…giving her the confidence to launch her very own fine arts company.
When Lindsay Barr (nee Kujawa) came to Green Bay, she admits she was a quiet girl who lacked self confidence and a direction.
“I knew I loved theatre, but not for the performance aspect, but for the academic potential it provided,” Lindsay explains, “and through my four years at UWGB, I not only grew into the academic theatre professional I have become but into a person who is confident and strives to help my students find their confidence everyday.”
As often is the case, Lindsay’s professionalism was inspired by a number of UWGB professionals, Laura Riddle, Mike Ingraham, and John Mariano to name a few.
“Laura Riddle really encouraged me to challenge myself and grow. She taught me the importance of passion and academia within theatre, and pushed me to expand my views on the world,” says Lindsay. “Mike Ingraham was one of the toughest professors I encountered, but he deeply impacted my teaching style. He showed me how effective ‘tough love’ can be and although he probably doesn’t know it, his kindness and understanding during my senior year was one of the most influential experiences of my college career. And John Mariano was the first person to really believe in my academic abilities. He pushed me academically like no other teacher I’ve encountered. His passion for theatre history and dramaturgical importance in production is one of the main reasons I am pursuing a career in dramaturgy and producing. Beyond that, John was an incredible director and acting professor, and I feel extremely lucky to have been a student of his.”
As a result, her time at UWGB inspired the creation of Lindsay’s very own Introspect Arts, a fine arts company currently in its 7th season, run entirely by a new generation of young artists. And Lindsay credits UWGB for showing her how mentorship, collaboration, and excellent artistry can deeply impact one’s community.
“My time at UWGB prepared me for the real world far beyond some of my fellow colleagues. The liberal arts education, not only within the college but also the Theatre program, gave me more opportunities than I thought possible,” Lindsay says.
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We’ve asked alumni to either share stories of how their lives were transformed by the UWGB experience or how they are making the world a better place with transformational work in their careers, homes, or volunteer experiences. As UWGB celebrates its 50th Anniversary, meet an alum each week who has experienced a “UW-Green Bay Transformation.” Stories were self-submitted and then edited by Zachary Taylor, a 2010 English Education graduate currently serving as Interim Associate Director of the Phuture Phoenix program.