UNE student inspires in 缅因州 State Ballet’s 'The Nutcracker'

特雷弗·西摩, life is all about connections — connections between the mind and the body, 在科学和艺术之间. 人与人之间的联系.

西摩(公共卫生, ’27)——他来自斯卡伯勒, 缅因州, uses they/them pronouns — is an aspiring doctor whose passion for public service takes many forms. It is a passion that was cultivated with inspiration from their mother, 谁是注册护士, personal experience with the health care system, a lifelong love of the performing arts.

“Public service just felt natural for me,” said Seymour, who wants to pursue a career in cardiology. “I had a really big medical influence within my house growing up, I found myself so interested in what my mom did at work, 即使是最小的东西.”

And for Seymour, it’s the small things that add up.

They said it was tedious work, but it will have a big impact on people who need the equipment.

“There’s really no too small of a part to play in that kind of work,他们说. “对我来说, it doesn’t matter if I’m just repackaging catheters; I know someone’s going to need that catheter somewhere. I’m still helping make a difference either way.”

Seymour has also leveraged their ability to form connections to bring together their community amid a recent hardship.

In wake of the October mass shootings in Lewiston — the deadliest in 缅因州’s history — Seymour organized a vigil to honor those who lost their lives and were wounded. Dozens of UNE community members came together to pay their respects to the victims.

“I wanted it to be an opportunity for the students and like the community as a whole to feel like they're together,他们说. “To have a moment of togetherness and focusing on community in a time when the world around us feels like it's falling apart.”

Togetherness is a big theme in Seymour’s life. Dancing, they said, is another way to build community in an uncertain world.

今年12月, Seymour starred as the titular character in 缅因州 State Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.” It was Seymour’s ninth time performing in the show, which was held at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. It was also their fifth time as the Nutcracker and their fourth time playing the Russian soloist.

“我喜欢跳舞, I love to share that love with the audience by showing them that I enjoy it,他们说。.

但是跳舞, 像医学, 需要纪律, a lesson Seymour has learned in their more than 15 of years honing their craft.

“I’m thankful for my dance career because it’s given me an innate ability to receive constructive feedback and improve upon my technique,他们说. “I think in correlation to becoming a doctor, this skill will be useful when going through residency and internship, where you hear a lot of criticism in order to grow.”