Image of Fiona Pelkie.
Fiona Pelkie is a junior at PSU, majoring in Social Sciences with a minor in Child, Youth and Family Studies and she is currently Campus Rec’s Outdoor Program Equipment Center Student Coordinator. In addition to her position as Student Coordinator, Fiona has played an integral role in planning a Fat Positive Climbing Night event and she is excited to work towards creating a space for people who are not equally represented in outdoor activities. When Fiona is not at work, you can find her hiking, watching movies, thrift shopping, or searching for the perfect swimming spot outside.
Born and raised in Bellingham, Washington, Fiona grew up with a love of the outdoors. She says she is immensely grateful that she was raised in a family that had a passion for the outdoors and she spent much of her childhood hiking, skiing and camping. Despite some challenges over the years, this passion has sparked her commitment to the goal of increasing accessibility and inclusion in outdoor-related experiences for everyone, while celebrating all the different kinds of strengths that people's bodies have.
Fiona joined the Campus Rec team in June 2021 as an Equipment Center Attendant and has recently transitioned into her role as Equipment Center Student Coordinator. She has enjoyed gaining more responsibility, supporting her team and collaborating with prostaff. Fiona works closely with her supervisors Claire Nelson, Outdoor Program Coordinator, and Chris Bullard, Senior Outdoor Program Coordinator, and says that their support has been integral in this transition. One goal Fiona has for her position is to increase community building across the different departments within the Outdoor Program. She hopes to bring these teams together that often function separately from one another.
Fiona’s favorite part of her role is the ability to connect with people from many walks of life. There is a running joke on her team that if a customer says that they had a long phone call with someone, the team knows it was Fiona because she is always invested and excited to hear about their planning and trips. Throughout Fiona’s time with Campus Rec, she has learned the importance of community. She says that she did not realize how disconnected she felt from PSU until she began this role, and she now feels a strong sense of belonging and connection.
Fiona’s advice for fellow student employees is, “Don’t be afraid to ask for help”. She encourages student employees to seek support from people outside of your specific work area to continue building connections. Fiona hopes to continue her future career in Outdoor Education with a focus on outdoor therapy groups. She has a busy summer ahead as she will be participating in a capstone this summer that provides a summer camp to support adults diagnosed with developmental disabilities.
Thank you for all you do, Fiona! We are looking forward to seeing you around the Rec. Be sure to say hi to Fiona if you see her around.