Briana Stoever '18

Want to chance to study just about any subject you’re interested in, or try any passion or interest you may have? Try Simpson. 

Or at least that’s how Des Moines native Brianna Stoever spent her time on campus.

“Try everything,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, and don’t be afraid to make a mistake.”

Having attended Carlisle High School, Stoever chose Simpson because of the chance to connect with professors on a closer level than she could have at a larger university setting.

“I loved the individual attention the professors could give students, and the genuine care and interest they have for their students,” she said.
 
Like many students, Stoever wasn’t sure exactly where the next four years would take her, but she began by studying her two passions, acting and writing.

“I knew the areas I wanted to study, but I wasn’t certain what I wanted to do fully,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I also came in with dreams of being an actress.”

In her four years, Stoever participated in all of the Theatre Simpson productions (four a year) and had different UGA positions for the department as well as participated in several honor societies and Simpson’s On the House Improv Troupe. 

But one of the most important aspects of Stoever’s time at Simpson was the connections she made with the professors over her time here in both the English and Theatre departments. 

“I expected that I’d be close to the professors in my major, but I never thought that I’d have faculty members from freshman year who would still be keeping in touch with me and I’d be close with,” she said.

For next year, Stoever will be attending Iowa State University, to obtain her Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing and the Environment, and will also have a teaching assistantship.  

“Every professor I came into contact with cared about my future and helped me on my way to success,” she said. “These opportunities helped me learn and grow as a person and get closer to the career I wanted.”

So, again, for future students, Stoever strongly believes that the key to success at Simpson is to put yourself out there:

“The sky is the limit if you allow yourself to just try.”