Ashley Kitch ’26 brought her passion for volunteering to Virginia Tech, where she took on a key leadership role during the 2023 recreation of the English Club. Despite having no prior leadership experience, Kitch, who majored in English literature and professional and technical writing, forged ahead to build a community she was proud to lead — one where students can connect with peers, learn new skills, and explore career opportunities.

Before Virginia Tech, you volunteered for a senior citizen food bank in Philadelphia. What was that experience like?

Once a month, on Sunday morning, you pick up five to 10 meals. You drive around to different addresses, and you drop off a frozen meal at each location. That was just so interesting because I was 16 or 17, and I was able to go to different parts of the city that I had never been to.

I don’t think anyone’s against volunteering, but at some point, you do flip the switch. So now I definitely maintain the fact that I want to do what I can to help people, and that can extend past organization-type stuff. I try to do it in my daily life.

How did you end up in a leadership position with the English Club?

It was pretty informal at the time of restarting. We all joined a Zoom, and Rebecca Weaver-Hightower, the faculty advisor to the club, asked who was interested in officer positions.

She had us talk for 30 seconds about why we wanted to do that [role], and then we voted during a Zoom call. And at the time they voted me president. Then I realized I didn’t know how to be president. So, there was another student, Angela Lee, that had wanted to do it, and I said, 'Can we be co-presidents?.' She said 'yes,' and the three of us — me, her, and Weaver-Hightower — figured out how to register the club officially with the university.

Without a format to run the club, how did your group overcome the struggles of launching it?

That first year was hard because no one was really that interested [in joining]. We didn’t have anything established. There were quite a few meetings where we didn’t know how to run a club. We didn’t know where to post stuff or what to do to get people to come, so there were quite a few times where one person showed up.

We had scheduling issues with an officer or two, and it got to a point where we needed to figure out how to make sure that the officers who are involved actually want to be involved and have the time to commit to it. In that moment, we realized we needed to find people who showed that they were committed to the club and then transition them into cabinet or officer member positions.

With your new system, if a member wants to become an officer, what would they have to do?

We have about six meetings per semester. For the first three meetings, students attend to show that they are available for those times. They can shadow an officer for the second half of the semester. Then the next semester, they can be an officer. This system has proven well. 

Your work over the years shows your drive for volunteer work. What keeps pushing you to volunteer?

I feel very fulfilled by volunteering. I think that providing services can be a really fulfilling thing. I have fun doing this. Learning about the community is interesting. It’s something that you don’t realize that you’re doing until you’re doing it. You’re getting to know professors and their students and then learning about the different outreach opportunities.

I’m so glad that we can create a tiny space where people can just come and have a little bit of fun. I think that’s kind of the whole point. I just want people to be able to go do something fun.

What advice would you give to persuade your younger self to lead the English Club?

I would say don’t be scared of it. Do your best to embrace it.

Some quotes were edited and condensed for clarity.

Written by Zachary D. Harner, technical and scientific communication major

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