Theatre set design graduate discovers their inner leader at CWU

After taking a break from school during the Covid-19 pandemic, Marlin Absetz decided that it was time to take their education on the road.

The Colorado native started researching out-of-state schools with robust film programs and affordable tuition rates, a search that eventually led them to Ellensburg and Central Washington University. The city was exactly the kind of change they had been looking for.

“I come from just outside of Denver, which is a super congested city,” Absetz said. “It’s so nice to take a walk down the streets of Ellensburg and enjoy the peace and quiet of it all. Whenever I interact with members of the community here, they’ve always been really lovely and nice, too.”

That immediate sense of being part of an engaged community extended to CWU, where Absetz quickly overcame the initial feeling of isolation when settling into a new home.

“When I first moved here from out of state, I didn’t know a single person,” they said. “Once I saw how much effort the university puts into the student experience, I knew that this was more than just a place to get a degree. This is a community of people who care about each other and the experiences they offer to students. Whatever you’re interested in, there’s probably something here for you.”

While their interest in film provided a great foundation for their college career, Absetz soon found themselves switching to theatre arts, thanks to a lifelong enthusiasm for the crafty side of things.

“When I was younger, I would always be building stuff, out of cardboard or whatever else was on hand,” they said. “I would get in trouble for taking my own clothes apart and trying to make new stuff out of them. Once I started learning about the work that goes into creating film and theatre sets, I knew what I wanted to do with my career.”

The CWU Theatre Arts program welcomed Absetz with open arms, and demonstrated an approach to community-led expectation-setting that Absetz knows will help them in their career.

“All of the people in the theatre department are so incredibly welcoming,” they said. “On the first day of each class, we would sit down with each other and craft community agreements for engaging with each other over the course of the quarter, and that’s a practice I will take with me into my professional life. It allows people to show up in a space as themselves and contribute authentically without fear of being judged.”

Alongside their work in the theatre department’s scene shop, Absetz found fresh inspiration and opportunity as a student manager for CWU Dining Services, a position that equipped them with the kind of leadership experience that will translate well to any career.

“Any job or class I take, I try to learn as much as I can from it and take it forward with me,” Absetz said. “Working in dining has taught me how to be personable and work well with other people and personalities, so I’m hoping I can carry that with me into my career.”

With graduation now in the rearview, Absetz hopes to pursue a career behind the scenes, designing props and sets for theatre performances. Their skillset is more than up to the task, following three years of hands-on learning.

“The labs and production application courses have been invaluable to me,” Absetz said. “They’ve taught me the practical knowledge of how to be in a scene shop safely, how to operate power tools, and all those carpentry skills that go into set design.”

Looking back on their time at Central, Absetz notes a consistent theme of meeting each challenge thrown their way with kindness and an openness to new experiences. They hope future Wildcats will discover that same approach and reap the benefits.