At Westminster, Shawn’s music track allowed him to focus intensively on the oboe while also exploring multiple woodwinds—an experience that led to his acceptance to Belmont University’s College of Music & Performing Arts, where he is pursuing a master’s degree in multiple woodwinds. Through his minor in Professional Communication and Leadership, Shawn also gained valuable experience in leadership strategies and practical skills that continue to benefit him throughout his graduate studies and beyond.

Why did you choose Westminster?

I took many courses at Westminster during my summers in high school, since I lived pretty close to the college, and I always had great experiences and felt comfortable in those classes. Every time I interacted with faculty, it always felt like a super-welcoming environment, and they made me feel like this was the right place to be. It also helped that I would be close to home and could commute during my first semester.

What do you like about Westminster?

There are so many opportunities for every single student to do something they’re passionate about. I was involved in the Resident Assistant Program, the Peer Success Coach Program, and the Titan Tour guides in the Office of Admissions. I also served on the executive board of our Theatre Club and participated in other music department-related activities. I think at a bigger school with a larger student body, I wouldn’t have been able to participate in as many things as I did. I even did some community engagement work through the Office of Professional Development & Community Engagement that landed me a job as a musical director for a local high school. Having those real-world experiences makes it much easier to gain leadership experience, which is super important in searching for a job later on.

Did the School of Music help prepare you to succeed in graduate school?

I am currently attending graduate school at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, for a master’s degree in multiple woodwinds. Westminster didn’t have a multiple woodwind track, but my advisor worked with me to create one because I felt I was only getting experience on the oboe. I knew, looking ahead at Belmont’s program, that I wanted to have more experience in other woodwinds to prepare myself, so my advisor allowed me to shift my major to pursue multiple woodwinds. That focus allowed me to become proficient in all of them, so when I auditioned at Belmont, they were super impressed with my wide range of experience.

I also minored in Professional Communication and Leadership, so I gained a lot of experience in leadership skills and techniques, which helped to build my resume as the years progressed. This minor really elevated my experience and made me look more marketable when applying to graduate schools, because my academic and extracurricular experiences went beyond the music department.

How did our faculty contribute to your post-grad preparation?

Their support is definitely a large contributor to our success—our faculty want you to get involved, and they’re always encouraging you to do things that help build your resume and further advance your own leadership skills. Those opportunities really help you to thrive, and they pave the way to having a great post-graduate experience.

Mrs. Winfield, one of my private lesson oboe instructors, was extremely welcoming and caring. She is one of the reasons I came to Westminster because she made me feel seen from day one.

How would you describe the Westminster community?

Everybody knows everybody, and while that may seem like a bad thing, it's actually a really good thing. You might have a close friend who has another friend who's interested in getting a job in your area of interest, and they can set you up with that person and make sure you get to know them, since you have things in common. I also think that being able to join whatever clubs and organizations you want helps you meet so many new people. As an Orientation Leader, I met so many people outside my class year and with interests different from mine that I would never have met had I stayed in my music department bubble. It also made being a tour guide easier because I always saw familiar faces around campus, and people always said hello everywhere I went, so it was cool to actually showcase that community to prospective students and families.

What is your favorite memory?

My favorite memory is definitely our choir trip to Scotland in the summer of 2024. We were given this opportunity through fundraising efforts and our annual Titans Together Giving Day, where alumni, students, families, faculty and staff come together to donate to specific programs. While we were there, we got to perform in front of locals at a few of the churches, so it was cool to perform for people we didn’t even know! It's probably one of the most transformative experiences that I have had. I was able to explore and get different musical perspectives in a place where you hear bagpipes while you’re just walking down the street and fiddling coming from the local pubs. It was so awesome learning about their culture throughout the trip!

Another favorite memory is being an orientation leader because you’re combined with a group of students you’ve never met before and connect with them through training. The bond you create with people in completely different majors or circles is really cool because you would never expect to develop deep relationships with them. Even down the road, if our paths didn’t cross academically, I felt like I stayed friends with the people I connected with during orientation and always knew they were in my corner. It was one of the most rewarding experiences, which also strengthened my leadership skills and capabilities.

What ensembles/groups have you performed in?

Basically, every ensemble that we offer on campus except for audition choirs. I was in concert choir, which is our non-audition choir, I was in symphonic orchestra, wind ensemble, symphonic band, marching band, jazz ensemble, plus a couple of chamber groups, which are smaller groups of students usually on their own but associated with an advisor. With those, I played the piccolo in our Scottish music ensemble, Ceòl na Teud, I was in our woodwind quintet, The Wicked Winds of the West, and we had a recorder ensemble. Lastly, I was involved in a clarinet choir and a saxophone quartet. The opportunities here are wide open for whatever you choose to pursue!

The best part about all of it is that my peers were supportive, and regardless of chair status, we all just wanted to work together to create the best music that we could. Sometimes you’ll have lows, and sometimes you’ll have highs, but that supportive environment never wavers, and you’re always going to have people advocating for you and being your biggest cheerleader every step of the way.

What do you want to do after grad school?

I want to be a freelance musician—one of my favorite things is playing pit orchestras for musical theatre, so I would love to do that on a professional scale, as well as teaching private lessons. I also realized with all the opportunities I had in theatre that I could see myself as a musical stage or creative director, so it’s nice to know that there are multiple doors I could walk through and be happy with the outcome!

What advice would you give to a high school student who is considering Westminster?

If you’re interested in a small school, Westminster is definitely a great option. There are so many programs offered, and the idea is that you can change your mind about the path you want to take and still graduate on time. I imagine it’s easy to feel alienated at a larger school, as finding your people may not be as easy as it is here. At Westminster, you make those connections and can also create whatever positive experience you want from a college.

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