Due to some scholarship opportunities, I was able to go away for college at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. My focus was pre-med, but I needed a creative outlet. I auditioned for an a-cappella group on campus and was chosen to be a member. I was a part of the group for 4 years, had multiple engagements, and even recorded 2 CDs with the group.  Though the majority of my studies were geared toward my career in medicine, performance arts gave me a peace of mind and an outlet for expression. I am not sure I could have finished the pre-med courses without it. During my time at Emory, I was also in a few plays and also participated in a few dance troupes.  What I learned from MFAA was that I did not have to stay within one genre of art, and no matter what I did in my life, performance arts would always stay a part of me. Even to this day I still do intermittent performances, whether it be for a fundraiser at church, a wedding, or a function for the medical school. — Sophia Abaricia Sterner (nee Sophia Tee Abaricia), MFAA 1996