Class of 2026 senior spotlight
Wabash, as an institution of opportunities, provides its young men the chance to adapt their future to fit their ever-changing passions. For Preston Parker ‘26, these years have been a journey shedding old skin and discovering a fulfilling purpose. A double major in history and theater with a minor in educational studies, Parker’s trajectory from an hopeful pre-law freshman to an aspiring educator demonstrates how someone’s values can apply to any vocation, and personal mission can be the real difference maker in life if you have valuable mentorship along the way.
When Parker arrived at Wabash, he intended to pursue law until hitting a turning point during his second semester. Wabash, as it is apt to do, challenged his idealistic notion of the legal system and that justice can be less blind than it seems. Parker realized that a career in criminal justice might not allow him to make the positive impact on the world he imagined for himself, leading to a brief free-fall during his sophomore year as he grappled with his future identity.
Although the law’s interpretive nature caused him serious disillusionment, Parker’s personal refuge has come from theater, whose art he believes can be appreciated by anyone.
“I think that theater genuinely is for everyone,” said Parker. “There is a piece of theater, whether its an on-stage show, or whether it’s just a script that’s been written, or just an idea for a play, something’s out there for everyone.”
Parker had a personal realization in his summers working as a surveyor in the cornfields back in his home of Logansport. The repetitive, “passionless” nature of the work was a warning to him. What he realized he needed was a career that offered him intuitive meaning as well as social impact.
Cherry, Pittard and Seltzer-Kelly were the Wabash mentors that showed him the way there. Cherry helped Parker foster his love of theatre and maintain the interpretive aspects of his worldview, while Pittard and Kelly give him a place to pursue his desire to change people’s hearts in education.
“One of the things I like about working with Preston is that he’s an actor who isn’t afraid to take big swings and make big choices,” said Dr. Cherry. “I think the intensity of the torture scene in 1984 was all about Preston’s willingness to go absolutely all out, which then could be contrasted with Beldsoe’s nonchalance. It’s sort of creepy to say that it was really fun helping Preston act like he was being repeatedly electrocuted, but it was.”
Parker has contributed to Wabash’s culture through roles in five theatre productions. In addition, he also used his talents for drawn art to make a charcoal portrait of the college’s first African-American collegian. John R. Blackburn’s portrait is now in possession of the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies, where it can be appreciated and Blackburn’s legacy will be commemorated for years to come. Parker’s artistic contributions to Wabash also extend to The Bachelor, where he drew several original comics.
He also has been a long time member of both the writing center and College Mentors for Kids, both of which he is grateful for in helping him realize his own passion for helping the lives of others.
Parallel to his life in the Fine Arts Center has been his time in Tau Kappa Epsilon. Parker says he couldn’t have realized himself without the fellowship and influence of his brothers at TKE.
“There’s no worse feeling on Earth than doing a show to basically no one,” said Parker. “But I’ve never felt that way at Wabash. Even at the shows I’m not confident in, there’s always a plethora of Tekes that are showing up to every single show. They’ve been my support system.”
“As brothers both in TKE and on the stage, I have come to know the multifaceted personality of Preston Parker quite well,” said Gabrien Smith ’27. “In terms of acting ability, I genuinely believe he has some of the greatest depth and range that’s graced Ball Theater during my time here. Not only is he technical, but he is also tender. A good idea can be diminished if presented condescendingly, but Preston always generously and humbly offers his piece for the good of the cause rather than to tramp upon others. For all the time I’ve known him, he’s been just like that: kind. His kindness has touched many of our Wabash brothers, and to speak on their behalf, we are grateful for his presence and his insight.”
Looking ahead, Parker has already been accepted into the Teach For America program, a nationwide patching project built for undergraduates interested in education. Following graduation, he will work in Indianapolis, teaching secondary English or history while earning his master’s degree. He looks forward to the day he can marry his fiance Selia, whom he has been with for the past six years, and who has been another bedrock support in his life. Parker’s goal is to one day return to rural Indiana to instill the same passion for learning and creativity in the next generation that his own teachers sparked in him.