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23岁的Caelia Marshall是一名歌手. 

Like many students pursuing their passion for music at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全, she isn’t actually a music major. 但是马歇尔，一个 神经科学专业 from Atascocita, Texas, is still on a 音乐奖学金, sings in ensembles, and has her sights set on a career in research that combines science and music.

“在一个梦幻世界里, I would like to do research on how music can affect and treat degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimers,马歇尔说。. “My uncle suffered from dementia, and by the end stage of this disease, he couldn’t say anything. But whenever we would sing to him, he could sing along.”

赌博娱乐平台网址大全 wasn’t a school that Marshall had originally considered.  但是在参观之后, which she called an “incredibly personalized experience,” she began to see herself here at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全. 合唱团指挥加里·西格曼 even reached out to her personally after her visit—something no college professor at any other school had done—to tell her about a 音乐奖学金 that wouldn’t even require her to commit to being a music major.

That meant coming in as a first year, Marshall had more space in her courseload to explore different STEM fields. She took a few basic courses—found that she didn’t like chemistry, for starters—then discovered neuroscience going into her sophomore year, 永不回头.

“我正在学习神经伦理学 Dr. [金正日]菲利普斯, 神经科学系主任, and I’m really enjoying the whole ‘ethics behind the brain’ [angle]—it’s both humanitarian and science issues that come together,马歇尔说. 

马歇尔，他仍然是 音乐小, doesn’t mince words about the challenges of pursuing two different academic interests: “The classes are hard in both subjects,她说。. “但我已经进入了最佳状态, finding a good balance with finding time to go to the practice rooms for music, and spending a lot more hours studying for STEM tests.”

Part of that groove is due to 赌博娱乐平台网址大全’s inclusive approach to music, 马歇尔还说. “One thing I like about music at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全 is that any level of interest you have, 你想怎么参与都行. 你可以选修，拿个B.A., a B.S.，或者只是加入一个团体.”

Marshall is currently a member of the 三位一体室内歌手, a group open to any student by audition. She joined an opera workshop as a first-year where her class prepared to stage a complete opera production (before Covid-19 brought down the curtain prematurely). 今年, she excitedly points out that 赌博娱乐平台网址大全’s choir is going to New York to perform at Carnegie Hall. “赌博娱乐平台网址大全’s choir has also gone to places like Austria,马歇尔说, “So music at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全 will afford you opportunities to see the world, 然后走出去.’”

Behind those opportunities are valuable resources, such as 赌博娱乐平台网址大全’s nationally lauded faculty. Marshall’s favorite professor so far has been soprano 杰奎琳·Matava她教授听觉技巧, 她真的很有风度, 她让音乐很容易学,马歇尔说. “You understand her expectations, which is something I really enjoy in my studies.”

和, 当然, Marshall’s 音乐奖学金 has also played an incredibly important role in her success at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全, though she almost backed out of the opportunity entirely.

“I was super interested to hear about this 音乐奖学金, where you had to come to campus and perform a song, and do some sight reading exercises, but I was sick during the audition,马歇尔回忆道. “那个周末我真的病了, 但我还是去了, 试过了, and got an email back that I had been granted the scholarship. 和 without the scholarship, I wouldn’t have been here at 赌博娱乐平台网址大全.”

马歇尔还说. “Wherever else I would have ended up, I definitely would have been less involved in music. [This scholarship] holds me accountable in a way, 因为这能让我参与进来, 即使不是专业.”

Marshall urges other prospective students to apply to the same 赌博娱乐平台网址大全 音乐奖学金, 即使他们很紧张, 或者以类似的方式持观望态度. “这没有坏处，”她说. “Just apply to whatever you can, don’t overthink it, just try out and see what happens. Don’t worry about singing in front of people - just do it.”

Marshall is glad she took on the challenge of auditioning: Now she’s in a groove that has paved the way toward a meaningful career in research.

“I definitely want to achieve groundbreaking work in Alzheimers and dementia music therapy; this is such an untapped field,她说。. “Now, I feel that’s an impact I could make.”