USD Theatre Senior Spotlight: Ava Ribando
Theatre naturally requires that you lean on others for support and receive that in return. It’s a great way to make connections that are genuine above all else.
Ava Ribando, a psychology major and theatre minor graduating in May from the University of San Diego, has found a meaningful creative outlet alongside her academic work in psychology. Originally from Walnut Creek, California, and born in Waterloo, Iowa — “like the ABBA song,” she notes — Ribando has used theatre to deepen both her artistry and her understanding of human behavior.
“I have loved acting ever since I was little,” Ribando says. “It is the primary way I get to be creative and think outside the box. After doing my first show in the theatre department, I understood that it was a special place on campus that I wanted to continue to be a part of.”
Ribando describes the department as highly collaborative and skill‑driven. “The theatre community here is very interconnected,” she says. “You learn a lot of new skills in the areas of acting, tech and performance studies.” She believes students in the department are incredibly well‑rounded because of the breadth of curriculum.
For Ribando, the best part of her experience has been the people: “the other students you get to connect with along the way,” she says. “Theatre naturally requires that you lean on others for support and receive that in return. It’s a great way to make connections that are genuine above all else.” She encourages students considering theatre to fully commit. “You get out of it what you put in,” Ribando says, “the experience is far more rewarding if you are willing to put energy and time into learning and creating.”
While theatre has shaped her creatively, Ribando is most proud of her academic research. In the Department of Psychological Sciences, she’s been researching therapist self-disclosure. She has been able to present her work at regional and national conferences. Contributing research to the psychological field has been deeply rewarding and her studies in psychology directly inform her performance work. “As a psychology major, I am constantly considering the explanations behind human behavior,” Ribando explains. “As a theatre minor, I aim to create those behaviors that give information about a character’s emotional state.” Her favorite theatre course was Physical Actor (THEA-362), taught by Assistant Professor of Theatre Jersten Seraile, MFA, which she credits with strengthening her connection between mind and body onstage.
Though graduating this spring, Ribando is not leaving USD just yet. Next year, she will pursue her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy at USD’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences.