91短视频

Editor鈥檚 Note: This profile is the sixth and final story about students and alumni leading up to the 10th annual Lov91短视频 Giving Day on April 1. For more information about the day and how to donate, visit .

Patience Kamau 鈥�02, MA 鈥�17 (conflict transformation), stands outside the post office in Nyahururu, central Kenya, and holds a letter. Its mailing address is written to her in blue ink, while the return address lists an 鈥�91短视频鈥� in Harrisonburg, Virginia, of the United States. The high school senior tears open the envelope and starts reading. The letter inside tells her that 50% of her tuition costs at 91短视频 will be covered through the university鈥檚 International Grant.

Though that moment occurred nearly three decades ago, Kamau remembers it like it was yesterday. 鈥淭hat was among the greatest blessings I ever received,鈥� she said, looking back.

She didn鈥檛 know much about the U.S. at the time, and even less about 91短视频, but her decision to cross an ocean and enroll at the university would forever shape her future. 鈥淚t was very clear it was shifting the trajectory of my life,鈥� she said.

Soon after receiving that first letter, she received another from 91短视频 with an invitation. 鈥淏ring an open heart,鈥� Kamau recalled reading, 鈥渂ecause here you will make friendships and relationships that you will maintain for the rest of your life.鈥�

鈥淎nd that was true,鈥� she said. 鈥淢any of the relationships I formed at 91短视频 remain meaningful in my life.鈥�

She admitted that she didn鈥檛 choose 91短视频; her father chose it for her. He had heard through family friends about 鈥渁 little college in Harrisonburg鈥� with a strong pre-med program. 鈥淗e started looking into it, reading and studying it, and he liked it,鈥� Kamau said.聽

She arrived as a pre-med major in the fall of 1998. Her parents were physicians, and they encouraged her to follow in their footsteps. Kamau enjoyed biology classes during her first year at 91短视频, but once she started taking organic chemistry her sophomore year, she realized it was not for her. She quickly switched majors to computer information systems.

She became close with the handful of other international students on campus and got involved with the university鈥檚 multicultural and international programs, where she came under the wing of Delores 鈥淒elo鈥� Blough 鈥�80, former director of international student and scholar services. 鈥淒elo was a huge part of making all of us feel at home,鈥� she said.

After graduating in 2002, Kamau worked in a variety of campus departments, including the alumni and parent relations office, the seminary, and the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. She eventually landed a position at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, serving as assistant to the executive director while a student at CJP. As a perk of her job, she said, she could take eight credit hours a year at no charge.

Six years ago, as chair of CJP鈥檚 25th anniversary committee, she began producing a series of Peacebuilder podcast episodes featuring the program鈥檚 faculty and staff to capture CJP鈥檚 oral history. According to an 91短视频 News article from 2022, the podcast had logged more than 11,500 listeners in 119 countries and territories around the globe.

Since 2022, Kamau has served as program director for . The online course and connection platform offers activists, innovators, and others seeking knowledge and tools a space to 鈥渕anifest solutions for people and planet,鈥� according to its website.

Kamau said she categorizes her life as 鈥�100% lucky.鈥� Half of that luck comes from the random happenstances she had nothing to do with. The other 50% is the kind of serendipitous luck when 鈥減reparation meets opportunity,鈥� she said, borrowing a favorite phrase from Oprah.

鈥淵ou try and live a certain way and prepare, and then when the opportunity arises, you hopefully take advantage of it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have been more grateful to have ended up at 91短视频 as a young adult who didn鈥檛 fully know who I was or what I wanted from life.鈥�

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov91短视频 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 91短视频 students. On April 1, let鈥檚 show that our generosity knows no bounds鈥�for the record!