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Transitioning from Broadway Musical "Grease" to the Academic Study of Ethnomusicology

UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music welcomes Allie Schulz, a transfer student from Los Angeles City College (LACC), who is pursuing a degree in Ethnomusicology. Prior to transferring, Schulz had been active in the musical theater scene in New York City, with a resume including national tours and a...

From "Grease" on Broadway to Pursuing Ethnomusicology Studies
From "Grease" on Broadway to Pursuing Ethnomusicology Studies

Transitioning from Broadway Musical "Grease" to the Academic Study of Ethnomusicology

Allie Schulz, known professionally as LAE, has had an impressive career in the theatre industry and the music world. However, her recent journey has led her to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she is now a first-year transfer student majoring in Ethnomusicology at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.

Schulz's journey began when she was offered multiple roles in off-Broadway shows and played Rizzo on the national tour of "Grease." She also understudied Sandy, Patty, and Cha-Cha for the Broadway production of "Grease." After winning third place in the reality TV show "Grease: You're the One That I Want!" on NBC in Los Angeles in 2007, she decided to take a new path.

Seeking a change, Schulz moved back to New York to continue her education. She attended classes at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) and later enrolled in Los Angeles City College (LACC) as a Music major while making music in Los Angeles. During this time, she also decided to study romance languages at Hunter College in New York City, gathering college transcripts from four colleges, including one from Argentina.

Schulz's decision to pursue academics was not a sudden one. She realized that she wanted to teach and pursue her master's degree in education. This ambition led her to apply to UCLA, a decision she made after meeting with a counselor at LACC. Her application was successful, and she is now a student at UCLA.

The transition to UCLA was not without challenges. Schulz admitted that she was overwhelmed by the process, but she found support in Eileen Strempel, the inaugural dean of the School of Music at UCLA, for transfer students. She also received a dedicated transfer student scholarship from the Herb Alpert Foundation.

Schulz believes that the education she received at Hunter College will inform the music she writes, making her a better songwriter, storyteller, and a better actress. She continues to use the artist name LAE and writes music, plays shows, and releases records.

In addition to her academic pursuits, Schulz has been awarded a fellowship to teach at the UCLA Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools in Koreatown. She believes that trusting her hunch about wanting to teach is enough to move forward with certainty and hunger for knowledge.

While detailed information about Schulz's Broadway to UCLA transfer or her future teaching and Ethnomusicology plans may not be readily available, her journey is a testament to her resilience, adaptability, and passion for both performance and academia. For more precise information, checking UCLA student resources, Ethnomusicology program announcements, or Allie Schulz's official profiles may be necessary.

  1. Allie Schulz's decision to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) signifies a shift from her career in the theatre industry and music world towards education-and-self-development, as she aims to teach and pursue her master's degree in education.
  2. Pursuing academia at UCLA, Allie Schulz simultaneously seeks personal-growth opportunities through her coursework in Ethnomusicology, believing that her education will facilitate her journey as a better songwriter, storyteller, and actress.

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