 |
| Allee Taylor, Ring Day 2020 |
It’s
hard to believe that my four years at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is coming
to an end. I have wanted to come to SMWC since I was old enough to know about college. I am a legacy student, and I grew up coming to the Woods on a regular basis. I
remember being a kid and wanting nothing more than to perform on the Cecilian Auditorium stage. My aunt and my cousin were both very involved in the Music and Theatre department. I wanted nothing more than to follow in their footsteps.
I
remember the day Saint Mother Theodore Guerin was Canonized. I was young and
didn’t fully understand, but I saw what it meant to the women around me. I saw
how much wearing the Onyx ring meant to them. I saw the pride they had in being
a Woodsie. I grew up supported by strong Woods women and they helped me become
a strong Woods woman myself.
 |
| Allee with family - Woods women! |
One of my greatest experiences in college was being a part of the SMWC Madrigals. Both my aunt and cousin were Madrigals during their time at the Woods. Because of that, I knew being a Madrigal was something special. It is hard to put into words what being a Madrigal means to me. I am truly honored to have been a part of this group.
 |
| SMWC Madrigals performing in Conservatory |
I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Ireland with the Madrigals… TWICE! The first trip to Ireland was following my Freshman year. I got to tour a country that I love, with people that I love, singing beautiful music in amazing spaces. It was life changing. That trip is where I developed strong bonds with my peers, developing friendships that would last a lifetime.
 |
| Choir in Ireland 2018 |
The second trip to Ireland was different. For this trip, the Madrigals had been invited to participate in the 2019 Mayo County International Choral Festival. Our group of nine young women and our choir director, Michael Boswell, competed at an international level against choirs much bigger and more experienced than our own. Who would have thought that those same nine women would take home an international championship? This is one of my proudest accomplishments. But, what really made that trip for me wasn’t the trophies and the title; but it was the bonds that were formed between the members of the group. The connection I felt to the other Madrigals during that trip was extremely special. I will never forget the amazing memories we made together.
 |
| SMWC Madrigals after winning the 2019 Mayo County International Choral Festival Competition |
One of the best things about the Woods are the traditions. Traditions like Big/Little, the acorn ceremony, Ring Day, and so many more. These traditions make the Woods so unique and special. Big/Little is such an amazing tradition. My “bigs,” Sara Langenberger and Liz Yeazel, were extremely supportive throughout my journey at the Woods. They helped me through so many things and have always been there to support me. I love that this tradition helps the students build these bonds with one another. It really impacts the college experience.
 |
| Allee with Sara and Liz |
Another special tradition is Ring Day. I have been fantasizing about my Ring Day since I was a little girl. I watched my family wear their rings with such pride and honor. I could hardly wait to get one of my own. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Ring Day got postponed and it was a very emotional time. The dreams of having Ring Day in the Church of the Immaculate Conception were not realized (understandably so). Even though we were unable to have a traditional Ring Day in the spring of our junior year, we were still able to have a beautiful, memorable ceremony in the Sunken Gardens in front of Le Fer Hall in the fall of our senior year.
 |
| Ring Day 2020 |
I
think that people can often take living in Le Fer for granted. Le Fer is like a
huge castle with so much history and energy in the walls. It is amazing. I had
the honor to be a Resident Assistant in my final year of college. I am so glad
to have been able to connect with, and support, the residents of 4N and all the
residents in Le Fer.
Something that has also been important to me in my time at the Woods is the theatre program. I have been involved in every production since my first year at SMWC. I have worked as the Student Assistant for the Technical Director and Production Manager the past two years and also worked as Assistant to the Director of theater productions (who was my cousin Danielle O'Connor) my first two years. I have devoted a lot of time, energy, and love into theatre at the Woods. One of my favorite memories was getting the opportunity to play the lead role of Violet in the fall of 2019. I will never forget the amazing experiences I had on that stage.
 |
| Allee as "Violet" in SMWC theater production |
I have also dedicated a lot of time to student organizations including being president of the Music Therapy Student Association (MTSA), president of the Drama Club, a member of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), and being a Senior and Junior class officer. It has been an amazing experience to be president of MTSA, with an opportunity to advocate and share my love of music therapy with the members of the student association.
 |
| Music Therapy Student Association 2019-20 |
I am so happy that I chose the path of music therapy. Being a music therapy major can be difficult at times, but the work is very rewarding. Music therapy pushes you to become the best version of yourself. Over my time in the Music and Theatre Department, I have gained so much self-awareness and so many skills that I never imagined possible. The Music and Theatre Department Chair and Coordinator of Undergraduate Music Therapy, Sharon R. Boyle, has continued to support me on my journey and has helped me build so much confidence in my abilities. I am so thankful for the growth I’ve experienced over these four years. I am also so excited to be continuing my music therapy journey in my 6-month music therapy internship at Opportunities for Positive Growth in Fishers, IN. There I will be serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
 |
| SMWC Music Therapy representing at the GLR-AMTA Conference in March 2020 |
These
final weeks of the school year have been very reflective. For my senior project
I chose to do a self-reflective project, spending a lot of time thinking back
to who I was at different points throughout my collegiate journey. I decided to
write a show that consists of four monologues and three songs to share my
experience, but also provide support to current and future students. At this link, you will find a recording of my monologues and songs written and
performed for my senior project.
 |
| Allee and her Aunt Veronica Kindley, alum, in Cecilian Auditorium |
 |
| Allee with her fellow MT seniors in front of Le Fer Hall |
Author: Allee Taylor, SMWC senior music therapy major
Editor: Sharon R. Boyle, MM, MT-BC, Associate Professor of Music Therapy and Coordinator of the Undergraduate Music Therapy Program, Chair of the Department of Music and Theatre
Sharon R. Boyle, MM, MT-BC
sboyle@smwc.edu
No comments:
Post a Comment