“I Will Always Be Proud of You”
“No matter what happens to me or whatever happens in your life, never let it affect you and continue to follow your dreams. I will always be proud of you.”
These are the words Chris Lopez heard from his grandfather before he passed away, and it has served as a reminder to Chris as he continues to make an impact his senior year at Midland University.
An arts management major, Chris finds himself extremely involved in the arts department across campus. He participates in arts activities, instrumental music, choir, Clef Dwellers, theatre, and SAS, while also being a member of the Beta Sigma Psi Greek fraternity and the theatre honor society, Alpha Psi Omega. Arts is what ultimately brought Chris to Midland.
“I came here because of the arts and felt like I was coming into a family that was a home away from home. I felt welcomed here, like I didn’t have to hide who I was.”
After graduation, Chris hopes to continue to pursue a career in arts, preferably in some sort of management position. But first, Chris sees graduate school as his next step.
“I am currently applying for the graduate program here at Midland University. My dream job is to either be a corporate trainer or a manager for a theatre.”
For Chris, being a Warrior means being bigger than who you are and looking for ways to grow in your craft. Looking back at his time at Midland, Chris has many fond memories and proud accomplishments. However, his greatest accomplishment at Midland is a project that he has worked on this year for his senior capstone: writing and directing his own one-act script.
“Writing this one-act was a hard thing to do, but I am so proud that I was able to relive some awful parts of my life and turn them into a beautiful story.”
To any incoming freshmen, Chris urges that they take their time seriously here. That means going to class, staying strong in your course, and finding the love for whatever brought you here, regardless of where you came from and your background. Things will be tough from time to time, but he believes you have to keep this mindset throughout your time as a college student.
“Don’t let others tell you what you can’t or can’t do. It doesn’t matter where you came from; it doesn’t mean you can’t be destined for good things in this world.”
Chris Lopez is a senior arts management major from Nashville, Nebraska. To share your story or nominate a friend, email social@midlandu.edu or post using #FacesofMidland.
