LoginJoin Bold.org
user profile avatar

Fia Fusco

1x

Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Singing
  • Guitar
  • Skateboarding
  • Acting And Theater
  • Art
  • Cheerleading
  • Community Service And Volunteering
  • Ukulele
  • Writing
  • Songwriting
  • Music
  • Music Composition
  • Music Theory

Reading

  • Literary Fiction
  • Literature

I read books daily.

Bio

At an early age, I discovered my passion for storytelling through performing arts. I am a Sophomore at The Manhattan School of Music working towards my Bachelor of Music in Musical Theater. I look forward to growing as a performer and finding my voice as a theater artist. The “self” is a place of query but I trust that this time spent in college will be a gift of exploration. The financial gap that remains for my college tuition is my responsibility. I am trying to think of myself as a business and understand how student loans will affect my life after graduation. This awareness does not come easy as I simply don’t have the life experience, but I want to be present in this process and wrap my head around what college debt will mean to my future self. Performing, directing, creating new art, using my art for advocacy or service and teaching the next generation, are all examples of work that I can see myself doing ardently in college and beyond.

Education

Manhattan School of Music

Bachelor's degree program

2023 – 2027

Majors:
  • Visual and Performing Arts, Other

Glen Rock High School

High School

2019 – 2023

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Majors of interest:
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Music, Visual and Performing Arts, General, Visual and Performing Arts, Other, Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Dance
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Pet Sitter / Dog Walker

    Pet Sitter · Various local families.

    Jan 2021 – Present

  • Babysitter

    childcare · Various local families.

    Jan 2021 – Present

  • Intern

    Performing Arts · PorchLight Studios

    Jan 2019 – Jan 2019

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Performing Arts
Dream career goals:
Performance, Education, Directing, Casting and Development of New Works
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Volunteering
  • Entrepreneurship
Bick New York Scholarship
My parents didn’t give me everything I wanted, but instead exactly what I needed to succeed. A linear educational path wasn’t how my artistry was grown. They prioritized opportunities, knowing they couldn’t afford traditional training. I developed my art in community theater, growing as a performer by studying adult mentors. I’m still learning and discovering how I fit into the world, but my childhood roots of being present and active in my community remains the underpinning of my life. The foundation of “purpose” is our connection to others and the humanity we are tethered by. This has led me to be submersed at Manhattan School of Music, not only as a student but as Head RA and Treasurer of Alpha Psi Omega. I’ve learned the unequivocal impact we have on one another is the superpower that my musical artistry holds, both on and off stage. I understood the burden of financial debt and its weight on one’s work ethic, while sacrificing time spent developing my craft in service to paying my tuition. This is the main reason why so many young artists do not stay on their path. I don’t want this to be me and I want to shine in my Senior year and beyond. Our family finances fall on the cusp of qualifying for aid which is a precarious position to be in but my work ethic, personal sacrifices and scrappiness have carried me through financial obstacles. However, my struggles with mental health have taken a larger toll on my presence and the ability to fund my tuition and perform as a student without complete burnout. Anorexia made my life incredibly small with value placed on self destruction through insidious discipline. I now know life is not measured by how little space I take up within it, but by how willing I am to live life as big as I can. I’ve prioritized mental health, because if my foundation is cracking, how can I build infrastructure? The time I needed to recover has meant a trade for the time to earn tuition funds, making each semester an increasing struggle. I have pushed myself to work harder than anyone I know. I say this humbly, knowing I’ve been running on an empty tank and at a faster pace than those with fuel. I focused all my attention on my studies, wellness and the MSM community. Mental health has been my most significant hurdle. I fail at this sometimes, but what’s funny about perseverance is that often you don’t fail. My goals are no longer centered around perfection or control, but my presence, and honoring my younger self, before my illness. These trials have in turn fed my art with vulnerability and purposeful storytelling. I want to share some of my own story while creating art, as the epitome of perseverance for girls like me. This scholarship would offer me relief from my tuition deficit, allowing me to finally feel like I’m walking instead of running towards my graduation.
Student Life Photography Scholarship
Fia Fusco Student Profile | Bold.org