Outstanding Student: Brenna Highbanks School of Theatre, Television, and Film

While overcoming a variety of hurdles during her time at SDSU, Brenna Highbanks has committed to making the most of all the opportunities open to her. 

She never skips an opportunity to create connections with her community and the people she's surrounded by at SDSU. “There are so many wonderful opportunities here, and it can be really easy to keep your head down and miss all of them.”

Even while enduring financial hardships and undergoing large life changes, Highbanks recalls how hard the faculty and her community worked to ensure she always felt a part of the SDSU community. “I believe this derailment and the support that surrounded it made me want to be a champion for those around me. I strive to make connections with everyone in my classes.”

Dedicated to her passion and future career in theatre, Highbanks immersed herself in stage management, contributing to productions such as Intersections/Revolution: A Conversation on Queerness and Color. She valued this opportunity as it allowed others to witness the skills she has honed through her classes. Alongside her theatrical work, Highbanks also volunteered with the Pathways Tutoring Program.

In hopes of becoming a theater teacher, Highbanks' emphasis on youth theater has led to a variety of coursework and opportunities, as well as facilitating an introduction to "youth theater programs in San Diego and fostering connections to those programs."