Courses offer unique, fun experience
I spent the past three weeks of my life singing, dancing and acting. As if that wasn’t good enough, I also got college credit for doing it. I participated in the first-ever musical theater workshop Maymester class. Nine other students and I worked 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday to become better performers. We studied scripts and songs from classic musicals including “A Chorus Line,” “West Side Story” and “Guys and Dolls.” We worked with professional musicians and triple threats with successful careers on Broadway and in Europe. We also worked with expert members of the university faculty. Guest artists were brought in for question-and-answer sessions and master classes. Our final exam consisted of staging a performance of dance numbers, songs and scenes we rehearsed during the class.
Maymester programs are an asset to this university. They allow students to dig deep and focus on just one subject. Many Maymester courses are only offered during that time, and the subject matter is often more specific than regular semester courses. Department heads go out of their way to provide students with unique opportunities ranging from guest professors to trips overseas that incorporate several different academic skills.
This year was my first experience with Maymester, but I would definitely consider taking part in a similar program in the future. The course was certainly educational, but I had so much fun that I often forgot I was receiving college credit. I also was able to become closer with students who share similar interests as well as develop strong relationships with professors who can help me search for jobs.
I strongly encourage students to participate in Maymester programs. Your interest shows the university that we want these intense, unique learning opportunities to be an integral part of education at USC.
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