TAMPA, Fla. –– Nestled within the second floor of the Vaughn Center is an organization fueled by heart, purpose, and an unshakable commitment to service: the PEACE Volunteer Center. The organization acts as more than just an office or program. PEACE — short for People Exploring Active Community Experiences — serves as a central hub for student volunteers, connecting the campus community to the wider Tampa Bay area through advocacy, direct service, and student empowerment.
PEACE was founded in 1994 as part of The University of Tampa’s student government, and it has evolved over time into an independent, student-run organization that embodies its powerful mission of encouraging volunteerism and advocating for everything service-related across UTampa.
As Bella Monti, the student coordinator for PEACE, puts it, “We are the bridge helping others to be able to experience volunteerism and grow the community.”
After first getting involved as a sophomore, Monti’s passion for volunteerism and leadership soon landed her a central role in the organization.
Over the last three years, Monti has helped organize major events, mentored incoming staff, and overseen PEACE Week, an annual celebration mainly dedicated to service and reflection. Last year marked the volunteer center’s 30th anniversary, and with it came a celebration filled with food vendors, inflatables, brand-new PEACE merchandise, and an outpouring of happiness.
PEACE Week as a whole has become a cornerstone of the organization’s presence on campus.
For this year’s PEACE Week, one of the events included building kits for hospitalized children for the nonprofit Smiles from Sarah, which provides interactive play kits that children can complete from their hospital beds. The kits contained STEM kits with build-your-own volcanoes, decorative pillowcase kits, and creative journal kits containing markers and stickers.
“People were engaged while coming to our events, and they looked like they were enjoying themselves,” said Monti. “We are proud when we see our participants happy with our events and knowing that they can give back to the community.”
In total, the volunteers assembled a total of 228 kits for the children, which is the largest donation that Smiles from Sarah has ever received to date.
Ella McCasland, the director of events for PEACE, credited the campus community’s involvement for the success.
“We couldn’t be more grateful for the participation from the campus community because it certainly would have not been possible without them,” said McCasland.
McCasland, who just transferred last semester to UTampa, found a sense of purpose and belonging through her work with PEACE.
“I have an unpayable debt to the Tampa Bay community and all that it has offered me and all the connections that I’ve built here and opportunities that have been awarded to me,” said McCasland. “I think that service is a great way to sort of repay those dues to the Tampa Bay community and all the people that make it the wonderful place that it is.”
As the director of events, McCasland plays a vital role in bringing the organization’s mission to life on campus. This includes planning large-scale events like PEACE Week, MLK Day of Service, and Into the Streets, plus organizing smaller volunteer opportunities. Her responsibilities also include coordinating with nonprofit partners, designing service events around social justice issues, and collaborating closely with the marketing team to ensure that student outreach is both engaging and effective.
But beyond the logistics, McCasland sees her role as a way to make service accessible.
“My job is to meet people where they’re at,” said McCasland. “We know that there are students who maybe have never served before … My job is to make it easy and accessible [for students].”
McCasland described one of the more impactful stories she had during her time at PEACE while volunteering at The Spring of Tampa Bay, a local nonprofit that supports women who have experienced domestic and sexual violence.
During PEACE’s sponsored event, MLK Day of Service, McCasland and a group of UTampa student volunteers helped out at the nonprofit’s thrift store, where they were guided by a former UTampa employee who had recently transitioned into a new role at The Spring. Although McCasland did not know her, some student volunteers had recognized the woman, creating a special moment.
The former UTampa employee expressed her deep gratitude and pride upon seeing the students who had shown up to serve The Spring, describing it as a “full-circle moment” during what had been a challenging transition.
McCasland reflected on how meaningful the entire encounter was, not just for the woman but for everyone involved. It spoke volumes about the organization’s community impact.
“That is one connection that certainly stands out, and one experience that I feel like really speaks to the connection that we’ve been able to build,” said McCasland.
Both leaders emphasized the transformative nature of the center, not just for those being served but for those who serve.
“I preach to the students that we work with that we are so much more than our grades and our academic performance,” said McCasland. “And I truly feel that volunteering and being an active citizen engaged in service is one way to really strengthen certain muscles that the classroom can’t.”
As students it is easy to live in a bubble, but volunteering is one way to step out of one’s comfort zone and connect to the city, the people, and the issues that truly matter.
Of course, cultivating a culture of volunteerism and service doesn’t come without its challenges. Both Monti and McCasland acknowledged that some of the biggest challenges facing their organization are participation and engaging those unfamiliar with the work that PEACE does.
“We definitely get the same faces who are dedicated and passionate about service, but it’s sometimes hard to reach people who’ve never volunteered before,” said Monti.
McCasland added that the decline in engagement is something many campus organizations are struggling with, but PEACE is actively working to adapt to the challenge by placing extra emphasis on marketing, personalized outreach, and post-event surveys that serve to help shape future events.
“Anytime you see a flyer on campus, or if you see projections on the pool deck on that big screen, or if you see posters in the Vaughn Center on those big aprons in front of the circle desk, all of those are our marketing team, and they do a wonderful job,” said McCasland.
Despite the challenge of engagement, the team at PEACE Volunteer Center recognizes the success they have had so far. From semester kickoff events such as Into the Streets to service trips that take place both locally and beyond international borders, PEACE has not just facilitated volunteerism but created moments of connection for students to grasp onto.
“I think that’s really important to highlight that once students become involved, that they stay engaged with our activities,” said McCasland. “It’s just a testament to the community that we’ve built on campus and the connections that we continue to develop with students.”
What unites the stories of PEACE staff, volunteers, and the communities they serve is their shared sense of purpose. Whether through building pillow kits for the children at the hospital or cleaning up local gardens, PEACE encourages students to see service not as a one-time act but as a lifelong value.
If McCasland could tell every student at UTampa one thing about PEACE, it would be this: “We are a student-oriented resource. We are run by students for students … our goal is to be personable and to connect students to our community. And we, at the end of the day, serve as a resource for students to either engage in service that we host or to help students amplify their own impact on the greater Tampa Bay community.”
In the next five to ten years, both Monti and McCasland hope to see PEACE grow even further, become a central force of change on campus, and build stronger bridges between UTampa students and the world beyond.
“We’re all teamwork,” said Monti. “There’s a lot of team bonding, and we’re open to everyone. If you’re just happy to help, if you’re passionate, if you wanna come and help us and volunteer, then you’ve come to the right place.”
At the end of the day, the true legacy of PEACE is already written in the everyday moments: a handmade kit, a shared bond during service, or a new friend found through a blanket-making event. Because at its heart, PEACE is about people: people exploring, connecting, and making the world a little kinder, one act of service at a time.
—
For students interested in volunteering or connecting with the PEACE Volunteer Center, visit their office in Vaughn 206 or follow @peace_volunteercenter on Instagram. You can also email at peace@ut.edu. Their door is always open for those who are interested in learning more about volunteering and making an impact on both their local and campus community.
––
Photos courtesy of @peace_volunteercenter.