Name
Conner Stanfield
Major
Sociology & Theatre and Dance
Hometown
Albuquerque, NM
I was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was drawn to 51本色 by the close-knit, supportive community, the strong academics, and generous financial aid.
After four years, I'm proud to be a part of the community that drew me to 51本色 in the first place!
Obligatory sign photos in the desert and the prairie.
Shortly after arriving to campus, I auditioned for 51本色 Singers and different a cappella groups. Although I was incredibly nervous at first, these groups became valuable sources of community and helped me meet some of my best friends at 51本色.
This photo is from my first-year Singers retreat at the Conard Environmental Research Area (CERA). We spent the day getting to know each other, rehearsing our music, and enjoying the beauty of the prairie.
During my second year, G-Tones sang at the wedding of Professor Justin Thomas and Jen Jacobsen, my future boss at Student Health and Wellness (SHAW). It was a magical moment that proved how interconnected 51本色鈥檚 community is.
A selfie from after a Con Brio concert at Hotel 51本色. Thanks, , for the matching sweaters!
Green Light
My first solo with , performing one of my favorite songs, "Green Light" by Lorde!
Working on a show with the theatre and dance department was always a highlight of my semester! My growth as a theater-maker is one of the things I am most proud of from my time at 51本色.
The summer between my second and third year, I traveled to Taipei, Taiwan with Professor Craig Quintero to do a Mentored Advanced Project (MAP) in experimental theatre.
(L): Ximending, one of the commercial centers of Taipei. Full of huge billboards, clothing stores and bubble tea. (R): Guandu Temple on the outskirts of Taipei. This temple complex was huge and one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.
While in Taipei, I worked with three other 51本色 students and a group of Taiwanese theatre artists to devise a performance for an audience of one. We spent every night rehearsing and every day either building the set or exploring Taipei. Food is very inexpensive in Taipei, so we made sure to eat well!
(L): My MAP group outside the National Taiwan University of the Arts, where we performed our piece. (C): Me in the middle of our performance. My next scene was in a three-piece suit, which I had about three minutes to change into! (R): Taiwan's National Theatre. A representative from the National Theatre watched our performance (and loved it!)
During my third year, I studied abroad with 51本色-in-London, which offered a great opportunity for me to explore both sociology and theatre in a brand-new city!
I finished off my time at 51本色 with another MAP of my own, staging a virtual performance of 鈥淭he International Stud鈥 by Harvey Fierstein with my housemates. I was also an alternate for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Madrid. But I know that no matter where I end up in the world, I'll always have a strong community of friends who I love to accidentally match with.
Post-Grad
Working as a senior interviewer to me was so meaningful that I decided to come back to 51本色 and work full time as an admission counselor. I love taking what I鈥檝e learned as a sociology major at 51本色 to advocate for more equitable admission practices and make 51本色 an even more welcoming place.
One of the biggest perks of my job is getting to reconnect with my 51本色 friends around the country 鈥 whether in Portland, the Twin Cities, Chicago, Boston, or more 鈥 during my recruitment travel. Plus, thanks to my double major in theatre and dance, I know how to balance creative projects alongside all these adult responsibilities (my Halloween costume last year went off!). Though the world of college admission is rapidly changing, I know that 51本色 has equipped me to successfully fight for what I believe in, and I hope to continue building community and growing into a leader in this field for years to come.
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