Diversity by Degrees

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To say that Ginny Hardwick “keeps on her toes” is more than just an expression; it’s a daily requirement for this senior modern dance major. But keeping on her toes translates beyond the Reynolds Performing Arts Center Dance Studio as Ginny is also a computer engineering major. Like many young girls, Ginny has been a student of dance since she was four-years-old. Her passion for dance began at the Dallas Ballet Center where she studied ballet under Janie Christy for two years. Ginny continued classes at the Janie Christy School of Dance through her high school years, continuing to develop her skills and eventually teaching classes herself. But dance was not Ginny’s singular passion. She discovered a propensity for math early on which would lead her to pursue studies at the Science and Engineering Magnet High School in Dallas. A National Merit Scholar, Ginny’s challenge was to find the right university that offered both an excellent dance and engineering program. She auditioned for the Modern Dance program in the School of Dance and was accepted. She was offered an academic scholarship. Ginny stated that OU had everything she wanted. “It just felt right,” she said. Ginny considers herself more of a math than science person. She finds computers to be more abstract than other forms of engineering. Instead of building a bridge like a civil engineer, she prefers solving small problems associated with programming and software development, hence her preference to study computer engineering. While Ginny would like to establish a long-term career in dance, she recognizes the advantages of having a dual degree. Her father, a mechanical engineer, had to retire early because of Multiple Sclerosis. This unexpected health challenge in her family led Ginny to not only consider but also pursue more than one degree. She recognizes that only a select few are able to maintain a life-long dance career, yet she hopes to continue dancing for as long as she can continue to enjoy it and be successful. In addition to meeting the demands that a performance based dance program and computer engineering curriculum require, Ginny has also carved out time to be involved in the Alpha Omicron Pi chapter, serving as past points chair. In spite of Ginny’s demanding regimen, both physical and academic, she has postured herself for success in two arenas. The integration of fine arts with engineering is a successful merger for Virginia Hardwick, enabling her to have the best of both worlds.

By Karen Kelly 

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