Chelsea Mabes

Wonder Woman

Chelsea Mabes is one of those “do it all” college students. She is taking a full class load, is a member of women’s chorale, sings in the women’s A Cappella group: Title Nine, holds positions in her sorority Alpha Omicron Pi and the honors fraternity Alpha Lambda Delta, works two jobs, plays the guitar and piano and on top of all that, Chelsea is learning how to play the ukulele. “I’d like to think I’m a typical college student,” Mabes said. She is a positive and energetic person who wants to live life to it’s fullest.

Chelsea Mabes is at MacKracken fields during Bid Day 2011 for Alpha Omicron Pi. She is holding the II in AOPi

Her Beginning

            Chelsea was born on New Years Day, 1992. She was the first child born in Shelby County in that year. Esco & Georgia Mabes adopted Chelsea when she was nine months old. Her father worked for Ford Motors as an engineer for over 30 years before retiring when Chelsea graduated from High School. Now her father installs carpets and both of her parents rent out homes as realtors. “My mom and dad are just so different, but I love them so much,” she said. “They work together really well.”

Chelsea learned she was adopted in the second grade but didn’t find her biological parents and grandparents until she was 13. She grew up with one of her biological brothers, Jordyn, and met her other two siblings when she was 10 years old. Soon after she found her biological parents, they both passed away. Her adoptive mother survived ovarian cancer and was unable to have children. They were both in their 40’s when they adopted Chelsea.  “My parents wanted me; they fought for me; they went through interviews … to have me,” she said about her parents. “So there has never been a doubt in my mind.”

Chelsea with her big, Alex Johnson at a friends house. She and her big are getting ready for a night out.

Her Goals

            Chelsea is a music therapy major here at Ohio University. She wants to use her skills in singing and playing to bring therapy to patients. “I’m still very new to the field,” she said about her future career. “Music therapy is so broad. You can work in Elementary schools, nursing homes, you can own a business, you can work in hospitals, but I’m interested in Music Therapy Hospice Care.” Chelsea keeps in contact with an Ohio University alumna who does music therapy at the Hospice Care Clinic in Dayton. She has been asking questions about the business and wants to shadow the woman to get a feel for her job. She is very interested in the goals and the objectives of Hospice care. “It’s therapy and every therapy is designed to fit the client’s needs.”

Chelsea with her fiends at AOPi Date Party 2010 at Uncle Buck's Dance Barn. She is dancing and having a good time.

Her Passion

            Chelsea performs in a musical every summer back home. She has been in Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat, Fame, The Wizard of Oz, The Pajama Game, Once Upon A Mattress, Back to the 80’s and Hairspray.

Last summer Chelsea portrayed Amber Von Tussle in the famous musical Hairspray. It was weird for her to go back to her summer musicals after she had learned so much about singing in college. She felt more prepared for the roles than the high school students. She enjoys doing musicals and puts so much time and effort into her roles because she enjoys what she does. “I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t fun,” she said. “It’s one of my hobbies I guess.”
By:Jacqui Leonhardt

Chelsea Mabes along with her cast mates during the production of Hairspray. She is playing the role of Amber Von Tussle