From the silver screen to the Golden Eagles, freshman student finds her home at U of M Crookston

After spending most of her childhood traveling with her dad who was in the military, freshman Evelyn Dupont says she’s finally found a home at the University of Minnesota Crookston. Dupont is pursuing a degree in exercise science and wellness and runs for the women’s cross country team.

Dupont was born in Las Vegas, Nev. and lived there three separate times. She’s also lived in California, North Carolina, Germany, North Dakota, and now Crookston, Minn. As a child, Dupont didn’t like moving around so much; she wanted to have the “classic” childhood experience where you “grow up with your best friend and stay in your childhood home.” However, as she’s gotten older, she’s realized how much she appreciates the traveling she did because she got to meet so many new people and experience new cultures. While in Germany, Dupont played competitive soccer for 12 years to the extent of making her region’s olympic development program. Because of this, she got to travel around the world to play soccer.

Dupont has one older brother, Elijah ‘Eli’, a younger sister, Emelia, and a younger brother, Edison. Her parents’ are Patti and Troy.

Along with all of her unique experiences, Dupont got the opportunity to dabble in acting while living in California. She attended many auditions in Los Angeles, resulting in background roles in the movies Grown Ups, Saving Mr. Banks, and Little Fockers. Dupont even got to meet Adam Sandler. She also did background work in the television shows Criminal Minds (season 5 episode 12, 10:20 merry-go-round scene), Rules of Engagement (season 5 episode 19), Desperate Housewives (season 7, episode 6, 22:00 classroom scene in a cowboy hat), Parenthood (season 1, episode 2, 2:56 being carried next to a car), Glee, The Middle, Cougar Town, and Medium. Her biggest role was the lead in a Bojangles commercial, plus she starred in a Taco Bell commercial. Dupont took acting classes and had an agent, plus had the opportunity to act alongside her three siblings.

Acting alongside her siblings

Dupont said acting with her siblings was a spontaneous occurrence.

“One day my older brother, Eli, was watching TV and he said he thought it would be fun to be an actor,” she explained. “My mom took him to auditions, and the rest of us siblings would tag along.”

“Then the employees on sets asked if my siblings and I would act alongside Eli,” Dupont added.

The biggest role Dupont recalls her brother playing was a young Elijah Wood in a movie called Maniac.

Involved at U of M Crookston

Since arriving at U of M Crookston, Dupont has been involved in Golden Eagle Entertainment (GEE), Crookston Student Association (CSA), and the Alpha Lambda Delta honor society. She also works at the campus bookstore.

Dupont described how she has gained so much more independence since coming to the Crookston campus, and is adapting to the small town community.

“It’s my first time not living in a big city,” she confessed.

Dupont feels that she can create closer connections with the people around her at U of M Crookston than she could growing up because she knows she doesn’t have to constantly move and leave her friends behind.

“I feel like I almost found my childhood here,” she shared. “I can finally be myself more and not constantly feel like I’m going to leave.”