Designing her own dream at BGSU

Freshman Kasandra Fager will get to choose her passion in design/technical theatre

By Bob Cunningham

For a lot of students, going away to college is a big deal. Living away from home for the first time and leaving friends and family behind takes some courage.

Just ask Kasandra Fager, an incoming freshman in the Class of 2021 at Bowling Green State University. Fager is one of a set of quadruplets, and she and her siblings are going their separate ways for the first time in 18 years. While Fager has decided to major in theatre with a specialization in design/technical theatre at BGSU, her sisters Katlyn, Kristine and Katheryn have enrolled at other Ohio institutions: Findlay University, Ashland University and Stark State College, respectively.

“I’m excited to try to be apart from them, but I am kind of nervous because we’ve spent 18 years together,” said Fager, who graduated from Northwest High School in Canal Fulton, Ohio. “It’s going to be different. It’s going to take some getting used to, that’s for sure. All four of us are going to different Ohio schools, but they’ll be close by, so that will be nice when we want to visit each other.”

It’s going to be a life-changing adjustment for Fager, who picked BGSU because she felt at home on campus.

“I liked the smaller feel of the University and how everyone was nice and friendly and supportive,” she said. “I really liked how open the campus was — that was nice.”

Fager is pleased that she doesn’t have to choose a focus right away in her major. Instead, she will get a chance to experience several areas.

“At other universities, you have to commit to lighting or sound and so on, but at BGSU you get to explore all of the areas and choose which one you want to focus on,” said Fager, who plays flute in the Falcon Marching Band. “In high school, I was a part of the AV crew, which helped with the lighting, sound and backstage. I loved it so much that I decided to continue doing it.

“I just love how diverse BGSU’s program is and how much experience you get from it. I also like it because I get to try out other areas that I wouldn’t get to do at other schools. I get to make a choice.”

Fager is a recipient of a renewable University Freshman Academic Scholarship, which is based on a student’s academic success in high school. Qualifying BGSU students receive between $1,000 and $8,000 of support. BGSU awards $25 million in academic scholarships every year.