The Student Ambassador Program is co-sponsored by the Fellows and the International Activities Committee. The program pairs student members with our international presenters at the annual conferences. They then have the opportunity for individual conversations about working in theatre abroad. This year’s winners will be able to meet the international guests in person for discussion about training and opportunities in Czech, Poland, and theatre genres in Bangladesh.

Kaitlyn Meegan is working towards her MFA in Stage Management at University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. She has studied international practices in stage management and in strongly invested in human rights. and the environment. She wants to engage in conversation around these challenging issues. Kaitlyn will be meeting with Joanne Popinska, a film director from Poland specializing in Virtual Reality. She creates important conversations around human rights, animal rights, and the environment. Joanne will present her work on Friday, March 17 at 12:30 PM in 264 Americas Center.

Ivan Nguyen is a BFA candidate in Costume Design at Webster University. Originally from Vietnam, he wants to expand his knowledge of global costuming with a particular interest in color in design and the connection between art and music. Ivan will be meeting with Simona Rybakova, an award-winning and innovative costume designer from the Czech Republic. She often reinvents her costumes for theatre, opera, and film through upcycling. Simona received the Gold Award in Costume Design in the WSD in Cardiff 2003, Taipei 2017, and Calgary 2022. She will be presenting her designs at 4:00 PM on Friday, March 17 in 241 Americas Center.

Carrie Anne Huneycutt-Parker is studying for an MFA in Costume Design at Carnegie Mellon University. As a queer granddaughter of a Native woman, she is seeking connection to a culture of intact peoples in theatre. to explore a tangible path of combining performance art, heritage, ecology, academics, and activism. Carrie Anne will be meeting with Faiz Zahir, a seasoned cultural activist working in Bangladesh in theatre and film-making, space and costume design, as well as popular genres of dance, folk talks, and puppetry. His presentation will happen on Thursday, March 16 at 9:30 AM in Room 241, Americas Center.

The Student Ambassador Program is held annually at the USITT conference & Stage Expo. Applications are usually due in January of each conference year. All Student Members are invited to enter an application with statement, resume, examples of their work, and a recommendation from a mentor.