WORCESTER, Mass.– Coming from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, to Worcester, Massachusetts, was a big change for Victoria Pastor '25, who described visiting campus for the first time in February of 2020 as the "Coldest Day Ever." However, she was drawn to Clark because of the welcoming professors and the size and community of the school, describing Clark as a place where "everyone knew each other," which reminded her of the small high school she attended in Puerto Rico.
Her favorite part of her time at Clark was her final season in 2024, a year that saw the Cougars go 14-12, including Pastor's favorite game in the scarlet and white, a five-set win over Babson where she recorded a career-best 26 kills. "Being on a team just makes it so much more fun. You're so much more engaged, you meet a lot of new people. It has made my experience a lot better."
Nearly six years after her arrival on campus, Pastor has transitioned from student-athlete to coach, joining the 2025 volleyball coaching staff as an assistant. "It was unexpected, but as soon as Coach (Heckler) offered, since I also have a great relationship with him, I was easily convinced."
Pastor admitted that it can be difficult coaching your friends but called the opportunity "super fun," adding, "It was interesting seeing everything from the other side... I've learned a lot. It's fun to find ways to communicate all the things you think in a good way."
The reason Pastor has been able to return to Clark is because of her job with Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll), a nonprofit located in Worcester. She is a Bilingual Enrollment Coordinator for the national organization, helping people start and develop businesses through free programs.
"It has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I started this job basically because of Clark. The person who offered me the position went to Clark, so I met him here, and I also did a minor in entrepreneurship at Clark. My mentor, Teresa Quinn, brought me into the entrepreneurship world. She pushed me to stay in the program, do my minor, and compete in one of the competitions... When he was looking for someone to hire, he asked Teresa, and she recommended me. Basically, Clark helped me a lot to get this position."
She went on to say, "It's been really great to meet people in Worcester and also work with the Latino population, which is really important to me because I'm from Puerto Rico. It's also made it feel a little bit like home, being able to work in Spanish because I have a bilingual position."
When asked what advice she would give to incoming students, Pastor said, "Come with an open mind. It is going to be different from home, being able to adapt is really important." She ended by saying, "Try to see the positive things in everything."
Flipping the question around, this time about graduating seniors, Pastor advised, "Don't lay back and wait for a job, keep it going until you get where you want to be. Don't settle. If you start your first post-grad job and you don't like it, it's fine to just go on to your next opportunity. Keep your doors open. I'd say the most important thing is connecting with people. Talk to everyone, introduce yourself to anyone you can, and LinkedIn's great."
