Her Manhattanville experience revealed a world of opportunities to Dakota Martin ’15, and she now works valiantly to help others find their own opportunities for success.

Dakota had always liked to sing and tell stories, and had been involved in community theater and drama club before she came to Manhattanville for her BFA in music with a concentration in musical theater. The small size of the program gave her the opportunity to be involved with stage productions beyond just the musical; while she saw that she didn’t have to choose between Broadway and being a serious actor, she was also learning to work behind the scenes on both set construction and as a stage manager. The heavy course load also meant that she was done with her major requirements by the start of her senior year. She leaned into making sure her education was well-rounded to explore new interests and make new connections. “You never know when you’re going to meet someone who is going to change the way you look at things.”

Dakota now works as the Administrative Manager at the De La Salle Academy, a need-blind middle school for academically talented students from diverse backgrounds in Manhattan. The Academy is in the midst of reimagining its leadership system, and Dakota is excited to help ensure that the students have every opportunity to grow into future leaders.

Dakota is also one of the co-founders of Chill Bucket Productions. Chill Bucket works to provide every participant a chance to explore their creativity in a supportive, welcoming environment. They have produced a yearly Valentines’ Day Cabaret fundraiser, as well as offering Play in a Day programs where children from 10-18 come together to develop, produce, and put on their own play within a 24-hour period.

Most recently, Chill Bucket has been running the Below the Line Film Festival. Now in its third year, Below the Line gives small productions from across the country and around the world a chance to screen their short films for a live audience; both the festival’s judges and the audience award prizes to their favorite of the entries. The Festival also gives the filmmakers opportunities to mingle and form new relationships while celebrating the passion and art that are accessible to even those without massive resources. As Dakota explains, “tinkering is the most fun part of it all.”