What made you choose this major?
I love theatre and being on stage, so my majors have allowed me to mix what I love along with something that I’m good at. With both of my majors I get the creative outlet that I need along with the structure and stability that comes with working in the business world. I love both of my majors, and Carroll was one of the few universities that allowed me to get both degrees in only three and a half years.
How has what you’ve learned prepared you for your future?
I’m in the THE160 class right now, which is actually what I want to do when I leave Carroll. In the class, we make a fictional arts organization and go through every step of the business side of theatre. This class makes me so excited for my career outside of Carroll, and I think that it’s preparing me for any job, no matter if it’s in the arts or not.
What opportunities have you had to work closely with a faculty member and what impact has that had on your education?
There’s no doubt in my mind that the small class sizes and faculty attention has made me a better student. I’ve not had a class size bigger than 30 in my time here at Carroll, and all of the faculty have been more than happy to take the extra time to work with me. For example, in one of my accounting classes Prof. Weber knew that we had a huge exam coming, so she stayed in our class room for four hours after class with us making sure that we got all of our questions covered. This is just one of the several stories that I have in my classes where professors have done more than what was expected to ensure that we understanding material.
What’s one of the most unique experiences you’ve had relating to the coursework for your major?
In my THE160 class we had a project in which we were given a topic to create a 20-30 minute presentation on for the class. I was given the topic of executive leadership, and I had to interview someone in the non-profit industry that holds an executive leadership role. I interviewed the producing director of Renaissance Theatre Works in Milwaukee. I actually got to meet her face to face, and the best part of our meeting was her asking me to apply for their summer internship. This was an amazing assignment where I got to learn about a job that I hope to have one day in this industry.
How has Carroll enriched your growth as a person outside of the skills you’re learning in the classroom?
Being a theatre major I am allowed to work in the Theatre and Arts Management (TAM) office as the College of Arts and Science Recruitment Fellow, where I get to work with all kinds of majors to reach out to perspective students. I’ve also been given the opportunity to be the president of the Carroll Players, along with being involved in a show every semester that I have been at Carroll. Outside of the theatre department I am an orientation mentor. Throughout all of these activities I’ve been able to interact with all kinds of different people in a variety of majors. This ability to get so involved in our Carroll community is one of my favorite parts of being a student here.
If you were recommending your major to a prospective student, what would you tell them?
I’d recommend that they ask about everything that they are interested in. Carroll and the faculty here have been amazing in tailoring my majors to fit my all of my educational needs. I would also recommend that prospective students reach out to faculty that are teaching in the majors that they are interested in because the faculty knows all of the ins and outs of the programs. I would also recommend that if anyone is interested in majoring at theatre to double major at Carroll.
Why did you choose to attend Carroll University?
This campus feels like home, and when people talk about the Carroll community they are not lying. The students, faculty and staff here are all amazing, and they do work with you to make sure that students are getting everything possible out of their education. I have been able to get involved more than I ever thought possible on a college campus which I think is so unique to Carroll.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
We have a special and different orientation program that is unlike any other university. When you get to campus for the first week you will be so busy and meet so many people. It is a great thing that we have on campus that is an essential part to making Carroll a new home. Also know that everyone on this campus want students to succeed, and they will do just about everything to make sure you have everything that they need. You are not a number at Carroll. You are a face with a name that is working towards something.
Learn more about the Theatre Arts program