By Dianne Frances D. Powell
When five Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College music therapy students attended a conference last fall, little did they know they will be returning home with more than knowledge and newly-formed connections.
Seniors Allison Payonk of Terre Haute and Devyn Burns of Indianapolis, along with juniors Sara Langenberger of Greenfield and Kristin Foster of Metropolis, Illinois, and sophomore Elizabeth Yeazel of Germantown, Ohio came back with two brand new custom-built electric guitars complete with mini-speakers and tuners.
What they did next — donate the instruments to SMWC’s music and theatre department — shows the character of these Woods women.
But acquiring the new instruments involved more than luck.
As the students made their way to one of the sessions in the American Music Therapy Association conference, which took place in November at St. Louis, they were approached by a representative of the non-profit Blue Star Connection — which provides access of musical instruments to children and young adults with cancer and other serious challenges — to enter a raffle for the instruments.
With her smart phone in hand, Burns — on behalf of her friends — readily obliged. As part of the raffle, the students had to explain how the instruments will benefit them and their program. The intelligent bunch came up with a winning one.
“The day after, I got a text that said ‘You won!’” Burns recalls.
It was exciting for the students to win, but as aspiring music therapy professionals committed to making a difference in people’s lives, they were equally excited about the quality and durability of the instruments they received. One of them, the blue guitar, has a kid-friendly vinyl finish which is not going to be damaged easily by cleaning supplies, the students said. It is ideal for use when working with children or in a hospital setting, they said.
The undergraduate students’ donation to the department means more resources for students not only in the on-campus undergraduate music therapy program but also in the music therapy equivalency distance program and the master of arts in music therapy. Although acquiring the instruments was a collective effort, seniors Burns and Payonk were “happy” to leave something tangible to the department for the benefit of music therapy students to come.
Light and easily transportable, students in the department take turns using the instruments with their clients during practicum; the guitars are also utilized for a better learning experience during class time. “It is such a great testament to their commitment to our music therapy program – knowing that all music therapy students here will be able to use them, in all three program formats,” said Sharon Boyle, undergraduate music therapy program coordinator at SMWC.
The guitars might have been a unique, “tangible” prize from this particular conference but the students took away other immeasurable benefits from this opportunity. Yeazel, the youngest of the group, had a fantastic time during her first conference. Through this experience, she felt even closer to her classmates, explored areas she’s interested in and met music therapy professionals.
“It was one of the most validating experiences I’ve ever had. …It was wonderful to meet so many new people and make connections with people I might be working with in the future,” Yeazel said.