Combining Arts and Education

Transcript

Okay, next, let’s head to the theater and spend some time with Aubrey, a senior majoring in theater education. She’ll share her behind-the-scenes expertise and experience as a student in the arts, and the many opportunities Utah State offers to showcase students’ talent and encourage creative exploration and research. The spotlight is on you, Aubrey.

– Thanks Alex. Hi, everyone, I’m Aubrey. And I’ve known since middle school that I want to work in theater. It gives me the opportunity to be creative, have fun, and do something new every day. I decided to go into theater education because I wanted to work with young people, and theater gives students the opportunity to grow and express themselves in an encouraging environment. In my sophomore year, I was the assistant director of a theater for young audiences show, where we invite local schools to our performances. This is an opportunity I may not have even been considered for as an underclassman at a different school. I knew virtually no one when I came here. And it was a little scary at first being on my own in an unfamiliar place far from home. I got involved right away with a few student organizations, and soon I met some amazing people and found lifelong friends. The theater department at Utah State is fairly small, so most of my peers and faculty know me by name. This gave me the close-knit environment I was looking for. The Caine College of the Arts is student-focused, and Utah State offers a lot of opportunities for us to express ourselves creatively, or showcase our work in galleries and performances. Next semester, I’ll be completing my honors capstone project, a devised theater piece about navigating higher education as a multiracial students. I’m half Korean and half Romanian, and coming from one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas to the small city of Logan, I experienced some culture shock. College pushed me to explore my racial identities. And I wondered if my experiences were similar to those of other multiracial students. My hope is that this project will resonate with other people of color. I had some really amazing teachers in middle and high school who believed in me and supported me. And I want to do for future students what those teachers have done for me. Because of my education here, I feel like I’ll be able to offer my students so many opportunities. Thank you for letting me share my story. Now back to you, Alex.

– Aubrey, I’m sure you’re gonna end up being an inspirational teacher yourself. Thank you for sharing your love for theater and passion for education. It sounds like you found the perfect program to prepare you for your dream job. Take care.