Find Your People, Find Your Places, Find Your Thing
UP RVA Students Explore James Madison University
When our students visit a college campus, we want it to be more than just a walk across the quad. We want them to imagine themselves belonging there.
That’s why our Pathways Program Director, Caitlyn, carries a simple mantra into the transition to college:
“Find your people, find your places, find your thing.”
For first-generation students, that’s the key. Find the peers or mentors who bring you joy. Find the spaces where you feel at home. Find the clubs, majors, or activities that spark curiosity.
This trip to James Madison University (JMU) was all about that.
The Lift Behind the Trip:
College visits sound simple: get students in a van, drive to campus, take the tour.
The reality is much different.
This trip began months ago when Caitlyn and Nora Crouch (one of our board members and a JMU alum) traveled to Harrisonburg to meet with staff and professors. They wanted to design a visit that wasn’t generic, but intentional for students who are first-gen and students of color.
They spent an entire day on campus connecting with JMU’s Student Success team, a professor from the African, African American, and Diaspora Studies department, an associate vice president, and a first-generation student who works in the admissions on campus. That groundwork ensured our students would meet people who looked like them and understood their journey.
Back in Richmond, Caitlyn surveyed our juniors and seniors. Eight students said yes.
That’s when Amanda, our Chief Program Officer, and Marchelle, our Operations Manager, stepped in. Amanda worked with parents to secure permission for students to miss afternoon classes, and made sure students notified their teachers. Marchelle, our “air traffic controller,” coordinated early pickups from five different partner schools. Drivers added extra routes. Emails were sent to update school attendance offices.
By 1:30 p.m., eight students were at our office, ready to go.
This was no small feat—it was a logistical symphony that made the day possible.
The Journey to JMU:
In the van, the energy was unmistakably teenage.
At first, laughter, bickering, and joking about the aux cord. By the time we hit the Bryan Park interchange, headphones were in, and the ride quieted down.
But there was anticipation too.
When asked what they wanted to see, students struggled to put it into words. “I don’t know what I want to know, but I like to learn as I go.” said Aaren and Nacere
A small traffic bump—literally, when our van was rear-ended—couldn’t derail the trip.
By the time we pulled onto South Main Street, the mood shifted again. Phones went down. Heads turned toward the campus rising into view.
First Impressions on Campus:
Our students didn’t just look. They processed.
Jeremiah noticed JMU’s student support programs.
Azaria connected with how intentional JMU is about helping students make friends: “It really kind of correlates with me since I don’t know how to make friends right off the bat… they have groups, clubs, and things for students of different races to hang out and become friends.”
Nacere came away with more clarity: “I got to know a little bit more. Especially about if you don’t know what you want to major in.”
Tae’Veon said, “I’d say it was worth it to see the college for sure… the community style stood out to me most.”
During conversations with staff at the Student Life Center, our students asked smart, thoughtful questions:
- “What major has been most useful to you?”
- “Do students usually take morning or afternoon classes—and why?”
They weren’t just hearing about college. They were imagining themselves in it.
First-Gen Bingo Night:
The highlight of the evening was JMU’s Student Bingo event at the Reddix Center for First-Generation Students.
Our students walked into a ballroom full of undergraduates—and fit right in. They laughed, played, and even won prizes. When Dae’Zarriah scored a win, everyone around her cheered. Two of her classmates even helped her carry her prize back to the van.
It wasn’t just fun. It was belonging.
The Ride Home:
On the way to JMU, the van was silent.
On the way home, it buzzed with energy. Azaria declared, “Nooo, this is my home now!”
Dae’Zarriah said she was “move-in ready.”
Aaren summed it up simply: “I gotta get to JMU.”
Why This Matters:
This trip wasn’t just about James Madison University.
It was about helping eight young people see themselves in college. About showing them that higher education isn’t an abstract dream—it’s a place with people, spaces, and opportunities waiting for them.
JMU showed our students that belonging isn’t an afterthought—it’s built into the experience. And our students walked away believing, some maybe for the first time, that it could be built for them too.
At UP RVA, that’s why we do this work. From middle school through college graduation, we’re walking alongside our students as they find their people, their places, and their thing.
