“This is certainly an exciting time for me, but I would not be where I am today without Dean,” says Lambert. " I cannot tell you how impressed Key Bank and other prospective employers were with my story of how I got into Dean and then Babson College. I usually tell them that Dean is where I found myself, both personally and socially, and where I found my drive to be successful in business."

"When you come to Dean, nothing beforehand really matters, which is what it is like in the dance world as well. You have to audition for things on campus, just like you would for a job. Dean helps you to break out of your comfort zone. Once you leave your dance studio, you have to come in and do your best. You have to find the strength inside yourself to not compare yourself to anyone else.

When you audition, you never quite know what they are looking for, so you have to be yourself. You have to learn how to market your body and your style to be successful. This is what I learned at Dean."

Eileen was accepted in the summer of 2008 to the Alvin Ailey School in New York for its Summer Intensive Program. She returned to Dean to continue her studies in Dance, earning an Associate degree in 2009.

About her Ailey Experience:

"To try and sum up everything I experienced in New York City during the six weeks I was there would be impossible. It wasn't just an experience but a life-altering summer of countless lessons in the dance world, as well as the real world. Dancing at the Ailey School was a dream come true for me. I was enrolled in fifteen classes a week, averaging four and a half hours of dancing a day. The faculty's knowledge and experience was astounding and their commitment to each student's education was echoed in every explanation of their craft.

Auditioning for the Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive on the Dean College campus allowed me to feel comfortable in such a nerve-wracking situation. I was able to audition with my fellow dance majors in a studio I was familiar with, while other candidates for the program had to travel to their nearest major city for their audition.

I recommend auditioning as well as attending this program to any dancer that is motivated and dedicated to furthering their dance education and career."