Hello! It’s wonderful to meet you digitally. My name is Jessica Church and I am the Chief of Staff for Before The Fall Orientation (BTFO). This means that I lead a team of ~16 small group leaders who will be shepherding you all through the orientation process. They are awesome. You will get to know them better in a future blog and then eventually in person!
More about me: I grew up in Roanoke, Virginia and graduated from the University of Virginia (go hoos!) in 2013. After college, I moved to Washington, DC and worked in politics for five years. This included stints as the political director for the South Carolina Democratic Party, the women’s director for Hillary Clinton’s campaign in Florida, and an advocacy manager at the National Women’s Law Center.
I entered YDS as an MAR Comprehensive, but switched to MDiv in the spring of my first year. Now, I am a second-year MDiv focused on how theology can inform public policy and social movements. After graduating in 2021, I hope to return to political work and I say a prayer every day that there will be a woman in the White House.
In my free time (what free time), I like to read fiction, exercise, spend time with friends, and drink wine. I’m also in a prayer group with some other YDS students and work a few odd-ball jobs. And this year, I am YDS student body president.
One of the best parts about YDS is the community of people. I love walking through these halls every day getting to connect with friends and classmates. Sometimes it’s for a hug, sometimes a laugh, and sometimes, a quick cry (but really, it happens). Plus, I live in the divinity school apartments so I’m always close by.
When you all arrive at YDS this August, please flag me down, say hello, and introduce yourself. I love this community deeply and I hope you’ll love it too!
This is me at the Poor People’s Moral Action Congress running on four hours of sleep!