Ailee Moquist is in a unique situation as a student at Northwestern College. She is the first student from the Northwestern NEXT program to attend the school for 3 years for a theatre degree. Traditionally, students who are accepted into the NEXT program only attend college for two years. This extra year was granted to Moquist by Professor of Theatre and Chair of the Theatre Department, Dr. Robert Hubbard.
Moquist has a strong passion for the theatre arts, so it was a natural fit for her to take theatre courses during her time in the NEXT program. Therefore, she took Hubbard’s Theatre Experience course. It was through her work in this course that Hubbard saw her true potential. He was thoroughly impressed by how Moquist was doing in the class, so he met personally with John Menning, director of Northwestern NEXT, and recommended that they offer Moquist the opportunity to attend Northwestern for a third year so she could complete a theatre degree.
Of course, when Moquist was informed of this, she did not hesitate to accept the offer eagerly. Moquist is a deeply passionate person, and she puts 100% of herself and her heart and energy into everything she does.
When asked about how it has been to have Moquist as a part of the NEXT program community, Menning said, “Her determination and willingness to learn all she can, making the most of her college experience and education has been so encouraging and wonderful to witness.”
Assistant director of the NEXT Program, Sherry Lang, said, “Ailee is the hardest worker I know. She is so intentional in all she does, and her determination is so inspiring to the rest of us.” In terms of her participation in the Theatre Department, Moquist has been as involved as she possibly can with each and every production that the department has put on.
Another one of Moquist’s professors in theatre, Molly Wiebe Faber, said, “In all the roles Ailee plays, she never shies away from what might challenge her. She works hard, takes feedback gracefully and comes to rehearsals ready to go.”
As many may or may not know, Moquist is a student with a disability. When asked if she had any advice for students with disabilities who are looking to have college experiences, she said that she believes strongly in self-advocacy. She said, “You need to have high expectations of yourself in order for people to be able to raise their expectations of you.”
Additionally, when asked if there was anything she would like students who are neurotypical to be made aware of, Moquist said, “when you have a disability, the world is not built with you in mind… and in academic settings, it can be harder to get support.”
Through the Theatre Department, and as a big final presentation before she graduates, Moquist will be performing her own original, one-woman play, titled “A Reluctant Miracle” at the end of the semester. This is a play she has been working hard on putting together with Wiebe Faber in a course-by-arrangement.
In an official stamp of approval, “I think Moquist’s original one-woman show will be a very exciting event on campus. I hope a lot of people come,” Hubbard said. “She started it in my playwriting class; it is good.” It would be a huge blessing to Moquist and to the department if the student body packed the Proscenium Theatre on Wednesday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m. for her presentation. You will not want to miss this.
