Pronouns: She, Her
Current Title/Position: HR Director, St. Anthony Healthcare Center
What drew you to Mosaic as a young person/ how’d you get involved?
I’ve always been drawn to the arts. My mom sings, all my siblings sing or spent time in theatre, or draw, I’ve spent countless hours growing up in church sitting in on rehearsals of all kinds! So it’s really been around me all my life. When I found out that Mosaic was a place for creative kiddo’s like me I was sold immediately!
Fun Fact: I was so nervous about auditioning, I hadn’t made up my mind to actually show up until the last minute. I was the last kid to be seen on the last day of auditions. Found out a couple days later that I had made it! It was meant to be!
Can you share a specific moment or experience at Mosaic that has profoundly impacted you? Is there a specific experience, lesson, or memory from your time at Mosaic that continues to influence you today?
I remember getting emotional after a final performance. We had just finished singing a great song (I don’t remember the name) and Ken acknowledged all he seniors. I was one of them. As soon as the words left his lips, the crowd roared for us! I remember getting so emotional. I instantly saw how far as a performer I had come. While I couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment I had changed, I realized that it was all about the journey (cliché, I know, lol). Here I was, a senior about to go out into the world, and honestly, I was ready! I was more social, I had friends of all different races and backgrounds. What was to come didn’t look or seem so scary. Mosaic did a great job circling us and providing real time, real life experiences and exposures to life. I will always cherish that about Mosaic and the staff.
How has Mosaic impacted your artistic, educational, or professional path? Looking back, how have the skills, mentorship, and knowledge you gained at Mosaic shown up in your personal and professional life?
Believe it or not, Mosaic IS the foundation from which I grew as a performer and as a creative in the world. Mosaic and its instructors taught me the fundamentals of music. I was taught how to be a great performer, what that meant, how to study the craft, and how to humble myself to be taught new things. I was exposed and learned how to get along with people I would have never met if I weren’t in Mosaic. Creatively I learned to push myself, believe in myself, and to be myself. I suppose these things have spilled over in my professional/work life as well. Working in the HR field, I have definitely used music as a bridge to connect with all kinds of people. This typically works in my favor since HR professionals get a bad rep. Music links us all together and it’s a great thing.
As far as my personal life?
Music is a huge part still. I still sing and help friends out with all kinds of music, art, and theatre projects. Mosaic I feel, unlocked a level in me as a kid that as an adult, I will always be thankful for.
How has your journey with Mosaic reflected the ideas of tradition, transformation, or triumph? Can you share an example of how these themes played a role in your growth as a leader, artist or individual?
I would say being in Mosaic opened my eyes as a teenager. I could actually see past my current surroundings, which meant there was more out there. I wanted to see it, needed to even, in some instances.
Mosaic taught me that Change was inevitable and the only way to survive it was to embrace it.
My best example from this? Seeing Mosaic alums when we visited campuses, seeing them come back to visit us after they graduated, seeing them on TV, or in Broadway shows, or in commercials! Most importantly, I see it in my life. I am better off after being in Mosaic; honestly and truly.
How did Mosaic prepare you for higher education or your career? In what ways did Mosaic support you in pursuing further education, or your career path?
I mentioned earlier that Mosaic did a great job pulling us into the fold and exposing us to the possibility of college and higher education. I always knew I wanted to go to college, but wasn’t sure how I would get there and when I did what I would do? After my last year with Mosaic, I was ready! I knew it was going to be a great experience. Mostly because Mosaic took us on tours to see these historic places and colleges. Mosaic literally showed us the world! So, college was a no brainer! While I didn’t major in Performing arts or music, I did end up choosing a major that would lead to a different level of creativity I was heavy into at the time, Media Production/Technology with a Minor in Journalism. I opted to go for my Masters and ended up in a Psychology program that was centered on HR Professionals. I never strayed from the arts though. I did show choir and performance choir all throughout college, and even picked up side gigs at weddings and b-day party’s with bands here and there.
What are you doing now? What; if anything, do you see as connections between creative youth development and the field you work in today? Are there any parallels or lessons from your time at Mosaic that you still apply in your current industry or work environment?
Currently, I am an HR Director for a Long and Short Term Nursing Facility. I’ve been in the HR field for 13 years now.
Mosaic really helps young people focus on being well rounded; not just good at one thing. I can honestly say that Mosaic made me a much better, well rounded young adult entering the world after high school. I’ve tried to keep it going by remaining open to life’s challenges and obstacles, and understanding that being a well-rounded individual having the ability to stand up straight in the world was always the goal. Best life lesson ever.
How would you describe Mosaic in a few words or a short phrase? Please finish this sentence: “Mosaic is…”
Mosaic is the best thing that could have ever happened to me as a teenager, and I am forever grateful to have experienced it to the fullest.
