Linehan Scholars | 1st Year
Bio coming soon
Bio coming soon
Fahey is a Theatre Design and Production major, as well as a Sociology major. As a freshman in high school, she joined the theatre department, worked on all the different crews, and then spent the next three years serving as the head of their lighting department. In her final year of high school, Fahey stepped into the role of stage manager for two shows. She has a love of anything lighting related, and she has always been excited to work anything from small rock shows to open mic nights! She aims to expand her abilities as an artist, learn whatever she can, collaborate with others, and step far outside her comfort zone.
Bio coming soon
Shanae Johnson is a Music Teaching and Learning major at UMBC and a Linehan Artist Scholar. As a graduate of Bowie High School, she found a home in a variety of musical settings, participating in marching band, wind ensemble, jazz band, and All-County Band while performing on multiple instruments. In recognition of her musicianship and commitment to her school’s music program, she received the John Philip Sousa Award. Her love of music began with piano lessons at six years old and grew as she learned new instruments over the years. Shanae developed a deep appreciation for the teachers who helped shape her growth as a musician. Their guidance inspired her to pursue a career in music education, where she hopes to help students build confidence, develop their skills, and discover their own passion for music. As a university student, she hopes to build connections, explore the relationships between music and other art forms, and continue to grow as both a musician and educator.
John Klug is a Music Teaching and Learning major with a secondary major in Violin Performance. His musical journey began with a fascination for the piano, leading to years of recital performances and teaching. During high school, his focus shifted towards the violin. He has served as concertmaster in his high school orchestra for 2 years and has been recognized for his contributions; winning the “Leadership in Music Award” and the “National School Orchestra Award.” He has spent his last year in high school teaching younger students violin with a motivation to use his experience and past missteps to fuel other students’ accelerated progress. Music brings out his inner voice and expression, and he plans to keep sharing his passion with others in the future.
Allie Logue majors in Theatre Education. She first discovered her love for performing while participating in community theatre and her high school’s theatre program. She was also a part of the Academy for the Fine Arts, a pre-college program, where she continued to grow as an artist. Besides performing, Allie started directing children of all ages at a musical theatre summer camp. It was there that she developed a passion for teaching. She hopes to become a strong leader as a theatre teacher and create a safe space for others to explore creatively.
Corinne Luczak is a Linehan scholar majoring in Visual arts with a concentration in Photography and Cinema. She is a graduate of George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology where she was a part of the Visual arts prime and concentrated in photography and painting. She was a part of her high school’s National Art Honor Society as well as Science National Honor Society. She has won gold and silver keys through Scholastic art and writing awards for both photography and painting. As well as having her work featured in the digital SVA photography contest show and the Drexel High School photography contest show. She is excited to be a part of the program and learn more techniques and ways to collaborate with others.
Bio coming soon
Daniel Ochoa is a first-year Linehan scholar and a double major in Music Education (Instrumental) and Business Technology Administration at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. A recent graduate from Covenant Life School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, he participated in their numerous musical groups, consisting of: Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Choir, and A Capella. Outside of school, with his primary instrument tenor trombone, he plays for Ministerios Elim Maryland and the Silver Spring Big Band, with broad experience in playing a multitude of music genres. He hopes to use his studies in Music Teaching and Learning to not only pursue his own passion of playing music, but to mentor the youth to do the same in school and church environments which sparked his passion.
Mya Okwara is a Linehan Scholar, majoring in Visual Arts with a concentration in animation and photography. Mya has always loved creating and capturing the different aspects of life. They presented this love in their high school magnet program, Apex Arts. During their junior year, they also interned at a nonprofit, Art with a Heart, where they were able to discover the joy that comes with creating art for the community. This experience exposed Mya to many new mediums and art forms, which caused them to want to learn more. Mya hopes that as a Linehan scholar, they will be able to expand their horizons and further develop their skills to create meaningful pieces that can create community.
Mica Polak is a Theater Studies and Bio major, as well as a dance minor. Mica has been doing theater for 9 years, participating in their schools theater department all four years of highschool, as well as doing community theater productions outside of school. Additionally, they participated in the Academy for the Fine Arts, a pre college program in Frederick county dedicated to the arts. In their senior year, they served as a student choreographer for their spring musical, as well as directing and choreographing several pieces for various showcases throughout the year. In addition to the performing arts, Mica also has a love for sewing and cosplay. After college, Mica hopes to work in many different aspects of theater, including performance, choreography, stage combat, and more!
Zoey Roper is a Linehan Scholar pursuing an Animation major. Zoey had been drawing since she was a child, but it was only until her middle school years when her interest ignited. Watching 2D characters come to life sparked something inside her; she was infatuated with rewatching animations online and looking for all the little details. She began working on Procreate and became obsessed with digital art, and has been exploring that ever since. She joined her high school’s National Art Honors Society and worked as the Activity Chair for their two big events (Empty Bowls and Coffeehouse) and she found an amazing community of other artists there. She realized that one of her favorite things about being an artist is that there are so many people you can meet through having that shared passion. During her junior and senior years of high school, she attended an animation academy class at her county’s ARL program where she got to practice both 2D and 3D animation, and additionally acted in a short film project. Currently, Zoey is working on developing her character design skills and is looking to make her portfolio as colorful and bubbly as possible. She wants to inspire others to embrace life and find gratitude through her storytelling. She is excited to join the 2030 Linehan cohort and collaborate with many talented creatives, and hopes for a bright future full of art and community!
Chyler Sydnor is pursuing a BFA in Design with a concentration in Graphic Design. She graduated from George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson, Maryland. Chyler was a Visual Arts magnet student at Carver with a focus in Digital Fine Arts (DFA) and painting. She was able to develop and strengthen her skills with the guidance of Anne Talman, her DFA and painting teacher, and Theresa McDaniel Shovlin, her figure teacher. With the counsel of her teachers, she was able to explore a range of art mediums, from digital software such as Photoshop and Procreate to traditional mediums such as oil painting. Chyler is a 2026 National YoungArts Competition Winner in Visual Arts. Additionally, she is a National Scholastics Art and Writing Awards regional winner, where she won six Gold Keys and two Silver Keys in 2025 as well as five Silver Keys and five Gold Keys in 2026. She is also a national winner of the Scholastics Awards, where she won a Silver Medal in 2025 and was nationally recognized for her painting portfolio. Her artworks were also on display at the Reginald F. Lewis museum in 2025 and 2026 as she was a finalist for the museum’s High school Juried Art Show. Eventually, Chyler would like to pursue a career in art and cultural law in order to protect the rights of artists as well as create a business surrounding her art.
Jaylen Turner is a first-year Linehan Scholar majoring in Theater Education with plans to minor in Acting at UMBC. From a young age, he has been drawn to the performing arts. The limited artistic opportunities available during his high school years inspired him to pursue a career in arts education. As a theatre educator, he hopes to teach future generations the importance of the performing arts while also providing the youth with opportunities to express themselves artistically. In addition to his studies in Theater Education, Jaylen looks forward to gaining experience both behind the scenes and on stage through UMBC productions and other artistic opportunities. As a Linehan Scholar, he is excited to collaborate with fellow artists and grow as both a performer and educator. As a UMBC student, Jaylen hopes to develop the skills needed to inspire future generations through the performing arts while also training to become a professional working actor. As a theatre educator, he is committed to making the performing arts more accessible and appreciated in schools everywhere.
Caedan Zuckerman is an Acting BFA major and Linehan scholar. He was heavily involved in his high school’s theatre program, performing in its plays and musicals, as well as spending three years in the Academy for the Fine Arts, a pre-college program for high school artists throughout the county. He believes theatre is a powerful form of expression and communication. He hopes to inspire others through theatre, just as it has inspired him. In the future, Caedan wants to become a theatre performer, while also pursuing his passions for writing and composing.
