Faculty and Facilities Make an Impression

Katie had decided on a liberal arts education at a young age. When it came time to choose a school, Luther’s Center for the Arts building and its passionate faculty were deciding factors. Katie spent junior year January Term studying English Theatre in London, Stratford, and York. While at Luther, Katie was involved in several dance and theatre productions, as well as summer musicals through New Minowa Players Community Theatre.

Growing as an Artist

A dance production during Katie’s senior year was a deep artistic influence. “I signed on to stage manage Depth of Field second semester senior year. The second week of rehearsals, professor of dance Jane Hawley told me she wanted me to memorize 26 ten-line poems,” Katie says, “I came into Luther an acting kid and I ended my final semester helping to generate and performing in a devised dance piece. It was a performance that so beautifully encapsulated my journey in the department.”

“The biggest takeaway I got from the theatre and dance programs was the unofficial philosophy of ‘be a good human being and you will grow as an artist.’ I learned how to read well, write well, and speak well at Luther, and how to be authentic and connect with others in meaningful ways.”

“Perfect” Preparation for Graduate School

Katie is studying for an MFA in theatre at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. “My work in Luther's theatre and dance programs prepared me perfectly for graduate school,” Katie says, “We are currently doing a contemplative dance intensive and I am able to jump in as easily as I am because of my training at Luther.”

Katie says the liberal arts have been an asset in graduate studies: “The most memorable class for me was God and Gender, taught by professor of religion Wanda Deifelt. My graduate thesis will focus on depictions of gender non-conforming characters in modern plays as well as how to make the theatre industry more inclusive for gender non-conforming artists.”