
Lauren Heatherly joins Vanderbilt Divinity School as the Assistant Director of Admissions and Enrollment after living the past seven years in Brooklyn, NY. Originally from New Orleans and raised near Cincinnati, Ohio, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU), where she was active on the worship team, as a small group leader, and in the admissions office. After graduation, she was recruited to the admissions counseling team, and worked closely with the Director of Multicultural Affairs to recruit diverse students across Ohio. Her efforts included attending sports events, school plays, and church services, and organizing overnight visits to promote college access.
Between higher education roles, Lauren worked in various retail jobs, including as a personal shopper and grocery stocker (ask her about Trader Joe’s!). She then joined The Ohio State University in 2012, starting in the student services office and advancing to Assistant Director of Outreach in Student Financial Aid, which included presenting across campus and nationwide on college affordability. Her focus has always been on removing barriers to higher education for underrepresented students.
After five years in Columbus, she moved to Brooklyn in 2017, fulfilling her dream of living in NYC. Less than a year later she reconnected with Ohio State, when she accepted the remote role of Regional Recruitment Manager in Undergraduate Admissions to recruit future Buckeyes from NY and NJ. She is proud to share that outside of Ohio, New York now sends the most students to Ohio State each year, with New Jersey close behind.
With her immediate family now in Nashville and Murfreesboro, Lauren is excited to reunite with them and is most looking forward to being “Auntie LoLo” to her nephew Bowen. She believes finding this position at Vanderbilt was truly Divine intervention and she’d love to tell you the story! Lauren is passionate about meeting the next generation of prophets at VDS and expanding the impact of the school globally. She is always ready to talk about music, fashion, culture, or theological questions and can’t wait to meet you!