Unexpected opportunities turned Courtnee Pruitt’s dreams into a career path

HFC student Courtnee Pruitt’s time in the Detroit Youth Choir cemented her path to making theatre her career.

“I’ve been in the DYC since sixth grade and loved it,” said Pruitt. “During my sophomore year in high school, I really started taking it seriously, especially when we started incorporating acting into our shows.”

The third of four children, Pruitt was born in Farmington Hills and lives in Midtown Detroit. She graduated from the Advanced Technology Academy in Dearborn. Pruitt will earn her associate degree in liberal arts and theatre from HFC when she graduates in May. This fall, she will transfer to Western Michigan University and study stage management. She plans to eventually enroll in the MBA program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

“During my senior year at ATA, many of my friends told me that HFC’s theatre program was good,” said Pruitt. “I looked it up and found it appealing. A lot of my friends were also going to HFC, which was a bonus. I’m glad I chose HFC, because it made me grow as a person and helped me get ready for Western. I don’t feel like a small person in a big world. I feel on top of the world!”

“Amazing” UMSI Community College Summer Institute

In 2024, Pruitt was one of 32 community college students who participated in the University of Michigan School of Information Community College Summer Institute in Ann Arbor.

“I found out about it on Facebook. Information science isn’t what I had planned to go into, but I’ve always loved STEM before I fell in love with theatre. I signed up. There was another theatre major from Grand Rapids Community College at the UMSI, so I didn’t feel alone.”

Pruitt experienced student life on the U-M campus. She attended interactive lectures, including:

• Programming in Python
• Information analysis and data science
• User experience research and design

She learned how to write a compelling admissions essay, a cover letter, and a résumé, as well as how to navigate financial aid. Housing, meals, and a stipend were provided.

“I had a roomie and everything,” Pruitt recalled fondly. “It was amazing to speak to professors, attend events, and play games. It was so good to be surrounded by other community college students. It made my heart happy. I keep in touch with people from the UMSI. It was just an amazing experience!”

Getting pushed to her limits

During her time at HFC, Pruitt has been heavily involved in theatre. She worked behind the scenes on HFC productions:

• The Passage
• Leo’s Big Day Out
• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)
• Torn Apart, Together
• Gruesome Playground Injuries

“I never would’ve considered going into stage management until I met HFC Theatre Director Dr. John-Michael Sefel,” recalled Pruitt. “When he gave me the opportunity to work with the backstage crew for The Passage, I thought, ‘Why not?’ Now I’m about to major in it at Western!”

She considers Sefel, HFC theatre instructor Christopher Bremer, and HFC English instructor Dr. Mike Hill her mentors.

“The professors here have been great,” she said. “Dr. Hill has pushed me to my limits when it comes to writing, which I appreciate. He really makes you think.”

“I love having Courtnee in class,” said Hill. “She is vibrant in her writing, in her questions, and in her enthusiasm for learning. The energy she brings to the classroom is, I'm guessing, the same energy she brings to the theatre: She makes her stage vivid and invites the rest of us around her to join in her enthusiasm.”

Ready to move onto a bigger stage

For the 2024-25 academic year, Pruitt has been the president of the Evergreen Theatrical Society (formerly the HFC Theatre Club). Pruitt is also involved with the All for Arts Association, an HFC student organization that mixes theatre students, music students, visual arts students, and graphic design students. She is planning a stage combat workshop as a collaboration between the two student organizations before the end of the academic year.

"Courtnee is a perfect testimony to the power of HFC and community colleges!” said Sefel. “When I first met her, she certainly didn't need any encouragement in the 'dreams' department, but she was at a loss as to what to do next. I think her past successes with DYC were so informative and inspiring for her, but she was looking for a way to transform those into a plan for the future. I'm so proud of how she's transformed over her time here through classes, work study, theatre productions, and the theatre club. She's developed as a student and a person, and she's earned the respect of those around her. I can't wait to see what comes next for Courtnee."

Pruitt’s career goal is moving to Chicago and working in the Windy City’s thriving theatre scene. “I want to become a professional stage manager of a major theatre,” she said.

“I’ve made some of my best friends at HFC, including Zuri Jamal. She gave me connections that opened a lot of doors,” said Pruitt. “I feel way more prepared to go to Western. Had I gone to a big university straight out of high school, I wouldn’t have made it. Thanks to HFC, I’m ready now.”