Music experience changes lives, recruits students

Dr. Ashley Jarrell, professor and director of bands at the University of North Georgia (UNG), had an idea to offer a recruiting event, and with the full support of Dr. Benjamin Schoening, department head and professor of music, Music Major for A Day (MM4AD) was created.

In preparation for the event, UNG invites students from regional high schools to experience a day in the life of a student pursuing a degree in music at the Dahlonega Campus. The seven majors are highlighted during the day along with the associate degrees and music minor. During their time at UNG's Dahlonega Campus, the students engage with current music students and professors, attend several courses and participate in ensemble rehearsals.

The event has been an annual tradition since 2022 and has proven to be an effective recruiting tool. This year’s event, in keeping with the successful format, had UNG students in volunteer capacities welcoming and registering the visiting students, escorting them to the various locations within the Convocation Center and other typical hosting duties.

"I'm really excited to see how it's progressed," Jarrell said.

Bethany Bruning was one of the student workers at the first MM4AD. That experience resulted in a change of major as she began with aspirations of pursuing a degree in elementary and special education with a minor in music. A week later, she changed majors to music education with instrumental concentration.

"I got to UNG and immediately people took me under their wing, and I thought, 'I can do this,'" the Cornelia, Georgia resident said. "The professors gave me the training, and there were times when my friends and I just dragged each other to get through a semester. If I didn't have that community of people, I wouldn't have been in the music program."

Bruning graduates in May. She plays the euphonium and is currently a band technician at West Forsyth High School.

Chris Ross was a high school sophomore in 2023 when he attended the event. Today he is a freshman pursuing a degree in music education. He plans to attend graduate school and begin a career as a conductor and has been inspired by conductor Shiree X. Williams.

"Playing with the band convinced me to attend. I loved the experience of joining them. It felt like I was one of them," Ross said. "I felt like UNG was my place."

Ross shared that he'd toured several schools in Georgia and Texas, but the others weren't the same.

"The Music Department at UNG feels like a family compared to those schools," he said. "They really care about what they do, and they care about the students. That's the main point that matters."

This year Ross chaperoned students from his alma mater at MM4AD and did his best to help recruit them.

"I was with them most of the time trying to convince them," he said. "This place is amazing, and they're pretty sold on coming here."

Andrew Woodham is a sophomore from Blairsville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in music education with a concentration in choral studies. He attended MM4AD two years ago.

"It really felt like a family," he said. "They really stuck together, and they were very welcoming. I felt like I was in college from the moment I stepped into the Convocation Center. I felt like I was at home, and today, these guys are my best friends and my family."

Part of the day is spent performing alongside current UNG students, playing unfamiliar pieces.

"As a high school student, I felt like I was way out of my league. I saw the music they were practicing, and I was like, 'Oh no, no way.' It was way above my ability," Woodham said. "But now, I play the same music I was so afraid of."

The ability to play collegiate-level music now is just one of the benefits of being enrolled at UNG. Friends is another. For Woodham, he made several, including Serenity Callahan.

Callahan attended MM4AD as a high school senior at the suggestion of her choir director. Today she has hopes to teach high school, earn a master's degree and ultimately teach music at the collegiate level.

The Barnesville, Georgia, native originally planned to attend the University of West Georgia, but attending MM4AD changed her mind.

"The first thing that caught my eye was the environment. I felt this overwhelming sense of peace, and I was meant to be in this area," she said. "The music history class really caught my attention, and the aural skills class was extremely fun to participate in. I met multiple people there that I'm friends with today."

Dr. Yue Yin encouraged her to enroll after hearing Callahan sing. Yin is now her vocal professor. 

"Everyone was just so nice, and I could feel and see the familial environment. Nobody was competing against each other. Everybody wants to see each other succeed. They want you to succeed past being in their classroom," Callahan said. "They care about you as a person, and they see that you're not just a student."    

That feeling of family along with support from Schoening, her advisor, has enabled Callahan to be more confident in herself.

"The family that you build here, it's insane. I can be completely myself in this department and not feel judged," Callahan said. "I've changed so much from being a quiet, introverted little girl in the back of the classroom to speaking to random people every day. I'm probably one of the most extroverted people in my friend group here at UNG."

Callahan said that the care and support of the Music Department has inspired her and her plans to be a music educator.

"Our professors and our administrators still do everything in their power to get us what we need to succeed," she said. "It's very inspirational to see that because it can help me understand how I'm going to help better my students as a teacher myself, even if I do have limited resources."

Bruning encourages music-loving students to attend MM4AD regardless of their anticipated major.

"Music Major for a Day isn't just for future music students. It can be for anyone that's in band or choir or orchestra," she said. "Maybe they can even fall in love with the idea of being a music major. That wasn't my goal, but after being in the department for a day, I changed my mind."