Pace Academy parents Shivani and Krishna Mukkamala, both physicians, “experienced firsthand the power of Pace during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Shivani says. While the impact of the virus was taxing on them professionally, the couple was reassured by the knowledge that their daughter, Shriya Mukkamala ’30, was learning and thriving. “We knew her education was at the forefront for each Pace educator,” she adds.

Since Shriya came to Pace in Pre-First, the Mukkamalas have felt a deep connection to the Pace community. They are grateful to be part of a school where families are engaged, and for them participating in the Accelerate Pace campaign was a priority. 

“Accelerate Pace will help the entire school strive for excellence from a curriculum, community and facility standpoint,” Krishna explains. “We are excited to see the Lower School’s facilities match [those of] the Middle and Upper Schools. The new spaces for STEAM classes will provide a setting where our children will combine academics, art and technology to equip them with the skills to face modern challenges.”

Above all, the Mukkamalas value the impact of the Pace experience on their daughter. “Because of this [COVID-19] experience, we are able to see the qualities of resilience and independence that Pace has instilled in our daughter to allow her to adapt to a changing world,” Krishna says.