Our Scholars

Cameron Gardner is a rising second year at the University of Virginia, and she is honored to be recognized as a Miller Arts Scholar in Drama! She is from Richmond, Virginia, and her experience with the performing arts began at the early age of five. Since then, she has explored a variety of artistic disciplines from learning several instruments (saxophone, piano, and ukelele), classical vocal training (performing in numerous operas), dance masterclasses (jazz, contemporary, musical theater), and extensive acting training. Over the years, her passion for the performing arts began to center around theater and musical theater. She is grateful to have performed in over forty theatrical productions on both a local, community, and professional level. Some of her past favorite roles include Matilda in Matilda, Irene Roth in Crazy for You,and Chiffon in Little Shop of Horrors. Cameron plans to major in Drama and Media Studies, with a minor in American Sign Language. She hopes to be able to combine her love for the performing arts with her knowledge of American Sign Language to make the arts more accessible for all. At UVA, she also looks forward to continuing to develop her craft, while getting to take part in the array of artistic opportunities that the University has to offer. Currently, she is involved in numerous clubs and opportunities such as UVA Drama’s mainstage productions, First Year Players, Student Council, First Year Council, and Hearts for the Homeless. Following her time at UVA, she hopes to pursue her lifelong passion of performance. She believes that theater and performance have the power to change and unite audiences across the world, and she hopes to be a part of such efforts. She is grateful to join such a supportive and resourceful community through the Miller Arts Scholars Program. She looks forward to taking advantage of all that the program has to offer!

Will Conrad is a first-year student from Amesbury, Massachusetts pursuing Computer Science and Drama, finding the intersection of both to be deeply fascinating and full of potential. Outside of the classroom, Will has spent the past 7 years finding his home in the theatre working in lighting design, having been recognized for his designs at the competitive state level. Since coming to UVA, Will has found his family in student theatre groups like First Year Players and Virginia Players. Will hopes to pursue higher education in theatre production and is eager to work in professional theatre and explore the bleeding edge of theatre technology, with a dream to design a Broadway or off Broadway production. He is beyond honored to have been chosen to be a part of the Miller Arts Scholars community and is eager to learn from his peers and professors and grow as a theatrical artist.

Abby Milne is a director, producer, and playwright from Palo Alto, California majoring in Drama and English. Abby’s early productions premiered in their neighbor's driveway when, at the ripe old age of eight, Abby recruited other kids on the cul-de-sac to act in original plays that earned rave audience reviews from Abby’s mom. They stuck with theatre for lack of a better idea, performing in straight plays and musicals throughout middle and high school. At the University of Virginia, Abby holds leadership roles in Spectrum Theatre, First Year Players, and Virginia Players, writes for the Arts and Entertainment desk of the Cavalier Daily, and is active in the UVA Drama Department. Abby directed Fun Home with Spectrum Theatre in 2023, an experience that reaffirmed their passion for engaging with intimate, thematically challenging dramatic material. Their writing credits include (Un)Deadline (Overcranked Film Festival), Karens (UVA Drama New Works Festival), Angel of the Waters (Woodside Priory School), and The Waiting Room (Blank Theatre Young Playwrights Festival). When they’re not making theatre, Abby enjoys creative hobbies like juggling, collaging, and graphic design. After graduation, Abby hopes to work in arts administration and eventually pursue graduate studies. They are honored to join the Miller Arts Scholars and look forward to learning from students in a variety of artistic disciplines.

John Barnes is a filmmaker, songwriter, and actor from Arlington, VA. He has been interested in filmmaking ever since he could edit videos using the iMovie trailer templates on his family's desktop computer.  As a sixth-grader, he presented a presentation and petition at a school board meeting to support funding for a middle school film class, which he was able to take the following year. In recent years, John has completed two fellowships with PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL). He wrote, produced, shot, and edited the explainer video "How Students Are Fighting Zoom Fatigue", which aired live on PBS NewsHour and was published on its digital platforms.  He also co-edited and starred in the piece “Alone Together,” a piece for SRL about teens during the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, John is working on a web series pilot for PBS NewsHour on teen mental health issues, with the first episode focusing on music and mood. For his work at PBS, John was named a 20-under-20 storyteller and received the Best Health Video Award from SRL. John has also written and directed films across many genres, including the dramedy COME TO THE BEACH, the documentary A Passover Story, and the comedy The Case of the Unacademic Integrity. His films have also won many awards, including a Merit Award from the National YoungArts Foundation, a Silver Medal from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and a Best Documentary Nomination at the All American High School Film Festival.