As I read the letter I wrote to my “senior self” approximately three years ago, I smiled thinking about how much has changed and how much stayed the same. Three years ago, I was just realizing that I wanted teaching music to be a significant part of my career but I don’t think I knew exactly what that would look like. Now that I am about to graduate and am actively applying for jobs as an elementary music teacher, I am so happy that I decided to go down this path. Additionally, reading my letter reminded me of how significant my life as a performer and musician– not just at Longwood, but prior– has been in discovering myself and my aspirations. Discipline, focus, endurance– are all things that have come with my training and can be transferred to almost everything else I do.

In reference to scholarship, I wrote to not “…ever forget about the importance of learning,” and, “…to find every opportunity to challenge myself…and learn about new topics.” As I look ahead to post-undergraduate life, now more clear in my vision, I know that I will be pursuing a Master’s degree in special education while teaching public school full-time. The choice to study special education as a graduate student will certainly be uncharted territory for me– certainly not what I expected from myself three years ago. However, I am thrilled to see how my graduate studies will complement the experiences I gain as a first-year teacher.

For service, I mentioned the importance of contributing to the community you are a part of, a value a continue to stand by. Most recently I have had the opportunity to help vulnerable people in the Farmville community who may be directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19. It is in difficult times like these (times that we will certainly look back on four years from now) that servicing your community and creating ties within it is most vital.

Community, which can certainly go in hand with service, continues to be a significant factor in my personal and professional success. Being able to go to college in my hometown gave me a strong group of supporters going into my first year, a group that only expanded as I continued in school. In addition to the friends and family from Farmville, I gained life-long supporters who were professors, music students, and honors peers. My hope is that as I move away from Farmville, the community that I have gained here continues to follow me from afar through mutual connections, words of advice, and wonderful memories.