05/06/2026
Congratulations to Alaina Gunn, class marshal for the College of Fine Arts and Design!
Meet our Class Marshal, Alaina Gunn.
Alaina Gunn is a dance education and forensic investigations double major with a 4.0 GPA in the College of Fine Arts and Design. From Frisco, Texas, she is a member of the Kaleidoscope Dance Company, the Student Academy for Forensic Science and Dance Department Student Choreography. She has been awarded the Outstanding Dance Education Student Scholarship, the Jamie Jacobson Memorial Endowed Dance Scholarship, the Dr. Joann McCarthy Endowed Student Teacher Scholarship and the Maja Kristin Scholarship for Dance.
After graduation, she plans to return to Texas to teach high school forensic science and work with a drill or dance team.
1. What advice would you give to a student just starting their journey at UCO?
“Find the balance that fits your life. College can be challenging as you juggle school, a social life, extracurriculars and living on your own. You cannot give everything 100% all the time, so decide what matters most and prioritize that. It will look different for everyone, and that is okay.”
2. What’s one moment from your time at UCO that you’ll carry with you forever?
“Performing in Konstanz, Germany with Kaleidoscope Dance Company alongside the Konstanz University Dance Department is something I will never forget. It was inspiring to meet dancers from across the world and perform together. That experience created so many defining memories from my time at UCO.”
3. You’re graduating with two very different majors. How did those worlds shape you, and did they overlap in unexpected ways?
“I have always been passionate about both dance and forensics, and pursuing both taught me how much I value balance. When my semesters leaned too heavily one way, it felt incomplete. That pushed me to keep pursuing both areas.
Even though they seem different, they overlap more than you might think. In my Forensic Interviewing course, I learned how to communicate effectively and gather information, which directly connects to working with students and parents as an educator. We also talked about how testifying in court is similar to teaching, you have to meet people where they are to explain complex ideas. Overall, both paths have taught me how to stay calm and confident in high pressure situations.”
