Recent Grads
zara pyle '23
Current Location: Albany, NY
Majors: Theatre, Media and Society
where did you find community at HWS?
My first-year fall, I went to the Involvement Expo and a student yelled across the Quad at me, “CAN YOU SING?” I said “yes,” and she invited me to audition for the acapella group, Perfect Third. It would be in this group that I would meet some of my closest friends on campus and I would later become Perfect Third president! I also met some amazing people participating in Theatre productions and through the Writing Colleagues program!
Was there a particular professor or other HWS mentor who was essential to your path?
There are a few. Professor of Theatre Chris Hatch encouraged me from the first day of “Acting I” to be more confident and take risks, something I still carry strategically, creatively and personally. In addition, Associate Professor of Media and Society Leah Shafer was key in developing my personal and academic skills and evolving my love of media, branding and advertising. Additionally, after meeting alumni Dan De Nose ’10 during an internship interview a few years ago, I am still working for him and his nonprofit and learning from his mentorship and leadership every day.