As the ceremony got underway, 麻豆影院 faculty, attired in traditional regalia, processed across College Avenue and onto Main Hall Green led by Faculty Marshal and Associate Professor of English Celia Barnes and joined President Laurie A. Carter and other members of the platform party. They lined the sidewalk leading to the stage, greeting graduates as they processed to their seats amid the cheers of photo- and video-taking family and friends.听听

Honor and Respect听 The ceremony opened with Director of Community Values, Engagement and Sustainability Carter Robinson sharing the institutional Land Acknowledgement statement of Appleton and Door County campuses being situated on the ancestral homelands of the Menomonee and Ho-Chunk peoples.听听

Terra Winston-Sage 鈥�00, the Julia Esch Hurvis Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life and Chaplain to the University, gave the Invocation. In her remarks, she praised the Class of 2026 for their willingness to speak out on values, justice, and community, while also urging adaptability and humility.听听

Forever a Lawrentian听 Board of Trustees Chair David R. Shepard 鈥�83 P鈥�13 welcomed guests to what he described as the high point of the academic year.听听

鈥淵ou leave here, not only with a degree, but with a way of thinking, creating, and engaging that is unmistakably Lawrentian,鈥� Shepard said, noting that special relationships, such as faculty mentors, are at the heart of the institution. 鈥淭hey do not simply teach,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey inspire, challenge, and often walk alongside you.鈥澨�

Defined by Resilience听 As more than 300 students waited for their names to be called for their walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, President Carter addressed the graduates and guests. She noted that the Class of 2026 had overcome unique challenges and described the class as one defined by resilience. They were the class that navigated the aftershocks of a global pandemic, she said, and spent their years rebuilding student life from the ground up and renewing campus traditions.

鈥淵ou stepped forward and did the work,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淔our years later, you have built a community that reflects the very best of 麻豆影院.鈥� She added, 鈥淚 have had the opportunity to get to know so many of you, and it has been a joy to witness your journeys unfold.鈥�

Carter said the Class of 2026 is the second full class she has seen progress from Welcome Week to Commencement during her time as president, noting that her own journey at 麻豆影院 deepened alongside theirs.听听

鈥淵our experiences were shaped by classmates, faculty, staff, mentors, families, and alumni who challenged you, encouraged you, and believed in you.鈥� She noted, 鈥淭his community will be with you as you leave this campus. Your experiences here have bound you to it and to generations of Lawrentians who came before you.鈥� She concluded, 鈥淣ow go forth and make your mark.鈥澨�

Don鈥檛 Be Afraid to Light Someone Else鈥檚 Candle听 Senior speaker Megan Eisenstein 鈥�26, a Government major with minors in Dance and Statistics, reflected on the memories, relationships, and experiences that shaped her 麻豆影院 journey.

Drawing inspiration from Natasha Trethewey鈥檚 poem, 鈥淭heory of Time and Space,鈥� which she encountered in her First-Year Studies course, Eisenstein encouraged her classmates to carry 麻豆影院 with them as they move into the next chapter of their lives.

鈥淓verywhere you go will be somewhere you鈥檝e never been,鈥� Eisenstein said, quoting Trethewey鈥檚 poem. 鈥淵ou are a mosaic of all these moments and the people whom you love.鈥�

Eisenstein spoke about the importance of community, belonging, and creating positive change in the world. She paid tribute to her late classmate Alex Stanger 鈥�25, a close friend whose life and example continue to inspire her.

鈥淚 won鈥檛 pretend the world we are entering into isn鈥檛 gripped with fear and hatred, but we will all play a part in loosening that grip through our lives,鈥� she said. 鈥淏uild your community, and don鈥檛 be afraid to light someone else鈥檚 candle; it won鈥檛 put yours out.鈥澨�

鈥淲hat鈥檚 Your Secret Story鈥�听 Commencement speaker Marjorie Liu 鈥�00 received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree before delivering a Commencement address centered on the idea of pursuing unspoken goals and embracing dreams that may seem impossible.

鈥淲hat is your secret story? What is your secret dream?鈥� she asked. 鈥淎 dream that moves you, a dream that cannot be named because it is so outlandish, so strange, or so fragile that speaking of it might shatter the dream entirely?鈥�

She encouraged graduates to embrace uncertainty rather than fear it. Liu spoke of her own experience at 麻豆影院, describing herself as shy and largely unknown on campus, yet profoundly transformed by her relationships with faculty. She credited late professor Peter Fritzell with helping her discover her calling as a writer and encouraging her to pursue a dream she once believed impossible.

鈥淩emember that you, too, are a language,鈥� Liu told the graduates. 鈥淩emember to look deeper within yourself and read yourself with curiosity and deliberation.鈥澨�

Recognizing Teaching Excellence听 Provost and Dean of the Faculty Peter Blitstein presented the 2026 faculty awards. Assistant Professor of German Petra Watzke, who joined the faculty in 2023, was honored with the Excellence in Teaching by an Early Career Faculty Member. Associate professor of Biology Alyssa Hakes, who joined the faculty in 2012, was honored with the Excellence in Teaching Award. Associate Professor of Music Esteli Gomez, who came to 麻豆影院 in 2019 as a visiting artist with a successful performance career as a soprano soloist, was honored with the Excellence in Scholarship or Creative Activity award.听听

The university also recognized the retirement of Copeland Woodruff, the Mary and Michael Jaharis Director of Opera Studies and Associate Professor of Music, bestowing an honorary Master of Arts degree in recognition of his distinguished service and leadership in building 麻豆影院鈥檚 nationally recognized opera program.听听

After the highlight of the morning 鈥� the conferral of degrees 鈥� the graduates prepared for one final 麻豆影院 tradition of recessing through the Memorial Hall Arch, signifying their transition from student to alumnus.

鈥淵ou entered carrying hopes, questions, and ambitions,鈥� Carter told the graduates. 鈥淵ou are leaving carrying knowledge, friendships, and a deeper understanding of who you are.鈥�

For members of the Class of 2026, the walk through the arch marked, not just an ending, but the beginning of a new chapter shaped by the lessons, relationships, and sense of purpose they developed during their time at 麻豆影院 University.

Watch the complete 听

Liu teaches comic book writing at MIT, sharing her more than 20 years of experience in publishing with her students. Writing for Marvel Comics, one of the world鈥檚 most influential comic book publishers, her titles have included the 鈥淒ark Wolverine鈥� series, 鈥淣YX: No Way Home,鈥� 鈥淴-23,鈥� 鈥淏lack Widow: The Name of the Rose,鈥� 鈥淗an Solo,鈥� which debuted at #6 on the New York Times Bestseller list, and 鈥淎stonishing X-Men,鈥� which earned national attention and a GLAAD Award as the first Marvel comic featuring a same-sex marriage of X-Man Northstar. She also wrote the story for the animated film, 鈥淎vengers Confidential: Black Widow and Punisher,鈥� produced by Marvel, Sony, and Madhouse, Inc.

An acclaimed novelist, Liu has authored the popular urban fantasy series Hunter Kiss, and the award-winning paranormal romance series, Dirk & Steele. Her novels have been USA Today bestsellers and have received the Romantic Times Reviewers鈥� Choice Award for 鈥淭he Mortal Bone鈥� (Hunter Kiss #6) and 鈥淭iger Eye鈥� (Dirk & Steele #1). 鈥淭iger Eye鈥� also was the basis for a bestselling paranormal romance video game called 鈥淭iger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box.鈥�

Liu has amassed legions of fans for 鈥淢onstress,鈥� an original horror fantasy series she co-created with artist Sana Takeda for Image Comics. Set in a richly imagined, matriarchal world inspired by Asian history and mythology, the critically acclaimed comic book series has received multiple Hugo Awards, British Fantasy Awards, the Harvey Award, and numerous Eisner Awards. As an Asian-American woman (her father is Taiwanese), she was proud to be the first woman 鈥� and woman of color 鈥� to earn an Eisner Award in the Best Writer category.

She is also the author of The Wingbearer Saga, a fantasy graphic novel series for middle-grade readers, about a young girl discovering her magical identity while protecting the world from sinister forces.

Liu earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in East Asian Languages and Culture with a minor in biomedical ethics from 麻豆影院 University in 2000. It was during her time at 麻豆影院 that her interest in comic books began to flourish through weekly visits to Power House Comics on College Avenue. On campus, she dove into English literature courses with faculty mentors helping her hone her writing skills.

Liu earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2003, but soon found herself at a crossroads, debating whether to continue building her career as an attorney or diving deeper into her writing. The choice was soon settled when she wrote and sold her first paranormal romance novel, 鈥淭iger Eye,鈥� in 2004. Soon after, she embarked on a partnership with Marvel that has yielded a bounty of award-winning titles.

In a 2024 article for 麻豆影院 magazine about her career, Liu described her years of publishing success as a complete surprise.

鈥淲hen I was at 麻豆影院, if you’d told me that this is where I’d end up鈥攚riting for a living; specifically, comic books鈥擨 would have had a very difficult time imagining that future,鈥� she said. 鈥淣one of this was planned, or part of 鈥榯he dream,鈥� but one opportunity naturally led to another, and suddenly 20 years passed by and here I am.鈥�

麻豆影院 University鈥檚 2026 Commencement exercises will be held on Sunday, June 14, at 10 a.m., on Main Hall Green. The ceremony is the culmination of a full weekend of events, including a concert featuring graduating seniors on Friday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m., in 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel, a multifaith baccalaureate service on Saturday, June 13, at 11 a.m., in Memorial Chapel, followed by a cookout for graduates and their families, faculty, and staff, at noon on Main Hall Green.

Moya is looking forward to using her experiences with underwater photography to improve accessibility to the research, as well as learning more about marine mammal behavior and the impacts humans have on these creatures.

This is the next step in Moya鈥檚 career plans. She aspires to study marine animals as a means to improve conservation, integrate photography into research, and improve education on the important role the ocean and marine animals play in our environment.听

鈥淪ometimes we get caught up in publishing papers,鈥� Moya said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also important to articulate to the public what you do and ignite that fire for positive change in the next generation.鈥�

In her college search, 麻豆影院 quickly stood out as a place where Moya could pursue several of her passions as a first-gen student. She did just that. In addition to seeking out opportunities in marine biology, she minored in studio art and competed in two varsity sports鈥攂asketball and lacrosse.

Her love for marine biology has grown in the subsequent years, including her desire to make research more accessible to the public through photography and effective communication.

鈥淚t is important for me as a scientist to encourage the people around me and to say that you also have the power to make a difference in the world,鈥� Moya said.听

She first became passionate about accessibility while interning at the Milwaukee County Zoo and the Brookfield Zoo Chicago, where she grew her communication skills while giving tours and improving programs involving biofacts. She gained experience in grant writing, raising funds to improve the biofact room, and creating a safe, fun public space to learn more about the natural world.

Moya then participated in the 麻豆影院 University Marine Program (LUMP) under the guidance and encouragement of her academic advisor, Bart De Stasio. The program has been around for almost half a century and provides students with the opportunity to analyze a coral reef habitat and then develop a group research project. Last year鈥檚 program took Moya to Bonaire, an island municipality that lies off Venezuela鈥檚 coast in the southern Caribbean. She and her peers studied fish and coral reef environments.

Learn more about the Marine Term program at 麻豆影院.

鈥淚 was excited to incorporate underwater photography as a way to improve communication,鈥� Moya said. 鈥淭here’s not a lot of visualizations or pictures in research. All we usually have are graphs.鈥�

Underwater photography also proved an ecological benefit, as day and night photography allowed the team to identify early stages of coral bleaching, a phenomenon that occurs in unhealthy coral.听

LUMP was a highlight in Moya鈥檚 time at 麻豆影院, as the experience reinforced her love for marine biology.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity to see if you want to do research and get a sense for the feel of what it鈥檚 like, not only as a marine biologist but as an educator and advocate for our oceans,鈥� she said.

The piece鈥檚 shifting styles include a general improvisatory aesthetic鈥攕o convincing, in fact, that Shanley said she has received compliments on her 鈥渋mprovised sections,鈥� even though the entire work is fully written out.

She insists that the piece鈥檚 inventiveness isn鈥檛 rooted in unjustified randomicity. Instead, its high-energy character arises from meticulously organized material.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so much kind of call and response between the bass and the wind ensemble, both as a whole and with individual players,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really fun to listen to, whether you鈥檝e heard it a million times like I have, or for the first time.鈥�

Furthermore, each of the concerto鈥檚 three movements is titled and inspired by a poem; the wide-ranging authors include Walt Whitman, Hildegard von Bingen, and William Butler Yeats. Though each portion presents a distinct soundscape, Shanley observes a subtle narrative linking them together.

鈥淚n my mind, I have a story I’ve made up and applied to it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 hope everyone else creates their own narrative too. It feels like a journey, and to me it’s all connected.鈥�

Genre is not the only plurality in Shanley鈥檚 musical life; her instruments include not just the double bass, but French horn and piano. In fact, it was the latter that first drew her to music at just 5 years old.

鈥淎s soon as I started playing piano, I thought, I want to do this for the rest of my life: playing music,鈥� Shanley said.听

Quickly though, the bass became her calling card.

鈥淚 joined my orchestra in fifth grade on bass; I was just so drawn to the sound,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淵ou kind of have to be, because it’s such a pain to haul around a bass. But I love how it鈥檚 so integral to so many styles of music. It can be the harmonic foundation, rhythmic framework, or a soloist.鈥�

That versatility made 麻豆影院 University her ideal choice. She is majoring in music performance (double bass) and music education.

鈥淚 really came to 麻豆影院 because I wanted to study with Mark Urness,鈥� Shanley said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e stayed for so many more reasons. I love playing in the orchestra with Mark Dupere and playing in LUJE [麻豆影院 University Jazz Ensemble] with Patty Darling. Even when my focus [has shifted]鈥攂etween orchestra, solo music, jazz, or teaching鈥斅槎褂霸� has always supported me.鈥�

After her performance this week, Shanley has a busy summer ahead. She鈥檒l be attending the Domaine Forget International Festival and bass-focused Wabass Institute, and she’s preparing for her first professional orchestra audition in June.

鈥淭he audition preparation has been a really exciting new challenge,” she said. “My whole musical career, I’ve been focused on one gigantic piece at a time. Now I’m working on 24 different orchestral excerpts. They’re all short, but all so different. It鈥檚 been super fun.”

Long-term, Shanley sees graduate school in her future, but not right away. First, she鈥檒l complete student teaching as part of her major in music education.

鈥淚 love being a student,鈥� she said with a laugh. 鈥淚 think I want to be a teacher because it’s the closest you can get to just being a student forever.鈥�

Onukaogu, a business and entrepreneurship and global studies double major from Jamaica, New York, pitched the idea of a stylish winter coat that can be quickly transformed into multiple uses鈥攖ravel pillow, vest, blanket, and tote bag.

鈥淚 initially got the idea in middle school,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y dad really likes fashion, and I think I just grew up in fashion. But it鈥檚 also about being eco-conscious and budget conscious. I wanted to come up with something where you can get more for less while being stylish.鈥�

It has been Onukaogu鈥檚 麻豆影院 experience that took that nugget of an idea she first had as a young teen and turned it into a business possibility. She jumped with enthusiasm into 麻豆影院鈥檚 business and entrepreneurship major after it was launched in the 2023-24 academic year.

She initially worked with two faculty members, Irene Strohbeen 鈥�78, entrepreneur-in-residence, and Michael Clayville, in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) 100: In Pursuit of Innovation course to develop the Anima Unita brand idea. Then in the I&E 300: Entrepreneurial Ventures course with Karen Bussone, professor of practice in entrepreneurship, she crafted a business plan.

She presented her first pitch at the end of the I&E 100 course, then developed it further in I&E 300. In the process, she grew more confident, delivering a winning pitch in the LaunchLU contest earlier in April and then to five judges at Monday鈥檚 The Pitch.

Onukaogu plans to use the prize money to offset costs as she works to bring her business plan to fruition. She hopes to launch the business online while a student, with revenue helping to pay for graduate school.

鈥淚鈥檓 planning to go to nursing school,鈥� Onukaogu said. 鈥淭his would be a side hustle.鈥�

A student-athlete on 麻豆影院鈥檚 track team, she said her interests in both health care and business have grown during her time on campus. That makes the Anima Unita pursuit a great fit alongside her nursing ambitions.

鈥淭hose passions were mostly cultivated during my time at 麻豆影院,鈥� Onukaogu said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a liberal arts college, so I get to experience so many different things, and that鈥檚 how I was able to develop the passions for both health care and business.鈥�

Joining Onukaogu at The Pitch on Monday were Emma Perry, a junior business and entrepreneurship major from Beverly, Massachusetts, and Sheldon Watson, a junior business and entrepreneurship major from Snellville, Georgia. They emerged from LaunchLU as finalists, pitching Community and Beyond, an app designed to be used by high schools, high school students, and nonprofits in the tracking of volunteer hours.

鈥淏oth teams represented 麻豆影院 University so well, as LU students do,鈥� Strohbeen said.

She applauded them for seeking mentoring support from 麻豆影院 faculty and representatives from gener8tor, a business startup accelerator that has partnered with 麻豆影院鈥檚 B&E program.

鈥淚n the short two weeks between LaunchLU and The Pitch, they showed the focus and dedication to winning that typifies not just 麻豆影院 but also 麻豆影院 Athletics鈥攁ll three of our entrepreneurs are also athletes,鈥� Strohbeen said. 鈥淐ongratulations to both of our entrepreneur teams.鈥�

Bussone called I&E 100 and I&E 300 a “great foundation” for 麻豆影院 students to develop their concept and business model, and then thrive in pitch contests.

鈥淚鈥檓 humbled to have the opportunity to teach, mentor, and provide students opportunities to pursue their passion,鈥� she said.

The springboard diver from Alexandria, Virginia, knew from early on that he wanted to compete in college and quickly fell in love with the team culture at 麻豆影院.听听

鈥淚 wanted to take my diving to the next level,鈥� Bertman said, noting how important consistency, weight training, and team dedication is to his college experience. 鈥淢y initial visit to 麻豆影院 blew me away. Everyone was super welcoming, and all I could think was, 鈥楾hey really want me to come here鈥nd I really want to come here, too.鈥欌�澨�

He has been a model of consistent excellence since stepping on campus. In the recent conference championships, Bertman swept the 3-meter and 1-meter diving titles while breaking both 麻豆影院 records.

鈥淚 couldn’t stop smiling,鈥� Bertman said. 鈥淚 was having so much fun that when I got out of the water and I broke the record, I thought, ‘I just want to keep going’.鈥澨�

He has been equally driven in the classroom.听

Bertman is coordinating with multiple departments to create a self-designed major in classical civilizations. He credits several professors for making this possible, including Randall McNeill, the Ottilia Buerger Professor of Classical Studies and associate professor of classics, Danielle Joyner, associate professor of art history, and Ingrid Albrecht, the David and Julia Uihlein Professor of Ethics and associate professor of philosophy. The major focuses on classical culture, a passion he has had since he was young.听

Bertman intends to go to graduate school to continue his studies, and he hopes to eventually teach in a Classics Department. In addition, he wants to continue to coach divers at the high school level and above, as he believes that you truly come to appreciate your sport once you see it through a coach鈥檚 perspective.听听

Bertman said he takes the team approach to everything he does on campus, from the classroom to student organizations. He serves as the social media manager for the 麻豆影院 Rock Climbers Club and competes on an intramural volleyball team.听He鈥檚 having fun every step of the way.

Bertman advises all college athletes to focus on the enjoyment of their sport first because, 鈥淵ou never know when it will be your last time.鈥� This is the approach he will continue to take into his senior year.听

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Hogan鈥檚 research is multifaceted. He needs to take into consideration the weather patterns on Mars. As the frozen formations deteriorate, dust is released from the ancient ice into the thin, carbon dioxide atmosphere.

鈥淭his ice has a lot of dust trapped in it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a glacier, but it doesn鈥檛 flow. It鈥檚 been there for millions, potentially billions, of years. There are colored bands on the outside of the ice, and each one of these bands contains different types of dust. That dust is released, and it鈥檚 interacting with the surrounding environment and spreading across the surface of the planet.鈥�

Hogan鈥檚 interest in this research began in high school when he saw images of the cliffs on Mars. The geosciences faculty at 麻豆影院 gave him the opportunity to dig deeper into this interest. The research idea came together when he was participating in a project with Jeff Clark, professor of geosciences, tracking the progression of cliffs along Lake Michigan. He realized the drone imagery he and other students were taking of the cliffs resembled the images he had seen of the deterioration on Mars.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize I would have the time or ability to work on something like this, but through different classes in the Geosciences Department, my interest in those questions grew,鈥� Hogan said. 鈥淭he approach to learning in the Geosciences Department is very commendable. We鈥檙e kind of all in it together, and you get to ask really interesting questions.鈥�

Hogan said he鈥檚 gaining valuable skills via this research project, and he鈥檒l take those into his next endeavors. After his time at 麻豆影院, Hogan plans to continue his education in space sciences with a postgraduate program, and then work toward earning a Ph.D.听

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of skills I鈥檝e gained from this in terms of structuring my research questions and planning, and thinking about how I use my funding,鈥� he said.听

Manzanera said he has loved the basketball experience at 麻豆影院鈥攐n and off the court鈥攊ncluding the team bus rides, dinners, and impromptu karaoke nights.

He also has been an active participant in his academics. He was chosen to represent students as a speaker at the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony that marked the opening of the new Business and Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons. He told those gathered that he appreciates the value of a liberal arts education in turning students into 鈥渓ifelong learners.鈥澨�

鈥淭he B&E Center will provide a space for us, the students, to connect our classroom and college experiences to the real-life experiences of working with a business, of living in an apartment, and of collaborating closely with companies like the ones that will share this space with us,鈥� he said.听

His basketball coach, Casey Korn, has admired Manzanera鈥檚 ability to connect with others and create a positive difference in every environment he is in.

鈥淣ico is one of a kind,鈥� Korn said. 鈥淗e came to 麻豆影院 as a first-year and moved in with the international students.听By the time the other first-years moved to campus I think he knew every athlete and international student on campus.听And he hasn’t stopped meeting people since. He is a connector of people, cares for others, and wants to see everyone succeed.鈥澨�

Manzanera hopes to pursue a career in consulting or sales and is pursuing internships. The B&E Center will allow him opportunities to explore his many interests and collaborate with business professionals.听

Balancing academics and athletics is not always easy, but Manzanera has learned a lot from trial and error and has leaned on the advice of coaches and academic advisors. His calendar is often organized down to the minute. That said, he also focuses time and energy on staying present in the moment as much as possible.听听

鈥淚t is very easy to worry about all my assignments due in the next two weeks,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut staying present on the current week, the current day, or even the current task has helped me stay calm and not overwhelm myself.鈥澨�

Manzanera said he continues to find enjoyment and motivation in the journey.

鈥淎t the end of the day, we indeed have time for everything we want to do; we just have to learn how to organize and prioritize,鈥� he said.

One of those orchestra opportunities came right after Avil茅s moved to Bulgaria. He joined an orchestra a week out from their concert, and the conductor allowed him to perform with them. It was Avil茅s鈥檚 first concert in his new country, and he spent the whole week practicing. After performing in the concert, the audience called for an encore.听

Out of these experiences, Avil茅s learned that Bulgarian music is often something left unexplored.听听

鈥淚t鈥檚 something that I had the privilege of engaging with a lot while I lived in Bulgaria,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, what better way than to bring that music to 麻豆影院 and to try to engage with it and put it out there for people.鈥澨�

Avil茅s had the opportunity to bring Bulgarian music to 麻豆影院 when he performed in his junior recital Nov. 3 in Harper Hall. He performed selections from Rhapsody for Solo Violin No. 3 by Petar Hristokov and Sonata for Violin and Piano in D Major by Pancho Haralanov Vladigerov, celebrating two pieces that surrounded him during his time in Bulgaria.听

Finding a home at 麻豆影院

When deciding on where he would attend college, though鈥攖hose roots traced back to Avil茅s鈥檚 time in Colombia. An instructor of his had attended the Eastman School of Music in New York around the same time as Samantha George, associate professor of music and teacher of violin at 麻豆影院.听

鈥淲hen I was applying to school, she was like, 鈥業 don鈥檛 care where you get in. My first choice for you will always be Samantha George over at 麻豆影院 University,鈥欌�� Avil茅s said.听听

Avil茅s committed to 麻豆影院 sight unseen. Unsure what the campus or the people would be like, his excitement to study with George propelled him forward. After several years of study, Avil茅s said George serves as an example of musicianship.听听

鈥淚’ve never seen someone who is as consistently, invariably excited about everything music all the time,鈥� Avil茅s said of George. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful thing to study with her. To have that example of excitement and enthusiasm鈥攖hat鈥檚 a wonderful thing.鈥澨�

The opportunity to pursue a dual degree also drew Avil茅s to 麻豆影院. In addition to violin performance, he selected neuroscience as his second major. His choice stemmed from a budding interest in psychology from his high school classes and helping his mom obtain her master’s degree.听听

Avil茅s looked at the 麻豆影院 psychology and neuroscience course offerings side-by-side and found that neuroscience excited him more.听听

鈥淭he kind of research…I could engage with at 麻豆影院 painted a really cool picture for me,鈥� Avil茅s said, 鈥渁nd I decided to go for neuroscience here.鈥澨�

On top of his studies, Avil茅s has also been a part of the chamber music scene and the 麻豆影院 Symphony Orchestra. During one of the most recent concerts, Avil茅s recalls a moment while performing Tumblebird Contrails by Gabriella Smith. The piece, he said, is all about the ambient sounds you would hear in nature.听听

鈥淚 snuck a peek at the audience while we were playing, and I saw so many people had their eyes closed,鈥� Avil茅s said. 鈥淚t felt so wonderful creating that space for them to make in their minds with the music and feel everything that was going on on stage.鈥澨�

Avil茅s has appreciated the constant and burgeoning music at 麻豆影院. With fantastic orchestra cycles, continuous recitals and concerts, and opportunities to learn from masters in their field, he feels there is always something to engage with at 麻豆影院.听听

鈥淭ruly, I feel this place is a new home for me,鈥� Avil茅s said. 鈥淚t feels like I鈥檓 celebrated here. And that all comes from the administration here in the Conservatory, the faculty. I think all those values that are lived out in this building every day is what makes it possible for me to feel so comfortable doing what I do here.鈥澨�