DURING HER FIRST YEAR at the Herberger Institute, Stephanie Sadownik (pictured above) took a full-time course load, taught classes, served as the assistant director for Music Theatre and Opera’s production of “Les Mamelles de Tirésias” and directed a new version of Henry Purcell’s “The Fairy Queen.” It’s all part of her mission to make the most out of her time at ASU — something she says is only possible due to the generosity of the Newmark family. Pearl Newmark established the Newmark Family Vocal Scholarship in the name of her husband, Cecil, after his death in 1993, and Sadownik is a recent recipient.
The 34-year-old opera singer, who is getting her doctorate in vocal performance, talks about the scholarship’s impact on her life.
Can you talk about what receiving the scholarship meant for you?
It meant everything. I’m putting myself through school so every little bit is huge for me. I want to make sure I take advantage of this opportunity and every possible element, every part that I can. If I would have had to get a fulltime job, there’s absolutely no way that I could have taught, no way I could have been in some of these shows and been a part of some of these opportunities that helped me grow as a professional, as a student and as creative person. Having that cushion was essential. It also gave me a sense of being able to breathe. As we know, student loans are kind of crushing our youth right now. The first thing I have to think about when I leave school won’t be how I’m going to pay off my loans. It’s not going to haunt me.
How did you feel when you heard you received the scholarship?
As soon as they told me, that was like a big way for me to say yes to ASU. It was not just money, but it was a place where I wanted to go, and they showed a lot of support and faith in my talent. For me that’s really wonderful to see that a university is willing to invest in people they believe in.
The scholarship is supported by the Newmark and Eckstein families. Have you met anyone from the family?
I invited Diane Eckstein (Pearl and Cecil’s daughter) to all of my shows. We had been corresponding through email a little bit, and then I met her at a scholarship luncheon in the spring and told her everything I was up to. It was really wonderful to meet her and learn about why they wanted to make the scholarship in memory of her father. She said that he had a really beautiful voice and would sing all the time.
What do you hope to do once you’re finished with school?
The big goal is to try to turn this degree into as many opportunities as possible. I would love to have a job where I can do as much as possible — not just teach voice but be able to teach language, fiction and to be able to teach stage direction and acting, and to be able to do as many things as possible within maybe a small college setting. And just see what’s out there. You never know where it’s going to take you and where you can take the degree itself.