Stories

Juliet Kulusic ’23 is leaving SCU with a unique and holistic view of the human experience.

By Catherine Joy ’23

Senior Juliet Kulusic’s Santa Clara experience has been rooted in her passion for the study of people and the intrinsic beauty of the human experience. As a Psychology and Theatre Arts double major, she believes that both provide unique ways of observing how humans go through the world. Kulusic explains, “My psychology degree allows me to learn more about how humans approach their respective lives based on their bio-psycho-social circumstances. With my theatre arts degree, I am able to study how humans interact with the meaning of the world, in all its suffering and beauty.”

Kimberly Mohne Hill, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, shares, “Juliet has been a stellar student, actor, advocate, and mentor in the Theatre department since she began in her first year. She is a powerful communicator and a compelling presence in any room, on any stage, and in any conversation.” She has embraced her talents and used them to affect a greater good in the community—using theatre arts and art therapy with young people and with the elderly.

Kulusic is especially interested in the interaction between the performing arts and social justice, and shares her favorite quote from choreographer Crystal Pite: “If I am going to change the world, I might as well do it in the language I know.”

Learn more about Kulusic’s experiences and memories at SCU in this Q&A!

What opportunities have you received through your education in the College of Arts and Sciences?
Throughout my four years at SCU, I have been given countless opportunities to be deeply and meaningfully involved in both of the departments in which I am studying. In the Psychology department, I have been able to gain valuable research experience in various studies as well as gain teaching experience as a peer educator in several psychology classes. In the Theatre department, I have been involved in over ten productions, some of which consisted of playing “Bottom” in the mainstage production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; writing, directing, and acting in an original film titled What do you see when you look at me?; as well as writing and directing an original choreopoem piece which will be premiering in this year’s New Playwrights Festival. As a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, I have been gifted with the honor of receiving an Ignatian Fellowship where I received a grant to continue the work from my ELSJ in teaching the performing arts with Alzheimer's and dementia patients in San Jose.

Tell us a favorite college memory…
To this day, one of my favorite memories at SCU was participating in the outdoor theatrical production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream where I played the character Bottom. Performing outside was an incredibly rewarding and unique experience that I felt so blessed to be able to partake in. I joked and said to my director, Aldo Billingslea, that I never wanted to act inside again. Not only was this the first time in nearly two years I had performed live as a result of the pandemic, but we were also outside, staring into the hearts and eyes of the audience and feeling their laughter in such close proximity. It was absolutely incredible.

After graduating, Kulusic is looking forward to utilizing the skills she learned at SCU by teaching children in the performing arts in San Francisco this summer.