Sophie Shack is joining the Academy’s eighth cohort this fall. If given the opportunity, Shack would combine art and technology to create a mixed reality experience for others. Beyond academics, Shack is an adrenaline junkie who loves activities like skydiving and riding roller coasters, and she hopes to check “swimming with sharks” off her bucket list in the future!

Tell me a little bit about your journey to the Academy. What were you looking for in an undergraduate program? 

When I discovered the Academy, it was a line of text in a USC pamphlet. Upon further investigation, I knew this was the place I was meant to be. The people, the courses, the experiences – they were nothing like I'd ever seen before. I knew this was the school where I could pave my own path and be my full authentic self.

What are you most looking forward to in the Academy? 

Being surrounded by lots of quirky, brilliant humans who share a passion for disrupting the world.

What are three goals you want to accomplish during your time at the Academy and USC? 

Form long-lasting connections with cool people.

Discover what kind of work makes me truly happy.

Let’s say you were miraculously provided $1,000,000 in seed funding tomorrow. What would you create? 

I find art and technology fascinating, so I would create some sort of mixed reality experience. Being immersed in visuals, sound and story is one of the best ways to communicate and promote change. Knowing this, I would center the experience around a topic such as climate change or diversity to open my audience’s minds to new ideas.

What is a good piece of advice you've received that you plan to apply throughout college? 

“Fake it ‘til you make it.” Yup. I may have no idea what I’m doing with my life, but if I present myself with confidence and courage, I know these qualities will eventually replace my initial insecurities.

What is your proudest achievement to date? 

Sounds cheesy but getting into the Academy. I’m a transfer student and I was rejected after interviews my first year applying. So, I poured my heart and soul into figuring out who I was as a person and a creative, and my hard work eventually paid off. Follow your dreams, kids!

Describe one thing most people don’t know about you.

I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I love skydiving, obstacle courses, and rollercoasters and I’d love to bungee-jump, flyboard and swim with sharks! The goal is to keep checking off items on my bucket list.

What is one thing your parents taught you that you’d like to share?

Enjoy the little things. We as humans are prone to dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. There are so many experiences that are worth appreciating, no matter how small: family dinners, movie nights, funny license plates, clouds shaped like animals. That’s where true happiness stems from and that’s what my parents want for me.

Out of the five traits of a Trojan, which trait best describes you? 

Ambition. I chose to become a Trojan because I was determined to achieve my goals even though the end result was a shot in the dark. I hope to describe my time at USC as the Latin phrase, “Veni, vidi, vici”. I came, I saw, I conquered.

What is one skill or thing you learned during the COVID-19 pandemic?

This is kinda deep but I learned how to deal with failure. 2020 was a pretty rough year for everyone, and I took a lot of losses. Ultimately, I am a different person today because I was able to experience, accept and move on from difficult times. 

What is your favorite app/website and why? 

I definitely use Spotify the most. In terms of my favorite though, Behance takes the win. It’s social media for creatives and features some of the most beautiful projects I’ve ever seen. I definitely recommend checking it out!

If you could be any kitchen appliance, what would you be and why? 

Hmm, perhaps one of those robot vacuums. They are independent and intelligent machines that venture from their base to leave things better than they find them. Whether that’s helping to clean up a conflict, creating an easier life for those around me or making someone smile, I hope to do the same. Also, they’re super duper cute.

People, especially those in marginalized groups, who don’t take no for an answer when striving for their dreams.

Sophie Shack is an adrenaline junkie who loves activities like skydiving and riding roller coasters, and she hopes to check “swimming with sharks” off her bucket list in the future!

FRESH Encounters: Sophie Shack

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