Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am studying for my bachelors in theatre and English. For English I am concentrating on creative writing.
I grew up in Haverhill, MA but moved to Derry, NH in 2016 to go to a better high school. I still call both Haverhill and Derry my homes. I also have a home away from home; Namur, Belgium. That is where my boyfriend lives. It is such a beautiful city with such lovely people. I plan on moving there once I graduate.
Why did you choose Suffolk?
I chose Suffolk because of the great theatre and English departments. They both offered courses I wanted to dive into and gave great opportunities for what I want to do in the future. Taking acting classes and being able to perform for a class is perfect, giving me the skills I need out of college. Being able to grow my creative writing and fiction writing skills and challenge myself is great for when I am out in the world ready to publish my works. My double major will demonstrate to others that I am able to make all my passions come true.
Which courses and experiences have been the most compelling, interesting, or significant for you so far?
My two favorite courses are Heroes, Anti-Heroes and Outsiders taught by Wyatt Bonikowski and Playwriting taught by Wesley Savick.
Heroes, Anti-Heroes and Outsiders is what I call “the comic book class”, and it sticks out to me as I already dabble in comic book/graphic novel making. Your final is even making your own 4-page comic book, and that was a blast to do.
Playwriting is exactly how it sounds, it’s playwriting. But in this class, it is not willy-nilly, Wes gives you a topic for the week to write about and next time you come to class you can have people read your play. It’s a wonderful challenge for the writer in me, and it is great to see what you write come to life in front of you.
Another big thing I enjoy is being able to perform on stage in the Modern Theatre. It is such a beautiful theatre to perform in and is always a wonderful experience. Making friends with the cast and crew is a real treat.
Are there any faculty members who you would consider mentors?
There are two professors here in Suffolk I consider mentors. In the English department, it’s Wyatt Bonikowski. He is a great professor who is easy to talk to and teaches all his classes with passion. I highly recommend any class he teaches as he makes sure that he starts the class out positively by talking to the class before he begins his lecture.
In the Theatre department, it’s Wesley Savick. He always takes interest in his students' work no matter what it is. Whenever I meet him, he always asks me what kind of drawings I have done lately even if it is not important to the meeting at hand. He cares for each of his students, even if they are not studying theatre, and will make sure that you are having a good day before he starts teaching.
Are you involved in any student organizations?
I am on the E-Board of S.A.G.E. (Sexuality and Gender Equity) as the graphic designer. If you see the fliers around campus from S.A.G.E. that’s me!
Being part of S.A.G.E. has helped me a lot, as I get to come out of my own shell with a community that I love being a part of. Coming to each meeting and seeing people make friends with other club members is something I love seeing. As a shy queer kid myself, I am happy to see the other shy queer kids here open up.
What's next for you?
I have a lot of things I want to do in the future. I want to act in shows and in movies, I want to write my own shows, movies, and novels. I even want to produce my own video game. All these things seem like a lot at first glance, so much to do and get done. But I have years, decades ahead of me. My hope is that my projects will inspire others in the same way other people's works inspired me.
The great friends and connections I’ve made here at Suffolk will help me after I graduate. In the work I want to do I need to know other people who know other people that can help me in my future career. I realize that these connections will help me significantly; you cannot do everything on your own. My time at Suffolk is helping me break out of my shell and grow as a person. I am now comfortable with making connections with others and keeping them.