OUTREACH AND OPPORTUNITY WITH THE PVCC GEOLOGY CLUB

The Geology Club at Piedmont Virginia Community College is the most active club on campus. We are financially equitable, academically engaging, & welcoming to all identities. We have adopted policies with the intent of making geology more visible & accessible as a career or hobby. Our members come from diverse backgrounds but are bound by an appreciation for the natural world. Our model for diversity, equity, & inclusion might be emulated by clubs at other institutions to extend geology to people of all backgrounds.

The Club offers an array of activities: afternoon and overnight field trips, hikes, outreach efforts, “seminar” style talks from outside experts, student presentations, social events, university visits, & participation in academic conferences. We go caving, visit quarries, and host an annual “Rock Day” open lab event for the community. In the past year, we have also provided geological outreach at regional festivals including the Red Wing Roots music festival at Natural Chimneys State Park. Our members lead guided geology hikes at Ivy Creek Natural Area.

Utilizing modern resources for digital collaboration, we maintain a Discord server as an “ongoing virtual meeting.” There, students share images of cool rocks, ask questions, share accomplishments, & participate in discussions about regular “Challenge” questions. The Discord Server is not for academic credit, & students can participate at whatever level they feel motivated. Being virtual and asynchronous reduces the pressure students feel when asking and answering questions.

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 students with a sense of belonging in a scientific discipline which may otherwise be inaccessible to them.