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Imani LeCoq became interested in acting later than some, but the stage (and backstage) became a home for her at UL Lafayette.

Imani started acting during her junior year of high school in New Orleans. When she graduated from high school, she felt a little lost, unsure where she wanted to go or what to major in.

“I didn’t want to be too far from home, and I had heard good things about UL Lafayette from a friend of my family,” she said. She took a chance and moved to Lafayette for the University’s theatre program.

Here, she’s found opportunities on the stage and in the costume shop. She took an interest in costume design when she was a freshman, and her skillset has expanded since. During her junior year, she was a cutter/draper for two main characters’ costumes in The House That Will Not Stand — and she had a leading role in the play, too.

“I would do it again,” she said. “However, I would be smarter with my time. I think getting towards tech (rehearsals), as tech always goes, it gets a bit stressful. But the finished product was beautiful.”

For students who want to get into acting or go into a theatre program, Imani has this advice: “Weigh your options. Take your time. Don’t stress. If you think you want to go to college and pursuing something as outlandish as theatre is what you want to do, then do it. Don’t let anyone stop you. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”