蘑菇短视频

A new endowed scholarship fund made possible through gifts and pledges from an anonymous donor soon will be hitting all the right notes for future students in the School of Music at 蘑菇短视频.

The gifts will create the new Music Faculty Endowed Scholarship Fund, which will support the School of Music by providing up to five full-tuition scholarships of $1,000 each, covering the full cost of in-state tuition at WCU, to recruit students who are highly qualified both musically and academically.

Recipients of the scholarship must be majoring in a program in the School of Music and have a grade-point average of 3.0 or better. Incoming freshmen and transfer students who meet the GPA requirement are eligible for the scholarship after successfully completing an audition for the program in which they plan to enroll.

Margaret Underwood, director of the School of Music, said that contributions from private donors are incredibly important in order for the school to be able to meet its mission.

鈥淧hilanthropic support allows us to provide opportunities for students that simply wouldn鈥檛 be possible otherwise. Scholarships, in particular, are funded almost entirely through private donations, so gifts like this have a direct impact on our students. They also help us remain competitive with other excellent music schools by attracting talented students who might otherwise choose another institution,鈥� Underwood said.

鈥淓very year, we have outstanding students who tell us they would love to attend WCU but ultimately accept offers elsewhere because of financial considerations. Gifts like this help us close that gap and make it possible for more of those students to choose WCU,鈥� she said. 鈥淓very gift helps us invest in our students鈥� success.鈥�

The additional scholarship support will enable more students to take advantage of opportunities offered by the School of Music, ranging from a pioneering music education program to a technology-based commercial music and audio production program and from a conservatory-style studio music programs to performance opportunities that take students across the country and around the world, Underwood said.

鈥淥ur students have incredible opportunities. The Pride of the Mountains Marching Band has performed internationally. Our Wind Ensemble recently performed at the College Band Directors National Association Southern Division Conference. Our Concert Choir has performed at St. Patrick鈥檚 Cathedral in New York City and will be performing at the North Carolina chapter conference of the American Choral Directors Association. Our vocal students are winning competitions that take them to national stages, and our instrumentalists are earning acceptance into prestigious graduate schools, summer festivals and international conferences,鈥� she said.

鈥淭hose are remarkable accomplishments for a school of our size,鈥� Underwood said. 鈥淲CU is already one of the more affordable options for a high-quality music education, but scholarships like this make an even bigger difference. They allow students to focus on learning and taking advantage of these exceptional experiences rather than worrying about the financial burden of earning a degree. As college costs continue to rise, this gift will have a meaningful impact on the lives of many students.鈥�

The gifts establishing the scholarship fund come from a member of the School of Music faculty who asked to remain anonymous.

鈥淭he School of Music鈥檚 accrediting agency has commented that we should have two or three times more scholarship money available if we hope to be competitive,鈥� the donor said. 鈥淢y gift won鈥檛 fix that, but perhaps it will inspire some others to contribute as well, and we'll get part of the way.鈥�

Despite the lower cost of tuition at 蘑菇短视频thanks to the state鈥檚 NC Promise program, many students still have difficulty dealing with other costs of attendance that financial aid does not address, the donor said.

鈥淚f the School of Music can help a student with a scholarship, the money they save may enable them to purchase a better instrument that will help them develop their skills. Banks will lend money for a student to buy a car, but are far less willing to do the same for a musical instrument, even though musical instruments retain their value far better than automobiles,鈥� he said.

鈥淲estern has been very good to me over the years,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ure, there have been frustrations, but that鈥檚 true of any job. But all in all, it鈥檚 been home for me, and I鈥檓 happy when I hear students talking of it in the same way. But homes don鈥檛 just appear by magic. They have to be built and maintained, and when other segments of society are pulling their support away from higher education, those of us who have been blessed by it need to ensure that the next generations can be blessed as well.鈥�

Underwood characterized the Music Faculty Endowed Scholarship Fund as especially meaningful because the contributions creating it are coming from a member of her school鈥檚 faculty.

鈥淚t says so much about the culture of our School of Music. Our faculty and staff don鈥檛 see this as just a job. They genuinely care about our students and are deeply invested in their success. This gift is a beautiful example of that commitment, and I鈥檓 incredibly grateful to this faculty member for believing in our students and investing in their futures in such a generous and meaningful way,鈥� she said.

鈥淚鈥檓 absolutely thrilled that this gift will allow more students to experience what makes the School of Music at 蘑菇短视频 such a special place,鈥� Underwood said. 鈥淚t will open doors for talented students, help them pursue their dreams with less financial burden and allow even more of them to become part of our community.鈥�

Establishment of the Music Faculty Endowed Scholarship Fund came during the university鈥檚 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million in philanthropic support for enhancements to the overall student experience 鈥� including academics, community and global engagement and athletics.

For more information about the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� campaign, visit , call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.