What are your plans for September?
I am embarking on a master’s here at the University of Ottawa that is thesis based with an angle on stage management.
How did your time at the University of Ottawa shape you?
An acting degree really forces you to find vulnerability in your everyday life to better understand who you are and in what environments you thrive. These past three years have been nothing but fulfilling and I cannot thank my teachers enough for standing by my side throughout my degree.
“An acting degree really forces you to find vulnerability in your everyday life to better understand who you are and in what environments you thrive.”
Samantha Melis
Did anyone give you significant support throughout your university studies?
Kristina Watt is an esteemed teacher here in the theatre department and she is such a force to be reckoned with. She was simultaneously our rock and the wind beneath our wings. I had the luck of being taught by her on five separate occasions and every time, she had the capacity to teach us new things and take our process even further.
What’s your favourite memory from your time at uOttawa?
My productions with my classmates will always hold such a special place in my heart. All four of them were so different but they gave us such priceless memories and we evolved so much from the first to the last (Long live Animal Farm <3).
Do you have any advice for students who will start university in the fall?
It sounds corny, but try to appreciate these years so much and get out there, because you’ll never be in this position where you get to study something you love and be surrounded by people who are just as passionate as you are. It really will be over before you know it, so try to practise gratitude as much as you can and remember that if this path isn’t the right fit for you, there’s always time to start over.
