ith statistics about the average number of times a college student changes majors bombarding Ball State University students left and right, the ability to stick with a course of study may appear to be a near-impossible feat. Some graduates, like Kristy Venrick, defy those odds.
"I was one of those odd kids who knew I was going to be an architect in seventh grade," Venrick said .
The '97 Ball State graduate set her mind on her specific career and college after an intensive two-week summer program on campus after her junior year in high school.
"It [the program] definitely opened my eyes to the commercial and artistic sides,"Venrick said .
Andrea Swartz, associate professor of architecture, recalled an instance when her former student's drive and enthusiasm for the subject inspired Venrick to learn the physical skill of steel welding for a class assignment.
"She was a very hard-working student, talented at architecture and passionate about discovering what she was excited about in architecture," Swartz said. "Her [passion] was more offbeat. You could tell that what interested her was what she was going after."
Venrick's accomplishments within architecture range from international structures to laboratory design. The list includes such projects as the Beijing Hotel Reservation and Guangzhou Airport, as well as government-led endeavors.
"If you need an anthrax facility, I can design one," Venrick said. "I love my job; there's some crazy stuff."
Despite success in her original field of expertise, Venrick simultaneously immersed herself in work of an entirely different kind: music. A self-proclaimed fan of such artists as Pat Benetar, Heart, Depeche Mode, PJ Harvey and Sarah McLachlan, Venrick was exposed to Muncie's techno and electronica scene in 1992 and was instantly consumed by the artists' dedication and influence on younger Ball State students.
In 1996, she formed The Azoic, an electronica-based music group. Over the past decade, The Azoic has performed at various venues internationally, including in the Netherlands and England, and its hits have secured spots on alternative single charts in Europe. One song, "Conflict," was featured on both Xbox's Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 3 and MTV's Made.
The Azoic's current prosperity is powered largely in part by Venrick's involvement in songwriting.
"Our society is so fa+â-ºade-focused," Venrick said. "We should look inside ourselves more. My lyrics focus more on truth and your experiences from the people you meet to what inspires you and intrigues you. It's about how we process, how we learn, how we see, how we feel."
Venrick's music career further blossomed upon the launch of her recording company, Nilaihah Records, in 2000. As both president and artist, she not only writes lyrics and creates compositions but also acts as producer, public relations specialist and Web site technician.
Balancing two successful careers in unrelated fields is "challenging," and Venrick's schedule serves as proof. Her typical day begins around 7 or 8 a.m. and, despite working through lunch, can last until 10:30 p.m., even 2 a.m. on weekends. This hectic lifestyle is not an unreasonable sacrifice for Venrick.
"I think where one satisfies one aspect of me, the other satisfies the rest," Venrick said. "Architecture fills the more technical, tomboy side of me, and music fills the more nurturing side."
As for the drive Venrick possesses in her careers, her personal slogan for Nilaihah Records says it all: "Nothing in the world is accomplished without passion."
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