David Sirois thought he had the world all figured out when he graduated from high school in Connecticut. He was going to go to Yale University and major in physical therapy.
He quickly realized that wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, and he moved to Florida to pursue a new direction.
He enrolled at what was then known as Broward Community College, and after spending a few semesters with no real major … Fate stepped in.
David got lost looking for a class … and ended up finding himself in the Fine Arts Theatre, where he ran into a Broward College faculty member who changed his life forever – Professor Debby Kondelik.
Professor Kondelik encouraged David to enroll in theatre classes.
At the time, David was the kind of a guy who would forget his own name just ordering a pizza. Now he was a theatre major.
He wondered if it was a bad idea. But the staff and faculty of the college’s Visual & Performing Arts Department encouraged him to pursue what they already knew … and what David would eventually discover for himself: theatre was his passion.
After earning his Associate of Arts degree at Broward College, David transferred to the University of Florida’s New World School of the Arts and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree.
Today, David is one of the rising stars in South Florida’s professional theatre world, working as an actor, a director, a playwright and a teacher.
Professor Kondelik once told David, “I can open the door, but you need to walk in.” She motivated him in a way that wasn’t manipulative or aggressive. She motivated him with guidance and encouragement.
The guidance and encouragement David received while at Broward College are things he now shares with the students he teaches and the professionals he works with on a daily basis. Not a day goes by when he doesn’t use something he learned or experienced at Broward College.
The life of a theatre professional is not an easy one, but the foundation David received at Broward College prepared him for it.
“If it were not for Broward College,” David said, “I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I wouldn’t trade my experiences at Broward College for anything in the world.”
David is only one of thousands and thousands of students who – thanks to encouragement and support from our outstanding faculty members – have transformed their lives through higher education at Broward College.
If you would like to transform the lives of deserving students at Broward College, you can donate securely online here.
