Heart and Mind
Performing and the arts have always been a significant part of senior Reagan Gausman’s life. Ever since a talent show before her sixth-grade year, Reagan has continually sought out opportunities to engage with arts, especially when choosing to attend Midland. Not only has her experience at Midland allowed her to perform, but it has also determined her next chapter in life.
For Reagan, the arts are an integral part of her life and are an outlet for expression and community. Reagan could not picture her life without the arts.
“Arts gives you the opportunity to step away from yourself. You develop new emotions and new ideas, and it gives you an opportunity to let some of the hardships in your world just wash away. It is very social, very personal, group-oriented, and individualized, and bringing all of these things together excites me. My life would be so bland without the arts.”
After graduation, Reagan hopes to pursue a career in entertainment law. Following law school, her ultimate goal is to become an international entertainment lawyer, where she would help artists from the United States get opportunities to share their crafts in other countries. She wants to help creative individuals with the areas of the entertainment industry they may not be as comfortable with, so they can focus on their art.
“The moment I realized I wanted to go into entertainment law was the moment I realized I didn’t have the drive for the audition process in professional performance. I see people who have that absolute push for going and auditioning and making a living performing, and that is the only way they will be happy in life. I don’t have that need in my heart to perform professionally because I will be able to perform and direct in community theatre and work with kids in theatre. Performing will always be in my life; it just doesn’t need to be on Broadway. The minute I realized that’s how I felt, I asked myself what else I could do in this industry. That’s when I settled on entertainment law.”
On campus, Reagan wears many hats. Not only is she involved in theatre, band, and choir, but she has also taken on many leadership roles with various student organizations. She credits these experiences as strong developers of her character and have helped her develop as a leader and a person.
“I think the amount of work that I have put into my last four years at Midland has not only prepared me for what law school will be like, but also the real world. The opportunity for me to be a leader has been very substantial for me. I have been put in leadership roles since walking through the doors on the first day of my freshman year. I think being a strong leader allows you to lead yourself as well, and I feel very confident in myself and my drive, as a result of the experiences I have had here. I am beyond grateful for all of these opportunities because I have only grown as an individual.”
Reagan considers her journey of discovery and urges students to take a fluid approach to figuring out their future. She stresses the importance of heart and mind, paying close attention to the heart component. Reagan urges her peers not to be afraid to explore and follow their heart.
“It’s okay to focus on your future at some point, but you don’t need to put so much pressure on it. You only live once and need to enjoy what you are doing. You need to put in the work while you are here and get a degree. Through that, you can make decisions based on where your life is, and you can always do what is best for you. I think it all comes down to giving yourself grace and giving yourself the opportunity to explore and really figure out what you want to do. Always know that it is never bad to change, and you need to follow your heart.”
Reagan Gausman is a senior arts management major from Columbus, NE. To share your story or nominate a friend, email social@midlandu.edu or post using #FacesofMidland.
