BEHIND THE CURTAIN: GROWING WITH LBJSC

Senior Mikey Bullock has experienced change in ways that have completely shifted his career path and attributes his role as building manager at the Student Center for his evolution. Mikey fell in love with the transformation and art of performing and dreamed of ending up on Broadway before realizing his passion for teaching.

“Change is morphing into something that you know you needed to be but you didn’t have [inside of you] before,” Mikey said. “In the last 7-8 months since I started working at the Student Center, I have changed tremendously. 20-somethings are at a point in our lives where we need to change, remaining stagnant is what will ruin our spark that we all carry with us.”

When the theater education major first became a Bobcat, he had high hopes for what he would accomplish in the performance world. After struggling with his vocal performance in the musical theater program, Mikey felt isolated and lost within his program.

“Freshman year I felt really alone and I just threw all caution to the wind,” Mikey said. “I felt like I was wasting so much of my time and energy, and now I focus on how I can fulfill myself. Now, I would rather spend my time pouring into myself by studying or hanging out with friends.”

After figuring out how to better balance his time, Mikey began to advance in his career in musical performance. With the dream of ending up on Broadway, Mikey poured his heart and soul into gaining skills that would bring him closer to the big stage.

“When COVID hit, I realized my acting pathway was a burning pile of rubble,” Mikey said. “I needed to make strategic moves to support myself in the future as an actor and creative person, and one way I could do that was through teaching. All my life I never imagined myself as a teacher because I felt like I couldn’t teach or lead a classroom, and then I started doing it. It became one of the most fulfilling and eye-opening things for me.”

Becoming a building manager at the LBJ Student Center gave Mikey a new sense of purpose, and connected him to a new group of friends from all walks of life. Being in charge of opening and closing the building, managing meeting room requests, and running large-scale events in the grand ballroom allowed him to tap into some technical skills he already had while learning about the world of higher education

“Bobcat Preview was one of the first events that I ran as a building manager,” Mikey said. “We had to make sure everything was organized and running smoothly, and the fast-paced nature was my favorite part of training. Maybe that’s the theater kid in me, but I know that those skills will stick with me for life. It’s been a very beautiful journey.”

Mikey’s mindset on life is one of the biggest changes he’s noticed within himself. He went from feeling boxed in with the rigid plans and expectations he set for himself, to embracing change and learning how to adapt to it.

“My thought processes are so different,” Mikey said. “I walked into Texas State thinking that I had to be this certain way to get what I wanted in life, and my sights were focused on one goal. All my life I’ve been trying to get to Broadway and perform. It was everything to me, and it’s still an option. The biggest thing that Texas State has offered me was opportunities to grow and doors to open.”

Getting to see how the Student Center is used as a space for students to build life-long friends and cultivate memories as a building manager left Mikey feeling empowered in ways he would’ve never expected.

“As an aspiring actor I always wanted to be the one in the spotlight,” Mikey said. “I wanted to get all the praise, but now I would much rather be behind the scenes and make sure that everyone is happy because it’s the bigger payoff than me getting my roses.”

Although Mikey’s plans have changed drastically since he started attending Texas State, he feels more secure than ever in his future path because of the lessons he’s learned during his time here.

“I don’t really know who I’m going to be when I leave Texas State,” Mikey said. “I do know that the Mikey sitting here is 10 times stronger and more confident, and I’m hoping that continues to build in the future.”

Want to hear more about the changes Bobcats have experienced here at the Student Center? Follow us on our social media @LBJSC to keep up with our campaign, and use the hashtag #LBJSeeMeChanging to share your story!