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Chrys Weedon<\/strong> | Entertainment Editor<\/span><\/p>\n Madeline Weinstein is a junior studying theater at Western Oregon. Originally hailing from Seattle, Washington, Weinstein didn\u2019t have much enthusiasm for the idea of college after her graduation from high school. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really cheesy, but then I visited Western Oregon, I was very hesitant. And then I realized, this is a very friendly place. People are waving \u2018hi\u2019 to each other, even on the weekends,\u201d Weinstein said.<\/span><\/p>\n After visiting Western, Weinstein knew she wanted to apply. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy mom actually said something that is going to stick with me forever, and it\u2019s: \u2018pick a school where you feel comfortable walking into a room and feeling confident that someone would help you,\u2019\u201d commented Weinstein, \u201cthat was the deciding factor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Weinstein had plenty of acting experience when she started at Western. She acted in all twelve shows that her high school produced in her four years there. In fact, Weinstein\u2019s main inspiration was her high school drama teacher. Because of that one teacher, she decided to get her bachelor\u2019s degree in theater and then continue on to get her master\u2019s degree in education. <\/span><\/p>\n Weinstein hopes to relocate back to Washington after graduating to teach high school drama; \u201cI want to give back and inspire my high schoolers,\u201d she remarked.<\/span><\/p>\n Since coming to Western, Weinstein has participated in multiple shows in a various number of capacities. As a first-year, she was responsible for the sound in Western\u2019s production of \u201cShakespeare in Hollywood.\u201d She has also been a part of paint crew, and has acted in one-acts and ten-minute plays. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven if I don\u2019t get into the main stage shows, I know that there\u2019s still a chance for me to act in the one-acts and the ten minutes,\u201d said Weinstein.<\/span><\/p>\n Something that Weinstein loves about the theater program is that \u201cthey don\u2019t always put the \u2018perfect\u2019 actors in there, they put people who they know can learn from the experience and\u2026 who can grow more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n