Meet Our Riders: Ludmilla Parnell
"The country's future progress in this area depends on our ability to provide a good education and to help those with talent achieve their goals in this area."
Cycle for STEM is full of people eager to have a whole lot of fun riding their bikes and ribbing each other. But the fun surrounds a critical core purpose—raising money and awareness of the need for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies. Six-day rider Ludmilla Parnell explains the importance of this cause as she describes her reasons for dedicating a week of her life to pedaling a bike for it.
“I'm riding in Cycle for STEM 2014 for a couple of reasons,” she explains. “For one, I think it's important that we encourage students and educators to pursue technical and science education and to give them the resources to excel in this area. The country's future progress in this area depends on our ability to provide a good education and to help those with talent achieve their goals in this area. My own son is an engineering student at Virginia Tech and I was a science grad and a practicing scientist for several years, so I appreciate the work it takes to achieve success in the STEM areas.
“But we also need to help those who have the capabilities yet may lack the financial resources,” she continues. “I hope that our contribution through our generous donors will provide support to deserving students and educators.”
Ludmilla, who has been an AFCEA member for years and actively participates with the association’s Small Business Committee, is also riding in Cycle for STEM 2014 this July as a personal challenge. Through her AFCEA affiliations she’s met many great people (including the other awesome Cycle for STEMmers), and this ride offered a way to test herself physically and mentally while supporting the organization and its Educational Foundation.
Don’t be mistaken, however. Ludmilla is dedicated and driven, but she’s ready to enjoy herself just as much as everyone else. “I'm looking forward to all parts of the ride: the first couple of days with the hills; the beautiful scenery along the way; and the camaraderie I anticipate will develop as we all have moments of exhaustion, and maybe even discouragement, but pull one another to succeed as a team toward the end goal of finishing the ride.”
To prepare, she is taking short training rides on weekdays and long training rides on the weekends. Ludmilla also swims three times a week to keep her upper body fit. The first weekend in June she logged 100 miles and will try to keep increasing both the weekend and weekday rides until the official event begins on July 13th.
Ludmilla’s enthusiasm, dedication and sportsmanship make her a blessing to the team, but she’s not relying on humans alone for Godspeed. “I am also getting a group of my ‘prayer warrior’ friends together to pray not only for me, but for our entire team—both cyclists and volunteers—that God's grace would be with us all,” she explains.
Cycle for STEM raises money for STEM scholarships which are awarded through AFCEA’s Educational Foundation. The entire trip travels from Pittsburgh, PA, to Washington, D.C., along the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath from July 13-19. Six-day, four-day and one-day ride options are available. Come join Ludmilla and all the fun! You can register at www.afcea.org/events/cycleforstem/14/register.asp.
Ready to be involved but not to hop on a bike? Donate instead. All your generosity goes directly to STEM scholarships. You can give online at www.afcea.org/events/cycleforstem/14/donate.asp.
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