The wandering Vandy soul

Once upon a time there lived a freshman student at Vanderbilt University named Laura O'Donnell. Laura really enjoyed exploring life away from home in the wonderful city of Nashville after spending the first 18 years of her life in the quiet, sheltered town of Zionsville, Indiana. Oh what fun to experience and what trouble there was to get into in Nashvegas. So much to do, so little time it seemed. Life was new and exciting as well as a bit challenging. Who knew that college professors would actually expect you to do work?!?

Laura spent much of her high school career enjoying the delightful world of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) through her experiences in her local congregation, Zionsville Christian Church, and through her work on both the Indiana Youth Commission and the General Youth Council. She was very sad when she realized that once she graduated high school she would no longer be able to work with these youth event planning committees.

So what did the poor girl do? Well, let me tell you what she did... She became a HELM Leadership Fellow, that's what she did. And what has the HELM Leadership Fellows program done for this wandering Vandy soul? The program has given Laura the small push that she needed to stay active in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Laura has begun her work with the youth of Vine Street Christian Church in Nashville. The congregation of Vine Street has been very welcoming thus far and Laura is very excited to have found such a wonderful church. She has high hopes for becoming active in the Tennessee region and looks forward to what is to come.

Her first meeting with the other Leadership Fellows in November 2005 has shown her that there are other young adults that are very inspired and well-equipped to further and better the life of this church. The future of this church is bright with the power of the amazing and talented, sometimes even hero-like, Leadership Fellows behind it. The wandering Vandy student is no longer wandering because she has found a home and the potential for leadership through her connection with Vine Street Christian Church. She is very excited to spend her next four years growing in community with the other fellows and expanding her leadership skills through her work on campus and in the local church community. Life is good.

And Laura lived happily ever after (it has to end like a fairy tale if it's going to start like one).

Laura O'Donnell is in her first year as a HELM Leadership Fellow and is a member of Zionsville Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Zionsville, Indiana.