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Propelled by the success of the recent "CHRISTY CARLSON ROMANO: Her Greatest Disney Hits" CD, the star of Disney's "Even Stevens" and "Kim Possible" is now hard at Work on her first solo album, collaborating with stars like Hilary Duff, FeFe Dobson, and Ashlee Simpson, to create a style she describes as a cross between Sheryl Crow and Shania Twain's. "I'm trying to create my own image," explains the 20-year-old songstress.

Though Christy discovered her voice when she was six years old, she only started writing songs this past year. The impetus for this new creative outlet? Her stint at an  

Ivy league college

 .

Her Muse
While many of her celeb peers are content to earn their GEDs and stop schooling there, that option wasn't satisfactory to this overachiever. "I prefer a mainstream College degree," says Christy. "The life experience I got in college propelled me to write music."

Credit-wise, Christy's a second-semester sophomore at Columbia University's Barnard College (New York, NY), majoring in political science with an emphasis on human rights.

But even this "uber-committed" girl knows her limitations, deciding to take a personal leave from college last year to star as Belle in Broadway's "Beauty and the Beast." "I didn't want to take a full courseload of political science classes while I was on Broadway," she explains.

The Milford, CT, native plans to head back to school once she feels she's been successful in her Career. And she's confident those around her will hold her to that promise. As one Disney rep told her, "There's no way in heck I'm not letting you go back to college!"

Christy agrees that her star status won't stop her from returning to the classroom. "So what if I'm a celebrity? That doesn't mean I [already] know about liberalism and Monet and Picasso's Blue Period," she asserts. "I have to know that for my own edification and my acting career. I have to be well-rounded."

Her Message
For now, Christy's using her college hiatus to focus on her artistic craft. It's all part of this career-minded gal's next step, and her move to Los Angeles -- to work on more feature films, TV series, and record deals.

Her current priority? "Writing music and reflecting on humanity," reveals Christy. "I want to bring my message to the masses -- it's why God gave me a voice."

Above all, she wants to make this message heard: "You can be a public [figure] and still be a good person." Like her role models Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie, Christy hopes to make a difference in the world, perhaps working as an ambassador for the United Nations as Jolie has done.

The self-labeled "conservative Democrat" ("which really means I'm a liberal Republican") plans to combine her political studies and celebrity status. "If you're a good person, and you have a dream and a vision, they can go together," she affirms. "If you want peace on earth, you can get your message heard in different media."

Plus, after experiencing the rejection that goes hand in hand with Hollywood, she has a positive perspective to offer teens. "I'm not blonde, so I don't always get parts," shares Christy. "But when I act, I'm the best I can be."

"Whatever you're going through, you've got to keep trucking," encourages Christy. "I've been passed over, but I've garnered whatever strength I can. I'm admitting I'm not perfect, but I've got to be a fighter."


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Robyn Tellefsen is a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.

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