Pat graduated from St. Michaels College with a B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology and a minor in Business. His passion for volunteering and serving others was developed while participating in alternative spring break (ASB) trips, both in high school and college. The ASB trips inspired Pat to became an AmeriCorps STATE volunteer with the Vermont Youth Development Corps (VYDC) and later working as the Program Coordinator for a small community-coalition in Essex Junction, Vermont. With his background in non-profit and volunteer work, Pat brings great vision and experience to help steer The Step Outside Initiative, Corp into the future.

Pat attended Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, MA where he developed a strong passion for the service others. He attended is first service trip in 2001 travelling to Appalachia, West Virginia to work for a week on a Catholic Worker Farm. In 2002 Pat travelled to Duran, Ecuador for a week of service to the poor. Living amongst the poor in Ecuador opened his eyes to 'true' poverty and motivated him to want to make a difference.

In college, Pat turned his attention to his studies earning a degree in Sociology and Anthropology, putting into practice the experiences he gathered on his ASB and furthering his understanding of societal influences on the individual and community at large.

During the spring semester in 2005, Pat attended the University of Salzburg in Salzburg, Austria where he gained a cross-cultural understanding of global issues. Continuing with his volunteer efforts, Pat attended two ASB trips in college; working with troubled youth in Long Island at the Hope House in 2004 and building a playground for an under funded elementary school in rural Alabama in 2005. Pat joined the ranks of AmeriCorps after graduation providing direct service support in the role of Activities Coordinator for Essex CHIPS and Teen Center in Essex Junction, VT.

"We don't get to choose our life before we are born, so why should society be allowed, sometimes encouraged, to continually keep the poor down, as if they are less than human. These people are no different than you and me, why should we treat them as such."

-Patrick Scheld, Duran, Ecuador: 2002

E-mail: Pat@stepoutsideinitiative.com

Nathan Williams