At the 2026 PACE (Pathways to Achieving Civic Engagement) Conference hosted by þ, first-year Elon student, Odyssey Program scholar and Elon Academy alumna Berenice Sanchez Rosaldo ’20 presented alongside faculty and community leaders on how community storytelling can foster civic engagement.
þ hosted the PACE (Pathways to Achieving Civic Engagement) conference, bringing together civic engagement leaders, students and representatives from colleges and universities across the state to deepen civic learning and culture.
For Elon student Berenice Sanchez Rosaldo, the event marked a full-circle moment.
Berenice Sanchez Rosaldo ’29, a political science major who is in the Elon Academy and The Mac Mahon Family Scholar in the Odyssey Program, participated as a first-time presenter. She presented alongside Danielle Lake, director of the Center for Design Thinking, and Shannice Sellars, executive director of the African American Cultural Arts and History Center.
Their presentation, “Participatory Place-shaping: How Community-led Counter Storying Encourages Civic Engagement,” highlighted Sanchez Rosaldo’s work with the Center for Design Thinking. It focused on developing counter-stories that reflect participants’ communities and environments as a form of civic engagement.
Sanchez Rosaldo drew from personal experiences, including her high school, her father’s workplace, and the Dream Center — spaces she identified as influential in her development as a student, athlete and individual.
“Seeing Berenice present her story was such a proud moment,” said Melissa Chacon Villalobos, coordinator for well-being with Elon Academy. “Watching her grow from a high school freshman to a first-year student at Elon, and seeing the impact she is already making in Alamance County, is incredibly meaningful.”
Sanchez Rosaldo began this work before enrolling at Elon, first connecting with Danielle Lake while attending Alamance Burlington Early College at ACC, where she completed a summer internship with local summer camps across Alamance County, creating lesson plans for kids ages 6-12 during her junior year of High School.
She also credits Elon Academy as instrumental in shaping her college journey.
“Elon Academy opened my eyes to the idea of college and created many opportunities for me,” Sanchez Rosaldo said.
Now an Odyssey Scholar, Sanchez Rosaldo continues her work with the Center for Design Thinking through the Power + Place Collaborative and by leading design thinking workshops across campus.
The Center for Design Thinking focuses on creative, structured approaches to problem-solving. Its Power + Place Collaborative works with Alamance County leaders and community members to document and share stories that reflect the county’s diverse communities.
Elon Academy supports academically promising, limited-income, and first-generation students, while the Odyssey Program provides merit-based scholarships and enrichment opportunities for students with demonstrated financial need.
“What Berenice represents is exactly why Elon Academy exists – talented students who, with the right support and opportunities, go on to lead, contribute, and create change in their communities,” said Emily Wiersma, director of the Elon Academy.
Together, the Elon Academy and Odyssey Scholars Program reflect Elon’s commitment to civic engagement and to supporting students and communities in Alamance County.
For Sanchez Rosaldo, the experience also carried personal and generational significance. Her mother attended the presentation, marking a milestone as she watched her daughter present at her first conference.
Her story reflects the broader impact of þ’s programs on students, their families, and their communities.
It also mirrors a larger, statewide commitment to civic engagement, as institutions across North Carolina continue this work through initiatives like the , which will take place in June 2026 and is hosted by North Carolina þ Engagement. Together, these efforts highlight how experiences like the PACE conference are not just singular moments, but part of an ongoing cycle of learning, leadership and community impact.