ā€œI chose ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ because I didn’t want an environment where I was just a number,ā€ Wright recalled.

She knew she wanted an environment where her professors not only knew her name but knew her as a person and were able to support her in her academic journey. And Wright found that supportive community at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, from classmates who study together to professors who assist her with research to staff members who help her find community.

Like many ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students, Wright is involved in several clubs and organizations. The biochemistry major serves as vice president for the Asian-Pacific Student Organization (APSA), volunteers as a SMART mentor, works as a tour guide for the Office of ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, and dedicates free time to the Open Door Clinic of Alamance County.

Building Community

Wright also conducts undergraduate research in public health.

When she first arrived at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Wright attended a handful of APSA events and stayed after to help clean up, which caught the attention of then-president Nhat ā€œIvanā€ Nguyen ā€™25, who encouraged Wright to join the executive board.

ā€œI’m an Asian adoptee and I was like, ā€˜Oh, I’m not Asian enough to be on the exec board. I don’t know my native language,ā€™ā€ Wright said when Nguyen tried to recruit her to a leadership role in the organization.

But when Wright continued attending APSA events, Nguyen kept showing her that there is more than one way to express an Asian identity. Through APSA, Wright found that many classmates had similar backgrounds, and it was the small moments with friends where she felt most at home.

ā€œThere was a space for me that I could explore being Asian in a safer way,ā€ Wright said.

Wright soon took Nguyenā€™s advice and joined the board of APSA as the events coordinator in the spring of 2025, and last fall she took over as vice president. She oversees events, planned this yearā€™s Lunar New Year festivities, and is assisting the Center for Race, Ethnicity, & Diversity Education with its own event planning for API Heritage Month.

The Lunar New Year celebration is one of Wrightā€™s proudest moments. She said she loved the collaboration between her fellow board members and the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life to bring people from across campus together to discover belonging.

Between Two Worlds

As an adoptee who grew up in predominantly white spaces, Wright often felt caught between identities. Her siblings were also adopted from China, and she said her mother encouraged participation in Chinese community events. But often in those events, she felt that she was ā€œnot Asian enoughā€.

ā€œThey could understand their native language. Their parents were from there, and I never felt like I belonged,ā€ Wight explained.

For many Chinese adoptees, Wright said, there are a lot of unanswered questions about their origins. Wright felt grateful that her mother was able to bring her and her siblings back to China for many years, showing them where they were from, an experience not all adoptees are able to have.

At the same time, Wright said, it wasnā€™t until she came to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ and met other adoptees that she felt seen in a way she hadnā€™t before. ā€œIt was nice to have the same experience of just not belonging anywhere,ā€ Wright said, ā€œso we find a place of belonging with each other.ā€

Mentorship

Mentorship is an important element of Wrightā€™s collegiate experience. During her first year, Wrightā€™s SMART mentor, Emily Cashen ā€™26, walked her through the process of selecting biology classes for the spring semester. Cashenā€™s guidance inspired Wright to become a SMART mentor herself.

In her constellation of mentors, Wright has also praised George Dou, assistant director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity, & Diversity Education who advises ASPA.

ā€œEmily has been a great leader since she has gotten involved with APSA,ā€ Dou said. ā€œShe’s great at planning ahead, is thoughtful about how she engages with her team and other students and is a pleasure to work with.ā€

While Wright is only in her sophomore year, she has found another mentor in John Moses-Brownson, the associate director of career advising for pre-health professionals, who helps Wright see the ā€œbigger pictureā€ of her journey to a career in health care.

ā€œWhen I first met Emily the first week of her time at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, I knew that she was going to be a major presence on campus,Ģżand I feel that she has exceeded even my high hopes in just her first two years,ā€ Moses-Brownson said. ā€œEmily dreams big,Ģżand her dreams are kind, embracing of everyone, and destined to create ripples of change in her wake.ā€

For Wright, Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is not just about celebration. Itā€™s about recognition. Itā€™s a time where she knows she is Asian enough and no one can tell her otherwise.

What once felt like a disconnect has become a point of connection with others who share similar experiences. Now, as a leader, mentor and future health professional, Wright said she hopes to continue creating spaces where others feel that same sense of belonging.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ honors Asian Pacific Island Heritage Month

As part of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is sharing stories through Today at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ that highlight Asian and Pacific Islander students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is also recognizing API Heritage Month through a series of events and programming.

Autumn Parish ā€™28 found her place in the African Diaspora Living-Learning Community, located on the fourth floor of Jackson Hall in the Global Neighborhood. On that hall during her first year, she discovered best friends and built the foundation of her ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ experience.

ā€œItā€™s important where you live,ā€ Parish said. ā€œYou have to feel at home when youā€™re not home.ā€

While the African Diaspora LLC is her safe space on campus, the human service studies major is deeply involved in campus life. Parish serves as a member of the Student Government Association, a SMART mentor, an ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ College Fellow, a fall 2025 initiate of Alpha Kappa Alapa Sorority, Inc., a Renaissance Scholar and secretary for the National Council of Negro Women.

She also works as a student coordinator for the Black Student Success team, helping plan events centered on the Black community at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

ā€œI find planning events fulfilling because it lets students know that their community is here,ā€ Parish said.

Mentorship

Mentorship is woven into the culture at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ. Professors, staff and students alike step into mentorship roles, helping others navigate their college experience.

Parish serves as a SMART mentor, which feels natural. Sheā€™d always tried to be a positive role model for her younger siblings back home, and she now extends that same energy to first-year students finding their footing at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

Sandra Reid, a professor of human service studies and Parishā€™s research adviser, inspires Parishā€™s approach to mentoring. Reid first made an impression at an admissions event when she led a mock class that ultimately swayed Parishā€™s decision to choose ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

ā€œI know I can be successful in a small classroom environment where professors donā€™t see me as a number, but they know who I am,ā€ Parish said. ā€œThey know my name, and they care about my well-being.ā€

Now working alongside Reid for her research, Parish continues to grow academically and personally.

ā€œAutumn is a caring, inquisitive and highly focused research student who consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to learning,ā€ Reid said. ā€œShe soaks up new information and engages thoughtfully with complex material, applying strong critical thinking skills to her work.ā€

The culture of mentorship at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ has been one of the universityā€™s defining characteristics.

ā€œI love when people help me help the world,ā€ Parish said. ā€œI love that itā€™s part of the culture. The professors want you to succeed. The advisers want you to succeed. Even someone who doesnā€™t even know who you are, they want to see you succeed.ā€

History in the Making

For Parish, Black History Month is about understanding where you come from and honoring those who paved the way.

Growing up, her parents emphasized that the opportunities she has today exist because of sacrifices made by generations before her.

ā€œAnd just to think that was only a couple of generations away ā€” my grandparents protested,ā€ Parish said. ā€œThey showed us how important it was and the sacrifices they made for the opportunity for me to get a scholarship at a school I didnā€™t even think I could go to.ā€

That perspective shapes how she approaches her work on campus. Parish believes history is not confined to the past. It is unfolding every day.

ā€œBlack history is happening all the time, and you are living Black history because everything that you do is history in the making,ā€ she said.

Parish views her involvement at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ as preparation for a life centered on service and impact. The sense of belonging she found in her first year and the mentors who guided her continue to shape how she shows up for others.

ā€œEverything that you do makes an impact on future things to come,ā€ Parish said. ā€œEvery decision you make can make a positive impact if you let it.ā€

Black History Month

As part of Black History Month, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is sharing stories through Today at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ that highlight Black students, faculty and staff who actively contribute to a campus environment where cultural histories and identities are celebrated year-round. In February, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is also recognizing the month through a series of events and programming.

Aubee Billie ā€™26 is one who can.

When Billie was 12, she traveled with her father to New York City from Florida to watch her mentor in the Seminole Tribe participate in a reading of ā€œDistant Thunder.ā€ During the trip, she met the showā€™s director and writer, who told her that maybe one day she could be part of the production.

That visit was Billieā€™s introduction to musical theatre. Watching the performance, she remembers thinking, ā€œThis means I could be on stage. I could be seen as me ā€” as who I am, my culture and my background ā€” in a show.ā€

Last fall, Billie lived in New York City for a six-week off-Broadway run of ā€œDistant Thunder,ā€ which sold out nearly every performance. The show is one of the first all-Indigenous productions off-Broadway, a milestone Billie was proud to help bring to the stage.

Finding Her Place

Because of her hiatus for the production, Billie will graduate in 2026. The additional time on campus has allowed her to serve as co-president of ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s Native American Student Association (NASA).

She discovered NASA during her sophomore year thanks to a friend, Sakura Kawakami ā€™26, who now serves alongside her as co-president. Before joining the organization, Billie didnā€™t realize there were other Native students at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ. ā€œFrom then on, I was like, I can tell things to people without explaining my whole self to them,ā€ she said.

Billie said she is proud to help build a space where Indigenous students can feel welcomed and find belonging. Through tabling, community gatherings and cultural programming, Billie said that NASAā€™s goal is simple: ā€œCreate a space where everyone feels welcome, with no judgment as they learn more about their Indigenous roots.ā€

Billie found support in other corners of campus. As a music theatre major, she immediately felt at home in a program with students from across the country, and she says faculty foster a culture of support and belonging.

ā€œThe faculty create that safe space of belonging, where we are supporting and uplifting one another,ā€ she said.

Since arriving at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Billie has stayed deeply involved. She is double-majoring in music theatre and arts administration with a minor in . In addition to NASA, she is involved in Dance Works and the Anime and Japanese Studies Club.

Mentorship That Matters

Sometimes a mentorā€™s impact has nothing to do with how long youā€™ve known them. For Billie, one such mentor is Corey Roberts, assistant professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies.

Having Roberts as a professor meant more than just having a knowledgeable instructor.

ā€œIt was the first time since I was eight or nine that I had a Native teacher,ā€ Billie said. ā€œIt was a really big deal because it was somebody I could look up to ā€” somebody I could talk to about certain issues that I know for a fact he has experienced.ā€

Another influential mentor is Alexandra Warren, assistant professor of performing arts, who helped Billie feel welcomed on campus and opened doors to performance opportunities.

Billie grew up on the Brighton Reservation in Okeechobee, Florida ā€” a close-knit community where everyone knows one another. Transitioning to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ without those familiar connections was difficult. Having professors who truly cared made all the difference.

ā€œThey created a safe space for me,ā€ she said of Warren and Roberts.

Proud of where she comes from

Billie is the youngest of ten siblings and the first in her family to attend a four-year institution. ā€œIā€™m super proud of being here,ā€ she said.

Her father, James Billie, who served as chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida for over two decades, played a significant role in shaping her confidence and pride in her heritage. With his encouragement, she has served as a representative for the tribe since childhood, beginning as Little Miss Seminole at age six. After graduation, she hopes to run for Miss Florida Seminole and return to her community as an ambassador.

For Billie, Native American Heritage Month is about empowering Indigenous people to share their own stories.

ā€œFor the longest time in history, we have been beaten down. We have been literally told not to practice our traditions, to not be who we are, to change,ā€ she said. ā€œAnd for a few years now, weā€™ve been uplifted ā€” told to be proud of our traditions and who we are. This is a month for us to tell who we are in a truthful manner without anybody getting in the way of that.ā€

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Honors Native American Heritage Month

As part of Native American Heritage Month, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is sharing stories that honor the histories, cultures and contributions of Native and Indigenous peoples in the university community. This month recognizes the enduring strength, traditions and knowledge of Indigenous communities, while highlighting the ways these legacies continue to shape and enrich our shared experience. It is a time to celebrate Native and Indigenous heritage, but also an invitation for all members of the university community to learn, reflect and engage in meaningful ways that honor these vibrant cultures and their lasting impact.

Related Articles

• ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ honors Hispanic Heritage Month
• Hispanic Heritage Month: Vanessa Bravo communicates connection and belonging

Like many ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students, Lilliana Molina ā€™27 is incredibly involved on campus. She teaches Spanish conversation classes in El Centro, works in the Gear Room in the School of Communications, reports for ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ News Network and mentors students in the Odyssey Program.

This summer, Molina added another accomplishment: she spent three weeks in Costa Rica investigating illegal hammerhead shark fishing as part of the 2025 Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellowship.

While reporting was the highlight, the experience also gave Molina the chance to reconnect with what she calls her ā€œsecond home.ā€ Growing up, she often spent summers in Costa Rica with her grandparents. Returning there to work on a story close to her heart made the fellowship especially meaningful.

ā€œI came up with my pitch during my first-year,ā€ Molina explained.

She spent six months prepping for the story, including three months before knowing she received the fellowship.

ā€œI came up with my pitch my first year,ā€ Molina said. She spent six months preparing, including three months before she officially learned she had received the fellowship.

Her assignment took her far out of her comfort zone as Molina spent three days on the ocean, which challenged her as a self-described ā€œindoorsyā€ person.

ā€œIf I can do that, I can pass this quiz. I can do anything,ā€ she remembered thinking while on the boat. The experience, she said, gave her confidence and perseverance that no classroom lesson could have matched.

Mentorship Matters

After returning from Costa Rica, Molina jumped back into campus life during Odyssey Week. As a scholar in the Odyssey Program, through the Edward W. and Joan K. Doherty Odyssey Scholarship, she served as a mentor for incoming students, helping them prepare for their first year at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

ā€œI wouldnā€™t be here without it, so I want to pay it forward,ā€ she said. ā€œItā€™s my way of saying thank you and dedicating two weeks of my summer.ā€

Mentorship, Molina said, is an essential part of her ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ journey. The university fosters a relationship-rich environment where peer and faculty mentorship are equally valued.

ā€œThereā€™s no point in doing what I doā€”getting the Pulitzer fellowship, writing these articles, all of these accomplishmentsā€”if I canā€™t turn around and extend my hand to the next person, bring them up and give them advice,ā€ Molina said.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage

When choosing ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, one of Molinaā€™s biggest deciding factors was El Centro, the universityā€™s center for Latinx and Hispanic communities.

ā€œI go there as much as I can, and I just love being in that space,ā€ she said. While she often teaches Spanish there, El Centro also provides community and connection.

El Centro plays a key role in organizing events during Hispanic Heritage Month, showcasing diverse Hispanic identities throughout September and October. From the kickoff celebration on Medallion Plaza with music, dance and food, to the closing Gala Latina, the month highlights culture and community.

For Molina, the celebration is about more than eventsā€”itā€™s about honoring identity.

ā€œItā€™s about being proud of our identity and showcasing that identity,ā€ she said. ā€œTo have that recognition for many of our students whose parents are immigrants and have given so much for them to be hereā€”that is important.ā€

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ honors Hispanic Heritage Month

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is sharing stories that celebrate the contributions, identities and experiences of students, faculty and staff. This month recognizes the rich histories and cultures of Hispanic and Latinx communities, while also honoring the ways these traditions connect with and inspire people of all backgrounds. This month provides a special opportunity to honor Hispanic and Latinx heritage, but it also serves as an invitation for all members of the university to engage, learn and celebrate together.

The name for the Lumen Prize comes from ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s historic motto, ā€œNumen Lumen,ā€ which are Latin words meaning ā€œspiritual lightā€ and ā€œintellectual light.ā€ The words, which are found on the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ seal, signify the highest purposes of an ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ education.

During their two years as Lumen Scholars, the graduates worked closely with mentors for their coursework, study abroad, research, internships, program development, and creative productions and performances.

Learn more about these scholars, their research, and where they are headed as “graduates the world needs.”

Majors: Applied Mathematics and Data Analytics
Project:ĢżMathematical Modeling of COVID-19 Transmission with Focus on Asymptomatic Carriers and Vaccination Schedules
What’s Next: Beuerle will be attending North Carolina State University in the fall as a Ph.D candidate for Applied Mathematics.

Majors:ĢżPublic Health Studies and Strategic Communications.
Project: Silenced and Sidelined: Examining the Intersectional Impact of Ableism and Racism on Maternal Health.
What’s Next: Clark has accepted a job as a marketing and digital operations associate at RVO Health.

Majors:ĢżBiology
Project: Interactions Between the Blood Brain Barrier and the Gut-Brain-Axis and its Impact on Brain Development and Behavior in Zebrafish
What’s Next: Conover was also awarded the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program.

Majors: Environmental & Ecological Science and Cinema & Television Arts
Project: Soil Carbon Sequestration in ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Forest: Role of Past Land Use, Forest Age, and Landscape and Soil Characteristics
What’s Next:ĢżGibbons was named a semifinalist in the Fullbright U.S. Student Program.

Major: Public Health Studies and Political Science
Project: Policy & Discrimination: Service Provider Perspectives on Barriers to Healthcare Utilization of Latinx Immigrants in Post-ICE Alamance County
What’s Next: Conover was also awarded the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program. She is also an ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Year of Service Fellow.

Major: Psychology
Project: Intersections Between Christian Ideas of Hell and Religious Trauma
What’s Next: Lancashire will be pursuing her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of San Diego.

Corey McCall ’25

Major: Biology
Project:ĢżAssessing the Effects of Covid and the Covid Vaccine on the Cardiac Health of the General Population: A Heart Rate Variability Study
What’s Next: McCall will be attending the University of Pittsburghā€™s School of Dental Medicine this fall.

Major: Chemistry
Project: Shedding Light on the Surface Composition of Aqueous Aerosols

Major: Statistics and Biology
Project: Increasing the Accuracy of Tree-Ring Data Processing to Improve Models for Predicting Future Climate
What’s Next: Reutinger was named a semifinalist for the Fullbright U.S. Student Program.

Major: Biology
Project: Centering the Black Community in the Pittsboro, N.C. Water Crisis

Major: Psychology and Biology
Project: Who Is Being Real Versus Who Is Not: Correlates, Cues, and Accuracy of Perceptions of Othersā€™ Authenticity
What’s Next:ĢżSearle was awarded the Seena Granowsky Outstanding Student in Psychology Award, which is the highest student honor in the department.

Major: Biochemistry
Project: Intercropping as a Method to Reduce the Concentration of Toxic Metals in Cash Crops

Major: English and Political Science
Project: Abolition in the Modern U.S.: Media and Identity Influence on Perceptions of Prison Abolition

Major: Exercise Science
Project: Exploring the Power of Theacrine: Assessing the Impact of High Theacrine Doses on Hemodynamic Measures, Cognitive Measures, and Physiological Stress
What’s Next: Stoke was awarded the 2024 Undergraduate Research Award from North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities.

Major: Computer Science
Project: Improving Early Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer with Synthetic Data
What’s Next: Tan will join Red Ventures as an Associate Software Engineer.

Why did you want to go on the AIL trip?

Iā€™ve participated in this trip the past couple of years and it has been a great way to connect with incoming first-year students as they get ready for their college transition. When youā€™re out on the trail with no cell phone service the students have no choice but to actively engage with each other. There end up being wonderful conversations about what students are excited about, what makes them nervous and how they plan to approach their college experience. As an educator, there is nothing more fulfilling than being able to walk with students on that journey.

Are you a big camper?

I love spending time outdoors. I was involved in scouting during my youth and in college and grad school spent five summers as a summer camp counselor and program director. Hiking is a regular part of our vacations as a family and I enjoy any chance I can get to be out in nature.

What were you hoping to get out of the trip?

For me, it is nice to unplug for the week and be singularly focused on the aspect of my job that I love best ā€“ supporting students in their growth and development. Titles and roles donā€™t matter when youā€™re out on the trail and the ability to spend concentrated time with a group of students is a gift. Itā€™s also fulfilling to watch the upper-class students who serve as trip facilitators developing their leadership skills and supporting their peers.

How do you think this trip prepared students for their first year at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ?

The transition to college is a big adjustment. These summer first-year experiences can be a great way for students to connect with some of their new classmates and jump-start making new friends and finding their place. For some students, they were enjoying a backpacking experience they love, but in other cases, students were doing something theyā€™d never tried before and challenging themselves in the process.

Did you see any changes in the students during the week?

Whenever you can take students from this generation to an environment where their cell phones donā€™t work and they are off social media for a week, great things happen. It was fun to watch them engage with each other and to see friendships forming in front of your eyes. Itā€™s also wonderful to see students scaling heights, backpacking for the first time, or doing something they didnā€™t think they were capable of ā€“ it sets the stage for their college experience.

What were your rose, bud and thorn of the trip?

This is a great question ā€“ each evening there is a similar reflection on the activities of the day.Ģż The highlight of the trip was definitely the time on the trail, talking with students and enjoying the beauty of the Pisgah National Forest. The thorns of a trip like this are always the aches and pains that remind you that you arenā€™t in your twenties anymore. The buds are the relationships that these students just started ā€“ I cannot wait to see what is in store for them as they arrive on campus this fall.

Final thoughts?

For any student who missed this opportunity this summer, I hope they will check out the opportunities through ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Outdoors when they get to campus.

June was officially recognized by the U.S. government as Pride Month in 1999 when President Bill Clinton proclaimed June ā€œGay and Lesbian Pride Month.ā€ The government has since expanded the recognition to be ā€œLesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month.ā€ Learn more about the historyĢż.

To help celebrate Pride Month, the Gender and LGBTQIA Center at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ offers the following resources and recommendations for learning more, advocating and participating.

Resources at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ

• Gender and LGBTQIA CenterĢż(GLC) in Moseley 209 provides support to LGBTQIA students, provides confidential support for survivors of gender-based violence, and presents on gender and LGBTQIA-related topics.
• The Gender and Sexuality Living Learning CommunityĢżis a residential community open to any student wishing to explore topics around gender and sexual orientation.
• Ģżis a queer-straight student alliance ensuring a safe space for all queer people, existing for over 20 years.
• OutLawĢżis a social and educational organization that fosters a supportive and accepting environment for LGBT students, faculty, staff and professionals at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Law.
• The Spirit and Pride InitiativeĢżis a grant-funded initiative supported by The Carpenter Foundation and in collaboration with the GLC and Truitt Center to support LGBTQIA students of faith.
• RISE, a QTPOC student initiative, supports LGBTQIA students of color through affirmation, celebration, and elevation.
• CLEARĢż(Coalition of Learning, Empowerment & Anti-violence Resources) is aĢżstudent-directed initiative supervised by the GLC that coordinates events and presentations on gender-based violence awareness and prevention.

Community Resources

• Ģżis a nonprofit organization serving the LGBTQ communities of Alamance County by organizing an annual Pride festival.
• Ģżprovides support for families and friends of LGBTQ people through educational materials and advocacy against harassment and bullying.
• Ģżis a community-led initiative created to form opportunities that inspire a sense of belonging for LGBTQIA+ and gender expansive people of any age, rac and ability in Alamance County.
• Ģż(Greensboro) creates unity through programming and philanthropy that advances equality and inclusion for LGBTQ communities.

Allyship Tips from the GLC

• Connect with any of the organizations at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ or in the Alamance County community.
• Give to the Gender and LGBTQIA Center to provide financial support for LGBTQIA students who are experiencing food insecurity, to have access to gender-affirming clothing and to make educational experiences financially accessible.
• Learn the history of the LGBTQIA communities from The Society for Human Rights to the Comptonā€™s Cafeteria Riot and to the Stonewall Riots and subsequent Pride Parades.

Reach out to the staff at the Gender and LGBTQIA Center about other ways to get involved or if you are interested in volunteering with the GLC.

The whitewater rafting and rock-climbing session was one of six held this July across North Carolina for members of ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ’s Class of 2026, from paddling on the Outer Banks to a local adventure in Alamance County, all the way to Pisgah National Forest in Western North Carolina.

For some of the 150 participants this summer, it was a reunion to the outdoors, a rhythm with nature that they are familiar with. Calista Quirk ā€˜26, from Potomac Falls, Virginia said it was a dream come true. ā€œIf I can do anything outdoor-related before I start school, I want to do it,ā€ said Quirk, who will be an Outdoor Leadership Education major in the fall.

For others, it was a daunting task to sleep in tents, not have cell service and spend the days in the sun hiking. But for all, they did one hard thing after another in preparation for Move-In Day at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ on Friday, Aug. 19.

Of course, there were those in the middle of those two camps ā€” the ones who liked doing outdoorsy things but havenā€™t had the opportunity. ā€œI don’t do enough outdoorsy stuff, and yet I love outdoorsy stuff,ā€ said Michael Bilardello ā€™26.

ā€œI think that introducing people to the outdoors is such a wonderful thing because I did not grow up in an outdoorsy family,ā€ said Juliana Schiano ā€™23, a student facilitator for AIL, ā€œSo I thought that Adventures in Leadership was such a great program because it exposed people to a way to get to know the outdoors in a way that was accessible.ā€

Schiano, along with 17 fellow student staff members, spent three weeks all across North Carolina, from the Outer Banks on the coast to Brevard in the mountains. AIL is student-run, with a faculty advisor offering support during the sessions. Student coordinators, who are the supervisors during the sessions, float around and make sure everything is running smoothly. They spent the spring semester planning and organizing these sessions, working with vendors, planning logistics and, of course, planning meals. And there are student facilitators, who work closely with the participants, guide conversations about the transition to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ and become mentors.

ā€œIt was amazing to watch the connections form throughout the week between facilitators and participants,ā€ said Mandi Jaffe ā€™24, a student coordinator from Parkland, Florida. ā€œBeing a resource for facilitators and being there to support them was a rewarding job.ā€

Participants in the rafting and rock-climbing session arrived at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ on a Sunday. They took on the ropes courses on ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Challenge to help build trust and relationships and afterward participated in a leadership workshop that included learning the difference between how to lead and how to be a leader and how to get involved at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ on day one.

On Monday they took a tour of ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ before taking the three-and-a-half-hour drive to Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina.

Tuesday was the main event for most participants ā€” whitewater rafting. The group took to the water, learned basics and were off. By the end of the day, the group was exhausted from fun, water and smiling.

From the river they headed to downtown Brevard for the town’s weekly square dancing event, which is made into the schedule each year for this session.

Student leaders ran into the center of the street for square dancing. They grabbed the hands of students and called their names to join the fun. After a day of whitewater rafting, this was a way to wake everyone, give them a second wind. and bring smiles to their faces.

The sun set on the way back to camp. While both participants and facilitators were tired from the dayā€™s activities, they still met in their small groups to talk about the day. In the glow of headlamps strapped to water bottles, the discussion moved around in the circle with each student sharing their rose, their thorn and their bud – their highs and lows of the day, and what they are looking forward to tomorrow.

While going around the circle someone said that the square dancing was their rose ā€” that it was type one fun. In Outdoor Leadership and Education, they break down fun into three types. Type one is fun at the moment and fun in memories. Type two is not fun at the moment but when you look back it will be a good memory. Type three is a positive spin on a bad experience ā€” it will never be fun.

Most in the circle said their rose was whitewater rafting or dancing in the street and they were most looking forward to canyoneering the next day. Facilitators broke down what the next day would look like, when they needed to hit the road, and what to wear and expect from canyoneering.

Wednesday had an early start with vans loaded and ready to leave at 7 a.m. Two of the four vans headed into Pisgah National Forest to meet their guides for the day. Students were given a helmet, harness and specific canyoneering shoes. The group hiked through the woods to the top of a waterfall. There, the guides explained the technique and had everyone practice rappelling before giving it a shot on the waterfall.

As golden hour approached and coordinators started cooking for everyone, Carol Smith, professor of education and wellness and the faculty advisor for the session, took the participants and facilitators to a clearing for the faculty talk. She and the student facilitators offered insights into what to expect when classes start, practical advice about notebooks and technology and the library.

Facilitators reminisced about their first weeks at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ as new students and how challenging the transition can be. But they also gave advice and perspective on the upcoming move-in. ā€œYou spent all week doing scary stuff. Transitions are scary. But this is a temporary period of a temporary time,ā€ said Schiano.

The student-run nature of AIL is one of the main factors in helping participants in their transition to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in the fall. As Evan Small, assistant director of campus recreation and wellness for experiential learning and outdoor adventures and instructor in the department of education and wellness, described it, ā€œI believe that those who are best equipped to plan it are current students who can remember what it felt like to be an incoming student and to be new at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ. The participants can form relationships with other incoming students and with upperclassmen facilitators who often continue their mentoring relationship well into the fall semester.ā€

It was clear that participants made those connections with one another and the student staff while asking questions about what to expect in a couple of short weeks. They felt comfortable asking those questions, about being honest about how they were feeling about this new chapter in their lives.

ā€œI care about the participants and want them to see me as a friend who just happens to have gone through some more things than they have and I want to use that knowledge to make them more comfortable being uncomfortable,ā€ said Sam Goldberg ā€™23 a facilitator fromĢżSandwich, Massachusetts.

It was in the breaks and the downtime that those connections flourished as they shared about what their majors would be, what their goals at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ might look like and their hometowns.

And while everyoneā€™s favorite activity during the week was whitewater rafting, that wasnā€™t the answer everyone gave when asked about their favorite part of the week.

ā€œMy favorite part has been seeing the group grow and my stepping out of my little shell a little bit and be able to make friends and memories,ā€ Quirk said.

Quirk was one of the participants who was ready for the week outside, and she pushed herself outside her comfort zone to meet new people. Thatā€™s what makes these sessions so important ā€” they push participants in one way or another. If it isnā€™t the adventure activities, itā€™s the meeting new people, but overall, itā€™s getting participants out of their comfort zones.

ā€œIt shows them that they have grit and they are stronger than they thought they were which gives them a good mindset going into their first year of college,ā€ said Goldberg.