General Alumni Profile

From uncertainty to entrepreneurship: Jem Iwatsubo's "Challenge Accepted" moment

05 October 2026

When Jem Iwatsubo arrived in the United States as a teenager from the Philippines, she carried more than her own ambitions. She was helping support her sisters, paying for college herself, and searching for a path forward.

There was no roadmap waiting for her.

While walking through campus, Jem noticed a flyer taped to a bathroom stall promoting a student essay contest. Intrigued, she decided to enter. Soon after, she received a call with an unexpected surprise: She had won.

That small victory encouraged Jem to look for other opportunities, including scholarships. Her efforts paid off when she received the Dimitri and Maggie Georgiadis Endowed Scholarship.

For Jem, the scholarship provided more than financial support. It was a reminder that someone believed in her potential—and that she should keep reaching for opportunities.

Years later, Jem still remembers that moment.

"Receiving a scholarship reminded me that people believed in me and wanted me to succeed. It taught me that opportunities are there if you're willing to reach for them."

Her experience is far from unique. Reynolds intentionally weaves scholarship opportunities into the student journey. Combined with financial aid, the college's affordable tuition and scholarship support contributes to a powerful outcome: more than 90% of Reynolds graduates leave without any educational debt.

After graduating from Reynolds, Jem transferred to the University of Virginia, where she earned bachelor's degrees in psychology and biotechnology. She later went on to complete a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling at Liberty University.

"I'm truly living the American dream," she said. "Just because my childhood was hard, didn't mean my future had to be. Reynolds really reinforced that idea for me."

Today, Jem is a clinical therapist and founder of Piedmont Counseling Collective, a therapy practice of more than 15 clinicians with offices in Charlottesville and Richmond. She specializes in couples counseling and relationship workshops, where she helps individuals and families navigate life's most challenging moments.

Five women smiling together indoors in front of a white wall with a large blue abstract painting. On the far left, a woman with long blonde hair stands wearing a black dress and metallic boots. Three women sit on a black couch in the center: one in a patterned blouse, Jem Iwatsubo in the middle wearing a bright pink blazer over a neutral dress with knee-high brown boots, and another in a white sweater and blue jeans. On the far right, a woman with long brown hair stands wearing a black cardigan and dark trousers.

At Reynolds she turned possibility into momentum.

Looking back, Jem says her Reynolds credential represents the moment she bet on herself.

"It's proof that where you start doesn't define where you end up," she said.

During her time at Reynolds she met students from a wide range of backgrounds and discovered an interest in people and relationships that would eventually shape her career.

She sees her Reynolds education as the foundation of her success.

"At Reynolds, I learned how to connect with people from all walks of life and meet them where they are. That's something I still use every day as a therapist."

She credits professors Karen Neal and Brian Rhodes for helping her see what passion for learning looked like in practice.

“The real value was the one-on-one time with professors who genuinely loved teaching and cared about their students.”

What began as an affordable pathway to higher education sparked a career she never imagined when she first enrolled.

Today, she helps others navigate life's challenges and discover possibilities they may not yet see in themselves—the same lesson she learned at Reynolds.