Over Fall Break, PC student Erika Gotfredson ’16 had the opportunity to travel to Richmond, Virginia with a group of PC Students. Erika’s trip was more than just visiting a new community, it also gave her a chance to reflect on our PC community:

I’ll admit that I chose to travel to Richmond, Virginia over Fall Break with a bit of hesitation, knowing that I would miss out on the opportunity to spend five days at home with my family. But the brief 48 hours I spent with five other students and some members of the Campus Outreach staff in the beautiful city of Richmond turned out to be the perfect way to spend the break.

Throughout the course of two days, we had the opportunity to spend time with the pastors and members of Northside Church of Richmond and learn about this church’s mission of serving its diverse neighborhood and creating a community that bridges racial and socioeconomic gaps. We also learned about this church’s Urban Fellows Program, a program established to create a community that helps college graduates transition out of the college setting while actively engaging themselves in the life of the church. A few PC alumni currently participate in this program, and Kelli Mayfield, wife of the program’s director, also graduated from PC.

I now realize that the people that we encountered during our time in Richmond exemplify many of the ideals that PC strives to foster among its students. The members of Northside Church find satisfaction in serving their neighbors, and their conscious decision to integrate service into their lifestyles has furthered the sense of community within the neighborhood. I found it so encouraging to see these people who embody our motto, While We Live, We Serve, finding joy from committing their lives to serving others. Beyond just the fun memories I made with the other PC students, this trip opened my eyes to the importance of living a life centered on service and community beyond just my four years at Presbyterian College.