I never really thought about being a young woman playing electric guitar at church until I noticed how few of us there were. I remember realizing that when I stood on stage with a guitar in my hands, someone younger than me might be watching and thinking, “I could do that.” That thought has stayed with me. I have learned that sometimes empowerment does not come from giving someone a speech. Sometimes it comes from simply being willing to go first. Music has given me many opportunities to do that. At my church, I serve as a worship musician and music director for youth. I get to play the music I love, but I also get to watch younger people discover what they are capable of. I love encouraging them, teaching them, and reminding them that their gifts are worth developing. I was in that position once, still figuring out what I was capable of and whether I could really make something of the gifts I had been given. Because I know what it feels like to have someone believe in you, I want the people I work with to experience that too. There is something special about watching someone go from being unsure of themselves to realizing, “Wait, I can actually do this.” I want the girls I work with to grow up knowing they do not have to make themselves smaller to fit into a space. They can learn, lead, create, and serve in whatever way God has gifted them.. That lesson has become personal to me as I have grown in music myself. I started out teaching myself and wondering where music could take me. Now, I have the opportunity to study Music Production at Full Sail University and learn things I once could only figure out on my own. Along the way, I have been inspired by women who have built their own paths in an industry where it can be easy to wonder if you belong. I want to become that kind of person for someone else. I want to be the woman who answers a question, shares what she knows, encourages someone to keep going, or simply reminds another girl that she belongs in the room. I have been fortunate to have people who believed in me before I had everything figured out. Their support helped me become the person I am today, and I want to carry that forward. One of my favorite personal mottos is, “If I go up, we all go up.” I do not want success to mean getting somewhere by myself. I want to bring people with me, especially young women who may still be wondering whether there is a place for them. If I can use what I have been given to help someone else find confidence in her own gifts, then I believe I am doing something that matters.

One of the things I have learned through serving at my church is that sometimes the most meaningful way to serve someone is simply to show up. I have experienced this through music, especially while serving as a worship musician and music director for youth. What started as my love for music became one of the ways I could use my gifts to serve God and the people around me. Serving through my church has taught me that being involved is about more than what happens during a Sunday service. As a worship musician, I have learned the importance of preparation, teamwork, responsibility, and being willing to help wherever I am needed. I am also one of the few young women at my church who regularly plays electric guitar during worship. Being in that position has shown me that representation matters. I hope that when younger girls see me playing, leading, and serving, they can see themselves doing those things too. As a music director for youth, I have also had the opportunity to work with younger people and encourage them as they develop their own gifts. I want them to know that they have something valuable to contribute and that they do not have to wait until they are older to make a difference. Those experiences have changed the way I understand leadership. I used to think of leadership mostly as being responsible for something or being the person others look to for direction. My church has shown me that leadership is also about serving the people around you. It means listening, encouraging others, being dependable, and helping someone else become confident in what they can do. I have learned that sometimes making an impact can be as simple as encouraging someone when they need it or taking the time to help them grow. My faith has also shaped the way I approach serving my community. I was taught to treat people with love and kindness and to recognize that everyone has value. Because of my church, I have become more intentional about looking for ways to help others rather than only focusing on what I can accomplish for myself. When I serve through music, my goal is not simply to perform. I want to use the gifts God has given me to help create an environment where people can worship, encounter God, and feel connected to Him and to one another. I am carrying these lessons with me as I pursue my bachelor's degree. Through music, I hope to build something that allows me to serve others in a different way. I want to use what I have learned to help other artists bring their ideas to life, teach what I know, and encourage people who are still discovering what they are capable of. I also want my work to point people toward the same hope and joy that my faith has given me. The desire to serve that I have developed through my church is something I want to carry into every part of my future. My church has taught me that the gifts I have been given are also opportunities to serve. As I continue growing in my faith, education, and career, I want to keep using those gifts to bring people closer to God, encourage others, create opportunities, and give back. I do not want to succeed by myself. I want to bring other people with me and help them recognize what they are capable of. To me, that is what true service looks like.

When I think about my future in music, I see myself as an audio engineer and music producer, while continuing to grow as a composer and sound designer. I want to create music that people connect with, but I also want to help other people bring their ideas to life. There is something meaningful about taking an idea that someone can only hear in their head and helping them turn it into something real. I chose music because it has always been one of the ways I express things that words sometimes cannot. Music can hold emotions, memories, stories, and experiences. The more I learned about production, the more I realized that I did not just want to listen to music. I wanted to understand how it was made, experiment with it, and create something that could make another person feel something. From being self-taught to having the opportunity to earn my bachelor's degree at Full Sail University, I have been given opportunities that have allowed me to turn something I love into something I can build a future around. Some of my biggest role models in the music industry are Alicia Keys, Sylvia Massy, Linda Perry, Missy Elliott, and Michael Jackson. I admire them because they were willing to be creative, take risks, and create music that felt different. Michael Jackson is a huge inspiration to me because of the excitement and joy he brought to music. He showed how music could make people feel deeply while also making them want to move, dance, and celebrate. I want to carry that spirit into my own work by creating something new and fresh that reminds people how exciting music can be. At Full Sail, I have gained hands-on experience in recording, editing, mixing, mastering, music production, and sound design. I am also building The Cherubin Project, my own creative services brand. I love teaching and helping people grow, and I hope giving back will always be part of my career. I want to make an impact by encouraging the next generation of young women to pursue their dreams in music. I want them to see women creating, producing, leading, and knowing they belong in this industry. I know how much it means to have someone believe in you. I would not be where I am today without the people who encouraged me, supported me, taught me, stood beside me, and genuinely had faith in me. That is why one of my biggest personal mottos is, “If I go up, we all go up.” I do not want to reach my goals and leave everyone behind. I want to bring people with me. I want to teach what I know, create opportunities, encourage other women, and give back to the community that helped me become who I am. More than anything, I want people to remember me for the joy I brought into the world through music and through the way I treated people. I believe music is for everyone and that it has the power to bring people together and change things. If I can build a life doing what I love while inspiring someone else to believe in their dreams, that is the kind of success I want.

"I'm truly ready to give up." Those were the words I said to my therapist during the first call I had ever made for therapy. I had just graduated high school and was preparing to leave for college. From the outside, I should have been at one of the happiest points in my life. I had graduated, I was beginning college, and I was excited about my future. Instead, I felt empty, exhausted, and overwhelmed. I honestly did not know how I was functioning. Looking back, I realize that I had been carrying years of grief, stress, and emotions that I never gave myself the opportunity to process. I had experienced the loss of cousin after cousin, and last year, I lost my uncle. His passing was incredibly difficult, but one of the things I remember most was watching my parents support my aunt through her grief. They called her every day to check on her, made sure she knew she was not alone, and continued to show up for her even when there was nothing they could say to make the pain disappear. Watching them taught me that supporting someone does not always mean having the right words. Sometimes it simply means being there. At the same time, I was watching my parents struggle financially and carrying my own responsibilities. Rather than acknowledging how deeply everything was affecting me, I kept myself busy. I worked hard, pushed forward, and convinced myself that I simply had to keep going. Eventually, I reached a point where I could no longer ignore what I was feeling. I was burnt out, overworked, anxious, and struggling with a level of stress I had never recognized in myself before. Finding my therapist changed the way I understood mental health. Almost a year later, I can look back at that first conversation and recognize how much work it took to get from that moment to where I am today. Therapy taught me that struggling does not make me weak, and that asking for help is not something to be ashamed of. I learned that I could acknowledge difficult emotions without allowing them to control my life. I have always considered myself a compassionate and kind person. My parents raised me to treat people the way I would want to be treated, to lead with love, and to give people the best treatment and respect I could. My experiences with mental health did not create those values, but they gave me a much deeper understanding of why they matter. Seeing my parents care for my aunt through grief and experiencing my own struggles made me even more intentional about living those values every day. I realized that I can never truly know what another person is carrying. I have also had several friends who, while struggling with their mental health, have attempted to take their own lives. I am incredibly grateful that they are still here today. Through my own experiences and through listening to the people I care about, I have developed a deeper empathy for what others may be going through. I remember nights when I simply stayed on the phone while a friend cried because everything had become too much. They did not want advice or someone to tell them how to fix their problems. They just needed someone to be there, even if that meant sitting in silence together. At the end of those conversations, knowing how much they needed that presence and how grateful they were for someone to listen stayed with me. Those experiences taught me that sometimes the most meaningful thing we can offer someone is not an answer, but our willingness to stay, listen, and take them seriously. That understanding has changed my relationships. I became more intentional about how I communicate with my family and the people I care about. I learned to listen without immediately trying to fix things, to communicate when something is wrong, and to establish boundaries while still showing people compassion. I have seen changes not only within myself, but also in my relationships with individual members of my family. My experience has also shaped my goals. I am now a college senior at Full Sail University, preparing to graduate with a degree in Music Production. I am pursuing a career in audio engineering, music production, composition, and sound design. Music has always been a meaningful way for me to process emotions and communicate things that can be difficult to put into words. As I build my career, I want to create work that connects with people and reminds them that they are not alone in what they feel. Most importantly, my experience has changed the way I see the world. I no longer believe that someone's outward appearance tells me what they are experiencing internally. I have become more aware of the invisible struggles people carry and more willing to have honest conversations about mental health. I believe destigmatization begins when we create spaces where people can be honest without feeling judged, dismissed, or ashamed. If I had never made that first call, I do not know where I would be today. I do know that asking for help gave me the opportunity to begin rebuilding my relationship with myself, my family, and my future. I am still growing, but I am no longer simply trying to survive each day. I am building a life I am proud of, and I hope that by being open about my own experience, I can help make it a little easier for someone else to ask for help and know that they are worth listening to.

Imagine a world where melodies narrate stories, where every chord strummed voiced a symphony of unity, and creativity is the forefront of a limitless mindset. That’s a world where music isn’t just a sound but a language that connects hearts and bridges gaps. From humble beginnings, I want to show you my journey to higher education as well as the Inspiration and drive that got me here. Growing up in the church, music wasn’t just a soundtrack; it was a lifeline. My father provided me with amazing taste in music, from reggae to jazz. It was in those moments that I was introduced to the wonderful world of sound. I’ve always known that I wanted to be a part of it and I’ve always told myself I was going to be a part of it. At the age of five, I began playing the drums, but I soon realized that the rhythm of my heart was leading me in a different direction. I found where I was heading when I stumbled upon John Meyer. His guitar skills and ability to tell a story through a guitar marked the beginning of my love for the instruments and all instruments to come. From Eric Clapton’s timeless chords to Jimi Hendrix's tunes, each note was fuel to becoming a better musician. At twelve, my passion for music bloomed and being armed with determination and a full resource of Youtube tutorials, I took to the stars and started my self-taught journey. I found true joy within the creative process. From chords, scales, and anything I could get my hands on, I found myself lost for hours honing my technical skills. It wasn’t just the skills I learned that made me outgoing and dedicated, but the lessons in communication, creativity, and resilience. In music, I realized that it was a team sport. Effective communication is the key to success in the industry because it’s more than just words or playing the notes right; It’s about shared visions, collaborations, and bringing those to life. It taught me that every note played in sync is the key to creating a masterpiece. In the end, becoming a music producer requires many qualities such as communication and technical skills, being diverse in many areas, and mastering an instrument of your choosing. Being Diverse in many genres and styles was important to me to becoming a versatile musician and producer. Boundaries didn’t exist because I wanted to make music along the lines of “what music couldn’t do” instead of “what it could.” In order to do this, I focused on precision and mastery of an instrument I loved wholeheartedly which was guitar. The guitar’s ability to be flexible and set the mood for any situation that’s called for. In between all of this, I never forget about the importance of fun. I wouldn’t want to put myself through the loss of doing something that doesn’t bring me joy than fighting for something that I love to do and can do for the rest of my life.

Throughout my life, I’ve heard these words go around: “It’s the little things that count.” To be candid, until last year, I didn't really resonate with that until now. Initially, I believed that by doing these small acts, I might be recognized for them which could lead me to bigger opportunities. However, this wasn’t the case in my situation. It was this realization that challenged my perspective on the significance of small acts both on the ends of the giver and the receiver. As a self-taught musician and music producer, everything I know has either been learned from online resources and the guidance of friends. From growing up in the church, I was able to explore many instruments and styles, which made the foundation that I have today. For quite some time, I contributed to the music community by transcribing music for people. While these tasks were small, the joy expressed by the people when they could learn a song through the sheet music I provided outweighed any accolade I could receive. In church, music wasn't just a soundtrack; it was a lifeline. It was in those moments that I was introduced to the wonderful world of sound. I've always known that I wanted to be a part of it and I've always told myself that I was going to be a part of it. The goal is to have my work featured in multiple entertainment streams such as films, commercials, and featured with Tech companies. My ultimate dream? To build myself a well rounded career which I can use to give back to the music community. For quite some time, I've transcribed and made music for other people, but through that I've also seen issues and needs of the people is the music community. A few examples would be: 1. An app that specifically made for moods. The song recommendation and/or playlist would change based on the users' feelings 2. A Song Trivia app specifically for musicians who want to work on their ear training. They can either guess the key, chords, or type of chords within that song. There are many more, but to put together a team of well-rounded like-minded people to give back to the music community is a milestone I hope to achieve. In the end, it's something I want to pursue because it brings me joy. It is something that makes me smiles and happy at the end of day. To have fun with what I want to pursue keeps my passion of music production and creativity burning bright. To not have fun while doing something you love is like composing a symphony without a melody, painting a canvas without color, or writing a story without passion. In pursuit of a higher education, I hope to use this opportunity to push myself harder creatively and academically. I'm open to learning new things, meeting new people, taking advice, and more importantly, having fun as I go. As I continue on this path, my dedication to doing just that is by refining my skills, embracing the challenges, and turning my creative dreams into a reality.

“What is risk…if that risk isn’t taken?” - Rachel Cherubin Those words have been my daily motivation to keep me going through every moment of life. Those same words have created a spark that has been burning for years on a journey toward Full Sail University. Over the years, my passion for music has grown and is still growing, exploring various instruments and styles, and I’m beyond thrilled to embark on the next chapter of my life at Full Sail. Growing up in the church, music has always been an essential part of my life. My father provided me with amazing taste in music, from reggae to jazz and instrumental melodies. I was introduced to the wonderful world of sound. Growing up, I was fascinated by the magic of music creation, and I knew deep down that I wanted to be a part of it, and I was going to be a part of it. My initial start into the music community started at the age of five when I began playing drums at church. It was fun at the start, but I soon realized the rhythm of my heart was leading me to a different direction. That direction came when I stumbled upon the music of John meyer. His guitar skills and soulful lyrics drew me in, especially the songs “Dancing in a Burning Room” and “Neon.” The guitar’s ability to tell a story through the musician and dynamics used marked the beginning of my love for the instruments and all instruments to come! Over the years, I dived into the world of guitar playing, looking for inspiration from legendary musicians like Ozzy Osbourne, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix. My dream of creating music from my guitar(maybe even a signature) that resonated with the world, fueled my determination to keep pushing on. Not long after, my twin brother got into classical guitar which interested me further. Finally, at the age of 12, I started my self-taught guitarist journey, exploring the basics and immersing myself full-time in music theory, scale, and modes. At 13, I began playing guitar for my church’s youth group, where I discovered the number system and many more details on music theory. I longed to compose and produce my music but wasn’t sure of the direction I wanted to take. Nonetheless, I dabbled in songwriting and shared my compositions with online music communities for feedback. At 14, I decided “Enough was Enough,” I was going to produce my music, so using a guitar and ukulele I had at home, I got to writing. Once we could meet again, my friends and I wrote five worship songs, three of which were produced within two weeks– an achievement I hold close to my heart and will remember forever. Two years later, Justin Amundrud, an accomplished music producer, was introduced by my church as a new staff member. That day marked a moment for me to learn from someone in the industry. Justin’s guidance expanded my knowledge of digital audio workstations (DAW) like Ableton, plugins, EQ, and Logic. Moreover, I can reflect on the many inspirations that have shaped me—-individuals like Tobias Rauscher, Sungha Jung, Jake Shimbakuro, Julian Lage and Joshua Meader. Their unique styles have broadened my musical taste and my playing style, as well as what I look for in my music, and how I want it to sound. I embrace the messiness, the challenges, the uncertainties, and endless possibilities because, as Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wisely said, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.”

My name is Rachel Cherubin! I am a high school junior who is looking forward to going to school for music production/ music composition. I've always loved to make music for fun and for others as entertainment but as I've gotten older, I started to realize that I wanted to make music for a purpose. To have a purpose not only for me but for others as well. Recently, in the last couple of months, starting in November of 2022, I had gotten together with two good friends of mine who started to write worship music for our youth group. At first, we were looking forward to just writing a couple of songs and debuting them and that would be that. Then one day, we all kind of got together and thought about why we were creating music and what we wanted to say by releasing this music. This generation put into perspective what we're striving and hoping for this coming year, which is a Revival of Faith, an uproar of a yearning for God. That message had never been more prominent than ever, especially since the Asbury Revival in Kentucky. To give a little background, the Revival at Asbury University started with just a few students who want to worship a little longer after chapel. Which seems like something so simple it turned into something out of this world because people wanted to be in the presence of God and move with the Holy Spirit. This Revival went from tens to hundreds, to thousands from around the world all to just worship. We don't want this revival to just happen in Asbsury University, but all over. We want the Holy Spirit to move throughout and it can but only if you (as a recipient) are willing to receive and be open. We ultimately decided that the music we are going to make wouldn't be based on what was popular or what people wanted, but on what people needed. Which is music centered toward mental health and self-awareness but instead of it being towards you trying to help yourself and depending on others, but looks towards God and gives Him all of your worries, doubt, and fears. To just let go. Whether you were Christian or not, we want to make music that's open to everyone and make music that tailors towards just a relationship that can only be formed with you and God. A relationship that is waiting for when you are ready because God is reaching out for you, He has always been, and now He's just waiting for you to reach back. More recently, we've been working alongside our church to help put out new music to our congregation that focuses on a New Heart. Through this, we hope to reach many teenagers apart of Gen Z by not only trying to form a relationship with God but to form a community with those around them as well.