Students Talk About the Impact of Campus Life

As the University of Miami nears 100 years of school celebration, students reflect on the things that make Frost School of Music so unique and how Miami's vibrant culture and tropical setting have impacted their lives. Hear their stories in their own words.
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Since the University of Miami chartered its campus in 1925, more than 220,821 students from all 50 states and 174 foreign countries have passed through its doors. The Frost School of Music was one of the first schools at the University of Miami nearly 100 years ago. Some students were undergraduates starting their college experiences at Coral Gables' central campus, and others were exploring a year of studying abroad and finding a home in Miami.

Meanwhile, others came for a visit and decided to stay to pursue a graduate degree in the many areas offered, including music composition, performance, education, production and engineering, technology, media scoring, music industry, and more. Whatever level they were in on their career paths, these students' lives were forever transformed personally, artistically, and professionally during their time at the Frost School of Music.

In this new story series, entitled Students Talk About the Impact of Campus Life, we're starting with our current young artists, learning all about those moments in their lives of impact and self-discovery.  

Look closely and see how the Frost campus is more than just a place of study, but a space of exploration, inspiration, connection, and innovation. With Miami [the Magic City] as its backdrop, this campus is influenced by a diverse population opening up new beginnings, long-lasting relationships, and a vibrant community called FROST [a.k.a. the U].


 
 
Izzi Guzman, Junior, Music Education
"I've met many people at Frost through my classes and formed closer connections with people in my major. Frost is a campus within a campus. I like bumping into friends from music therapy or music performance, even though I'm a music education major. And since this is a university and not just a music school, I'm also able to be in clubs and organizations that have people outside of Frost, which, of course, helps me be a more well-rounded individual than if I had attended a conservatory. After I finish my bachelor's, I hope to get my master's and teach elementary music—from kindergarten to five years old. Eventually, I want to open up my music program to serve underprivileged communities." 

Nolan Slate, Sophomore, Jazz Performance
"Frost is a great community. Everyone takes care of each other—the players and the atmosphere. Everyone is skilled in what they do and has something unique about them. Their personality comes across great when they're playing. Frost keeps me on my toes. It keeps me always curious, as there is something new to learn. There are always people to learn from and new perspectives to lean on. I visited Frost's college fair and saw that the campus was nice—it makes you feel at home. The Miami scene is happening. There are a lot of cool people here. I liked the idea of experiencing something new far from home."

Joel Nawell, Freshman, Studio Music and Jazz Performance, Trumpet player
"Frost has impacted my life in a good way. For one thing, the bright walls and the scene outside helps me wake up in the morning! This place inspires me—it fulfills the vibe of, like, we're all in this together. We're all trying to be the best version of ourselves."

Savannah Methner, Freshman, Studio Music and Jazz Performance, Trumpet Player
"I love that every practice room has a piano and windows! When I visited other schools, their practice rooms were in a basement. So, it's very nice to have natural lighting so you can play and still see what's going on outside. The Frost community is very inspiring. Honestly, I'm not bold enough to practice outside. I'm not ready to put myself out there just yet, but it's nice to see that other students are doing it and don't mind at all."

Noah Booz, Freshman, Music Education
"I love the energy of this place and the intentionality of everyone practicing out on the lawn or at various corners around our campus. I'm working to be on the marching band, and it's been a lot of hard work, but I love our directors and professors like Jay Reese and Professor Douglas McCullough. They're excellent. They remind us that we matter, that every note we play matters. They teach us to trust each other and to work hard for each other. As a music student, knowing that purpose is cool. My dream job is to teach music at the college level one day, and I hope that happens to be here."

Janelle Finton, Senior, Trumpet Performance
"I love seeing my peers working on projects. What they're doing inspires me to incorporate what they're doing into my work. I like collaborating with people within my department and other departments and with people from different backgrounds. I also sing and compose, so that's been a highlight for me. At Frost, I can focus on the tradition of jazz with strong peers and professors who are present and help students grow. Students are playing something somewhere all the time. There's always something going on. I'm not sure what I will do after graduation, but whatever I do or wherever I go, I hope to share my joy, my story, and people's stories through my music." 

Kevin King, Master's Candidate, Music Education
"I love being here at Frost, where I can perform and learn to teach—in my opinion, everybody needs to teach music. I play woodwind and saxophone, flute, oboe, and bassoon. It's great being around such cool musicians. When you walk through the campus and see students playing, that inspires you to be a great musician."

Florence Hughes, Junior, Media Scoring and Production
"I started playing trombone in 6th grade, and when it came time to decide what to do for college, I couldn't imagine doing anything but music. Frost has given me the perfect opportunity to do lots of different things. Here, it's not just about performance or composition. You can do both! Your professors encourage that. I love that I can be on a college campus where I can take both classical and jazz lessons and take other classes related to other interests. Frost has awesome resources, and the same goes for the entire university. This was my first year living off campus, but I met many people while I lived in the dorms. The campus is just right—not too big, not too small. Love the U."