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Sloane Johnson ’29 has come a long way since her role as a dancing spoon in a production of “Beauty and the Beast” at 5 years old in her hometown of Austin, Texas.

“I was the happiest spoon ever,” said Johnson, who is a first-year student in the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting program at ���ϲ�����. “Something in me just lit up, and every time I’m on stage, that’s how I feel. I knew from that young age that I really wanted to be a performer.”

Johnson’s passion for performing was recognized during New Student Convocation on Aug. 25, 2025, when she was one of four students highlighted among the Class of 2029 by Randy Williams, vice-president for inclusive excellence.

“My jaw was on the floor,” she said of the moment her name was called during the ceremony. “My roommate was sitting next to me, and they said my name, my jaw dropped and then the whole row looked over at me. I wasn’t embarrassed, but I was just so shocked. My mom and dad cried, which was very sweet. My mom texted me after and said, ‘Wow, they really see you. This definitely feels like your home.’ And that’s exactly what it felt like.”

Johnson began dancing at 2 years old and began performing and participating in acting camps at a young age as well. Her interest continued while attending a performing arts middle school, and in high school, she transitioned from musical theater into acting for the camera. After multiple auditions, she was cast as the lead in a student-produced television pilot during her junior year. The experience sparked her interest in scriptwriting, producing and directing.

“I had never been more invested in seeing how something worked behind the scenes,” she said. “It was long hours and so much work, but the end result was so rewarding.”

By senior year, Johnson was creating her own films. She co-wrote a script with a classmate and produced her own short film “Call If You Need” in just three weeks, and premiered it to friends and family. The project remains one of her proudest accomplishments.

Johnson’s creativity extends beyond acting. During high school, she interned with the Texas Songwriter Hall of Fame, allowing her to observe the songwriting competition “Texas Songwriter U,” where aspiring songwriters submit their work to then write with Grammy-winning artists.

“It was a really cool experience to see the behind the scenes of how someone makes a song and the business behind it,” she said.

Through a family connection at Sony Studios, Johnson even had the opportunity to write her first song at 12 years old with songwriter Trannie Anderson, who co-wrote several tracks on Lainey Wilson’s Grammy-winning album “Bellbottom Country,” including “Heart Like a Truck.” Johnson has also tried her hand at fiction writing, drafting a 40,000-word teen sci-fi novel during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, when Johnson was looking at universities, ���ϲ�����’s Performing Arts program stood out. In June, The Hollywood Reporter named ���ϲ����� one of the ’25 Best Drama Schools of 2025.”

“I had never felt the way that I had felt about any other campus or got nearly as excited about college as I did when I was on ���ϲ�����’s campus,” said Johnson. “I think that was part of the culture of people that were here, the faculty and also just the beautiful campus itself.”

Although Johnson worried about making friends in a new environment, she has quickly found her place, especially in her Living Learning Community.

“I’ve met some of my close friends here and we clicked almost instantly,” she said. “We all kind of created a small community and almost like a family really fast. That was something that I wasn’t expecting, but it was almost effortless here.”

Johnson has already begun performing at ���ϲ�����, serving as an understudy in the fall play “Describe the Night.”

“I’m most excited for taking advantage of all that ���ϲ����� has to offer because there’s so much I’m interested in,” she said. “Creatively, being able to express every part of my brain, it feels like a playground where I can express myself, push myself out of my comfort zone, join clubs, make new friends, form connections and hone my craft. That’s why I’m here.”