Essay Category:


Essay Question:

What is your academic passion? 


The curtain opens.  Actors on stage.  Lights go.  Boom.  All eyes on me.  This
is the moment I live for, the split second between when the lights go up and when
I begin speaking. For many, this situation would be a terrible nightmare, but for
me, I simply cannot get enough.  My desire to be moved and my love of learning
draw me to the theater.  Theater is my passion, regardless of whether I am
acting, attending, choreographing, or directing. 
Because it is the actor's responsibility to make a performance as true and as
honest as possible, the knowledge and experience necessary to portray someone
other than yourself is endless.  Since I cannot experience everything the world
has to offer, and I certainly cannot go back in time to experience the past, I
must draw not only upon my own experiences but also upon those of others in order
to transform myself into another character's world.  I must analyze the
experiences of others through books, other performances, and the observance of
day-to-day life in the world around me.  

The study of theater offers many intellectual challenges.  It is so much more
than simply memorizing lines, putting on a costume, and then stepping into a
scene.  As an actor, I must understand the past, interpret the present and
envision the future so that I am able to honestly portray a character in the
appropriate setting.  To develop this understanding, I must study the history,
culture, art, language, and political and social issues of various periods in
time - past and present.  As an actor, I must also develop the analytical skills
which enable me to approach the development of a character from a variety of
perspectives.  I must then make a mark on the audience and my fellow actors, thus
requiring the study of speech and communication.  It does not end there; the
ultimate challenge in acting is to transform all that I have studied and all that
I have developed into a performance which will touch the minds, hearts and souls
of those sitting in the audience.  To do this, I must have an understanding of
the psychology of human emotions in response to a variety of social issues and
events.  The study of theater is the ultimate interdisciplinary curriculum.
 
I have had several experiences that have proven to me that theater is indeed an
academic pursuit.  As Kate Chase Sprague in a monologue play about the Civil War,
I needed to relate the role of my character to the three other female characters.
 The relationships between the four characters were vital in interpreting and
understanding the true meaning of the play.  Without knowledge about the Civil
War and that era in history, I would not have understood the struggle between my
character and Lincoln=s wife, nor would I have realized the place that women held
in society.  Kate's inner struggles revolved around the advantages and
disadvantages of marrying and having children during that period of time.  While
I will face both of these issues in my life, her circumstances made her choices
very different from what mine will be.  Because I understood how these events
would have affected her in her society, I was able to honestly portray her
character.  In my school's production of Greater Tuna, the humor came mainly from
satirizing the social issues of the south in the 1950s.  For this production to
be successful, I, in my role as Vera Carp, and the other actors as well as the
audience needed to understand these issues and the southern way of life.  My
participation in the Smoky Mountain Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer Night's
Dream proved challenging because we were not performing traditional Shakespeare. 
Instead, the play was set in the 1960s, the age of hippies and peace.  Besides a
comprehension of Shakespeare's scripts, I also had to understand how this play
could be set in another era, remain comical and still make sense. 

My job as an actor requires a deep understanding of human nature as well as a
character's individual habits.  There is a tiny fraction of every character I
portray inside me, and part of what I must do to make the performance truthful is
find that piece of my heart and amplify it.  Drama is an art form in which I am
the medium used to express a part of the human spirit.   Without this art form,
the world's, as well as my own, understanding of other people and places would be
less developed than it is today.  

For me, the study of theater is much more than a curriculum of study.  My study
of theater is never-ending, for everything I study, everything I do, everything I
read, and everything I observe is a part of this study.  Theater is the
presentation of the drama of life.   As a student of theater, I am a student of
life.

Essay Category:


Essay Question:

Discuss a social concern, with which you have had some involvement, that you feel is a threat to your community or our nation. 


I was sitting in courtroom A at Knox County Juvenile Court when the door behind
the referee judge opened.  A teenage guy wearing a solid orange uniform and
shackles around his ankles walked into the room and took his seat.  I have to
say
that I have never felt the kind of fear I experienced at that moment.  I was not
frightened by his appearance, nor was I frightened when he looked up and stared
directly into my eyes for several seconds.  I was frightened for him.  His life
had obviously led him places he never planned to go, and I feared that the blame
did not totally reside with him.

I was present that day as I have been one day each week during my junior and
senior years as a part of the Knox County Juvenile Court mentor program.  I have
the opportunity to observe the juvenile court processes, speak with various
court
officials, and observe what is happening to teenagers who have made bad choices
and are often younger than I.  What I have seen and what I have learned during
this program inspired me to return to juvenile court during school holidays and
throughout the summer to observe and to learn more about juvenile justice. 

I have observed both divisions of juvenile court.  The first division handles
crimes in which the minor himself is in some sort of trouble, and the other,
referred to as Dependency and Neglect, handles crimes in which adults are at
fault.  While I find the Dependency and Neglect cases to be intriguing and
heart-wrenching, my interest is mainly in dealing directly with the juvenile
delinquents because I realize that the number of juvenile criminals who become
repeat offenders is a major concern for our nation.  

Today's juvenile delinquents will become tomorrow's criminals unless changes are
made to our juvenile rehabilitation system.  Before a child can be placed in any
treatment program, the child and supervising adults need to properly identify
the
root of the problem.  Many juveniles are products of their environments.  If
parents or other relatives are contributing to the problem, the child might need
to be removed from his environment, or if he is not removed, his environment
should be changed to produce living conditions which enable him to flourish.  In
many instances, communication or lack thereof is a major contributing factor. 
The resulting behavior of these young offenders might stem from feelings that
they are misunderstood or that no one is listening.  In order to prevent this,
these young offenders need to be taught to effectively communicate their ideas
and emotions.  This will only happen if someone they trust truly listens to
them.
  Understanding how the offenders view themselves is part of the solution.  For
many, their negative behavior may be a crying out for attention.  For others,
drugs and alcohol may be  the only things in their lives that make them feel
good.  A positive role model could help them learn to make better choices and
let
them know that there are people who care about them.  There are so many issues,
and there is no simple formula for resolving them.  The costs to society for
resolving these issues can be high; however, rehabilitation will likely prove to
be more cost effective than repeated incarcerations. 

I do not have all of the answers, but I do have an idea.  I believe that
incorporating a peer advocacy program into the rehabilitation system could have
a
positive impact.  In this program, when a delinquent is assigned to a probation
officer, he will also be assigned to a small peer group composed of one or more
non-delinquent teenagers, preferably from neighborhoods and socio-economic
backgrounds similar to those of the offender.  The purpose of this group would
be
to open channels of communication between the offenders and one or more of their
peer advocates in a non-threatening environment.  Being a teenager myself, I
understand that while we often have difficulty relating to adults, we are able
to
relate to others our age.  
 
The first step in the peer advocacy program would be the development of a
trusting relationship between the offender and his peers, a relationship in
which
the offender hopefully will learn that positive behavior nets positive results
and negative behavior nets negative results.  As the peer advocate develops an
understanding of the delinquent's situation, he might be able to suggest
appropriate adults or organizations to whom the offender could turn for help and
help the offender identify alternative reactions and choices which could be used
when facing difficult situations in the future.  When situations feel bleak and
a
troubled teen feels like no one cares about his future, a fellow teenager would
be there to encourage and support him.  

In addition to learning better communication skills, the offenders should also
be taught effective learning skills.  Many of these offenders probably have a
feeling of worthlessness, believing that they are not capable of learning or
succeeding.  They need to be taught how to learn and be placed in an environment
where they can succeed.  They need to understand that for the most part they
have
control over their own futures; their family, race, neighborhood, or social
status do not dictate what happens to them.  Giving a troubled youth his dreams
back and ensuring that he receives an education are integral parts in making him
a productive member of society.  

While the final decision to make positive changes within one's life lies within
each one of us, I believe that juvenile offenders can be taught and shown the
advantages of living a moral life.  This would be the third goal of the peer
advocacy program.  If the young offenders can understand how to make positive
choices and how these choices will benefit them, they may begin to understand
what has led them astray and how they can cross over to a path which will lead
to
success.

 The issue of juvenile reform is complex, but it is also of paramount
importance.  Today's young people are the future of our country and the world,
but they are also potentially the future of crime.  Juvenile justice reform
should be a high priority for the local, state, and national governments.  
Rehabilitation, rather than incarceration, should be the goal.  The juvenile
justice system can play an important role in determining whether young offenders
will lead productive lives or spend the remainder of their lives behind bars.  

I want to be a part of the reform process.  While sitting in court, I have to
hold myself back; I want to get up, sit by the offenders, and talk to them in
order to better understand how they feel and what factors contributed to their
behaviors. I myself have dealt with situations where one decision could make the
difference of a lifetime.  I want to encourage other young people to make right
decisions at crucial moments so that their dreams become reality.

Essay Category:


Essay Question:

Why do you wish to attend a liberal arts university? What do you expect to gain from four years at Wake Forest? What, in turn, could you contribute to the University? . 


While it is clear from my applications and essays that I truly have a passion
for theater and dance, my desire for a liberal arts education stems from more
than just those two loves.  I have lived in the same city, even the same house,
my entire life.  There are possibilities I do not even know exist yet, and I do
not want to eliminate those possibilities before I even know what they are.  I
look forward to the opportunity to open an unused door and take a chance on
something new.  I am certain that I have undiscovered passions that a liberal
arts education would help me realize.  I do believe I have an idea about what I
want to do "when I grow up."  However, a liberal arts education will give me the
opportunity to explore many options, and it will also allow me to change my
mind.
 I will not be limited to my areas of interest or majors, but I will be able to
focus on what I think is important for my education as a person and as a
student.

 
I believe Wake Forest would enrich my life and my education for several reasons.
 First, the opportunities in the realms of theater and dance are very exciting. 
Through this department, I would hopefully gain a thorough knowledge of each
area's history as well as plenty of stage and performance experience.  As a
dancer, I would grow through unique opportunities to choreograph and perform. 
As
an actress, I would be able to experience all facets of theater and film,
creating multiple possibilities for careers.  From four years at Wake Forest, I
also expect to gain a unique understanding of the importance of balancing work
and play.  Hopefully, I would be able to employ self-discipline I have already
learned with a strong sense of where my priorities lie.  By offering plenty of
study and extracurricular opportunities, Wake Forest would aid in my success as
a
college student and beyond.  
 
Finally, an education from Wake Forest is more than just a scholarly education. 
At the completion of my four years, I would expect to have an open-minded
outlook
of the world along with a strong sense of who I truly am and what I stand for. 
Through exposure to a wide variety of opportunities and people, I would learn
the
importance of listening to others and fully thinking through my own ideas.  I
would also learn to coherently support my opinions with knowledge on a variety
of
topics.
 
As a Wake Forest student, I would explore as many new opportunities as possible.
 I have a strong desire to further my education through new classroom adventures
as well as through social interactions.  I believe I have as much to learn from
other people, including my teachers, as I do from books and computers.  I only
have four years to spend at my undergraduate school, and I have every intention
of growing as much as possible in those four years.  My contributions would
range
from dance choreography to community service with minors to simply another
listener when someone else is having a rough day.  I wish to develop strong,
trusting relationships with my teachers and fellow classmates.  Through these
relationships, I could help others as well as gain a sense of where I wish my
life to make it's mark.  Also, I would love to initiate a possible joint program
with the law school in which college students served as peer advocates for
juvenile delinquents in an effort to further the rehabilitation process.  Wake
Forest would provide me with the necessary skills to function in the world as
well as a deeper knowledge in all aspects of life.