Sandy Scheuer

Isabella Saporito

My character Sandra Lee Scheuer was one of the four students killed at Kent state University on that fateful day of May 4, 1970. Unlike most of the students out that day, Sandy as they called her, was merely walking to class when she was shot down. A bullet shot from the M-1 rifle of an Ohio State guardsman entered her throat and she died within minutes as the world around her was falling into chaos.

Sandy was born in Ohio and was an honors speech therapy student. She was also a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. During the protests she had decided to not take part. Rather she focused on her classes and kept her distance from the animosity brewing on her college’s campus. As a character I see Sandra as very smart and prudent. I would like to think that the best way to play her would be to utilize the aspects of her personality given to us by those who knew her and not the press. She was said to be a kind, compassionate and beautiful person.

One way to go about understanding her would be to do my research on speech therapy. This was something she was very passionate about and I would imagine wanted to help people with. Her death marked the end of the life of a change maker. Her death marked the end to era where Americans felt that freedom was theirs and was real. In the end that’s all Sandy wanted. She wanted to a free society to call home not only for her but also for those around her. Her memory is carried on in the poems, songs and memorials of those who cherish her memory.