Roger Life Stories

Roger Life: In Praise of Singing, with Ava Wilkens

By Anna Cohen
Ava Wilkens at Hawkward practice

Junior Ava Wilkens is the business director for Hawkward, RWU's co-ed audition-based a cappella group. In Hawkward, she finds an outlet for her creativity, artistic growth, and a community that "feels like one big family." 

Collectively Creating a Music Video: "We are competing in the Varsity Vocals International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) this year, which is a very big a cappella competition. This year it [was] held virtually and we had to make a music video, which was something we had never done before. We did a lot of brainstorming and planning. Our directors scheduled individual recording sessions which we then put all together to bring the music video to life. When we watched the final video all together, it felt like a moment we will take with us forever because we were so proud."

Singing Together Again with Innovative Masks: "Student Programs, Leadership, and Organization was kind enough to give us singing masks. You kind of look like a duck in the singing mask. A metal wire goes around your nose and is extended outward. We wear those every rehearsal when we are singing, and we can finally be all in one room."

What Being In Person Means to Me: "It means the world to me that we are able to all be together in person. Hawkward is the time of my week where I can destress, decompress, and mentally give myself a break. I can hang out with friends and do what I love. Zoom can only do so much. I need to be with the people I enjoy seeing every Monday and Wednesday for rehearsal."

Wilkens, who is from Babylon, N.Y., is majoring in Secondary Education and History. 

Image of a member of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
Image of members of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
image of some member of Hawkward projected on a big screen, joining practice remotely
Image of a member of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
image of members of Hawkward following a musical score projected on the big screen during in-person rehearsal
Image of members of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
Image of Ava Wilkins with other members of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
Image from back of hall of members of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice facing big screen
Image of a member of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
Image of members of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
image of some member of Hawkward projected on a big screen, joining practice remotely
Image of a member of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
image of members of Hawkward following a musical score projected on the big screen during in-person rehearsal
Image of members of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
Image of Ava Wilkins with other members of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice wearing a mask made especially for singing
Image from back of hall of members of Hawkward a capella singing group at practice facing big screen

We plan to keep sharing stories of Roger Life and welcome suggestions: Email stories@rwu.edu.

Roger Life Stories