Creating a future as a multidisciplinary professional is what Madelyn “Maddy” Rex, graduating senior from Bath, Pennsylvania, does best. With majors in English and secondary education, as well as minors in theater arts and women’s and gender studies, Rex believes that you don’t need to choose just one path to create a future you love. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of aligning the right pieces until they fall into place.
“When I was looking into schools, I was still unsure of how to make all of my interests fit,” says Rex, noting her deep love of reading, writing and theater. “Some people describe the desire to go into education as a calling, but I would describe my experience as a puzzle piece falling into place. Once I realized that being an educator was an option for me, it just felt right. I would not only be able to study my passions like literature, poetry and drama, but I would be able to share my love for these art forms with others.”
Sharing that love is what has given Rex countless opportunities to shine both on campus and in the community. Throughout her time at Wilkes, Rex has worked with the Division of Performing Arts both on stage and behind the scenes. “I have done work study in the theatre department, worked and performed in shows at Wilkes, worked on ballets with the Conservatory, and helped set up for events, concerts and dance showcases.” A constant presence along the way? Alexander “Lee” Michaels, technical director.
“Lee is the backbone of the theatre department. Between running labs, running work study, teaching, advising, building sets, programming lights and sound, setting up for campus events in the Darte, helping the Conservatory and the million other things he does in a day, he still makes the time to be a patient listener and offer support for anyone who needs it,” says Rex of her mentor.
“Maddy has really grown as a leader and has become much more self-assured over the four years I have known her,” says Michaels, who started working with Rex during her first year at Wilkes. “Her constant desire to help hasn’t wavered and that’s the best part of working with her. I know that the confidence she gained here at Wilkes will be a major asset to the schools she will work at in her future.”
Working alongside Michaels, Rex found a place where she could truly thrive while also developing herself as a multidisciplinary professional. “He is not only incredibly knowledgeable about his work, but he is also an amazing teacher. I learned something new every day I worked with Lee,” says Rex. “I came into the program not knowing the difference between an impact driver and a drill, and was too nervous to talk in class, and I am leaving having helped construct multiple sets and am leading classrooms of students every day.”
Since 2023, at Michaels’ recommendation, Rex has also volunteered with the Scranton Fringe Festival in Scranton, Pennsylvania, working as a venue tech manager as well as a stage manager. While not a traditional classroom setting, Rex notes that a performing arts festival can be the perfect place to learn invaluable lessons that will benefit her as an educator. “Fringe has helped me learn how to adapt to change. With so many shows going on at the same time during the festival, I could be working up to four shows in two weeks,” says Rex. “It’s a very fun challenge, and it’s so rewarding to see how much of an impact Scranton Fringe has on the community.”
In addition to her involvement in the performing arts, Rex student teaches, serves as a consultant in the Writing Center, president of the English honor society Sigma Tau Delta and writes for the Inkwell Quarterly.
“I have so many interests, pursuits, extracurriculars, all on top of part-time work, that my workload was, admittedly, a little crazy at times,” says Rex. “While it may have taken some extra planning, my extracurriculars are all things that I found to be worth pursuing, so I found a way to make it happen. If I learned nothing else at Wilkes, it was time management. Coming out of the other side of it, though, I am happy to say that I think it was all worth it.”
Besides time management, Rex notes that her academic experiences at Wilkes have shaped her into an educator who can make an impact. “Having mentors and teachers like Lee is invaluable because it allows me to have models for the type of teacher I want to be in the future. At least once a semester, I would have a class that felt like attending a masterclass in being an effective teacher.”
After graduation, Rex plans on relocating to the Lehigh Valley region and pursuing a career in teaching high school English, followed by a master’s degree in education. “I love being in the classroom, and looking back, I can’t see myself being anywhere else.”