LIFE AT A PACE No matter how busy or demanding life gets, Emma Gaston ’26 always makes time to serve. On a typical day at Joy’s House, cross country and track athlete Emma Gaston ’26 (Biology, Chemistry) isn’t thinking about workout splits or what comes next in her packed schedule. Inside the adult day service center, where many guests are living with progressive neurological conditions, the pace of life is different. She’s thinking about what someone needs in the moment. Maybe that means helping with a craft or going for a walk. Sometimes it’s just sitting in quiet companionship. Different
Each day looks a little different, and each person does too. There’s no script to follow or clear markers for success. “It’s not goal-oriented in that way,” Gaston said. “It’s more so just being present and doing what is needed at the time.” That mindset has become central to who she is. Service isn’t something she schedules around other things. It shapes how she approaches everything else. “The entire journey is not about me, it’s about how I can help others,” she said. Outside of Joy’s House, Gaston’s life moves at a very different pace. Gaston is constantly challenged by the rigors of her life as an athlete and as a chemistry and biology double major—and the packed schedules that come with those aspirations. This fall, she’ll head to Rush University in Chicago, where she was accepted into a highly selective cardiovascular perfusion program, preparing for a role operating the heart-lung machine in open-heart surgeries. It’s a role that demands precision, composure, and the ability to perform under extreme pressure.
“I like things to be intense,” she said. “High pressure, high stress.” That desire shows up everywhere. From her preference for the longest event in track and field, the 10,000 meters, to her demanding academic course load. Even her daily routine of early mornings, packed schedules, and constant movement from one thing to the next reflects a willingness to push the limits. She talks about those environments the same way she talks about a hard workout. There’s a point when things get uncomfortable and it would be easy to back off, but that’s where she leans in. “Embrace the suffering,” she added. “These are the moments I used to pray for.” What makes Gaston compelling is her ability to pair her intensity with compassion. At Joy’s House, success could mean helping someone feel safe and seen for a few hours. In the operating room, it could mean helping save a life. On the track or course, it means pushing through the final
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UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS
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