If it were not for Carroll Community College, graduate Jennifer Spears might not be headed towards a career in theatre.

Jennifer Spears

Spears, who graduated in May, 2006 with an Associate of Arts degree in Arts and Sciences, wants to be a professional performer one day and took every theatre course she could at Carroll.

She also had the lead role in Carroll’s spring presentation of Miss Firecracker Contest, in which a young girl prepares for a beauty pageant to improve her reputation in a small town. Spears also appeared in college productions of “Baby with the Bathwater” and “Gertrude Stein and Friends.”

Spears carried her acting abilities honed in college into the community, where she has performed in the musical “Music Man.”

This fall, she enters Five Towns College in Dix Hills, New York on Long Island. There, she will pursue theatre studies for a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in Theatre.

How did Carroll help Spears get this far? “Don Elwell, my teacher, helped to prepare me well. Mr. Elwell and Julian Lazarus have immensely furthered my acting skills. When I applied and auditioned for my transfer college, I was ready,” Spears said.

Spears’ reputation as a budding actress earned her the chance to appear in a college video presented at student orientation at Carroll. “My friend Mark Schuit created the video and I was the co-host. In this informational and humorous video, students are encouraged to sign up for the college success course. The video is written, directed, and produced by students,” Spears said.

Spears is also a part-time teacher at Barbizon modeling school, where she assists children ages eight to 12 to learn how to model, act, and have a professional presentation.

Spears hopes that when she completes her studies, she will be successful as a professional actress. But she will always remember her Carroll experience, which she describes as “rewarding.”

Back to top