While I've been an active musician in my local community for many years, my true passion is providing music resources to those who can't afford them. Late last year I created a nonprofit dedicated to improving music access to underprivileged schools in my city of Peoria, Illinois, the Peoria Instrument Project. I have a background in musical instrument repair, which I utilized to help schools that cannot afford to send their instruments in for repairs. While I have been able to secure partnerships with local marketing consultants, music educators and performers, and the local symphony, I decided I need to return to school to pursue a degree in Music Business and possibly a master's in nonprofit management, so I can better manage the nonprofit and help as many students as I can. While we have only been operational for a few months, we have received numerous instrument donations, and have donated multiple repaired instruments to local schools. It's truly the greatest feeling when a student receives a musical instrument to learn and play that otherwise wouldn't have been available to them. I will forever plan to keep playing music in my community, but I will never feel at ease until everyone in my area has access to clean, reliable instruments, as well as schooling, lessons, music, etc.