Leah Bush
Hometown: Oxford, Mississippi
Role at Trevecca: My work as the TreeCycle VISTA at the Trevecca Urban Farm involves coordinating our tree plantings and bike clinics, recruiting youth participants, maintaining our digital tracking systems and assisting in the environmental operations that take place on the farm. A strong and recurring theme in my role is connecting with our local community. It is only by working together that we can uphold and respond to the mission and goals of TreeCycle. As a program of the Trevecca Urban Farm, TreeCycle aims to alleviate poverty, fight against hunger and provide environmental education and job experience to youth in our local community. We dream together to fill Nashville with fruit and nut trees and create a community that is flourishing with food and canopy cover. Through this work, we hope to support the mental and physical health of our neighbors.
Hobbies: Videography/Video Editing, listening to music, paddleboarding, spending time with God in worship and rest.
Raegan Heldt
Hometown: Hazleton, Indiana
Role at Trevecca: As the Urban Farm VISTA, I focus on recruiting and managing volunteers from on and off campus. I connect with our local neighbors to build relationships and inspire them to care for our world and the creatures in it. I take a deep dive into environmental justice, urban ecology and conservation and food equity, all of which are issues that hit close to home here in Nashville. In my position, I inspire others to help heal our planet, connect with God’s Creation, practice permaculture and sustainability and build lasting relationships with the Earth and each other.
Hobbies: Baking with sourdough, having a good cup of coffee, running, hiking, being outdoors with the people I love and hanging out with my chickens.
Holden Payseur
Hometown: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Role at Trevecca: I am the Social Justice VISTA in the J.V. Morsch Center for Social Justice. In this position, I have the privilege of connecting Trevecca students to service-focused organizations in our community. I help create and maintain partnerships with various non-profits, enabling Trevecca's student body to fulfill its mission of Christ-minded service while enhancing the work within community organizations. As a Youth Ministry graduate of Trevecca's Religion department, I especially want to focus on helping at-risk teenagers in our community. I am actively engaged in community outreach, and I look forward to seeing how I can combine my volunteer service with my vocation.
Hobbies: Running, fencing, working out, hiking, reading, coffee, travel and movies.
Brice Rupert
Hometown: Charleston, South Carolina
Role at Trevecca: I am the Center for Student Development VISTA at Trevecca Nazarene University. My position allows me to directly connect with and serve alongside students. My current responsibility gives me ample opportunity to care for students in real and effective ways. This allows us to formulate trusting relationships as we serve our neighbors humbly together. I graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts focused on religion and youth ministry. My goal is to connect students to meaningful service opportunities and empower them to be the change they want to see in their neighborhoods.
Hobbies: Video/board games, spending time with friends/family and volunteering at church.
