Mr. Mullens graduated from University Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in Counseling, a Master of Arts in Humanities, and a Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Arts. As the Performance Arts Subject Expert Teacher, Mr. Mullens goal is to be a student of both the art form and his students. In doing so he can use his knowledge and experience to meet the students where they are and be a resource for their creative growth. Mr. Mullens chose BASIS Independent Bellevue because they allow a hands-on learning approach that gives each student the agency to take ownership of their education. He is excited to be joining the school’s inaugural year and setting a high standard of education and shaping the program to fit the wants and needs of students. His teaching philosophy is based in the idea that ‘play will find the way.’ Humans are naturally inquisitive, creative, exploratory, and playful creatures. When given the right scaffolds and tools to hone their skills, the students will be the driving force behind their own education. In his seventeen years of being a teaching artist, he has found that students learn best when they have agency and enthusiasm for the subject matter. Aside from performing, teaching and learning abroad, Mr. Mullens has set out to make his living space as much of a green jungle as possible. He and his husband collect and care for multiple varieties of house plants as well as creating “eco-systems in a box” by way of aqua scaping.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‍‍‌‌​‍‌‌​‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‌‌​‌​‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​‌‌‍​‌​​‌‌​‍​‌‍‌‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌