My parents singing me to sleep, my grandpa leading campfire songs, my first time singing with an audition choir - these are all moments where music has touched my soul. Whether through the experience of a live performance, my favorite playlist on a walk through the mountains, or a song that makes me smile on a sad day - music speaks to my heart, and when I realized I could speak that language through my own music it changed my life. A few Christmases ago, I performed in a program that a family friend happened to be at. He found me afterwards and commented that it was just what he needed that day, as he had been struggling with the uncertainty surrounding his son’s battle with addiction. I realized that I could never predict the impact of my performance on an audience, but I could prepare to deliver my best work and have confidence that the music would do the rest. In this case, offering immediate comfort to a friend I didn’t know needed help. To consider that something I put into the world could provide emotional aid so immediately was a profound and humbling realization. I wanted to do it again and again… As a graduating senior, I still have a lot to learn through formal education and life experiences, both good and bad. Among my priorities is the pursuit of a musical education that will empower me to touch more lives as my own is made more complete through the process. I’d love to write something profound regarding a perfectly considered post graduation plan that would outline my pathway to success and fulfillment, but all I really know right now is that I am supposed to sing, so I am taking it one step at a time. First and foremost, I’m dedicated to creating a meaningful career as a performer. Performing brings out the best in me, and I’ll become the person I want to be as I prepare and face the challenges associated with singing on a stage. My life also carries the imprint of many dedicated and engaging teachers, so I’m sure this will be a part of my future as well. I expect my plans to evolve as I develop relationships with faculty and students who will share their own life experiences and perspectives. I am attending graduate school to gain knowledge, develop as a musician, gain experience and build relationships. I’m working to become a musician who can do good in the world and in my own life. This graduate program is the next step in my journey of becoming all that I am meant to be. I’m confident that the career component of this journey will become even more clear as I focus on the becoming.

While scholarship, citizenship, and leadership define key attributes of a successful student and scholar, a strong character is the foundation upon which these attributes are built. Challenges build character, and I’ve faced a few during my educational experiences thus far that have helped me become a resilient and empathetic student of life. Health challenges of my own throughout high school and the loss of my oldest brother to drug addiction changed me in many ways, the most important of which being that it has allowed me to see the world through a lens of empathy, rather than judgment. Joining the music program my first year of college gave me an instant sense of community that not all freshmen are lucky enough to experience. Being a part of this helped me develop commitment, creativity, dedication, organizational strength and a collaborative spirit. While I ended up missing out on some things more traditional college students were doing, I learned to see the big picture and placed these sacrifices in proper perspective to the lessons I was learning. Prioritizing my musical activities allowed me to see what I truly cared about and helped establish a pattern of hard work, goal setting and the pursuit of important and meaningful objectives like sharing my love of music and helping uplift others in their personal challenges through volunteering. An intriguing aspect of music is that it is never the same. With each performance, something can change, and it is meant to be that way. The personal experiences and insights I share through my music are what make me unique as a musician, and I have so much to give. A few Christmases ago, I performed in a program that a family friend happened to be at. He found me afterward and commented that it was just what he needed that day, as he had been struggling with the uncertainty surrounding his son’s battle with addiction. I realized that I could never predict the impact of my performance on an audience, but I could prepare to deliver my best work and have confidence that the music would do the rest. In this case, offering immediate comfort to a friend I didn’t know needed help. To consider that something I put into the world could provide emotional aid so immediately was a profound and humbling realization. I wanted to do it again and again… Whenever I am not working on my music-related pursuits, I continue to nurture my interests in film, fashion and art through different exhibits, local museums, and movie nights with friends and family.