What is your hometown like?
I grew up in relatively small, suburban town with an overly abundant supply of apple orchards, and a high school where the band has performed worldwide and the sports teams haven’t won the annual athletic competition with our rival school in thirteen years. A long, winding driveway leads to my house, which my parents built on land that used to be a Christmas tree farm. Before my little brother started school, he would run down the driveway to meet me when I got off the bus and we would walk back together, me with my nose in a book, and him toddling ahead of me and then running back to walk alongside me. Behind our house, our backyard slopes down into the woods, creating a glorious sledding hill. My brother and I used to spend hours rolling down the hill, using sticks to create hideouts in the woods, and pretending to be characters from books we both loved, like The Magic Tree House books or the Boxcar Children series.
What made you choose Mount Holyoke? Was it your first choice?
To be completely honest, I didn’t know anything about Mount Holyoke when I began my college search. I didn’t set out to attend a women’s college, either — all I knew was that I was looking for a small, liberal arts school that was not in a city, had a Christian community, and had opportunities to be involved with theatre. On a recommendation from my middle school math teacher, whom I respect dearly, I toured Wellesley and loved it. I applied Early Decision and ended up being deferred, so I began frantically searching for schools to add to my list (which, at the time, only consisted of two or three others). I stumbled upon Mount Holyoke and added it to my application list of thirteen schools without much thought because it fit my criteria. After being accepted to all but one of the other schools I applied to, I was faced with a lot of decisions to make about schools which I mostly hadn’t even visited in a very short period of time. On instinct, I made plans to tour Mount Holyoke first and was also able to get connected with a couple of current students who are Christians, one of whom, Mendi, took me to church and the other, Tamia, who gave me a tour of the theater. It sounds cliché, but I truly did fall in love with the school when I came — the beautiful campus, the warm sense of community, and the vast array of opportunities. My conversations with Mendi and Tamia about the Christian and theater communities on campus were incredibly encouraging, and I told my parents in the car on the way back that I didn’t need to tour any other schools—I had found my MoHome.
What do you love doing here at Mount Holyoke?
So many things! On a daily basis, I love enjoying the beauty of the campus (in every season) while walking to class, to dining halls, and back to my dorm from the theater after rehearsals on breathtaking starry nights. I mostly study in my room, but on nice days, I love finding a spot near the lake to work and enjoy the view. I cherish spending time with the wonderful friends I have made here, whether watching shows or concerts on campus, going to bible study, grabbing a meal, or even just drinking tea and studying together.
Tell me about your involvement in theatre.
I came into Mount Holyoke completely undecided, but I knew that I loved theatre and wanted to at least explore the department, so I took an intro class and volunteered to be an Assistant Stage Manager (ASM) for last year’s production of Intimate Apparel on a whim. I had absolutely no idea what being an ASM entailed at the time, but I found out pretty quickly! Since then, I have had the opportunity to be involved in everything from wardrobe crew to lighting prep crew, operating the sound board, to acting and directing, and most recently stepping into the role of Stage Manager for last weekend’s production of Bull in a China Shop. I love that there are countless ways to be involved in the department both onstage and behind the scenes, and most positions don’t require any prior experience. I have very much enjoyed everything I have had the chance to try so far, although stage management has been by far the most exciting (and challenging!) job I have had. I find it thrilling to be involved in the process from the very beginning and to experience the metamorphosis of each design element and scenic beat and watching the entire show come to life. And to then be suddenly in charge of the work of art whose creation you have witnessed and making it run smoothly is equally exhilarating and terrifying. I love the uniquely collaborative nature of theatre as an art form and how every piece of the puzzle is absolutely vital to the successful execution of the final product, and as Stage Manager I get to orchestrate all the bits and pieces and fully appreciate every person who had a hand in the creation of the completed masterpiece.
How did you become involved in the a cappella group Terras Irradient? Can you explain what Terras Irradient means?
T.I. stands for Terras Irradient, which is actually the motto of Amherst College and means “Let them give light to the world.” T.I.’s mission is to share the good news of the Gospel through song at Amherst College and in the Pioneer Valley. Libby, one of the former leaders of the bible study I am in and a dear friend and mentor whom I met at the beginning of my first year, was in T.I., and our bible study group went to support her when T.I. sang at an event called LoveFest last February. I was immediately intrigued because I have always loved to sing and had never sung in an a cappella group before but wanted to try it, and I was captivated by the way T.I. so beautifully uses their voices to worship God. I talked to Libby quite a bit about what it’s like to be in T.I. and eventually decided to audition at the beginning of this school year, and I got in and have had an incredible time the past couple of months praising God and sharing life and laughter with my new T.I. family!
What do you see yourself doing in the future?
I honestly don’t have a concrete idea at this moment in my life, but I hope that it in some way involves working with kids in theatre in a teaching capacity, although not necessarily in a traditional classroom setting. I love all age groups, but I have a special place in my heart for elementary-age kids. I am also very interested in exploring arts integration within existing school curriculum.
Why do you love working with kids?
I love their insatiable curiosity, their huge hearts, their intense desire to learn, and their incredible openness to new ideas and willingness to take risks without any shame. They aren’t afraid to ask tough questions and so many times the questions they ask cause me to pause and think about the world in an entirely different way. It’s an incredibly humbling experience — kids are honest to a fault and won’t let it slide if you mess up and they won’t allow themselves to be walked over. But it is also beautifully rewarding, because if you find out how to win their trust by showing them genuine respect and care, they will show you the sweetest, most genuine love that has this inexplicable power to tug at your heart. Teaching kids is a weighty responsibility because they are like little sponges and pick up on everything you do, but it is also extremely exciting. I love watching kids grow and being a part of that process, and there is something so special about seeing a spark light up in a child who has been struggling to grasp a concept or witnessing them finally achieve something they have been working at with such fervor.
How did you come to love theatre?
Both of my parents are “theatre people” — my dad was a theatre arts major in college and my mom was heavily involved with a student theatre group while she was in college and has since spent quite a bit of time directing, and they met in a partially performing arts-based group called Up with People — so I guess you could say it’s in my blood. Growing up, they took my brother and me to see shows frequently, and I was always utterly mesmerized. The first show I have a distinct memory of is The Lion King from when we saw it in Cleveland and I just remember being completely awestruck during the song “He Lives in You” when all of the pieces of the sky come together to create Mufasa’s face. That is why I have always been so keenly interested in what goes on behind the scenes — what initially captivated me was the “magic” of theatre, and I love seeing how it all happens. I was painfully shy in middle school and never had the courage to try performing myself but was very happy backstage. I gained a world of confidence by stepping way outside my comfort zone after my sophomore year of high school and attending Camp Up with People (essentially a scaled-down summer camp version of what my parents did that is specifically designed for high-school students). Initially I was terrified to perform, but was surprised to discover that I loved it! I still didn’t end up performing much in high school, however, because I became increasingly drawn to teaching and spent the majority of my time choreographing and assistant directing for the elementary school drama program started by my mom. This was ideal for me because it combined two of my greatest loves—theatre and working with kids — and it was the first time I ever felt truly passionate about something, which is why both of these aspects are now reflected in my major. I have witnessed firsthand the way that theatre provides the opportunity to teach kids about so much more than just performing. It truly teaches life skills—confidence, public speaking, cooperation, work ethic, perseverance, creativity, and so much more. I have loved being able to branch out more since coming to college and try my hand at various aspects of theatre, but I realized that what has been missing for me is the kids. I have recently become involved with an arts integration program in Holyoke called Enchanted Circle Theatre working with first and second graders, and having the teaching aspect come back into my life had brought me so much joy.
Have you found your niche here at Mount Holyoke?
That’s a difficult question to answer. Last year, I would have said no, because I was definitely still figuring a lot of things out about myself and how I fit into the tapestry of the Mount Holyoke community. And even now, I don’t know that I can confidently say that I feel completely comfortable all the time simply because I don’t feel like I fit into clearly defined boxes. Neither theatre nor education alone fully encompasses who I am and what I am interested in — they are inexplicably intertwined in ways that it is sometimes difficult for me to explain to people or for people to understand. There are so many other things I love that just can’t fit into my official academic degree, like anthropology, english, and history. I am happy, though, that I have found a program that is able to combine theatre and education, even if it can sometimes create confusion. I think that this semester I am finally beginning to feel like I have been able to carve out a space for myself in both academic and nonacademic areas, especially within the theatre department as well as my church community.
What is your favorite animal?
When I was younger, I definitely would have said a horse because I used to be mildly obsessed with them, but now maybe a bunny? My grandpa used to have two bunnies, and I love how gentle-spirited and soft they are.
What is your favorite color?
Almost any shade of blue, but also deep purple and turquoise.
After being at Mount Holyoke for three semesters, what advice would you give to incoming Mohos?
First of all, make time for sleep! Anyone who knows me well will accuse me of being a hypocrite for saying that, but it’s true — sleep is important. Beyond that, give yourself space to explore and to discover what you truly love to do and then pursue it with your whole heart. Don’t be afraid to not be like anyone else! It’s is okay to not have your future figured out, to not sign up for every possible club, to spend time by yourself, to not study abroad, to take naps, to cry. Mostly, don’t try to be someone you’re not or live up to someone else’s standard—know that it is enough to just be you.
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