Student spotlight: Pay attention to the “bread crumbs”

  1. Student spotlight: A second chance at seminary
  2. Student spotlight: Pay attention to the “bread crumbs”
  3. Student spotlight: Relationship leads to Union
  4. Student spotlight: The twisting path to seminary
  5. Student spotlight: Longtime educator yearns to learn more
  6. Student Spotlight: Dana Purdom digs deep
  7. Alec Powell: The Unconventional Call
  8. Kate Meeks: Theology & Food Justice
  9. Nancy Myer: Lifelong learning
  10. Senator Scott: Finding community and connection
  11. Colleen Earp: Camping, conservation, and chickens
  12. In “Reference” to Paula Skreslet
  13. Paul Smith: From police officer to pastor
  14. Heather Woodworth Brannon advocates for housing justice in Richmond

BY JEFF STAPLETON

Everyone seemed to see the potential for a career in the church except for Master of Divinity/Master of Arts in Christian Education student Isabella Fagiani. Growing up in Niagara Falls, New York, just five minutes from the famous waterfalls and a stone’s throw away from the Canadian Border, Fagiani was always involved in the Presbyterian church from a young age.

“I took a lay academy class about preaching through my presbytery when I was 15 and I loved it because I love public speaking,” she said. “I became an ordained elder when I was 14.”

While attending Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina, and majoring in communications, she still was involved in church activities. She started volunteering at a church in Charlotte.

“I started doing youth ministry, which I really love,” she said. “I went to General Assembly as a Young Adult Delegate.”

While volunteering at that Charlotte church, Fagiani was given a book by the pastor called “This Odd and Wondrous Calling: The Public and Private Lives of Two Ministers.” She recalls the pastor telling her, “I think there have been a lot of ‘bread crumbs’ that are trying to get your attention but you haven’t been noticing.”

In 2010, Fagiani attended the Presbyterian Youth Triennium and there she learned of a program called Project Burning Bush. While attending that program, she learned about Union Presbyterian Seminary.  She wasn’t sold on attending until she spoke with Mairi Renwick (M.Div.’11), the director of admissions at Union.

Fagiani was a competitive figure skater growing up and still loves it to this day.

“It’s a sport that taught me a lot about discipline and not comparing yourself with other people and just being content with doing the best that you can do,“ she said.

Fagiani also spent 11 months in Scotland as part of a Young Adult Volunteer Year. She worked for the Church of Scotland doing various community development work in the Southside of Glasgow in Castlemilk. She spent a day each week in a church-founded carpenters workshop where community members come in and learn basic carpentry skills and share a meal together.

“It rocked my notion of what church currently is and allowed me to see what church can be when we live out the Gospel in the everyday.”