Knightly News

Members of the Episcopal arts community recently celebrated 11 graduating seniors with plans to continue pursuing their artistic dreams at the university level. Congratulations!

“Continuing to study the arts is meaningful to me because it is like bringing a piece of home to a new environment.” Cate Brien, Washington and Lee University

Cate Brien says she felt supported and like a part of the Washington and Lee University community throughout the admission process. The experience made it easy to select the school. “The people there are so open and eager to get to know new students, and I can’t wait to be a part of their student body next year.” Cate, who has been involved with the arts since she was seven years old, will pursue a minor in theatre. Her Episcopal experience played a big part in that decision. “I’ve participated in arts outside of Episcopal, but I’ve found that some of my most meaningful experiences have come from the Episcopal arts department,” she says. “I’m very grateful that I’ll be able to continue learning and performing in an environment where the arts are cherished like it is at Episcopal.” She advises her Episcopal classmates with similar dreams to believe in themselves. “While that is pretty cliché, I think it’s really important for those involved in the arts to have the self-motivation and confidence to continue creating and pursuing what they love.”

Ruby Friloux – Sarah Lawrence College

Thesis student Ruby Friloux will attend Sarah Lawrence College this fall. While there, she will study visual arts. Check out Ruby’s LAUNCH Day presentation regarding Horror and History here.

Sarah Griffith – Duke University

Sarah Griffith will attend Duke University this fall where she will study theatre and voice.

“The world is made by artists and being able to study what makes this world so beautiful is incredible.” Katie Hinkle, Savannah College of Art and Design

Katie Hinkle says she chose the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) “because of its beautiful, welcoming campus" and the school’s reputation as “one of the most proficient schools for aspiring artists.” Katie plans to study Sequential Design or Animation and says the opportunity means the world to her. “I’ve been involved with the arts for almost my entire life, from kindergarten to now,” she says. She offers the following advice for her classmates. “My advice for aspiring artists is to keep practicing,” she says. “You’ll get it eventually. You can’t improve unless you put in the effort.”

“The opportunity to continue studying arts means that I can express myself freely and be able to bring emotions to people whether it’s hundreds of people or just ten people, I love being able to make people feel things and have them realize they relate to whatever character I portray.” India Lathan, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

India Lathan looks forward to exploring the arts more at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She appreciates the small school population and warm atmosphere that ULL provides. She is also excited about the opportunities provided for acting majors. “One opportunity that I can mention is that they develop new tech that is highly used in movies and people are able to sign up and become background actors in some of the movies that use their technology,” says India. “One of the movies they helped on was ‘The Twilight Saga’.” India advises classmates with a similar artistic dream to “do what makes them happy and to have the want to get better. I believe that being a good actor means that you have to constantly want to progress and learn how to tell different stories from different perspectives and how to bring their characters to life with some experiences from their actual lives. I believe that they should also want to become a better person in general and not just for the sake of acting. Wanting to better themselves would also help them to become more emotional, vulnerable, and relatable.”

Lucy Pellegrin – Louisiana State University

Inspired by her teachers, Lucy Pellegrin will attend Louisiana State University to pursue a degree in elementary education. In addition, she will minor in theatre.

Ramsey Rogers – Louisiana State University

Ramsey Rogers, who joined the Episcopal community her junior year, will attend Louisiana State University. Ramsey’s favorite subject is math and she has a passion for all things STEM. She plans to study biology and visual arts.

“I chose NYU because of its rigorous and prestigious drama program as well as its location in Manhattan.” Baker Saurage, NYU

Baker Saurage has been acting for seven years, making NYU an ideal place to launch his dreams. “As somebody who hopes to make a career as an actor, I’m more than grateful to have such a great opportunity to continue my study of the art and surround myself with individuals following similar goals,” he says. In addition to acting, Baker is also a musician and has played guitar for eight years now. He offers this advice for classmates with similar interests. “I’d say go for it. Whether it be as a major, minor, or just an activity you want to continue doing, take the opportunities presented to you by your college of choice to further grow as an artist.”

“If you fearlessly attempt what interests you and keep practicing, you will be on the right track.” Cooper Smither University of Texas at Austin

Episcopal’s Cooper Smither’s track will lead him to the University of Texas at Austin this fall. “I chose UT because it was my stretch school!” he says. “As an expanding city, Austin will be super artsy, so I’m going there expecting many opportunities to get involved in the arts, not just at school but in the surrounding community as well. It also seems like a top notch institution with a great theatre program, so overall, I’m thrilled to be attending UT!” Cooper joins UT with the hope of continuing his focus on theatre and acting, something he’s been studying since he was 12. “I love the arts for their ability to draw out emotional truths about humans and living, feeling individuals, and nothing else interests me in the way that they do,” he says. Cooper, who started in live theatre his sophomore year, encourages classmates to explore the arts early. “If you want to pursue the arts, start as early as you can,” he says. He says while it’s never too late to get started, he regrets not developing his interest sooner. "However, I am very proud of the extensive theatre work I’ve done in my two years at Episcopal.”

“I love that I am given the opportunity to be able to study music and be a part of Rhode’s Orchestra because playing the violin is my passion.” Kaydence White, Rhodes College

Kaydence White first began playing violin at the age of three. Since then, she has developed a love for the instrument. She has performed with the Louisiana Junior Youth Orchestra since she was eight. This fall, she will join the Rhodes College Orchestra. Choosing Rhodes as the next stop on her educational journey was easy. “I chose Rhodes College because it is a wonderful school located in Memphis, which is known as the City of Music,” says Kaydence. “I also wanted to go to a smaller research institution and a school that had a lot of diversity.” That focus on research is certainly a plus for this ESTAAR student. Reflecting on her journey, Kaydence has the following advice for classmates. “My biggest advice is to not give up on things you’re passionate about just because you get discouraged.”

Amanda Grace Williams – Loyola University

Amanda Grace Williams will attend Loyola University in pursuit of a film degree.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2025-2026 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.