our activities was volunteering at a farm near school. While I was unable to participate that day (I was sick), I was able to hear all about how awesome it was, and it makes me even more excited to go this year during the retreat with my mentee. Outside of honors, I have been part of NSSLHA, which also has numerous volunteering opportunities that I am very excited to be part of this upcoming school-year. My sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, is also heavily involved with the Ronald McDonald house, which is an organization that is very close to my heart. My trip to the Richmond location was cancelled due to COVID-19, but I have worked there in the past making meals for the patients living there. I find that RMH is one of my favorite ways to get involved because it has shown me firsthand who I am helping. The impact that the volunteers have on the families is amazing.
Scholarship is another theme that CHC encourages for all of its students. Longwood and honors have given me many opportunities to show my abilities off through my education. Everyone in the honors and Longwood communities really want you to succeed in everything you do. They all are so supportive of my dreams and are willing to help me in any way to get to where I need to be. This kind of support and generosity is something so special due to the smaller classes and amazing professors that Longwood supplies for everyone. I can’t imagine not being able to have a one-on-one conversation with my professors about my concerns and struggles whenever I need it. This support has also really been shown throughout the COVID-19 online school situation. I found that my education was still my professors’ number one priority even from a distance. Everyone was so willing to have a zoom call with me any time I needed help. The professors really do support you and want you to have the best grades you can, while also making sure you are still responsible and not being helped too much. The importance of Scholarship really shows through all of the professors on campus and their love for all of us students.
Finally, Community is the last theme that honors likes to focus on. This is my favorite because community isn’t just something you can force onto people, but it is created by the people. Coming to Longwood I was nervous that I wouldn’t find a community of people that had similar goals and interests that I did. From the first day of the honors retreat I was shown how much community means to everyone here in the Cormier Honors College. The sense of acceptance and friendship between everyone in CHC is wonderful and means the world to everyone in it. I love that majority of the people in honors accept and encourage differences making CHC a safe place for everyone to feel welcome. Without the sense of community in the honors college, I have no idea where I would be and how I would feel about my first year at Longwood. Living in Wheeler, I was surrounded by the community feeling brought by the honors students. I definitely think that it contributed to the homey feeling that I have at Longwood.