Backstage with Tracee

Hello Muse friends! I recently launched a ‘Return on Investment’ story series because I want you to see pathways you can find yourself on if you choose to pursue a degree in performing arts. These conversations with amazing friends and connections showcase the value of this education and highlight career possibilities that might be hard to imagine on the front end of your journey. In my role as an advisor/mentor in this space, I want to help build your confidence and dare you to dream up a big future.

Let’s dive into what ‘return on investment’ means in the higher education space. From a high level, the return on investment (ROI) of a degree/program relates to the impact and outcomes of your experience. Some examples of a worthwhile ROI:

• You gained internship/work experience

• You created a strong professional network

• Your degree lead you into your desired field/job

• You learned transferable skills that led you to a different field/job

If your degree and experience accomplished any of the above, your experience led to a strong ROI.

There are many things you can do during college to maximize your ROI outcomes (many of which are shared in the video series). First, hopefully you find yourself in a program you love and thrive in. As soon as you can, start connecting with people. This includes peers, faculty, university staff, employers and anyone else who can help you learn what possibilities there are for your future. This is called building a network. If you build and nurture your network, these relationships will help you time and again in college and throughout your career.

While in your program, I encourage you to get experience through internships/jobs, clubs/activities, volunteering and getting involved with things you are interested in. College is your time to try new things, learn about who you are and who you want to become. Embracing new opportunities will positively impact your return on investment.

Be thoughtful about the big picture and what skills you are gaining. The people I interview talk about how many transferable skills they gained by pursuing a degree in performing arts, which diversified their career opportunities. Pay attention to the bigger picture of what you are learning both inside and outside the classroom.

Perhaps most important, the ROI of your college experience highly depends on what you put into your education and experience. If you do not invest in yourself during this pivotal time in your life, you are missing a prime opportunity to set up the foundation for your future. The effort you put in will elevate your outcomes.

When considering your return on investment from a zoomed-out perspective, I encourage you to consider the adage, ‘Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ It is so clear from the stories I hear that people who invest in their future and apply their passions to their career are truly happy in their professions. I, too, am so fortunate to do work that I love and find fulfilling.

As you start your college journey, I encourage you to embrace the goal of finding a major and career that you love, and don’t be afraid to dream big. If you want to hear more stories and learn how to set yourself up for success on this performing arts admissions journey, let’s connect. Remember to be bold, brave and confident!