East Dubuque, Ill.
Theatre/dance

What he considers good-reads outside class: Books authored by Vonnegut and Faulkner.

On-campus activities: Writing/editing articles for Art Scan (an on-campus publication that discusses art-related topics) and serving as an R.A. (resident assistant) in Ylvisaker.

Although Alex received a drama award during his senior year of high school, he never considered pursuing a theatre/dance major in college.

"I decided to go to Luther because I hadn't decided on a major," says Alex. "I knew I needed to choose a college that offered a solid liberal arts program."

But it didn't take long for him to decide what he wanted to study. During the spring of his freshman year he took a design class. "We were required to read three plays and design the costumes and sets for each of them," he says. "I really enjoyed it; it confirmed that theatre/dance was the right fit for me."

Most of Alex's study time is focused on his dance composition, movement, and production classes. "What I like about studying dance is learning how it relates to the body and performance. I really appreciate the fact that it's a good form of physical therapy."

During his remaining years at Luther, Alex is looking forward to his higher level classes and participating in some on-campus plays and dance performances. Eventually, he hopes to complete a master's of fine arts degree in design or a master's of art in dance sciences. "An advanced degree will help me learn how to teach others how dance can be used as a valuable form of physical therapy," says Alex. "I think a career focused on doing that would be very rewarding."

When asked if he has any specific advice for prospective students, he's happy to share some wisdom from his own experience -- "Don't set any specific expectations about college. Just come with an open mind."