Spewing Diamonds

Emma is a junior at VCU majoring in urban studies and homeland security. She was first introduced to Pace through Highland Support Project (HSP), a nonprofit that shares space with Pace. HSP offers service-learning trips for students centered on cultural exchange and community-building in the Highlands of Guatemala. “My first time at Pace,” Emma recalls, “was to attend an HSP trip meeting.” But Pace’s open, adaptable, and genuinely welcoming community kept her coming back. 

In other student organizations, Emma noticed an unspoken “cliquey” culture, led by groups of friends that would unintentionally leave others on the margins. At Pace, she found a different model. “I think Pace is more successful at preventing cliques because of the leadership structure,” she says. “It’s formulaic, but there’s a human element that allows for a lot of adaptability. Everyone who comes through here is curious, but the ones who stay are dedicated to growth. And those people, I mean, Pace is spewing diamonds!”

Pace’s openness helped Emma discover her own strengths. “Being able to welcome anyone through the door and meet people where they’re at,” she says. “Being constantly curious. Moving through the world with respect. Those are the gifts that I walked into Pace with, silently, and I’m now able to share.” She also recognizes how her background has shaped her leadership journey. “I come from a really hardworking family,” she says, “so I’m used to being self-sufficient and jumping in.”

Those instincts are now guiding her work beyond Pace. Emma is part of Transform, a living-learning community at VCU, where she’s developing a new project. “There are these garden plots behind the Transform dorms,” she explains. “I’m applying what I’ve learned at Pace to bring together students who are interested in creating a garden. I’m going to meet with students from the dorm, from Ram Pantry (VCU’s student food pantry), and others in VCU sustainability. First I have to get VCU onboard,” she says. “But if I don’t get permission, I’m just going to throw some seeds in there and see what will grow.”

Thank you for your continued support, which allows students to grow and discover themselves at Pace!