1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project.

For my STEP project, I followed my passion for doing nails and completed a ten week Advanced Manicuring program at The Elite School of Cosmetology in Ashland, Ohio. For ten weeks, I commuted to and from campus and completed 300 hours of both book work and hands-on learning. After completing my 300 hours and passing my final exams, I received my certificate of completion of the Advanced Manicuring program. 

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the

world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project?1

Going into my STEP project, I had been doing mine and my friends’ nails for a long time. It started as just a hobby for me in high school until I realized I could turn it into a career opportunity through the STEP fellowship! One of the most impactful things I learned while being a student at a cosmetology school was how to handle difficult situations with customers in a salon. Although I have been working in customer service since I was only fifteen, I was not prepared for the conflict that can arise in a salon. Experiencing these conflicts firsthand definitely opened my eyes to the professionalism a service provider must maintain while also prioritising pleasing the customer.

Additionally, I learned a lot about myself and my own insecurities while handling these challenging situations. I remember feeling very scared and nervous the first time I had an uncomfortable interaction with a client at school. However, I quickly learned the importance of having confidence in both yourself and your work as a service provider. By the end of my time at Elite, I was confident enough to handle and resolve those difficult situations on my own, as well as just being confident in myself as a professional. 

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature

Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those

affect you?

In the beauty industry, many things can go wrong, communication between stylists/ nail technicians and clients can be misconstrued, and customers can be displeased with the service they’ve received. For example, while I was a manicuring student, a client was assigned to me who came in with work done at a different salon. She only had half of her nail extensions intact, which means she needed a full removal and new nail set. However, she was expecting to only be charged for a fill. My instructor encouraged us to handle difficult situations like these on our own to prepare us for the work field. 

I kindly explained to her the work I would need to do to ensure she was pleased with her results, and why she needed a full removal and new set. After our conversation, her mood changed completely, we had a wonderful time talking during her appointment, and she left happy and satisfied. This situation taught me how to remain kind and professional, while also keeping boundaries and policies set while running a business

Another important skill I developed more through my STEP project is teamwork. As simple as it sounds, it is essential in a workplace like a salon. In order to graduate, each student needed to complete 180 services. Since the program was only ten weeks long, completing 180 services in that timeframe was very difficult. Some of the girls would be selfish with the clients and want to take all of them in order to complete their services, not letting other girls have the chance to do so. Although I had my service log to complete, I put a lot of effort into making sure every girl got a chance to stay on track with theirs too. For example, if a client came in wanting a manicure and pedicure, I would do one service and offer the other to one of the other students. This kept my relationship with the girls drama free and professional, since they knew I was not trying to take all of the clients for myself. Maintaining a healthy and peaceful relationship in your workplace is so important, and I definitely learned that aspect during my time in nail school. 

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life?

Developing both confidence in myself and my work, as well as professionalism and fairness among my coworkers has prepared me greatly for my future endeavors as a nail technician. I already have a job opportunity that I feel prepared for because of my experience as a manicuring student. I feel so grateful that I was given the opportunity to take this ten week course over the summer. Not only did I learn the art and skill of manicuring, but I was given a whole new outlook on both myself as a professional, and the work force in general. I would not be where I am without the STEP fellowship, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me as a certified nail technician. 

Graduation Photo

1. My STEP signature project was a training course to learn portrait photography. I took a six-week course through Shutterbug Training, where I was able to learn more about how to take better pictures using both my phone and a DSLR camera. Additionally, through conversations with my instructor, I was able to learn more about the ways in which photography as a practice can be vital in ways such as activism.
2. My view of myself and the world that changed the most during my project was how many different forms of activism there are and how I could make a mark on the world in plenty of ways, no matter how small. While I already planned on making a difference in my work after college as a therapist, I did not think that my life-long passion of photography could really make a difference as well. However, learning more about portrait photography and talks with my instructor, I was able to realize how I could highlight different peoples’ stories through the use of photography and photojournalism. I could use my new photography skills and tips to share peoples’ stories of resistance, hope, and joy. I could give other people hope and strength by seeing other peoples’ stories, and putting a face to these stories as well. Even if it only helps a few people, I would still be glad to make a difference in those peoples’ lives.
3. The main relationship that led to the previously mentioned change is the relationship wit my photography instructor. My instructor was the one who introduced the idea of photojournalism to me, as it was something that he practiced on the side when he was younger. Even if I did not intend to do it as a main career, he explained that it could still be beneficial for me and others if I pursued it as a side project. He explained that I could even create a social media account for the purpose to be able to spread peoples’ stories easier, and also have an unintended side effect of growing a personal brand as well.

Additionally, the activities of the portrait photography training showed that I did have a decent knowledge of photography and that I could do good with it if I put my mind to it. Although I did not originally think myself a good photographer, I was able to pick up pretty quickly on the topics that were being taught to me. As a result, I realized that I really might be able to make a difference through the use of photography. Using a simple method of art to get other peoples’ voices heard was something that I realized was within reach.

Furthermore, the activities of the training also allowed me to gain insight into how photography showcases human emotion. I was able to see firsthand how portrait photography highlights the emotions on peoples’ faces. Additionally, the look of their faces without any makeup can tell a thousand stories of the lives they have lived. I learned that by using the correct techniques and the right lighting, a picture truly could be worth a thousand words when it comes to the case of photographing people, which I felt was really beautiful.

4. This transformation was significant to my life because it allowed me to see how I could make a difference in other people’s lives. Hoping to go into therapy after college, I have always wanted to do my best to help other people and make their lives better in any way that I possibly could. However, there is only so much of a difference that I can make by doing therapy, and the geographical range that I could do so in is also limited to my close surroundings. However, this possible side project that I could do with my new photography skills would have a wider impact through social media activism. This way, I would be able to accomplish my personal and professional goal of helping as many people as I possibly could.

<– Me practicing on my cousin after my training.

The project I decided to do for my STEP fellowship was taking guitar lessons. I engaged in weekly lessons from the months of April-September. In addition to the lessons, I also dedicated time outside of them to practice what I learned at the lessons.

After completing my STEP Signature Project, quite a few things changed about myself, my assumptions, and my view of the world. To start, I had known a little bit of guitar and music in general, but after taking part in lessons, I had refined some of my skills and learned that I was performing some techniques incorrectly. Learning where I had been messing up helped me break through some gaps and improve quicker. When I started the lessons, I had assumed myself to be a “beginner,” however once they began, I started to recognize that I was in a better spot than what I had originally believed myself to be, which helped me gain more confidence in my skills. My view of the world changed in that I have more of an appreciation for music and those that are talented. When I observe other people playing guitar, I tend to recognize some of the more technical things, which I think comes from this appreciation of music and hard work.

Many different moments through this project contributed to the transformation I experienced from STEP. As this was a lengthy project that lasted around 6 months, I experienced a lot of growth and change from it. One of the first events that helped me from this project was actually right at the beginning during our first lesson. The instructor was having me practice different things to gauge my skill level, and where I initially had thought I was a beginner, she corrected my thinking and showed me how I was more at an intermediate level of play. This gave me a boost of confidence in my abilities and showed me that I need to step back and reflect on how I really play so that I don’t get down on myself too often.

Another event that led to a change during this project was around a month in. The song we had been practicing was finally getting to a high level of play, and I was able to get through the entire song without making huge mistakes. This was an event that helped show me what hard work and consistent practice can lead to not only in music, but in life. When I finished the song, I felt a relief as if the work I had put in really made a difference. This type of work ethic has transferred to situations in academics and my professional life.

Finally, an important relationship that really helped shape this experience into being something transformational was the relationship I had with the guitar instructor. She was a very talented player that had performed with multiple bands and had some experiences to give that really helped in my lessons. She was also very supportive and encouraging through the whole project. When I would mess up certain sections of a song, she would be sure to point out techniques that can help me get through them. Once I adopted the techniques and improved, she would be sure to recognize the accomplishment. This style of teaching really helped me get through tough moments and encouraged me to continue playing after the project concluded.

This experience was transformational for my life because I have found more of a balance to the type of thinking I have on situations. As a health sciences major, I tend to be focused on the “scientific” type of thinking where it’s very analytical and data-driven, however this project let me be creative and express my thinking in a different way. This experience didn’t only help me with the style of thinking I have, it also translated into a development for my professional goals and personal plans. For my personal life, this project allowed me time to de-stress and take a moment to breathe during my days. Additionally, it helped me professionally because I was engaging with more people and socializing, giving me more confidence in my speaking skills.

My STEP project is electric guitar lessons, a creative and artistic endeavor, at the Guitar House Workshop, located at 1423 Chambers Rd, Columbus, from May 2025 to September 2025.  Through this project, I have learned fundamental and advanced guitar techniques, including music theory, chord progressions, and strumming patterns.

During my 5-month guitar learning, I learned the importance of perseverance, as well as how structured learning and critical thinking can help me tackle challenges.

At first, I felt frustrated for nearly no improvement despite my daily practice. However, it turned out that all these seemingly fruitless practices led to a “sudden” advance in my guitar playing.

Another challenge I encountered was inertia, an old friend of mine. Inertia has always been a problem for me. When I am faced with difficulties, I tend to shrink and wait until the last minute. However, this doesn’t work for learning an instrument. So I decided to make a change. I used structured learning, which means learning with a clear framework, curriculum, and objectives in mind. It was very effective because it broke a seemingly challenging task into several smaller and easier tasks. With a clear time schedule and plan, I managed to practice guitar playing despite my inertia.

One final technique I learned to use was critical thinking. An instrument used to be something learned only by repetitive practice. In fact, it’s much better to know what you are doing, why you should do it, and how you should do it during practice. Rather than solely practicing repetitively to learn a technique, thinking about why you can’t do it and improving the learning plan will be much more efficient.

Perseverance, structured learning, and critical thinking are 3 things I learned in my STEP project, but they also apply to more than guitar. Most importantly, the experience helps me build my approach to tackle future challenges, that is, to keep working, make clear plans, and reflect constantly.

My STEP project gave me the opportunity to develop musical intuition by learning to play the electric bass during the summer of 2025. I took weekly lessons with a local guitar teacher, Lee Sullivan, who taught me proper techniques for strumming, fretting, and more specialized skills. Through these lessons, I learned to play bass lines from popular songs and practiced them at home throughout the week.

Before starting this project, I assumed that playing an instrument was primarily a solitary activity, something you do alone, practicing until you can perfectly reproduce the notes on the page. However, as I progressed, my understanding shifted dramatically. I came to see music, especially within the guitar and bass community, as a highly collaborative and creative pursuit. Playing music is less about precision and more about connecting and communicating with other musicians through improvisation and shared experiences.

This transformation in perspective taught me that music is a social art form where “jamming” and collaboration are essential. It helped me realize the value of learning through interaction, not just individual practice, which expanded how I view both music and learning in general.

Several key experiences and relationships contributed to this shift in my understanding. First, my weekly lessons with Lee Sullivan were foundational. Lee shared his own musical journey, which involved a combination of formal lessons and playing with various groups of musicians. His emphasis on the importance of collaborative environments encouraged me to seek similar experiences where I could grow by playing with others, not just by practicing alone. This advice changed how I approached learning the bass.

Additionally, I was fortunate to have my roommate, who has played electric guitar for over seven years, as a musical partner. Playing alongside him gave me insight into how different instruments complement each other within a song. These informal jam sessions helped me develop my listening skills and learn how to respond spontaneously to another musician. It was through this dynamic, real-time interaction that playing music began to feel more like a natural conversation rather than a rigid exercise.

These experiences also revealed the cultural aspect of guitar and bass playing that I had never encountered before. The culture of “jamming” fosters creativity and connection, and being part of that culture helped me feel more engaged and motivated in my learning process. This was a significant departure from my initial view of music as a solo endeavor.

This change is significant for my life because it reshapes not only how I approach music but also how I approach learning and collaboration in other areas. Understanding the importance of community and interaction has encouraged me to seek more group-based and experiential learning opportunities, which will be valuable in both my academic and personal growth.

Professionally, the skills of listening, improvising, and collaborating are essential in nearly any field, especially those that require teamwork and creative problem-solving. Personally, this experience has made me more open-minded and adaptable, qualities that I believe will enrich my future relationships and endeavors. Overall, the transformation I experienced through learning bass has deepened my appreciation for the power of shared creativity and connection.

During the summer of 2025, I sought out one-on-one sewing and patterning lessons from The Sewing Hive in Columbus, Ohio. I spent two hours a week getting personal instruction from Martha West, one of The Sewing Hive’s instructors. First, I started off with the Stitch, Style, Create lesson program, which took me through the basics of utilizing a sewing machine, utilizing premade patterns, and creating patterns from scratch. After that, I worked personally with Martha to enhance my skills on all of those areas, as well as practice more advanced techniques in alteration and full garment construction.

As I completed the project, I began to rediscover parts of myself that hadn’t been used in a while. In my day-to-day I don’t often explore my creative side, but throughout this project, that’s pretty much all I did. I kind of assumed that my creativity, since it had been a while, would need some refinement, but as I continued with the project, I found my mind working quickly and was able to quickly find solutions to any problems that came up. As we worked, I was able to come up with designs from scratch which really tested my ability to think on my feet and make quick adjustments when things didn’t go exactly to plan. I think the most important takeaway from my project was realizing that my plans, no matter how meticulously they were made, would inevitably end up going wrong in some way. The restoration process is really where I learned.

The most defining activity of the process was learning to work with different materials. I already had a basic knowledge of sewing on typical fabrics, so when I took this class I really wanted to focus my skills on making different types of clothes for different seasons and occasions. One of my projects included working with a stiff, heavy fabric to make a dressy pant, while the other included an unstable loose cotton weave to create a light summer button up shirt. When it comes to heavy fabrics, the main issue typically comes from stacking layers and learning to help your machine process these sometimes needle-shattering layers (ask me how I know). Learning on the fly to utilize these materials really was a struggle. Whether it needed fixed by using a heavier/lighter needle, by rethreading the machine with a thicker thread, by leveling the presser foot with the stacked layers, by fixing the bobbin direction, or by just fumbling around with the machine, though, I was always able to find my way through, sharpening my critical thinking skills as I went. The amount of critical thinking I had to employ really cannot be understated. Like my instructor said, beyond cutting and pressing, sewing is mostly just troubleshooting the machine.

Beyond working with new materials and machine fixing, my most unexpected takeaway from this experience was learning to collaborate with others and take criticism to heart. My instructor, Martha West, constantly held me to a reasonably high standard and made sure my technique was always up to standard. Beyond showing me how to utilize patterns and giving me tips on becoming an effective sewer, she always demonstrated her techniques first, then watched me to ensure I was doing it correctly and then utilized the finished garment to illustrate the connection between the technique with the proper appearance. She allowed me to not only understand the techniques, but also why we used the techniques, which locked them into my working and muscle memory for any future projects.

Her teaching style also incorporated working with her and others to create a finished project as well. When we worked together, I learned how to let go of my control and let other people contribute to my work. In the past, all my creative projects were primarily done alone, so working with someone else was new. Not only having Martha there to give me criticism but also to help me make creative decisions and fix issues that I may have caused was extremely supportive for my growth. It honestly wasn’t easy letting somebody else into my creative process, but having that extra voice for ideas, especially when she was so experienced, was very helpful. I honestly did not realize how typical it had become for me to only work alone until I reflected on the experience and realized this was one of the first times where I allowed myself to rely on others to make a project better. Collaboration is so important in not only creative spaces, but also any work environment I may find myself in the future, so developing and honing that skill now was and will be extremely valuable to me.

One of the major benefits of this project is going to be my heightened ability to collaborate effectively while taking criticism well, while also having honed my attention to detail. Those two things are really what sewing and the general creative process is all about. So, being able to take those soft, intrapersonal skills into a workplace will be great for me. I also plan on becoming a pathologist’s assistant, which is a job that requires all of those skills to a mastered level. If you are not careful, diagnoses could be incorrect or sample sectioning could go completely wrong, so that’s why working on my attention to detail is so important. I also think that this career choice is a highly communicative one, since you are always working directly under a pathologist, and you always are going to have to work across different departments to get them the diagnoses they need. That’s why developing these communications skills and this ability to take criticism is so important to my life. While actually learning to sew was very fun, the actual skills I have gained from this experience go so much further than sewing practicum.

Here is a picture of two things I have made!

For my STEP Signature Project, I took four months of bass guitar lessons at a local music school. The project was focused on developing my technique, music theory knowledge and application, and overall confidence as a musician outside the classroom.

While I had already been playing and self-teaching bass for almost a year before taking on this project, I knew I had a lot to learn and change about the way I played. I was able to take some intermediate difficulty songs and learn them at my own pace, but I did find myself getting frustrated easily when that pace wasn’t fast enough for my liking, sometimes assuming that maybe a new instrument just isn’t for me. After the first few lessons, I was unsure of whether or not I was really being helped, but eventually came to notice that day by day nothing seemed to change, but watching old videos of me playing made me see how much better I had become. With this, I realized that I can’t expect myself or anyone else to change overnight, and that meaningful change comes only with time and effort, and there’s no shortcuts to becoming great at anything. Before taking lessons, I had been nervous to play in front of people, let alone crowds. I did it twice before, and both times I had to just power through, but since completing the project, I’ve played two more concerts and been so much more confident and expressive on stage and realized that once I let go of the fear of messing up or looking like a fool, I accessed the highest level of my ability.

When I first arrived to take lessons, I was still feeling unsure about taking them, as I had previously not had that much fun in music classes with orchestra in high school. The first few lessons felt awkward as I hadn’t really played alone in front of somebody that I knew would critique me, but my teacher was so great that I shed that feeling quickly. When the nerves made me start to mess up, my teacher, Elijah, assured me that I was doing just fine and that making errors is essential to me improving as an instrumentalist. This made me calm down instantly, and is still a mantra I have into all my practice sessions and performances. All my mistakes are just opportunities to learn, not something to avoid.

I had many things about my technique that I needed to fix, and at School of Rock, we got to work on it instantly with various drills and practice methods. One of the big takeaways from my lessons came a month into the program. Elijah noticed that I was growing frustrated with messing up during the drills we did, and told me that it’s okay to move at my own pace, and that I’m the only one that is rushing me. “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast,” he said, and my view of not just instruments, but the world had changed. Growing up, my dad had always mentioned to me how I need to slow down and be more patient, but me being the teenager that I was, didn’t listen. However, when my bass teacher said it, all of a sudden I started improving more rapidly than I had before.

The last keys to my transformation came when I came back to play with my band after the lessons. Practicing again with them was a whole new ballgame to both me and them, as they had noted how I was able to more fluidly play songs that I used to struggle with. When my guitarist started to show his own struggles with our setlist, I was actually the one to pass along what I had learned over the summer at my lessons. “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Then after our first performance since taking the lessons, I came out with very minimal nerves and put on what I think is our best performance up to this point. Now with the knowledge and confidence of playing our songs, it started a positive feedback reaction of improvement because I was enjoying playing music, and playing more because I knew I was improving.
The mantra of “slow is smooth, smooth is fast,” is something that was so profound that I carried it into most every part of my life, which is pivotal seeing as how I’m now halfway through my undergrad career. I noticed that I was a lot more calm and levelheaded while doing my other favorite hobby, cooking, which I did at my summer job and on my own at home. In both places, I noticed a big improvement in both quality and speed, as well as my overall enjoyment. Now looking at the school year, I feel a lot more ready to take on my classes by treating it like I was learning a complex song; take it apart and digest it bit by bit. This is also how I’ve been treating my search for post-grad opportunities and even big opportunities during undergrad like research and internships. The best part of all for me, however, is just the confidence that I’m capable of doing anything if I make a gameplan and move at my pace.

    For my STEP Signature Project, I purchased a violin and dedicated my summer to learning the instrument. I enrolled in weekly private lessons and committed to daily practice, which helped me develop strong technique, expand my musical abilities, and establish a solid foundation in violin performance.

    Learning the violin through my STEP Signature Project fundamentally changed my perspective on patience and perseverance. I discovered that mastering a complex skill, particularly such a demanding instrument, requires sustained and focused dedication over an extended period. This experience dispelled my previous belief that progress would be rapid, revealing instead that genuine growth occurs through gradual and persistent improvement.

    My perspective broadened as I appreciated the discipline and artistry of music. I saw firsthand the dedication professional musicians invest, which deepened my respect for their craft. This project taught me perseverance and to view challenges as growth opportunities.

    Several key experiences during my STEP Signature Project contributed to the personal growth and transformation I described. First, the weekly violin lessons with my instructor were essential in shaping my understanding of patience and discipline. Each session presented new challenges—sometimes frustratingly difficult finger placements or complex bowing techniques—that required me to slow down and focus on small, precise movements rather than rushing through. These lessons pushed me to embrace a mindset of steady, incremental progress, which was a shift from my previous expectation of quick results.

    In addition to the lessons, the daily practice routine played a significant role in transforming my assumptions. I quickly learned that consistent effort was necessary to improve even the smallest aspects of my playing. Some days felt discouraging when progress seemed minimal, but sticking with the practice built not only my skill but also my resilience. This repetitive, focused practice taught me the value of persistence and reinforced that mastery is a long-term process.

    I also had the opportunity to perform with my big brother’s band for our friends and family, which was a pivotal moment in my project. Playing in front of an audience, even a familiar one, helped me overcome my initial nerves and made me more comfortable with public performance. This experience boosted my confidence and made me realize how rewarding sharing music with others can be, deepening my motivation to continue improving.

    Interactions with my instructor also deepened my appreciation for music as an art form. Their passion and dedication to teaching inspired me to take music more seriously and helped me understand the emotional depth behind every note and phrase. This relationship made me see the violin not just as an instrument to be learned but as a medium for personal expression and creativity, which enriched my overall experience.

    Finally, as I improved over the summer, I gained confidence in my ability to tackle new challenges outside of my comfort zone. The process of learning something entirely new reminded me that growth often involves struggle and patience, and this lesson has influenced how I approach other areas of my life. These combined experiences shaped my transformation and left a lasting impact on how I view both learning and personal development.

    This transformation is significant because it has strengthened my commitment to pursuing a unique career path that combines my passion for music and the arts with scientific inquiry through neuroaesthetics. Understanding the patience, discipline, and emotional depth involved in learning an instrument has given me a valuable perspective on the powerful effects music can have on the brain and human experience. This insight directly supports my academic and professional goals of exploring how artistic experiences influence cognitive and emotional processes, and how this knowledge can be applied to improve mental health and education.

    On a personal level, the growth I experienced through my STEP project has taught me the importance of perseverance and embracing challenges, qualities that will be essential as I navigate the complexities of interdisciplinary research and creative practice. This development not only enriches my musical journey but also prepares me to contribute meaningfully to fields that merge science and art. Ultimately, this change matters because it shapes both who I am and who I aim to become—a thoughtful, resilient individual dedicated to advancing our understanding of the human mind through the lens of creativity.

IMG_3658   ​

My step project was a 3D modeling course. It entailed making 3D models using Maya and texturing them in Substance 3D painter.  

My assumption of how difficult things are has changed. To me before the course I always thought of 3D modeling as an extremely difficult if not impossible art form for me. However, after meeting with my mentor and only learning about the different modeling tools in the software I was able to see that 3D modeling isn’t as difficult as I originally thought. By actually learning about the tools provided I was able to make 3D models that were not professional quality, but they still made me proud to have made them. 

My mentor really helped to change my assumption about 3D modeling as even when the course went into complex task, he would show shortcuts and ways to simplify the task to make the process simpler. One example of this was in the course I needed to make textures for the 3D models and the course explaned the texturing as building up every single layer. However, my mentor showed me how to get premade textures that looked good and then edit them to fit the models I was making. My mentor would also show me things that he had learned in his experience as a 3D modeler which gave me a view into the more advanced side of 3D modeling. 

The course had class videos that I had to watch each week and make a model based on what I learned. These weekly videos did a very good job of building upon each other, explaining new tools, and having me use those tools in my weekly projects. This helped to change my assumption about 3D modeling as it showed me that just by knowing and understanding the tools I could make things I previously thought impossible. 

For the second half of the course, I was tasked with making a more complex model that was based on something in real life that I had around me so I could see what I was modeling as I was modeling it. This helped me a lot as even when I would make some part of the model that was not the same as the real model it was just my creative interpretation. This reduced my assumptions about 3D modeling as it showed me that 3D models don’t have to be perfect and you need to keep changing the model until you can be proud of it. 

This change is very significant to my life because it changes how I will face new things that seem difficult to me.  This course showed me that even though I thought 3D modeling was super difficult, just by knowing the useful tools I could be decent at 3D modeling. In the future when I need to learn something new, I try it with an open mind and look for the things that can simplify the task when I am first learning about it.

My STEP Project – Acting Classes

For my STEP signature project, I took weekly on-camera acting classes at 1^st Team Actors Studio in North Olmsted, Ohio. The courses focused on technique and industry insights, helping me grow as a performer and professional.

How Did My Perspective Change?

These classes shaped my view of myself and the acting industry. As an actor, it is vital for me to understand my “type,” or the range of characters I am most likely to be cast as. Through self-reflection exercises and peer feedback, I learned that I am perceived as a quirky, student-aged, girl-next-door type. This insight helped me learn how to market myself.

My understanding of the world was impacted as I learned about the realities of the acting industry. Casting decisions often rely on uncontrollable factors including race, height, or relationship to a given director. In today’s media, my multiracial background can be an asset because directors often seek “ethnically ambiguous” talent. This information exposed me to the opportunities and biases within the acting field.

What Events Impacted My Perspective?

An event that altered my view of myself occurred during my first week of classes. Within our group of 15-or-so aspiring actors, each student sat at the front of the room while everyone else suggested character types based on appearance. The exercise caught me at a vulnerable moment – I had come to class after work and did not feel I looked my absolute best. Watching my classmates be labeled everything from baristas to psychopaths, it felt taboo to be so blatantly judging everyone’s books by their covers!

When my turn came, I was described as a student, cheerleader, and all-American girl. Although nerve wracking, the exercise gifted me an objective view of myself that I later used to pitch myself to a talent agency. I now embrace this image in auditions and headshot submissions!

Another transformative experience was learning from Peter Lawson Jones, an accomplished actor with credits alongside Tom Hanks and Matthew McConaughey. His weekly class opened with candid discussions about the acting industry. He shared experiences of being strung along deep into the callback stages for major roles only to be eventually turned down because of factors beyond his control. These conversations helped me reframe rejection not as a reflection of my talent but often just as a matter of fit.

At the end of our final class, Jones told me he believes in my potential to go places with my acting. His belief in me is something I hold dearly and continues to fuel my confidence.

Why Does This Growth Matter?

The personal and professional growth I experienced this summer has been profound. I now have a better sense of my identity and the industry’s dynamics. Since the conclusion of these classes, I have signed with The Talent Group, an agency representing me in northeast Ohio. I am incredibly grateful to STEP for supporting my journey and I am excited to apply everything I learned this summer as I move forward in my career!