As a student pursuing theater B.F.A. (directing/acting), I understand how challenging it is to navigate work and the competition of show business. Rather than deterring me, it pushes me to learn as much as I can to fully grasp my craft. Learning about every aspect of theater, backstage, onstage, and even the business that is rarely seen, opens many doors for my future career. By obtaining this education, it allows me to make a career for myself, have opportunities, and have victories. This might be in creating my own production company, or having collaboration with other artists in the technical field of theatre, or having an in-depth understanding of the industry and how to sustain myself financially rather than relying on one or two jobs that happen to come along. Theatre is beyond getting a role/job or simply being talented; it stems from the honesty within a person and grows into a work ethic that then blossoms into a lifestyle. It’s a daily commitment, a lifelong vow to continually grow and learn about the world and oneself. With that education I gain the opportunity to surround myself with creatives from all levels of theatre. Whether it’s working on light design, or set, or the blocking of the characters, it brings me so much fulfillment knowing that I have contributed to a living piece of art. When you enter a theater, it’s like stepping into the human body- it's not the same, but it manages to produce the same hormones and the same functions as another body. That’s what makes it so beautiful to me, the fact that people- wildly different people- can step into a space and turn into this living, breathing machine and in unison say something to the world. It’s not just art, but a perfect example of how man yearns to share- how stories and empathy are still the core of connection. Education is key to me having a structure that pushes for commitment, that enables me to utilize my passion for learning, and that creates a truly meaningful creative life that is sustainable. That's the whole reason I want to pursue theater for the rest of my life. I want to connect with people on every level, and I want to create visuals and scenes that make even just one person ask themselves, “Why does it matter?” If a person could walk out of that audience and understand themselves and somehow feel seen- out of a crowd of a hundred people- I would be more than satisfied.