Name: Zachary Dean Smith 
Major: Vocal Music Performance
Hometown: Waukee, Iowa
Planned Graduation Date: Spring 2020
What are you involved with here at ISU and beyond? I just finished up with a production of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" at the DM Playhouse, I've been cast in a production of Cendrillon by Pauline Viardot in ISU Opera Studio, and I'm involved in both State Singers and the Church Choir at the Collegiate United Methodist Church in Ames.
What pieces are you working on right now? I have a variety of answers to that question: obviously, I'm working on the role of Chamberlain Barigoule in Cendrillon, but I'm also working on a variety of art songs and music theatre pieces for my senior recital this spring. I'm also working on a small collection of other writing/composing projects for my own personal enjoyment, but nothing of any significance right now.
What is your favorite thing about your experiences at Iowa State? I think one of the things I've grown to appreciate most about ISU is that the acting opportunities on the mainstage are exclusively for the undergraduates. There aren't a lot of colleges which offer acting roles in both ensemble and leads. I also appreciate that the State Singers is an undergrad-only choir, so I've had the opportunity to be in it for four years now.
Why did you choose the Dept. of Music and Theatre at ISU? Honestly, when I was in my junior year of high school, I heard the State Singers sing at a concert I was attending, and it absolutely astounded me. I decided at that moment that I had to be a part of that ensemble one day. And luckily enough, I made it in!
What are your interests beyond music and theatre? Ha ha ha. Not a lot, honestly. I've been known to play the odd video game/tabletop roleplaying game. Sometimes I like to bake, but I'm not terribly good.
What are your plans after graduation? Still figuring it out, to be honest, but I plan on attending grad school in a state that is not Iowa. I'd like to eventually move toward the East Coast, and perform music and theatre for a living, if I can.
Any words of wisdom for prospective students? Talk to your teachers. Your classroom experience will always be better if you get to know the people who assign you homework.