I had always wondered how different my life would have been if I had chosen to go to school somewhere other than Georgetown. It wasn’t that I regretted my decision to come to GU, it was more that I wasn’t sure I was the right fit for the school. It wasn’t until recently, after four years of attending GU, that I realized Georgetown never accepted me based on who I was, but more on who I could be. All at once, it hit me. My years at Georgetown built me into someone that many schools would have failed to do. Georgetown built me into the person I dreamed of becoming and while it is petrifying to navigate life post-grad, I also know that everything is going to be okay. Each year spent at Georgetown led me to become a more authentic version of myself. However, this did not come without struggle.
During my first year at Georgetown, I was petrified. I sat in Maya Roth’s Ignatius seminar about plays only to realize that I knew none of the pieces she had listed on the syllabus. My heart sank. I knew that I wanted to stay close to the world of performing but everyone’s passion and excitement for the subject threw me off. I didn’t feel like there was a place for me. That was until I stumbled into the Black Theatre Ensemble (BTE) and met Professor Natsu Onoda-Power. Meeting Natsu was a life-changing experience in both my academic and career trajectory. When I first saw her, I was shocked by her welcoming and bubbly persona; somehow she always managed to make me feel at ease. And that was the thing about Natsu, she just knew when to check in on you. Natsu was the reason why I continued to pursue my studies despite, at times, feeling like there was not a place for me in theater. Despite her leaving last year, she remains someone who serves as both a mentor and guide . In fact, it was through Natsu that I realized, there is a side to theater that focuses on the latest Broadway stars and trends, but there is also another side – one that does not require theatrical knowledge, but rather, life experience.
By Winnie Ho, Communications Assistant / Student Fellows co-facilitator
I had always wondered how different my life would have been if I had chosen to go to school somewhere other than Georgetown. It wasn’t that I regretted my decision to come to GU, it was more that I wasn’t sure I was the right fit for the school. It wasn’t until recently, after four years of attending GU, that I realized Georgetown never accepted me based on who I was, but more because of who I could be. All at once, it hit me. My years at Georgetown built me into someone that many schools would have failed to do. Georgetown built me into the person I dreamed of becoming and while it is petrifying to navigate life post-grad, I also know that everything is going to be okay. Each year spent at Georgetown led me to become a more authentic version of myself. However, this did not come without struggle.
During my first year at Georgetown, I was petrified. I sat in Maya Roth’s Ignatius seminar about plays only to realize that I knew none of the pieces she had listed on the syllabus. My heart sank. I knew that I wanted to stay close to the world of performing but everyone’s passion and excitement for the subject threw me off. I didn’t feel like there was a place for me. That was until I stumbled into the Black Theatre Ensemble (BTE) and met Professor Natsu Onoda-Power. Meeting Natsu was a life-changing experience in both my academic and career trajectory. Natsu was the reason why I continued to pursue my studies despite, at times, feeling like there was not a place for me in theater. Despite her leaving last year, she remains someone who serves as both a mentor and guide. In fact, it was through Natsu that I realized, there is a side to theater that focuses on the latest Broadway stars and trends, but there is also another side – one that does not require theatrical knowledge, but rather, life experience.
Upon this realization, I took it upon myself to serve a bigger purpose other than simply performing. After taking part in the GU production of Sweat by Lynn Nottage, directed by Reginald Douglas, I saw the impact the play left on audience members and I wanted to do more. That was when I met Derek Goldman. After spending months hearing about The Lab, I finally got to come face to face with the organization’s co-founder and what was the company’s core. Inspired by the mission and work of The Lab, I joined the team within a matter of months and was quickly exposed to the world of producing. As it was my first job in college, I had much to learn. Lab members like Ersian Francois, Emma Jaster, Ijeoma Njaka, Rabbi Rachel, Cynthia Schneider, Derek Goldman, and Mélisande Colomb all provided guidance and grace, eager to help fuel my curiosity and equip me with skills for the professional world. I got to see a new side of the arts while gaining skills that many of my peers didn’t have the chance to. Unknowingly, my time at the Lab was shaping me to become the person I had always dreamed of becoming. By being treated like an adult and surrounded by peers who respected me and saw me as an equal, I realized my potential for growth and became a more reassured and confident individual.
However, during my junior year, I was ready for change. My time with The Lab had equipped me with the ability to not only know that I could handle being in a new environment, but that I could do so with confidence. So – I did a complete 180 and studied abroad in Morocco. Seeing and hearing artists and storytellers from all over, I was inspired to travel somewhere just for the sake of doing so. Anytime someone asked me “Why Morocco?”, I simply responded with, “Why not Morocco?” and it was that straightforward. Why not? Despite the cultural differences being challenging at times, studying abroad in Morocco proved to be one of my most prized memories while attending GU and continues to impact the way I look at the world. I learned of ways to foster community despite there being a language barrier and quickly realized that the art of caring for someone was universal.
Senior year, I came back from my time abroad eager to get my creative juices flowing. While taking part in co-facilitating the Lab Student Fellows cohort, I found the art of caring shadowing my every step. This concept encouraged me to reminisce on all the times I felt cared for during my years at GU and quickly realized that I was surrounded and overflowing with care and love. From DPAC members such as Dorothy Barnes-Driggers who would be a listening ear, to Professor Van Tran Nguyen who helped advise me through the creative process, to Maya Roth who made sure that my needs as a person were being met before my needs as a student – I was seen and supported. Flashback to the opening night of Unseen, my senior thesis production where I was giving my closing speech, that was when it all hit me. My four years at GU all led up to this one moment. Freshman year gave me the courage to pursue the arts, sophomore year gave me confidence to embrace who I was, junior year taught me to take leaps of faith, while senior year allowed me to put all these learned experiences into a tangible piece.
I was able to pursue the arts, and build my confidence, career skills, and worldly experience because I came to GU and interacted with many people and their way of working, incorporating it into my own practice. From the moment I stepped foot on campus, staff, faculty, and students all came together to ensure I was able to have my needs met. And sure, the whole experience wasn’t perfect, but what college experience is? As I wrap up on my last year at GU, I could not have been more glad to have picked this school and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future.
