SAU Students headed to Julliard, Vet school

Staff Report

A recent SAU graduate is headed to veterinary school, while a junior theatre major is trekking to New York City and the famed Julliard School of performing arts for a summer workshop.

Sarah Moore, who graduated on May 4 from the Agriculture Science: Pre-Veterinary program at SAU, has been accepted into veterinary school at Oklahoma State University. Though she has a passion for helping animals, her enthusiasm for veterinary science didn’t begin on a farm.

“When I was younger, I loved watching Animal Planet,” said Moore, a native of Bryant, Arkansas. “I’d beg for different pets, and eventually, my mom let me get two cats. Once I got into college, I got a hedgehog. I didn’t get any experience working with livestock until I started my classes.”

She learned of SAU via good word of mouth. “A friend of mine told me that she toured here one day, and I spoke to an SAU recruiter at my high school campus. I asked about the pre-vet program. Then I came here for Preview Day, and I loved it – the small-town feel and the small student-to-teacher ratio felt very much like my high school.”

I’d never felt happy with any other job, but this one just clicked.

Working part-time for Bryant Veterinary Clinic helped Moore solidify her academic and career choice.

“I’d never felt happy with any other job, but this one just clicked,” she said.

At the clinic, Moore interacts with clients and their four-legged patients, and assists the veterinarian with surgeries, x-rays, and exercising the animals.

“It’s good to get that experience before going to veterinary school, because you have to know how to function in a hectic environment,” Moore said.

She’s also learned the challenges of working in a clinic. “I hate seeing an animal in pain, but you have to have that experience,” Moore said. “They look for that in veterinary school.”

Moore credited SAU’s Department of Agriculture with preparing her not only for a career in science but making sure she is a well-rounded student. “They want students to be able to excel at anything,” she said of the professors at SAU.

Dr. David Sanson, associate professor of agriculture, said Moore will be a role model for other students interested in attending veterinary school.

She is an exceptional student and a natural leader, and students like Sarah are a joy to teach

“The fact that she has accomplished this goal will show others that this is possible,” he said. “Sarah never wavered from her dream. It takes dedication and perseverance to succeed in the coursework necessary for admittance into a veterinary school. She is an exceptional student and a natural leader, and students like Sarah are a joy to teach.”

“For the second year in a row, SAU has had a student gain admission into veterinary school. This is a huge accomplishment for these students,” said Copie Moore, associate professor of Agriculture Science.

Moore credited Alpha Sigma Alpha with helping her develop leadership capabilities, serving as the sorority’s president last year. She also served as a member of Wesley Student Ministry.

Extracurricular activities as well as a concentration on classwork show Moore can balance a number of responsibilities while pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian.

She said she would like to one day own her own business, and feels that SAU has helped prepare her for that goal.

She is the daughter of Danny and Tamara Moore.

Moore is not the only SAU student headed for bigger things.

Eboni Edwards, a junior Performing Arts and Musical Theatre major at SAU, will be attending Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP), a weeklong workshop program held annually at the Julliard School in New York City.

Edwards, of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, will attend the program June 3-9. It will be her first time in New York.

ASTEP uses art to transform lives by connecting underserved youth with visual and performing artists. According to the website, ASTEP awakens imagination and fosters critical thinking among young people.

That would almost be enough in itself, but this is also a chance for me to grow my artistry

“We will have workshops with actors, cinematographers, and other artists, and we will be going to see a Broadway show,” Edwards said.

She looks forward to the experience of being in New York. “That would almost be enough in itself, but this is also a chance for me to grow my artistry,” she said.

Edwards, a graduate of Watson Chapel High School, said this is her year to go to New York after Alycya Thomas, a senior theatre major, received a travel scholarship in her sophomore year to attend the program’s Artist as Citizens Conference. Thomas was awarded the scholarship through Southern Arkansas University Foundation.

“I’ll be thinking of what I can learn and bring back to my fellow students at SAU,” Edwards said.

“I came to SAU because of the theatre department,” she said. “I love the small-town atmosphere, and the hands-on approach to musical theatre.”

She has had roles in SAU productions of “Madagascar” and “Hairspray,” and has also participated in local Magnolia Arts performances.

My degree will be a foundation for me to build on

Edwards has a passion for all aspects of acting, and her interests are expanding at SAU, as she has learned such behind-the-scenes skills as lighting and scenic design.

“My degree will be a foundation for me to build on,” she said. “I see myself getting into television and film, but I want to be kind of a jack-of-all-trades.”

Her theatre major is not only giving her the performance tools she needs but teaching her how to apply them in the real world. “I think it is preparing us for Broadway,” she said.

Edwards said the arts are a vital part of people’s lives, helping communities to bond and unite emotionally. “I want to be part of that,” she said. “SAU is helping me get where I want to be.”

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