This past fall I had the luck of going back to Wagner College after taking some personal time away from school. As a music studies major, I had the privilege of being in NYC as my peers and alumni friends started to audition and star in shows in the city and on campus. I got to see friends in shows on the Mainstage, Stage 1, and Gatehouse on campus, and shows and concerts in the city at 54 Below, Don’t Tell Mama, and off-Broadway. I auditioned and got a callback for the character Emma in “The Prom”, the Mainstage show for the spring semester. The audition experiences and professional connections I have gained at school are invaluable. Freshman year I was assistant director for Michele Pawk, a professor, director, and actor who is now off to play Madame Morrible in Wicked on Broadway for the next year.

I also juggled 8 classes, including music classes, choirs, psychology, and dance. While I liked the classes and the curriculum, what I really loved was hearing my professors, professional performers, tell us stories about shows they’ve been in and people they’ve met and danced with. There’s nothing better for the motivation of a dream than when you’re surrounded by people who’ve already done it. My private lessons continue to be my favorite class, as we continue to develop my instrument and transpose songs that are traditionally bound by the gender binary. To balance classes, performance opportunities, and rest, this year I prioritized my own mental health. After getting top surgery in the spring, I went into this semester still recovering, and I’m so happy now that I’m fully healed. I can focus on my classes and my goals for the future, and I’m so grateful to MVYouth for continuing to support me.