Prince William Little Theatre will be awarding a scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to a senior in high school again this year. This is one of the most exciting activities PWLT engages in because one of our core values is giving back to the community and helping young people. Moriah Groff was our 2021 recipient and we checked in to hear about her experiences at Fordham University.
“I love the location of my school," she says. It’s in downtown Manhattan and to get a taste of the area the first excursion she took with her roommate was walking the Brooklyn Bridge. “The city skyline at night was so beautiful, and I became excited to spend the next four years getting to know the city.” Each college setting has an unique atmosphere and it looks like Moriah picked the right one for her.
Being in New York has also allowed her the opportunity to experience theatre in many ways. For example, Moriah was an extra for a NYU TV show pilot and this semester she will be assistant stage manager for Shrek. She has also been able to take advantage of being an audience member, seeing shows both on and off-Broadway. Her favorite production was Little Shop of Horrors.
Classes have been exciting and engaging. Her favorite class was Writing Intensive. This involved mainly crafting and reviewing essays for other classes, but she wrote her final essay about director and choreographer Kenny Ortega. Moriah is exciting to be taking African American Cinema this semester but she is planning ahead too. Next year she is looking forward to an Honors-core Art History class that takes place at the Met. “I'm excited to learn about a topic that I have not had the opportunity to study in a place as illustrious as the Met.”
I asked Moriah to offer some advice for our upcoming recipient. She said talk to people during orientation and the first week of school. “I met many of my college friends on the first few of orientation because one of us just sparked up a conversation in a line or waiting for a session to start. Also, join your class page on Instagram and reach out to people who have similar interests! You might find some good friends before you've even stepped foot on campus.”
Moriah sounds so happy and settled in and PWLT is proud we were able to contribute to her education and adventures in a small way. Please encourage all Manassas and Prince William high school seniors to apply. Applications are due March 15th. Click here for details and a link to download the application.
