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For Abby Arena ’25, a fourth-year art major with a history minor, it’s the people she’s met and the communities she’s been part of that have made the biggest impact during her time at Pace.

Abby never had an interest in working with children. “It wasn’t my typical area,” she admits. But part of the requirement for her peace and justice studies class was civic engagement hours, and when her friends chose a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that provides free community activities for children of all ages, she decided to give it a shot. “It just sounded like a fun experience.”

Take advantage of everything that is presented to you.

Her experience volunteering with POW—which creates a space where neurodivergent and neurotypical children come together through dance, music, art, play, and more—has become a surprising highlight of Abby's �̾�����Ƶjourney. She described the work as fun and engaging, and yet could clearly see the huge impact for the children and families. “Families with neurodivergent children sometimes have limited resources, so finding a free, local program where the kids could enjoy themselves was great,” she says.

Though volunteering with children was outside her usual comfort zone, Abby embraced the challenge. “It was a good experience to get into an environment that was so different from anything I was used to,” she said. “It didn’t feel like a requirement.” Though she’d never considered working with children, she now wants to continue supporting POW’s mission in the future. “I’d love to go back once my schedule allows it.”

POW stands for Power of We, the concept of togetherness promoted by The Power of We resonates with Abby deeply. She credits the relationships she’s built and the people she’s met as the most impactful part of her time at Pace. Abby observes, “�̾�����Ƶreally does have a diversity of interests that has brought together the people that are now the most important to me.”

�̾�����Ƶreally does have a diversity of interests that has brought together the people that are now the most important to me.

As the 2024–2025 school year begins, Abby advises first-year students to embrace every opportunity. “Taking advantage of any resources you can is important, even if they seem daunting,” she says. She also highlights the value of strong relationships: “Professors should be seen as mentors and resources. They’re more than willing to help outside of class.”

And of course, she stresses not to overlook experiences like civic engagement hours, which, for Abby, opened doors she never expected, like her work with POW. “Take advantage of everything that is presented to you. Even if it seems like too much, or something that's just not for you,” she says. “There’s never going to be any downside in trying something out.”

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