Name: Sarah Monnier
Major at ISU: Vocal Performance
Graduation Year: 2012
Current Residence: Winterset, IA
What were you involved in during your time at ISU:
I was involved in music and theater as well as the English department.
What do you currently do for a living:
I am a stay-at-home mom who teaches adult continuing education online and attends graduate school online.
Can you share a particularly interesting or inspiring story that occurred in your career?
Weirdly after college I got involved in the Music Encoding Initiative and have taught classes on Bach and music theory since then as my interest in computational humanities grew. Now I develop software to aid in music theory analysis and literary analysis in my "spare time" (I have four kids, my spare time is the time I'm supposed to be asleep).
Are there other ways that you participate in your community and/or hot to engage as a Citizen Artist?
I have been in the chorus for the Des Moines Metropolitan Opera twice and hope to continue this.
What was your favorite class while you were at ISU? Why?
Shakespeare, because Linda Schenk is the world's most fabulous professor. But my vocal coach, Jodie Goble, and my teacher, Mary Creswell, are two of the wisest, most talented teachers and musicians I've ever met and I can never express how much I grew as an artist and a person because of them.
How was your involvement in music and theatre beneficial in different parts of your life?
Life is bigger and has more dimensions because of Music and Theatre.
Any words of wisdom for current or prospective students?
Do the thing. Take risks. Email people you look up to and take advantage of the people and resources at the university, especially your favorite professors and the LIBRARY. Don't be afraid to fail.