You may recognize Jennifer, or Jenn, from recent on campus shows such as Showtune and Working : The Musical. Or, perhaps, you’ve seen her in one of many MDE performances or rocking out to early 2000s music during her shift at the Game Zone.
Jenn is a senior from Norwalk, Connecticut majoring in Musical Theatre with a minor in American Studies. “I chose my major because I have been doing musical theatre since I was in middle school. I know compared to anything else I had learned in high school that musical theatre was what I wanted to do with my life. There’s this energy I feel when I get on stage, that feeling is like nothing else I have felt before, it really puts you in a different place and you get to become someone completely opposite of yourself. It’s an amazing experience.”
Jenn chose to come to Manhattanville and pursue her dream, here in New York and not Connecticut after a campus tour. “I really liked that the campus was small and the class size was around the same amount that I had in high school. I thought it was a great fit for me once I walked onto campus, I immediately felt comfortable.” So far, Jenn has no regrets about coming to Manhattanville College, and has found classes and professors that have made her time her worth it. “I really enjoyed a class I took Sophomore year, Dance For Musical Theater. It was such a fun class and I loved the professor. I Also loved taking American Dream with Doctor Faber – she’s such a fun professor to learn from, and was always helpful when I needed help on papers for her class. Professor Cherry and Professor Meyer in the music department are also the sweetest people and truly helped me find my way through my four years here and with everything I’ve had to do regarding my major.”
When Jenn isn’t being studious, she’s also a part of some clubs! Jenn has been a member of the Manhattanville Dance Ensemble (MDE) since Freshman year, and has been on their dance team for the last two, dancing with the team in Disney this past summer. When she isn’t dancing, she’s busy writing for Her Campus! Jenn is our Event Planner this year, and has written articles for us such as the Spring Dance Concert Review, numerous senior spotlights, and Triple the Love, Triple the Trouble, and article about being a triplet.
You read that right, Jenn is a triplet, but she doesn’t sweat it. “To me it’s a normal thing and it makes my life normal, it’s just like anyone else who has a sibling except mine share a birthday with me.” Her brothers both attend Sacred Heart, in Connecticut, but separating was easy for Jenn. “I wanted to have my own identity and have my own life outside of being known as a triplet. There was no reason to stay together at one school if I didn’t feel like that school was a fit for me.”
Jenn doesn’t believe in a dream roll or show to be in, “Every musical is different in their own way and brings something different to the table. Characters too are so different in each show and each character brings a different element in the show to enhance the plot line. Any show or roll is going to be great, as long as I get to be involved in the industry that I love.”
While Jenn has had her eye on the prize while at Manhattanville, that doesn’t mean that college has been the easiest journey. “I think my biggest struggle was adjusting to life outside of where I live because I was going to be living in a different state. Now I feel like my biggest struggle is preparing and performing my senior recital, it is the last thing I need to be done with my degree. I have a pretty great group of friends at MAnhattanville that have really helped me through my journey here, I don’t know what I would have done without them. Also, my boyfriend Kevin has helped me a lot. With him, he saw things in me that I didn’t’ see in myself and helped me learn and grow so much – he truly is my best friend.
If you happen to run into Jenn, here are some conversation starters!
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor – Mint Chocolate Chip
Favorite Place to Eat off Campus – T-Swirl Crepe, Fridays, or Buffalo Wild Wings
Favorite Candy – Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, M&Ms or Kit Kats