UW-Stevens Point student discovers comprehensive acting education through Midwest Student Exchange Program

Picking up and moving out of state by yourself would be challenging for many, but University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point acting major Maikla Wilson said she wouldn't have it any other way.

Wilson, Kansas City, Kan., started taking theatre classes at a young age and developed a passion for it right away. Growing up, she primarily worked on shows as a stage manager and knew that she wanted to make theatre her future career. Upon graduating high school and being unsure of her next steps, she enrolled in community college.

To improve as a stage manager and gain a holistic understanding of theatrical production, Wilson took an acting class while studying at Johnson County Community College. She fell in love with performing and decided to take her training in a new direction.

"I was stage management focused completely and wasn't thinking about anything else," Wilson said. "Getting to dive into performing sparked something in me and made me think this was something I may want to pursue."

While competing in a 48-hour playwriting competition, Wilson was faced with a moment of downtime with one of her faculty mentors. Looking for the comprehensive training of a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree and wanting to see options out of state, she was advised to explore the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP).

MSEP is a volunteer-based program where higher education institutions can offer discounted tuition rates to students in Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Their online database allows students to browse colleges and universities that offer discounted tuition to applicants in their home state. UW-Stevens Point is one of more than 70 colleges and universities in the program.

"I knew I wanted to have the traditional college experience that you wouldn't get at a conservatory, while also finding a community I wouldn't get lost in," Wilson said. "While I was working on the 48-hour playwriting competition at 3 a.m., I started looking through the entire MSEP database for schools where I could get a BFA and I found UWSP."

Before looking at MSEP eligible schools, she had never been to Wisconsin or heard of UW-Stevens Point. Upon doing further research, Wilson was initially drawn to UWSP for the mid-size community and accredited acting program.

She auditioned for and was accepted into the BFA acting program in the spring of 2024. Although she had no previous ties to the area and only had the chance to visit during her audition, Wilson instantly felt at home stepping on campus.

"At my audition, I spoke with some current students and department faculty. When I arrived in the fall and went to the Department of Theatre and Dance picnic, those students remembered me and said they talked with the faculty about how excited they were to have me all summer," Wilson said.

Like many first-year students, Wilson navigated paying for school and building new relationships in an area where she did not have any friends or family. Although this did not come without challenges, she found support from her peers and on-campus resources who helped her come up with a plan to stay enrolled.

"I was working through how I was going to be able to afford school on my own, and the Financial Aid office helped connect me with different pathways to do that," Wilson said. "I am so grateful to them and the Dean of Students office for providing resources and being a system of support. I still get emails from them checking in on me and making sure that I am on a path to success outside of my academics."

Wilson has found her home and is an active member of the campus community. She is employed as an ambassador through the Office of Admissions and Recruitment and involved with the Players Student Artistic Alliance as their librarian.

Although immersing herself in the community has been a priority, Wilson is equally grateful to be a part of a tight-knit educational environment. The BFA acting program at UWSP develops students interested in careers as actors for stage and screen, with small class sizes and courses that promote various acting formats and techniques. Assistant Professor of Acting Dana Dancho says that she has seen Wilson flourish as a student and performer first-hand.

"I am impressed by Maikla's ability to adapt to various challenges in class work, her versatility as a performer and her ability to take direction and think about her characterizations on a number of different levels," Dancho said. "She consistently brings positive, forward-thinking energy to class and to her work in all of its stages while constantly demonstrating the intellect necessary for the discernment of plays and performance. I have enjoyed having her as a student immensely."

Wilson is grateful for MSEP connecting her with UWSP and recommends the easy to navigate database to students looking for affordable options for an out-of-state college experience. Her advice? Don't be afraid to explore new places.

"Broaden your horizons and don't be afraid to go somewhere that you've never heard of before," Wilson said. "I took a chance on somewhere I had never been, and it's the best decision I could have made for myself. I love this community, and I could see myself staying in Wisconsin long-term."

Wilson is set to graduate in 2027 with a BFA in acting and a minor in arts management. She hopes to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in the future and teach at the collegiate level.

For more information on the Midwest Student Exchange Program at UWSP, visit https://www.uwsp.edu/admissions-aid/midwest-student-exchange-program/.