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Alana Vawter, a junior on the Stanford Softball team and an ACE in Place Thailand 2021 alum, has helped lead the first year of the Social Events for Athletes (SEA) Committee. SEA works to create community amongst Stanford student-athletes.

Vawter explained her drive for creating intentional community on campus, “I was inspired to do this because my ACE program absolutely instilled in me the idea of passion and the idea doing what you love. I figured out that one of the things I really love is people. In order to pursue that back on campus, I wanted to find ways to get groups of people together.”

Though SEA has been able to successfully run events and create community on campus, it has not been without hurdles. The COVID-19 pandemic definitely made planning in-person events difficult, but the group was able to host some virtual events. Vawter elaborated on how the group has persevered despite the pandemic.

“I think we established our core group even through the pandemic, which has been amazing. It’s really cool to see how badly they want to be there. COVID is still here, but it’s definitely been something that we’ve been able to work through and to work around.”

Beyond these difficulties, co-leading the group has been incredibly rewarding for Vawter.

“I want people to have a space and understand they have people in our community, within the student-athlete body. The overall impact, I would hope, is that people walk away with friendships and memories and relationships that last a lifetime.”

– Alana Vawter, ACE in Place Thailand 2021

“Our group in general is so much fun. It includes some of my very best friends, and others that I didn’t even know before the formation of the group that are passionate about planning these events and bringing the student-athlete community together.”

She and the group are looking forward to an end-of-the-year awards ceremony SEA is hosting for student-athletes, to commemorate the year they have been through together.

However, Vawter hopes to impact the community beyond these events.

“I want people to have a space and understand they have people in our community, within the student-athlete body. The overall impact, I would hope, is that people walk away with friendships and memories and relationships that last a lifetime.”

Watching and helping those friendships form is a passion of Vawter’s, and she believes firmly that the approach to civic engagement should always involve pursuing your passion and taking concrete action.

“Instead of sitting back and letting things evolve, do something about it,” she advises.

The ACE Action Plan process has taught Vawter this lesson, and she has words of advice for other student-athletes pursuing their own Action Plans or simply trying to get involved in community service.

“It’s a trial and error process, but there is something out there that you fit perfectly in, so just keep trying and exploring. Once you find that thing, stick with it and enjoy it.”

Vawter has found what she is sticking with: SEA and building up the student-athlete community.