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Adriana Peña is clear on one thing: the value of community service. It leaves a long-lasting impact on others and helps individuals recover from trauma — a feeling the 20-year-old UF business administration junior is all too familiar with.
Peña, American-born with Colombian and Puerto Rican roots, was living in Parkland, Florida, when the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School occurred in 2018. The tragedy, which occurred when she was a 12-year-old in seventh grade, sparked a commitment to nonprofit work.
Hoping to make a positive impact on those affected by the shooting, Peña’s family created Shine MSD, a nonprofit centered on healing through the arts. As a student ambassador, she helped out at community events centered around using art as a healing method and ending gun violence.
“I just always knew therapy and mental health, and supporting communities in need, has always been really important to me,” Peña said. “Whatever I was going to do in college, I wanted to be a part of a community that helps people.”
At UF, she immersed herself in Kesem, a nationwide organization focused on supporting children whose lives have been affected by a parent’s cancer. Kesem operates through over 100 college campuses across the U.S. Although it hosts year-round programs, one of the highlights is Camp Kesem, a weeklong, free summer camp for children aged 6 to 18.
After joining the UF chapter, Peña became a counselor, attended the camp and spent time with the kids — something she continues to do today. She became the outreach coordinator after her first year. She is now the director of operations, where she gets to put the camp together and create a bit of “Kesem magic,” as Peña described.
“Adriana has a very welcoming personality. She's always going the extra mile to make sure that all of our campers are included,” said Halle Dolce, a UF criminology and Spanish senior who works with Peña at Camp Kesem. “Adriana is a very involved leader. She's really passionate about Camp Kesem and passionate about the cause.”
But Peña’s leadership and character extend beyond Camp Kesem. For her, the work she does translates into her everyday life.
Peña’s character is special: she is passionate about ensuring everyone around her feels welcome and important, said Esther Umansky-Roth, Peña’s childhood piano teacher and mentor.
“She's always had a very big heart. ... It's only grown since the time I've met her. It's only gotten bigger,” Umansky-Roth said.
For Peña, her goal remains the same: to make people smile.
“I think that's what we do … just bringing out that magic, childhood playfulness, even in kids who are, like, 18,” Peña said. “Being able to truly support them, make them feel connected, make them feel embraced, make them feel seen and heard and valued and uplifted.”
Contact Victoria Riccobono at vriccobono@alligator.org. Follow her on X @vickyriccobono.
Victoria is a junior sports journalism student and an El Caimán reporter in her first semester with The Alligator. In her spare time, she enjoys sports photography, reading, spending time with her friends and family, and trying new restaurants.
