"“Kings have riches widely lain, Lords have land, b..."
UNC at Chapel Hill
If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Why is it important and how would you contribute to this change?
200 - 250 words
(UNC at Chapel Hill)
“Kings have riches widely lain,
Lords have land, but then again,
We have friends and song no wealth can buy.”
- “Here’s to Song” by Allister MacGillivray
Whether it was french horn, singing, or piano, music has been integral to my mental development, and has provided me an enriching outlet to immerse myself in outside the classroom. Sadly, 1.3 million American elementary school students lack access to music classes due to funding cuts. Music should not belong solely to children in privileged, affluent schools; during my college experience, I aim to tackle this issue.
During my UNC visit, I fell into conversation with a current student, Evan Linnett, about Musical Empowerment, an organization that he leads. UNC’s commitment to equipping the next generation with the power of music is inspiring; my vision is to take this a step further. Aspiring applicants attend college-run summer programs for the experience of staying on campus; however, almost all of these programs are academic.
I envision a service-based UNC Music summer program, one that fills up dorms over the summer, provides a service opportunity to high school students from all over the country, and free basic music education to children in the RTP area, who perhaps can’t afford summer camp or music lessons. As a musician, I feel that it is our duty to use the opportunities we have been blessed with to make music accessible to children of marginalized communities across the country.
This isn’t an RTP problem; it’s a national problem. But it starts with one.