| Am wondering if you can research engineering applications for the performing arts, such as Musical Acoustics, so that you work near the creative people. From them, you can be in touch with many volunteer activities in Community Theater. Can you imagine being an engineer on a team to design acoustics for newly constructed concert halls or theaters? Amazing possibilities.
It is fun to be on stage, but there is a lot of theater that involves production, where a good math head and ability to solve problems helps. Renting a theater, planning a marketing strategy and much more are part of helping a new theater group develop.
Most theater people need a day job. If you have training that lets you work but doesn't drain you of all your energy, you can always participate in creative arts activity, just not professionally. A lot of things in theater are sub-professional.
Are there community-based groups near the campus you'd attend with opportunities for volunteer work on weekends and weeknights? Most regional community theater is filled with employed people who make this their spare-time passion.
If you want acting classes, you can pursue these in the summertime throughout your college years. NYC is full of these group sessions. Chicago also has a theater community. Google it; check it on Craigslist. If, during college, you can make time on weeknights and weekends, you're an adult, free to explore community-based theater auditions or backstage work.
Finally, you might morph your skill set within theater into production, whether it's set design, lighting, AND some on-stage work. Lots of theater people do a variety of tasks. It's an ensemble, team effort, not limited to acting. | 
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