Words of Praise
"I have had the pleasure of seeing Laylah in the role of student and teacher! Laylah was one of the top students in my Joy of Mathematics course. She was constantly engaged, asking great questions, working well in groups with her peers, and turning in high quality work for each assignment. She did so well that she is now a tutor for the same course! Not only have I experienced Laylah as a student, but we also had the opportunity to co-teach a course for incoming freshman students together in the Fall of 2020. Laylah was incredibly hard working, organized, dependable, and enthusiastic! Laylah brought an unmatched energy and presence to our virtual classroom each week. Teaching virtually during a pandemic while also taking her own classes and doing other extracurriculars was no easy feat but Laylah gave her best in each role she played. I was so impressed with her flexibility and adaptability during this challenging time. Laylah continues to impress me! Over these past couple of years, I have loved having Laylah as a student and then as a co-teacher. Even more than this, though, I've enjoyed getting to know Laylah as a person. To know Laylah is to love her! She is a genuinely caring, hard-working, reliable, and fun person to be around. I cannot speak highly enough about Laylah, and I envy anyone who has the pleasure of working with her in the future!"
Jessica Hamm / Associate Professor of Mathematics / Winthrop University
"Kalaylah is a tremendously conscientious person and student. The work I have observed her do in production work as well as classroom assignments is thoughtful, detailed, and simply more sophisticated than that of her peers. When she is in class it is invigorating. She is always present, prepared and engaged. Often, she is bringing up ideas, questions, and thoughts that no one else would think of and this serves, her, the class, and me as an educator and livelong learner. She also is self-aware and can critique her own work as well. This skill shows great maturity on her part. Kalaylah also has the theatre content knowledge and the love of theatre which is contagious."
Stephen Gundersheim / Professor of Theatre / Winthrop University
"As a colleague and friend, Ms. Chisolm is no less impressive than she was as a student. She is creative and confident, knowing when to ask for advice and/or assistance, but also knowing when to forge her own path for the betterment of others, and not just herself. She has always been a servant of her community, and she has a passion for educating youth. I hope you give her the opportunity to prove herself."
Brandon Triola/ Artist & Theatre Educator / Brooklyn School of the Arts
"Finally, I want to speak about the passion and heart I see in Kalaylah- things that will make her an inspirational educator. She is so excited
to collaborate and infuses all of her leadership roles with this love for collaboration. She listens well to her team, whether they are a professor mentoring her or an actor learning from her, and treats them all with the same respect. She seeks out opportunities beyond the university to grow- showing up to community events and workshops and working on shows in the community. The best teachers are lifelong students, and I see this habit in Kalaylah as she is always seeking to know more and do better. When directing her senior show, Pipeline, she sought my help as an intimacy director, as she recognized the need for creating healthy boundaries given the heavy content of the piece."
Sarah Provencal/ Artist & Theatre Educator / Northwest School of the Arts
"Kalaylah is a natural leader. Indeed, one of her most obvious personal strengths is her ability to succeed under stressful situations, all the while bringing a sense of calm and order to those around her. Theatre production is often such a situation, with tremendous load and strict deadlines. Kalaylah succeeds in these environments foremost because of her organizational and collaborative skills. It is these two elements in which Kalaylah Chisolm excels that often make or break theatrical productions, and, I contend, any endeavor where communication between people is imperative. These qualities were primary in our decision to allow Kalaylah to direct a full-length play, Pipeline, by Dominique Morriseau, in our studio theatre in her tenure at Winthrop. I have observed her in rehearsal, bringing the best from the actors and design staff, while nurturing them and creating an atmosphere highly conducive to creativity."
Daniel Gordon/ Chair and Professor of Theatre and Dance / Winthrop University