麻豆传媒

Most people know the saying a 鈥楤and-Aid fix,鈥� a quick temporary aid to a problem not meant to be the solid solution. But what about a duck-tape triumph; a solution to a financial need that takes 161 hours to meet the goal and uses 80 roles of thick sticky tape to achieve? That鈥檚 the unorthodox direction first-year student Victoria Schoenherr went when seeking higher education scholarship opportunities.  

鈥淚t was two in the morning; I was cozy in my bed and I was Googling fashion and design scholarships. I found a duct tape scholarship and thought it was cute, so I sent it to my dad,鈥� Victoria said.  

The next morning, Victoria鈥檚 father, alumnus Tom Schoenherr, 鈥�00, dropped off five roles of duct tape. That was all the encouragement Victoria needed to enter the national , where high school students were tasked with creating and wearing prom attire made of duct tape. It was obvious to the Schoenherrs quickly that five roles of duct tape would not be enough once Victoria began outlining her design of a larger-than-life 18th-century French Rococo-inspired dress. 

鈥淚 knew I wanted to make a big dress,鈥� Victoria said. 鈥淚 love drawing, I love making chic big poofy dresses and 鈥�50s fit and flare dresses, that鈥檚 my favorite silhouette.鈥� 

 Starting with the sketch, the new, first-year student in the University of Northern Colorado鈥檚 Theatre Arts: Design and Technology program drew a flowery hoop skirt with a corseted top and pleated sleeves and gloves. She even included an accessorized mirror, shoes, earrings and a headpiece to complete the look.  

Making a dress this grand has always been Victoria鈥檚 dream. Typically, it鈥檚 done with fabric, but that costs a lot of money and becomes very heavy. So, having the opportunity to design a large dress using duct tape allowed her to live out her design fantasy. 

鈥淚 had to learn this trick through trial and error,鈥� Victoria said. 鈥淭he process was a lot planning and destroying what I made, then trying again.鈥�  

She enlisted eight of her friends to help with pleating the flowers and gluing them on the dress. The group finished just in time to get Victoria in the dress, take a picture and send it to the judges.  

鈥淚 think I spent 48 hours straight pleating ruffles on the skirts and sleeves, so I鈥檓 so thankful for my friends who were willing to help,鈥� Victoria said.

The dress deadline landed after Victoria鈥檚 actual high school prom in May, so she didn鈥檛 wear the dress to her prom. Instead, she opted for a pink dress full of glittery tulle. However, she did receive scholarship funding for her creation.

Out of 165 entries nationwide, Victoria鈥檚 dress was top five in the dresses category, and she won the judge鈥檚 pick for most runway-worthy. Each accomplishment was a $1,000 scholarship, so she received $2,000 toward her higher education. 

鈥淚 was at work when I saw the email and yelled, 鈥業鈥檓 taking my break鈥�,鈥� Victoria said. 鈥淚 ran over to my friend and started celebrating and losing my mind. Then I had to go back and talk to customers even though I had such high energy.鈥� 

Victoria worked at The Matthews Opera House in Spearfish, South Dakota where her grandparents live when she found out she was an award recipient. She typically spends her summers there because of the artistic opportunities the small town offers.  

"There are so many wonderful, creative people who live there,鈥� Victoria said. 鈥淚 had the opportunity to do costume designing at a photography studio and it鈥檚 just an inspiring experience.鈥� 

Now, starting the next chapter in her life, Victoria was looking for another place to express herself in a similar fashion and knew that would be a possibility at 麻豆传媒. With both of her parents being alumni and growing up in Windsor, she knew about the institution, but she says an interview with Anne Toewe, Ph.D., the School of Theatre Arts and Design director sealed the deal.  

鈥淲e talked for three hours, it was amazing,鈥� Victoria said. "I just knew I had to go to school here. It's close to home and has a great program so it'll be my new home."

Victoria has seen 麻豆传媒 theatre productions in the past and has been in awe of the amazing work the students accomplish. Her goal for costume designing while at 麻豆传媒 is creating the most insane, dramatic and elaborate clothing she can get away with. 

鈥淚 would love to go all out, glitter everywhere, everything bedazzled, so The Little Mermaid would be amazing,鈥� Victoria said. 

While she loves the artistic process of sketching her designs and bringing them to life with every stitch of fabric, Victoria says she wouldn鈥檛 be opposed to experiencing being on stage too, though it鈥檚 not her career goal.  

鈥淚 love acting so much, but I know it鈥檚 such a competitive industry.  Everyone needs a costume designer so I鈥檓 going to go with that,鈥� Victoria said. 鈥淏ut if they ever need someone to scream bloody murder, they can find me.鈥� 

Victoria knows she鈥檚 ready for any creative challenges that come her way. Whenever she gets overwhelmed, she can recall the time she created an award-winning dress unable to fit through door frames made from a product typically used for patching holes and packing boxes. 

鈥淚 know it鈥檚 going to be new and scary, but I also know it鈥檚 going to be great,鈥� Victoria said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to get started. Then on to Broadway, of course.鈥�