Sept. 16, 2009
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An ace on the pitch and an ace in the community, Vanderbilt senior Megan Forester has been making a positive impact on Vanderbilt’s soccer team since she was a freshman, but she has been making an even larger impact in the community since before she arrived on campus. Born and raised just outside Nashville in Hendersonville, Tenn., Forester has been active in the community since high school and has spent the past three summers mentoring underprivileged children at the Martha O’Bryan Center in East Nashville. Beyond her leadership in the community, Forester also is a leader on the soccer field. As a senior, Forester has embraced the opportunity to lead the Commodores and is taking the role in stride as she hopes to lead Vanderbilt back to the SEC Tournament for the first time since she was a freshman in 2006. She is majoring in human and organizational development and will graduate in May.
On being a leader on the team
I love it. On this team, you don’t even need one leader because everyone is a leader and leads each other on the field. Everyone gets along so well on this team that you don’t really have to do too much, but support everyone.
On her summer
I worked, and I worked out this summer and that was about it. I worked at the Martha O’Bryan Center, and this is my third summer to work there. I worked there all summer while working out for the team.
On her work at the Martha O’Bryan Center
It is a summer camp for underprivileged children. We basically do athletics, academics and go on field trips with them. It is a summer camp for the kids to go to while their parents are working, and it is a lot of fun helping out and being a part of their lives.
On how she became involved with the Martha O’Bryan Center
My freshman year, Amy Bauman, who was a junior when I was a freshman, had worked there the year before and she had told me about it. I went the summer after my freshman year, and I’ve just kept going back.
On what made her interested in giving back to the community
In high school we had to do 40 hours of community service as part of my social justice class. From doing that I just got used to it, and it became something I always did.
On being from Hendersonville, Tenn., and getting to play in front of her family and friends all the time
I absolutely love it because I always have people here watching me. A lot of the players from outside of Nashville only get to play in front of their parents a few games, and mine are at every single home game, so I really enjoy it.
On the goal of getting back to the SEC Tournament
It is the main goal. We want nothing more than to be able to be back at the SEC Tournament, and this time I want to actually get to play in it because last time I had mono. I was there, but I didn’t get to play. My first game back was the NCAA Tournament that year.
On how difficult it is to get to the SEC Tournament
It isn’t easy to get in it. You think that since the top eight of 12 go, it would be easy, but it isn’t because the competition in this league is so hard.
On her plans after graduation
It kind of depends on where I get an internship, but I’d like to go to grad school and major in physical therapy. If that doesn’t work out, something along the lines of working somewhere like the Martha O’Bryan Center would be something I’d be interested in doing.
