Payal Roy during PCC's Holi Celebration

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. – After three years of hiatus, International Yoga Day returns to the Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus from 8-9:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 21, in the Building 5 gymnasium. Join yoga instructors Carol Gonzalez and Lloyd Pauze who will be leading the free event to raise awareness of the many benefits of yoga.

The theme is “Yoga for Humanity.” Beginners are welcome and a few mats are available. However, it is suggested to bring water, a towel and your own mat, according to event organizer Payal Roy. She is also giving away free T-shirts to the first 100 participants. 

“Yoga is oneness, love of self. It fills the heart as you get a chance to go inside yourself. See the body as a temple and fight depression, too,” said Roy, who was first introduced to yoga at PCC.

As the college emerges from the effects of the pandemic, some in PCC’s community may feel less connected. Roy, a math instructor, is helping to rebuild the community through the planning of campus events to engage and rally the community. Her effort to organize yoga day is part of her engagement.

Longtime Teacher

This fall, Roy will celebrate 20 years of teaching at PCC. She said she is a creative person who wants to bring us all together. This past March, Roy reminded the college of its oneness with an event dedicated to celebrating the Indian holiday Holi.

“Holi Festival of Colors brought us together, removed identities and labels,” said Roy, who grew up in India as her grandparents had to flee ancestral Bangladesh. “We became like four-year-olds playing together. It was a big success: We expected about 100 people to show up but around 270 people came! People are hungry for such cultural experiences, especially this one, which has been carrying on for more than 7,000 years.”

In India, Roy was awarded the President’s Gold Medal during her undergraduate studies for all-around excellence. She earned her master’s degree in mathematics while teaching. Then, in 2002, she married and moved to Oregon and joined PCC as a student taking computer classes. She then became a math tutor and teacher at PCC in 2004. 

“Payal is a dedicated educator and professional committed to cultivating a sense of belonging for her students through culturally responsive practices,” said Jeremy Estrella, associate vice president of Academic & Career Pathways. “She hosts and facilitates college events and celebrations like Holi to help broaden this sense of belonging to the larger PCC community.”

Making Her Career Work

Roy prioritized family and work-life balance by teaching at PCC in the evenings when her two sons were small. She also credits math department faculty Jon Wherry, and Diane Edwards (now retired) who valued and engaged her by sending her to conferences and workshops that were eye-opening. The development opportunities helped her become a full-time instructor.

Today, she believes her teaching style brings an emotional and cultural connection through stories so concepts stick better with students. And she’s excited to once again lead International Yoga Day.

“I’m inviting our whole community to join in the Yoga Day celebration,” she said. “Come relax and know your body better. At the end you will feel so much joy.”

About Portland Community College: Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 50,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, 10 education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.

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