When Kiera Atkins released new music under her own label this year, she did more than share her voice. She also secured full ownership of her work, applying the legal and business skills she gained through the Frost School of Music's online programs.
For Atkins, that milestone reflects years of intentional preparation and a turning point in how she approaches her creative career.
"It gave me the confidence to navigate everything the right way," she said. "I knew how to protect my work and advocate for myself. The timing couldn't have been better. Everything I was learning was helping me build my business in real time."
Atkins completed the Frost School's online Music Rights Administration & Licensing Certificate in December. This semester, she is continuing her studies through the school's online Master of Arts in Live Entertainment Management program, carrying forward the legal, business, and creative foundation she developed in the certificate program.
That hands-on connection between coursework and career, she said, made the experience even more meaningful.
"It wasn't just academic," Atkins said. "It was my life, my work, my future."
Based in Baltimore, Atkins brings a multidimensional creative background to her studies. A photographer, filmmaker, and songwriter who performs under the name "Suave with the Flo," she has spent years working across media, storytelling, and music.
In 2025 she launched Starlight Dynasty Records, an independent label and creative platform supporting her growing body of work and collaborations. Since beginning her master's program, she has continued creating music with greater confidence and control.
"I applied what I've learned in contract structuring, publishing administration, and rights management to properly secure and register my work," she said. "As a result, I now fully own both my masters and publishing on my latest releases."
Rather than separating school from professional life, Atkins has intentionally integrated the two. The three credits from her online certificate transferred directly into her master's program, where she is now deepening her understanding of the industry's operational and strategic side.
"This certificate didn't just educate me, it accelerated my path," she said. "It prepared me for what comes next."
This semester, her studies are focused on touring and promotion, artist management, and venue operations.
"It's helping me see the full ecosystem," she said. "Not just how to create, but how to sustain and scale."
Balancing coursework, creative projects, and a growing business requires discipline, Atkins said. She encourages future students to see their classes as a testing ground for their ideas.
"It's OK to start before you feel ready," Atkins said. "If you wait for everything to be perfect, you'll never move forward. Even when life gets busy, keep going. The payoff shows up later."
For Atkins, the transition from certificate to master's program represents more than academic progress. It reflects an investment in building a sustainable creative career.
"This program showed me how to turn my passion into something lasting," she said. "Something that can grow with me wherever I go."
As she continues expanding her creative portfolio, Atkins sees the Frost School and UOnline as partners in her evolution.
"I'm grateful I found the right program at the right time," she said. "UOnline and the Frost School gave me the tools, the confidence, and the community to take this next step."
