ok, here is my code:

Dim AccountParam As Data.SqlClient.SqlParameter
        Dim Resource As String
        Dim MyConnection As Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection
        Dim InitialCommand As Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand = New Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand( _
        "Select (FirstName + ' ' + LastName) as Name, PkProfessional From Professional Where WindowsAccount=@Account;")
        Dim MyReader As Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader
        MyConnection = New Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection
        MyConnection.ConnectionString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("RASConnect ionString").ConnectionString
        InitialCommand.Connection = MyConnection
        InitialCommand.CommandType = Data.CommandType.Text

        AccountParam = New Data.SqlClient.SqlParameter
        AccountParam.ParameterName = "@Account"
        AccountParam.SqlDbType = Data.SqlDbType.VarChar
        AccountParam.Size = 15
        AccountParam.Direction = Data.ParameterDirection.Input
        AccountParam.Value = DropDownList1.Text
        InitialCommand.Parameters.Add(AccountParam)

        InitialCommand.Connection.Open()
        MyReader = InitialCommand.ExecuteReader

        'how do I get the data that was returned and put it into my Resource variable so that I can use it?

        InitialCommand.Dispose()
        MyConnection.Dispose()


The reader works fine but I have no idea how to grab the data that I queried for and put it into a variable so I can assign to a label or whatever.

just use
while(MyReader.read())
{
 lblName.text=MyReader.GetString(0);
}
 this will do

Start with something like this:

If MyReader.Read() Then
   Resource = MyReader("Name").ToString()
   'do something with resource
   Resource = MyReader("PkProfessional").ToString()
   'do something with resource
End If

Reader.Read() will advance you to each row of the reader results, and return False when there's no more rows.

-Peter

fantastic.

Thanks for the help