Allison McPeak
Graduation year: 2025
High school: Batavia High School
Hometown: Batavia, Ill.
Majors: English, theatre performance
Activities: Alpha Psi Omega national theatre society, Sociology and Anthropology Society, Theatre Department Marketing Team
Post-grad plans: A gap year before grad school!
Why Å·ÖÞ±ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø?
Finding a school with small class sizes where I would have the opportunity to form close relationships with my professors was incredibly important to me during my college search.
Are you where you thought you'd be when you first came to campus?
Definitely not! I originally planned on majoring in psychology and political science, but I ended up choosing a path that more closely aligned with my passions. In the end, the experiences I've had at Å·ÖÞ±ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø allowed me to learn, grow and create in ways I never thought possible.
Who helped you get to where you are now?
So many people. One of the best things about Augie is that there's someone around every corner to teach you something new!
I have been so lucky to encounter so many incredible students and professors who have enhanced my college experience in immeasurable ways. Dr. Meg Gillette has been an encouraging and inspiring academic advisor. Dr. Adam Kaul was hugely influential in helping to inform my perspective of who I am as a student and person.
The person who has helped me the most to get where I want to be is Dr. Jennifer Popple in the theatre department. Dr. Popple has consistently challenged me to push myself as a student, artist and person. The guidance she provided shaped my four years at Augie in significant ways, and I can't imagine where I'd be without her mentorship.
Peak experience?
My peak experience was taking a fully grant-funded research trip to Northern Ireland! I spent two weeks in Belfast and Derry conducting ethnographic research focused on civil conflict and the arts with Dr. Kaul's guidance. Watching the topics I've spent four years studying interacting with the world in real time was a profoundly moving experience.
What surprised you?
Even though Augie is a small school, the opportunities available to students here are nearly limitless. So much of the learning that goes on at Augie takes place outside the classroom, and I'm proud to have attended a school that prioritizes experiences!
How did you use your Augie Choice?
I used my Augie Choice to direct "The Philanderer" by George Bernard Shaw as a part of the theatre department's studio season. This was one of the most challenging and fulfilling experiences I've had at Augie.
What will you miss the most?
So much. From the Slough path to the Bell Tower, Å·ÖÞ±ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø truly feels like home. Even though I will miss my time on campus, I feel that Augie has prepared me to feel confident about achieving my goals post-grad.
Advice for the Class of 2029?
It can take some time to feel like you've found a home on campus. Take every opportunity you can to make connections and build community. You're only going to find it if you look!
"Time and again, Allie has taken what she has learned in classes and co-curricular experiences and applied those in ways completely true to who she is. Reading a play about Ireland in the 1980s led her to international research in Belfast. Learning about the application of theories to dramatic texts led her to a bold gender-swapped production of a George Bernard Shaw play. She dreams big and has the combination of intellect, passion and gumption to see those dreams through. It has been an honor and a joy to be a part of her life these past four years."