These Baylor grads all had major roles in shaping the direction my life has taken and will take, so I have come here hoping to one day extend that same hope to someone else. My time here has been extraordinary, and now I’ll count down my top 5 favorite Baylor experiences.
5. Performing for the Texas State UIL finals in 2011 was exhilarating. After performing our traditional half time show, one which was modeled on Spanish melodies and racing rhythms, we came forward in concert arcs to perform Word Up! The crowd absolutely loved it, and I’ve never had more fun in a marching band performance.
4. I’ve been studying and performing music for twelve years now, but I have never had the opportunity to perform with a string orchestra before. Until I came to Baylor of course! Dr. Espinosa sent an email to some members of Concert Band asking those who are interested to sign up to help out Campus Orchestra in their last concert this semester. So of course I replied as quickly as I could. My favorite song was Valse Triste; a haunting melody with such dissonance and purity from the strings that it gave me chills. I also was able to perform on an A clarinet, as well as my usual Bb.
3. I love accounting. I don’t know why, I just do. Every year PricewaterhouseCoopers holds their nation-wide XTax competition. Basically we are given a fictitious entrepreneur who we have to advise on the tax ramifications of transferring intangible assets to foreign subsidiaries. (What tax differences will their business face in other countries). I worked with a team of other accounting students, and my team captain is in his fifth year, following the Master’s in Taxation program, exactly what I want to do! I learned so much in the short two weeks. Even though we didn’t win, I am so glad I participated. I met and presented to partners of PricewaterhouseCoopers, and also got free Ninfa’s afterward :)
Hillary