“Through an intensive music curriculum that is constructed with realistic and applicable principles, I have had countless opportunities to practice and execute all elements of teaching music so that I truly feel ready and excited to enter the field.”
With the music programs, especially the choral program, being something that drew Zo? to Gustavus in the first place, she has found her interests met perfectly as a Vocal Music Education major.
She describes the environment of the Music Department as one that is very supportive and community-oriented, especially appreciating the small class sizes, which foster close relationships with peers and professors within the department.
Support from faculty has been an especially important aspect of her experience within the department due to the department’s multidisciplinary nature, with course material ranging from music theory, history, conducting, ear training, vocal technique, and piano.
Zo? identifies her voice professor, Patricia Snapp, as being the most influential faculty member within the department during her four years at Gustavus, saying, “Dr. Snapp is the most supportive, warm, and loving professor who is dedicated to her students’ success and their overall wellbeing.” Outside of her coursework, Zo? has had many opportunities within the department for experiential learning. She has engaged in teaching with various age levels and in different schools, which has allowed her to apply the skills that she has learned to a real-life teaching environment.
Additionally, Zo? has gained important experiences through her time in the Gustavus Choir, having the opportunity to have gone on four tours. Her most influential experience in the Gustavus Choir was the opportunity that she had to conduct a piece at a Venice Basilica during the choir’s international tour. She says, “Having the chance to conduct in such an extravagant space that most conductors experience at the height of their careers that I was able to fulfill as an undergraduate student was unbelievably heartwarming and is entirely thanks to Gustavus.”
Outside of her involvement in the Gustavus Choir, which she is the President of, and her music coursework, Zo? is also involved in Gustavus Women’s A’Cappella, Legacy A’Cappella, Music Theory Tutoring, and is a Gustie Greeter.