Community Service Officer Rochelle Law-Wagener joined USN part-time in 2020 and transitioned to full-time in 2021. CSO Lakeith Washum joined USN in 2016. CSOs provide safety and security-related functions, including perimeter and parking lot security, traffic direction, access control, and special event staffing.
Q: Tell us about your training. Law-Wagener: Equipped with rigorous, annual training provided by Vanderbilt University Public Safety, I obtained my license as an unarmed security guard in June 2019. Since then, I have collaborated with USN and VUPS to ensure safety protocols and proactively monitor campus activities, fostering a secure environment for all our students, faculty, and staff. Washum: I started working with campus security for Vanderbilt University Public Safety in 2014. Prior to this, I worked with at-promise youth at the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center and served as a counselor for Group Effort with these students. I also worked as a machinist/trainer in the military defense industry. I have my B.S. in Criminal Justice.
Q: What do you love about your job? Law-Wagener: My journey into this profession was inspired by the desire to combine my customer service skills with my passion for safety and security in school communities. My love of working with children stems from a genuine appreciation for the boundless creativity and potential in young minds. Witnessing the talents and ingenuity of students at USN constantly inspires me and reinforces my commitment to ensuring their safety. Washum: What I love most about my job is ensuring the safety and security of all who need help. Doing this in a school setting is incredibly meaningful, and I view all USN students as part of my family.
Q: What is your favorite thing about USN? Law-Wagener: My favorite elements at USN are the dynamic arts and theater program and the unwavering dedication of our creative, compassionate teachers. Washum: I look forward to coming to work every day because I know USN has the greatest teachers, staff, parents, and students who take education seriously.
Q: What is something people may not know about you? Law-Wagener: When I am away from USN, I enjoy reading, cinema, cooking, and staying active with yoga and exercise. Before joining law enforcement, I had a fulfilling career as a photographer and photo editor. Washum: I am passionate about empowering and training women with defensive concepts to utilize against various types of assault. I am a certified Rape Aggression Defense instructor and teach a comprehensive course for women that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance, and the basics of hands-on defense training.
Q: Tell us about your family. Law-Wagener: I am happily married and the proud mother of a daughter pursuing her Ph.D. in Quantitative Methods at Vanderbilt. Our household would not be complete without our beloved cat, Luna, who thinks she is a lioness. Washum: I am happily married with three daughters, and in July, I will be promoted to the position of very proud grandfather.
Liv O'Hara '25 (All-State) and Madeleine Wiseman '27 finished top-20 at the cross country state championship, and the boys team — led by a top-10 finish by Drew Zwerner '28 — finished second in the state.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.