Major: English and Theatre
Graduation Year: 2010
What did you do post-graduation and what are you doing currently?
Post-graduation I went to law school for a year and discovered that I wasn't enjoying what I was learning. As a super nerd, I knew that I needed to do something else. I then worked for a small company and did human resources and training. I realized through this job that I really loved training/teaching adults and enjoyed being in front of people. So, after a year of working for that small company I went on to land a business instructor position at MetLife in Des Moines. Currently I train MetLife associates both in facilitated in-person sessions and via eLearning courses that I create.
I am also currently pursuing my master's degree in Education and Instructional Design and Technology from Purdue University. I haven't done a lot of theatre since college just because I have been really busy, but I have done a few shows and a couple little things. I plan on doing more this coming year.
How are you using your degree?
I get to use my theatre degree every day when I train people. The most important thing I learned from my theatre degree was confidence and poise. I conduct trainings with 500+ associates and frequently have very important people, like the VP of MetLife, in my training sessions. Without my theatre education I am confident that I would not be able to do my job as effectively as I do. I am the youngest person in my position by 10 years. I was able to get around not having as much work experience because of my experience with performing and being able to handle large amounts of work in short time frames (both of which I learned from theatre).
What was your favorite memory from Ambrose?
I have so many favorite memories that I cannot possibly pick just one. Ambrose was and will always be home to me, especially Galvin. My friends and I spent so much time in Galvin between STAMVOJA and theatre that we used to joke that we had lost our souls somewhere. One of my favorite repeating memories in Galvin is doing the children's show. Watching those kids really getting into the magic of theatre and getting to meet them as whatever character you are playing after the show was always so much fun! I also really loved STAMVOJA. I was in it for all four years of college and both STAMVOJA and the Ambrose Theatre Department feel more like parts of me than just "things I was a part of."
What do you miss most about the department?
This question is really easy: I miss the people. I miss spending all day in Kris' [Eitrheim] office making scenery for whatever show we were doing, and I miss talking about character development and shows with Cory [Johnson]. I loved visiting Dianne [Dye] in the costume shop and was always so amazed with the creations that came out of that room. I really just miss Galvin and the people in it. Any spare time I had I spent in that building and with those people. It was a BIG adjustment leaving.
What inspires you today?
I am constantly inspired by everything around me. People, places, music, nature, etc. Theatre and music really taught me to appreciate the beauty in life and in people. I am really excited to continue my career in Business and Corporate Education. Maybe someday I will teach at the college level, I'm not really sure, I will just have to take life as it comes.
What was your biggest post-SAU surprise?
College really builds a person's self-esteem. By the end of college I thought I had it all together. I was a 4.0 student, I was involved in lots of extracurricular activities, and I really thought I would have no trouble finding a job. I really thought that I was ready for the world after my time at SAU.
I was quickly reminded that not everyone else thought I was as awesome as I thought I was. It was very humbling. I had to sell myself to prospective employers, and I had to sell my educational background as well. I moved to a completely new place for law school and knew no one within 100 miles. I really went through a hard time trying to find my place and trying to find myself. It's kind of crazy how much the people and places that you spend time around become your identity while in college. When I left I had no familiar places and no familiar people. It took me a while to find "me" again. I got involved in the arts community in Des Moines and now have once again found a place I can call home.
Any advice for current students?
I have a couple pieces of advice for current students.
1. ENJOY COLLEGE. Seriously real life is great, but I sincerely miss college. It's the time in your life that you will have the most freedom and the least responsibility, so savor it, because it goes fast.
2. Find out how to market yourself and really use the resources given to you at Ambrose to help with post-graduation planning. From your professors, to the Career Center, to resume review, make sure that you are thinking about life after college so that when life after college arrives you don't have to go through what I had to.
3. Make lasting relationships. Never again in your life will you have the kind of time and proximity that you have right now to build lasting relationships. Success isn't just about what you know; it's also about who you know. The connections that you make in college will stay with you for the rest of your life. When I needed a letter of recommendation written for me to get into a very competitive master's program I was able to reach out to a theatre professor, even though I have been out of college for 5 years. All of my BEST friends came from Ambrose, most of them from the theatre department. You can succeed alone in life, but having a great support system and being part of a network of like-minded people will prove invaluable to you, I promise!
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