INCLUSION AS A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS IN AN UNDERGRADUATE GEOLOGY CLUB

The Geology Club at Piedmont Virginia Community College is the most active club on the PVCC campus. We aim to embody inclusivity in every manner possible. We aim to be financially equitable, academically engaging, & welcoming to all genders. We have adopted policies with the specific intent of cultivating a welcoming environment to those from all backgrounds. This is done for the purpose of making geology more visible & accessible, more realistic as a career or hobby. Our members encompass a variety of life experiences but are bound by an appreciation for the natural world. This mission of inclusion encompasses even those who are not enrolled as geology students.

We have been very successful in being a safe space for nonbinary, trans, & gay students because we provide a supportive, inclusive community. Part of this success (greater even than several attempts on campus at establishing an LGBTQ+ club) is because we have geology to rally around.

The Club offers an array of activities: field trips, hikes, outreach efforts with local youth & at natural parks, “seminar” style talks from outside experts, student presentations, “bad geology movie” nights, social events, university visits, & participation in both regional/national conferences. We have found particular success with a digital collaboration space, using a Discord server as an “ongoing virtual meeting.” There, students share images of cool rocks, ask questions, share accomplishments, & participate in a daily “Challenge” question. The Challenge is not for academic credit, & students can participate at whatever level they feel motivated. Being virtual reduces the pressure students feel when answering questions.

We have traditional officer roles, but also novel positions such as Morale Officer to cultivate student responsibility. Participating in the Club inspires some members to take geology classes, even if they had not previously considered doing so. By providing our members with a sense of community, a safe space to express themselves, exposure to the natural sciences, & an abundance of opportunities, we hope to imbue a variety of students with a sense of belonging in a scientific discipline which often poses obstacles to them. Our model for diversity, equity, & inclusion might be emulated by clubs at other institutions to extend geology to people of all backgrounds.