Maria Carson Area of Study: Theatre Management, Religious Studies (BFA).

I chose to attend The Theatre School at DePaul University because… I really loved it's location in both Lincoln Park and downtown Chicago. I also was very happy to find a BFA-major devoted entirely to Theatre Management, which is unusual.

I chose my major because… Well, the joke is that I'd like a steady job with benefits someday, but in reality it's because I love theatre. I really want to work with promoting and supporting theatre and the arts in today's often not art-friendly world. Learning in my classes that the business side of theatre, such as management, marketing and development, can be creative entities in their own right has also reinforced my interest in this subject.

A faculty or staff member that has greatly influenced me is… Alan Salzenstein, who teachers two quarters of the Not-For-Profit Theatre Management four-quarter sequence. His classes are very interesting and fun, and he cares a lot about what he does and wants his students to succeed.

Something that surprised me about my experience or curriculum here is… There is an extremely high level of individual attention that all students receive here. I feel like the faculty is really watching out for all their students to make sure that everyone is progressing through the program well. If you ask a faculty member for help in obtaining an internship, they generally will give it their all to help you.

One thing that I’d like to say to students considering attending The Theatre School, or my peers in the industry, is…… If you're planning on spending your college years mainly relaxing or hanging out -- this probably isn't the place for you. Everyone works hard here.

My future goals include… graduating, and getting a job in the arts (hopefully with benefits) that I really care about.