Zac Anderson

What non-academic experience at Wake Forest was most meaningful to you?

Getting to direct the AAP production my Junior year. I directed the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It was a big challenge, but I love that, and it brought so many people together to create such a beautiful show. It was a real-world experience where I could take what I had learned in the classroom and implement it in everyday.

What song or songs will always remind you of your time at Wake Forest? Why?

Lost Time by LEON, The Nights by Avicii, Geronimo by Sheppard

Wake Forest’s Pro Humanitate motto is a guiding philosophy for many students and alumni. Did it have an impact on your student experience and has it influenced your plans for the future?

Absolutely. Wake Forest made me think about not just myself but the community around me and how can I be a force for good in the world. Even in the small things. Being mindful to give back with my time, or resources. Especially since I have been so blessed to get to go to Wake Forest and so privileged to have these experiences, the least I can do is help those around me and in the greater world

Wake Forest has lots of traditions, and sometimes students create their own. Do you have a favorite Wake Forest tradition?

I LOVE Pitsgiving and Hit the Bricks. I am on the executive committee for Hit the Bricks, and I truly just love how everyone rallies around a good cause and love seeing how into it people get. I also love Pitsgiving for a similar reason: people get really into it. On my table, we have a spreadsheet for who’s sitting at our table and when. We brought tablecloths (it was a bedsheet lol) and candles and placemats. We even brought my TV for fire ambiance. We also watched movies on it like Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. But I also love it because it’s a dedicated time to honor our amazing Pit workers and just general staff on campus who don’t always get the recognition they deserve. I also kind of started my own tradition, THE 24HR MUSICAL PROJECT. It started with Wakeville. I wanted to contribute something and needed something that could be pretty low time commitment. So we produced an entire production of Seussical the Musical in just 24 hours. We stayed up all night rehearsing, choreographing, putting it all together, we slept in Scales, and had a performance the next day and it was PACKED. We had so many people it was incredible. We are bringing it back this year; we are doing Legally Blonde the Musical. We now have 56 people involved in the cast, we added a live orchestra, and we have almost sold out Brendle. It’s gonna be awesome and I hope it gets carried on as a tradition!

What surprised you most about your Wake Forest experience?

I didn’t get homesick. There were definitely times where I wish i coulda given my mom a hug or snuggled my dogs. But this place very quickly became home because I just felt so connected, so loved, and so welcomed. I love these people, and these friends quickly became my family.

Who most impacted your Wake Forest experience?

Two people:

Ellie Howell. One of the most talented people I know. Ellie and I became friends second semester freshman year. Funny story: I originally thought she was British. Ellie quickly became one of the most important people in my life, she is always in my court, always has my back, and I just have endless love for her. She and I work really well together, we just get each other and how our brains work. I trust her with anything and I know she will do it to the best extent possible

Kaylin Gess. She is a theatre faculty member, and she is just one of the most real people ever. She is so incredibly supportive and has guided me through so much. And she only started here my junior year. But in that short time, she has been someone who I value and respect to the moon and back. She’s had my back and I’ve had hers. I aspire to be half the artist and human she is.

What was the most rewarding experience you had as a Wake Forest student?

Oh my gosh lots. I can’t write them all here.

Imagine you return to campus for your 10-year reunion. What do you hope will remain the same? What do you hope will be different?

This is just a silly thing, but I can’t wait to bring my kids back and see mini Zacs running all around playing with my friends’ kids. But in seriousness, I really hope Scales gets the support, additions, and upgrades it needs. That building has changed my life. I love it so much, and it has truly taught me the world. And I love that wake values the arts and places emphasis on the importance of the arts, we can do even more. Scales is just as important as Farrell, as The Joel, as athletics. The arts are crucial.

Now that you are a graduating student, what advice do you wish you could have given yourself as an incoming student four years ago?

Live in the moment. It flies by, so say yes. Go on the late night Cook-Out runs. Plan a fun fall break trip. Play on a intramural team. Audition for that play. Life is too short too miss out on it and college is even shorter