“Redefine community through individualism, laughter, kindness, and respect for all” – CAHOOTS

From the moment that I first arrived at Longwood as a freshman in the fall of 2019, I kept being told that my Honors family would become my first family on campus. By my third night on campus, I wholeheartedly agreed with this and the feeling only grew stronger throughout the rest of my freshman year. Being one big, happy family is highly prioritized by the CHC, and it is why our first pillar is Community.

Below is a list of some of the many opportunities that CHC students have to bond with one another. I have been personally involved with each of these examples and can confidently say that these are all excellent reasons for why I am beyond proud to be a scholar in the CHC!

1. The Honors Student Association is a student-led organization that promotes the standards of the CHC through friendship with each other, educational enrichment across campus, and internal leadership positions. HSA meets every other week to discuss “Honors Happenings,” organize events on campus, plan community service retreats, and play silly games together!
2. Living in an Honors dorm building is a special perk of being in the CHC, and it is especially appreciated by incoming freshmen. Wheeler dorm building has historically been for Honors students to live in, but the CHC has begun to grow so much that Cox dorm building now also has Honors designated floors. The advantages of living in an Honors dorm are shared respect for intense study sessions, staying close with your “first family”, and being able to easily meet with fellow Honors peers for projects.

3. The Honors Leadership Retreat is one of the best pride and joys of the CHC because it serves as the grand introduction to citizen leadership and community involvement for incoming freshmen. The event is also very important to the countless upperclassmen who volunteer to help lead it every year. In the fall of 2020, I was one of the few volunteers selected to be an honors mentor for the new freshman. In 2021 and 2022, I was given the the privilege of being in charge of all community service trips for the retreat! For more information on the Leadership Retreat that happened in Fall 2019, read this article!

4. Smaller class sizes and unique course sections are additional benefits of the CHC that have one of the biggest impacts on students’ education. While most of Longwood’s classes are already fairly small, the majority of Honors classes are 10 or fewer students! Also, there are oftentimes Honors sections for classes within a student’s major, which further promotes the building of a strong community for Honors students.

This picture is from my third night on campus during my own Freshmen Honors Leadership Retreat. A group of upperclassmen mentors took their freshmen mentees to Rotunda Fountain to be “baptized” into Longwood! This is my absolute favorite memory of my Freshman year with CHC because it marked the beginning of my participation in countless Lancer traditions. 💙