Student Voices

Brigette Estola, ’11

Majors: Theatre and English
Minor: Music
Hometown: Ludington, Mich.

For Carthage junior Brigette Estola, words are words, whether they’re performed on stage, spoken between friends, or printed on the pages of a classic text. “I put huge stock in the value of words,” she says. Now she plans to spend her career immersed in them.

Brigette hopes to act in plays and musicals professionally, and then teach English and possibly drama at the high school level. She’s always been a strong student in English and fell in love with the subject all over again during her freshman year Heritage class. Her section was taught by English Professor Maria Carrig. Brigette declared a double major in English and theatre. She’s already had internships exploring both fields.

The summer after her freshman year, she worked as a news intern at WMOM radio station in Michigan, writing articles for the station’s news broadcasts. “Writing for radio is extremely different from writing an essay or creative writing, which are mainly the forms of writing that I was used to,” she says. “You have to focus a lot on the lead of the article — that is the first line — to catch your listeners’ attention and keep them listening.” She was able to broadcast the news for the station several times, and was also asked to participate in the station’s morning show.

This past summer, Brigette worked as an administrative intern at Victory Gardens Theatre in downtown Chicago. “I have been doing a lot of general office work, including writing up contracts and making phone calls to patrons of the theatre to inform them of anything they may need to know,” she said. “I am learning about the business side of the theatre, which is new to me because I am a performer.”

Opportunities at Carthage: “This past J-Term, I was able to go on tour through Germany, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic with the Carthage Choir for two weeks. This was definitely an incredible opportunity. I have been fortunate to make fantastic relationships with the English department professors, as well as the Theatre and Music faculty. So many of these people are working professionals outside of Carthage, and by having such close relationships, connections and opportunities will hopefully follow. I also am in Merely Players, the improvisational comedy troupe on campus, which is not only extremely fun but gives me another performing outlet. By being an actual person on campus and to my professors, I have been able to get a much fuller education than I would have imagined.”

Favorite professor: “Professor Carrig is one of my favorites because she is absolutely brilliant and never ceases to challenge and push me. Because of her, I've become a much better writer and literary analyst. Also, Professor Wallace, because he's a wizard. … I am always impressed by the amount of value professors put on their students’ education and progress. I always feel like my professors actually care how I’m doing – and more importantly, what I’m thinking about.”

Favorite class: American Literary Traditions. I enjoyed the reading that we did. It was full of all sorts of those texts that you assume you have read because everyone has read them, but you haven't yet.”

Toughest class: “I would have to say English Literary Traditions II, because there was quite a bit of truly challenging literature and I had a really busy semester at the time.”

Favorite moments at Carthage: “The spring musical, ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie,’ completely sold out the theatre for the first time ever closing night. Touring Europe, namely being in Prague. Working with choral legend Weston Noble for an entire semester. Almost every practice and performance with Merely Players. Halloween my sophomore year.”

Favorite spot on campus: “I have a favorite practice room in the JAC that I always have to sing in. And the tables outside of Einstein's, facing the lake, on a sunny day.”

Biggest surprises so far: “Well, I have yet to have the same combination of Majors and Minors yet ... but I think I finally have got it now! Also, I didn't really expect to meet people that have affected me as much as these people have, both in regards to friends and professors. I have also been very fortunate and surprised because I have gotten many roles in the theatre.”

Student Voices

Brigette Estola, '11

"I always feel like my professors actually care how I'm doing — and more importantly, what I'm thinking about." Read more ...

Jolanta Lutow, '09

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