It’s hard for me to think about making a plan for my future now, just because so many things can and will change before I begin a career. However, I do have a plan for what my perfect future would be like. There are still quite a few holes in my plan, but there is a basic outline that I would stick to in my perfect world.

As of this moment, I am planning to double major in Dance and Biochemistry. While I’m confident that the Dance component of my degree will not change, I’m still not entirely sure I will stick with Biochemistry. If I decide to change it, however, it will probably be to another science. I don’t have any doubts about Biochemistry right now, but I’m allowing for the fact that a lot my change before graduation in (hopefully) three and a half years. I think this dual degree path really gives me an edge because I will constantly be using both the creative and analytical sides of my brain. I can approach art with a new perspective, one mixed with logic and analysis. During my senior year, I plan to start auditioning to dance in a company. I would prefer to find a company that focuses mainly on classical and contemporary ballet, but as long as I am dancing, I won’t be picky.  I know that I will start out in a corps or even apprentice position, but the experience gained will hopefully allow me to move through the ranks and earn larger part. One place I will definitely audition is for the ballet company in my hometown, Ballet Nebraska. As it is a fairly new company, I would love the opportunity to help it grow and reach new audience in Nebraska, where there is very little dance. I am also aware that dancers, especially in small companies, rarely make much money. If it allows me to pay the bills while continuing to dance, I am willing to work a “day job.”

Now for the second part of my plan. I do have one qualification for a dance company in which I would like to work. The ideal company would be in a state where there is a veterinary graduate school, like Iowa, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, etc. While working at a dance company in one of these states, I could establish residency so as to pay in-state tuition when I applied to veterinary school. If I were to dance with Ballet Nebraska, I could live in Council Bluffs, Iowa and make the short commute to Omaha everyday for work. It has been one of my dreams, alongside dancing, to be a veterinarian. After my career in dance, however long- or short-lived, I plan to apply to veterinary school, become a veterinarian, and eventually own my own practice.

So there you have it. That is the ideal plan for my career path after college. To this end, I think I am taking the right classes and pursuing the right majors to acquire the skills I will need. I may need to pick up a business course or two, if I can fit them in, but that’s in a perfect world.

The freshman dance majors at SMU recently volunteered as a group at Minnie’s Food Pantry in West Plano. We discussed the experience in class, and we hope to spread awareness about the work that they do. Check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/minniesfoodpantry

1. What did I learn about Minnie’s and the community it serves?
Minnie’s is a non-profit food bank that gives food to the hungry in West Plano. The clients are mostly young and struggling to support themselves.

2. What is unique about Minnie’s Food Pantry?
Minnie’s is unique because everyone there really tries to make the clients feel better about their situations. The atmosphere is fun and the clients walk down a red carpet to get their food, showing them their importance.

3. What type of awareness would I like to raise in regard to Minnie’s Food Pantry?
I would like to continue to volunteer, but I think that just spreading the word about the food pantry is important. People would definitely be willing to help such a worthy cause, but because they are a smaller non-profit, they just need people like me to tell everyone about it.

4. What have I learned about poverty and hunger in North Dallas?
I’ve learned that poverty exists in even the richest neighborhoods in America. Minnie’s is situated in Plano, a very wealthy area, and there are still plenty of people who need support to feed their families. I also think it’s important that it’s impossible to tell who is poor or hungry. The people coming to the pantry for help often look no different than the volunteers.

5. Why was this engagement important?
This engagement was important because it helped me step out of my little SMU bubble and see that people need help not very far away from me. I believe that engagement always leads to more engagement, and I’d like to continue finding ways to volunteer and engage myself in the community.

6. How can I use what I’ve learned through volunteering at the Food Bank to serve my art?
I can use the experiences I’ve had and the emotions associated with them to create art and share what I’ve learned and felt with others.

7. What is the message I’d like to send out?
I want to send out the message that poverty exists, but that together, we can do something about it.

8. How can dance be a vehicle to catalyze social-justice and social change?
Dance is the ultimate way to share emotions and experiences with others, and if these experiences deal with social change, dance can motivate people to want these experiences for themselves.