Returning to create belonging for others
This spring, Braden graduated from Longwood. Just a few months later, he returned to the Cormier Honors College in an entirely new role: Cormier Honors Fellow.
The transition from student to faculty member has felt exciting, strange, and sometimes a little intimidating. Braden is living on his own, learning to navigate professional responsibilities, and discovering a new version of himself beyond college.
At the center of his new role is a responsibility that feels deeply personal: being there for students.
Braden wants the Honors College to support them in the same way it supported him. As a recent graduate, he understands the questions and uncertainties students may be carrying, and he hopes to offer both a warm connection and a trusted resource as they find their footing.
That work begins with the annual Honors Retreat, one of Braden’s favorite weeks of the year. Honors students return to campus early for community service, faculty introductions, team-building activities, and plenty of fun. Most importantly, they begin forming relationships before the semester has even started.
Braden arrived at Longwood as the only student from his high school. He credits the retreat with helping him make immediate connections and begin to see that he belonged.
“If it wasn’t for Honors Retreat, I probably wouldn’t be in this position,” he says.
This year, Braden hopes to carry the energy of the retreat throughout the academic year by developing workshops and planning events that keep students connected. For him, returning as a fellow is also a way to give something back.
“Honors was always here for me,” he says. “It was something that I needed that I didn’t even realize I needed. I almost came back as a thank-you, hoping to create that same type of experience for other students.”