She has only one year of college under her belt, but Leah Farrar ’11 has made the most of it.  Farrar, an English major and home-schooler from Pittsford, NY, earned a summer 2008 fellowship from St. Lawrence and worked on a comprehensive research project, “A Poisoned Apple: Examining the Integration of Horrific Motifs into Postmodern Fairy Tales.” Her work focuses on folktales and mythology, two of her favorite topics in school.  “It’s wonderful to be surrounded by people who are really smart and like to learn,” she says, citing the fellowship as “without question, my best experience here at SLU to date.”

Farrar, an aspiring writer, settled on St. Lawrence after a trip to visit her brother, Johnny ’10.  The tight-knit community on campus left a profound and lasting impression on her.  “I remember being impressed by how close he was with the kids in his First-Year Program,” she says.  “Everyone left their doors open, and they were constantly interacting with each other around the hall.”  St. Lawrence proved to be the right fit for her, socially and academically.

Farrar even enjoys the winter months in Canton.  Instead of cozying up indoors, she often skis, snowshoes and figure skates.  “The campus and surrounding area are really beautiful covered in snow,” she remarks.  Painting, drawing, writing, and hanging out with friends are a few of her interests, but just as much, she’s passionate about learning and self-improvement.

“This experience has been eye-opening,” Farrar says of her time at St. Lawrence.  “I’ve met some wonderful professors and some very interesting people.”  After college, she plans to attend graduate school and ultimately pursue a career as a novelist.  “SLU, and this fellowship especially, are really preparing me for life in grad school,” she concludes.