Pam Rector Endowment Created at The Center for Service and Action
Pam Rector ’77, M.A. ’79, M.Ed. ’82 was vice principal at Lennox Middle School when she was recruited to create LMU’s Center for Service and Action 20 years ago. Her ability to meet people where they were helped build important relationships with the community. These community partnerships allowed students to expand their perspectives through service-learning opportunities and connect classroom teachings to the world around them. CSA became a hub for social justice programs, a hallmark of an LMU education. When Rector passed last February, a far-ranging community mourned.
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, and in honor of the woman whose vision was to advocate and make the world better for those in the margins, an endowment in Pam Rector’s name has been established to support the ongoing work of the Center for Service and Action. One of its early donors is Rector’s goddaughter, friend, and Alternative Breaks alumnus, Megan Choitz ’05.
“My closest friends have been through CSA,” Choitz said. “The CSA gives you an opportunity to learn and grow as a person and engage with those whose experiences are different from yours. I remember going into Nickerson Gardens, a low-income community in Watts, to help kids after school. One time, we heard police helicopters overhead and were asked to bring the kids inside. Another time, we were approached by the police to stay in our cars. These situations challenged my comfort zone, but helped me realize the importance of showing up for others, especially kids. By going to visit them every week, I learned the beauty of fostering a safe space for these kids and the trust that is built through consistency and mentorship. These experiences continue to influence my professional work today.”
Part of Rector’s vision was to build a vibrant community that would grow and change over time, responding to the world and diverse needs of Los Angeles.
“Before she passed, Pam and I began to talk about how we needed to reflect on the past 20 years as a means of informing what the next 20 would look like,” said Interim Director Patrick Furlong ’06. “I look back at the last 20 years with incredible gratitude, but more than that, we’re looking forward, asking how can we be bold, how can we be innovative, how can we be leaders? We recognize how critical it is at this time in our society to face some of the large problems that exist.”
This year, the CSA answered the call to be bold, offering eight virtual Alternative Breaks, attended by about 60 students, among them were students who hadn’t considered participation in an immersion as an option before. The experience was so powerful that it will likely continue after the pandemic, offering those who cannot travel during the school year — such as student-athletes — the opportunity to have a global immersion opportunity. The experience was possible because of existing strong relationships with LMU’s global partners — relationships that Rector helped create.
“Pam put her heart and soul into the CSA,” said Choitz. “Although it was her baby, in addition to her daughter Grace of course, she knew it needed to alter and change, because how it looked 20 years ago doesn’t mean that’s what it looks like now. I think she should be a part of that for a longer time than just her 20-plus years of working there, so when I was approached to contribute to the endowment, it wasn’t even a hesitation. It was my way to honor her.”
Added Furlong, “We’re helping people understand what their purpose is in this world, and CSA is a huge part of that for many of our students. The center will continue to grow with the help of people who believe in a vision where we are working hard to make the world a more wonderful place for us all to live in.”
To honor Pam Rector and the important work of the Center for Service and Action, visit here.