My transition to Pittsburgh has been nothing short of welcoming and energetic.

My name is Emma Dawson and about a month ago, I moved to Pittsburgh from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Before the move, I was definitely nervous for the cross-country transition and starting my first startup job – I had heard stories of the transitional phase to postgrad life being incredibly hard and that definitely sat with me for a while. However, as soon as I moved in, those stories of postgrad “scaries” could not have been further from the truth. I feel incredibly thankful for the Pittsburgh Alumni, Current 2021 Fellows (especially my VFA Buddy, Vance Wood!), and Community Director, Megan Butler who have all intentionally made me feel so welcomed. From welcome dinners with Fellows, to exploring the Heinz History Museum, to being the first city to host an event this fall – Pittsburgh has quickly become a home for me! Not to mention, showing all of our fellow friends OUR city first was definitely a highlight (get pumped for Oktoburghfest 2023!).

As I have started my new job as Chief of Staff for Civic Champs, I have really enjoyed working at our Pittsburgh co-working space to bounce ideas around with other Fellows. I’m incredibly blessed to work with a great company and team. Civic Champs, especially CEO Geng Wang, has played a pivotal part in this work transition, too. We set time aside every day to go over our agendas and continue to support one another in our everyday projects; the constant feedback has made me feel much more confident in my job and role in our company. Overall, these early days in Pittsburgh have been incredibly telling of how thoughtful and genuine our VFA community is here in Pittsburgh, and I’m excited to continue exploring my new city and community.