Meet Sabrina Vargas, a freshman dance major from Atlantic County who lives on campus in Evergreen Hall. Sabrina joined Rowan through the Pre-College Institute Program and is involved with many clubs on campus.
Name: Sabrina Vargas
Year: Freshman
Major: Dance
Minor: Sociology
Hometown: Mays Landing, NJ (Atlantic County)
Where do you live? On campus, Evergreen Hall
First-generation college student? Yes
Academic and Social Clubs: I am the Student Government Association representative for the Atomik Legacy Dance Crew, and I am involved with MOCA, which is the Men of Color Alliance.
What inspired you to choose your major? Senior year of high school I applied to Rowan through the Common App. I had no clue what I wanted to do as a major. I looked through my options and saw that dance was an option for a major. I talked to my dance teacher, and my dance teacher said go for it. You should audition. So I did and I love going to school for what I love.
How does your field impact the world? What impact would you like to have on the world in your field? Not a lot of us dancers can truly express ourselves through words. We express ourselves through our body art. A lot of people can relate to not speaking on certain things. A dancer can give her entire life story through a show. For me, dance is my peace. Everyone in the world should find their peace in some way, and dancers give people the courage to do so. Dance is physically and emotionally draining, and we go for it every day.
What advice would you give your high school self about choosing a college? It’s OK to stay close to home because you make your own life at college. You can make your home wherever you are. I’m 45 minutes away from home and I barely go home because my home is at Rowan.
Tell us about your transition into college and how you pushed through any challenges. I automatically connected to everyone at Pre-College Institute (PCI). I was nervous, but I knew everyone from PCI had my back. I knew I had mentors there and that I could ask for help if I needed it. In the mix of doing the hard academic bootcamp at PCI, you get a family. I live in Evergreen with my PCI family. I walk into the ASCEND office and I feel at home. I can’t imagine my college experience without it. We did a lot of self growth activities and it taught me how to be a good student.
I took an Elements of Dance class with Paule Turner, the theatre and dance department chair, during PCI, which helped me transition into the dance department at Rowan. Paule said that him having me as a student in the summer proved to him and showed him that I deserved to be here as a dance major. I knew the department and Paule so I felt a step ahead from the other freshmen dance majors when college started.
Like what you see?
Story and photography by:
Rachel Rumsby, freshman communication studies and public relations double major
