Alumni Story

I loved that I could pursue all my passions in one place.”

“I was able to study birds, stage speech and movement, Asian cinema, philosophy, the history and culture of math, British poetry and much more," Amber Hughes explains about Catawba.

She chose Catawba because of its theater program; she knew she wanted theater as a primary focus, but to major in another area. Fascinated by stories and the study of people, she signed up for introductory classes in sociology and psychology. She was drawn strongly to sociology, how culture and society affect our individual experience. Choosing sociology as her major made sense. The department faculty made her feel “known and supported. Plus, the material we studied felt immediate, important and alive.” She participated in many opportunities at Catawba: the Lilly Center, Honors program, work-study at the library, study abroad, as well as theatre, where she belonged to the Blue Masque and always felt welcomed regardless of not majoring in theater.

“I felt known as an individual. My uniqueness was seen and wanted.”

Today, Amber is a licensed trauma therapist in Washington State, using a somatic, nervous-system approach to healing in her work with individuals, couples, and families, and helping to identify the impacts of early development, primary relationships in childhood and societal and cultural influences. She is currently at work on a children’s book, and continues her love of theatre, interested in playwriting, and with goals of directing and producing. She is determined one day to become a birder. “Joe Poston’s ornithology class changed my life!” she exclaimed.

Amber’s advice to current and future Catawba students is to “Get out of your lane. Play more. Do your work but explore”, she explains, “take classes in as many areas as possible.” Not every class taken must be to meet a requirement. “Take that weird random philosophy class that doesn’t make sense.”