Mount Holyoke College set me up for life

Academic focus: Film, Media, Theater major, education minor

Advanced degree: Master of Fine Arts, University of California, San Diego

When I came to Mount Holyoke College in 1999, I knew that I wanted my major (and career) to be in theater. But I did not want to concentrate on just one discipline, and I wanted a well-rounded education at a premier institution, which is why I chose Mount Holyoke.

While I was there, I was able to take so many interesting classes outside my major, including a few in the Five College system. Because I was a theater major, I was able to easily meet and form friendships with students from the other four colleges as we worked on productions, and I attended performances off-campus as well.

To be completely honest, I am very proud of the individual I have become due to my friends and experiences at Mount Holyoke. My major did not play too much into that, although I was a devoted theater student and director of the improv group.

Eventually, I decided to attend the stage management M.F.A. program at the University of California, San Diego. I believe my academic and work experience leading up to graduate school has made me a better stage manager than I would have been otherwise, and I thank Mount Holyoke for shaping me into a more confident, worldly individual.

One of my recent career highlights was being asked to participate in 2017’s "Crafting a Life in the Arts" panel at Mount Holyoke. I realized that I had actually accomplished many of my career goals and was proud to share my story with current students.