Honors Link

Honors College sophomore Annie Parham may have come to Oregon State for its civil engineering program, but she has broadened her experience by finding ways stay connected with her roots as an actress.

Annie sought involvement in the theater program her first year at OSU, and this winter Annie played the lead role of in OSU Theater’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank.

In preparation for the part, Annie balanced four-hour rehearsals five days a week with a full class load and spent the majority of her winter break memorizing her lines.

“It’s been a little bit of a juggling act,” Annie admits. “It was just finding little nooks and crannies in my days where I could study for all my classes.”

Annie was actively involved in theater through middle and high schools. She joined Oregon Children’s Theater Young Professionals during her freshman year in high school, a program designed for dedicated theater students who want more advanced and formal training. Applying to college, she knew she wanted to continue pursuing her interest in the arts outside of her academics.

“It’s always been a help to have that creative element, not involved in school,” Annie says. “It’s the place where I get to escape and stay sane amidst all of the schoolwork and hard thinking.”

At Cleveland High School in Portland, Annie challenged herself academically with a full International Baccalaureate course load, so when she came to OSU, she sought out the Honors College to enhance her academic experience.

“In high school we weren’t doing enough. I always wanted to do more,” Annie reflects. “The Honors College really pushes you to do that, which seemed like a perfect fit.”

A self-proclaimed “math and theater nerd,” Annie was especially drawn to civil engineering for its blending of logic and art. She likes the design elements involved in structural engineering and hopes to pursue that avenue after graduation.

“It has a bit of the creative side that still challenges my brain,” Annie says.

Annie has used Honors College courses to meet her major requirements whenever possible, taking all of her math courses in Honors sections. She says the small class sizes and attention from professors and classmates helped her master the material.

“Especially getting up into Math 306, Matrix and Power Series Methods, it was nice to have some one-on-one time with the professor,” Annie says.

Outside of her major, Annie says the colloquium course The Science of Art-The Art of Science has been her favorite class at OSU as it represented the blend of interests in her own life. In the course, taught by Dr. Randall Milstein, students discussed how science and art are not as opposing as they may seem, as they both require imagination and creativity. They looked at examples of visual artists, musicians, dancers, and scientists whose interests and skills blended art and science.

“The professor presented material that made me really excited about learning about the connections between art and science,” Annie explains. “It was kind of the perfect colloquium for me to take, considering I have backgrounds in both.”

Fresh off a two-week performance run of The Diary of Anne Frank, Annie has no plans to slow down. She will play the role of Anna in OSU’s spring production of Dolly West’s Kitchen, which follows an Irish family during World War II as it comes to terms with the effects of the war on their lives. She will also be the dramaturge for the production, a role that involves researching the historical and cultural context of the play to give the actors a more complete understanding of what their characters are experiencing.

With future plans for an internship and later a career in civil engineering, Annie knows that theater will stay with her. She hopes to continue acting in local performances wherever her career may take her.

“It’s always been a part of my life,” Annie says. “I definitely want to be in an area where I can still be involved in theater.”

By Emma-Kate Schaake