Natalie Sherwood graduated from NC State in May with a bachelor\u2019s degree in polymer and color chemistry and headed to New York City for a two-month, summer theater intensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When she tells people about her two passions, they often fail to see a relationship between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it turns out there is one: helping people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sherwood pursued her degree in the Wilson College of Textiles<\/a> because she was passionate about improving the lives of people who are dealing with illness. She participated in research that examined more targeted drug delivery for cancer patients and ways to eliminate unnecessary side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And then there\u2019s the impact that comes from theater. Sherwood got involved with University Theatre<\/a> as soon as she arrived on campus for her first year at NC State. She\u2019d discovered a passion for theater as a student at Cary High School and wanted to continue exploring that interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While at NC State in 2018, she was awarded both the Performing Artist Award and Creative Artist Award for theater, supported by the Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf Endowment for Creativity in the Performing Arts. That award came with a $500 stipend and $1,000 to fund the production of a play Sherwood had written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat was really transformative for me because it was a very personal story that I wanted to share,\u201d Sherwood said. \u201c[The play] centered around mental health, and it facilitated a lot of thoughtful conversation about coming of age, how that affects mental health, and how do we approach that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sherwood speaks openly about facing her own mental health challenges while at NC State. At one point she took a break from university life to take care of herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe play was a chance to feel empowered about a difficult things that I went through,\u201d she said. \u201cI was able to express what I went through to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which is where the theme of helping others comes back into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As part of NC State\u2019s Open Door Series<\/a>, Sherwood also participated in a production called \u201cExonerated,\u201d which focused on people who had spent time in prison for crimes they had not committed. Sherwood found that audience members were coming away from performances of \u201cExonerated\u201d and her play, \u201cA Good Little Rain<\/a>,\u201d thinking about the plays\u2019 topics and having important conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This post was originally published<\/a> in Giving News.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n
But it turns out there is one: helping people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sherwood pursued her degree in the Wilson College of Textiles<\/a> because she was passionate about improving the lives of people who are dealing with illness. She participated in research that examined more targeted drug delivery for cancer patients and ways to eliminate unnecessary side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And then there\u2019s the impact that comes from theater. Sherwood got involved with University Theatre<\/a> as soon as she arrived on campus for her first year at NC State. She\u2019d discovered a passion for theater as a student at Cary High School and wanted to continue exploring that interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While at NC State in 2018, she was awarded both the Performing Artist Award and Creative Artist Award for theater, supported by the Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf Endowment for Creativity in the Performing Arts. That award came with a $500 stipend and $1,000 to fund the production of a play Sherwood had written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat was really transformative for me because it was a very personal story that I wanted to share,\u201d Sherwood said. \u201c[The play] centered around mental health, and it facilitated a lot of thoughtful conversation about coming of age, how that affects mental health, and how do we approach that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sherwood speaks openly about facing her own mental health challenges while at NC State. At one point she took a break from university life to take care of herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe play was a chance to feel empowered about a difficult things that I went through,\u201d she said. \u201cI was able to express what I went through to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which is where the theme of helping others comes back into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As part of NC State\u2019s Open Door Series<\/a>, Sherwood also participated in a production called \u201cExonerated,\u201d which focused on people who had spent time in prison for crimes they had not committed. Sherwood found that audience members were coming away from performances of \u201cExonerated\u201d and her play, \u201cA Good Little Rain<\/a>,\u201d thinking about the plays\u2019 topics and having important conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n