Music Education Alumni, Students Come to Campus for Fieldwork Fridays
In March, Jennifer Kist ’25 was back on stage at Seton Hill’s Performing Arts Center. Kist, who was hired by the Altoona School District before graduation last year and is currently teaching middle school and high school orchestra, returned to campus with her 8th-grade orchestra.
The middle school students from Altoona had the opportunity to take part in clinics with Associate Professor of Music Dr. Christopher Marra and Associate Professor of Music Education Dr. Jessica Vaughan-Marra in Seton Hill’s Performing Arts Center.
“It was truly a full-circle moment getting to bring students of my own to the place that truly shaped me into the musician and music educator I am today, especially so soon after graduation. It felt like being home again, and I can attest to the phenomenal education Seton Hill has given me, as I use the skills I developed there in the classroom every day,” said Jennifer. “It felt great to connect with current music education majors and my professors again and serve as a role model for students as they approach graduation and are preparing to enter the field.”
Current music education juniors had the opportunity to observe Jennifer teaching her students in small groups as part of their “Fieldwork Friday” experiences.
“It was a very proud moment to welcome back a recent graduate and to have our current students see Jen’s immediate success in the classroom,” said Dr. Marra.
Dr. Vaughan-Marra and Dr. Marra have been hosting visiting ensembles at Seton Hill since 2018; these events have been coined “Fieldwork Fridays” since that is when the music education majors have availability to complete their fieldwork. By bringing these students to campus, music education majors are able to connect with a diverse group of music learners from across the region, helping to inform the ways a future music educator approaches their students and visualizes their impact on the profession long term.
“These visits serve not only as an opportunity to welcome students from various districts to campus, but also for Seton Hill undergraduate music education majors to have more time to work with ‘real’ students in a concentrated block of time different from the quick pace of a traditional school day,” said Dr. Vaughan-Marra.
Seton Hill University has a rich history of alumni across music degree programs thriving in their careers. In the past nine years, Dr. Vaughan-Marra and Dr. Marra are particularly proud of how many music education majors have continued into PreK-12 teaching opportunities and are thriving as they seek professional development, connect back to Seton Hill and the Music Education program, and pursue advanced degrees in the field.
In addition to Kist, the music education program welcomed Emily Hazlett Kempa '21 and the Greensburg Salem High School Choir back to campus and will be hosting David Emmanualson ’14 and the Hempfield High School Choir in May. Along with hosting visiting groups, the program also connects with music education alums for on-site fieldwork, including working with Sarah Palli ‘22 and Alexis Zanotti ‘25 who are teaching in the Jeanette School District, and has hosted alumni for student teaching seminars to offer insight into having success in both internships and in entering the profession.
“I am grateful for Dr. Marra and Dr. Vaughan-Marra’s mentorship post-graduation,” Jennifer noted. “They have tremendously aided me during my first year of teaching and the start of graduate school for music, and I know they will be available to help me in the coming years.”
The middle school students from Altoona had the opportunity to take part in clinics with Associate Professor of Music Dr. Christopher Marra and Associate Professor of Music Education Dr. Jessica Vaughan-Marra in Seton Hill’s Performing Arts Center.
“It was truly a full-circle moment getting to bring students of my own to the place that truly shaped me into the musician and music educator I am today, especially so soon after graduation. It felt like being home again, and I can attest to the phenomenal education Seton Hill has given me, as I use the skills I developed there in the classroom every day,” said Jennifer. “It felt great to connect with current music education majors and my professors again and serve as a role model for students as they approach graduation and are preparing to enter the field.”
Current music education juniors had the opportunity to observe Jennifer teaching her students in small groups as part of their “Fieldwork Friday” experiences. “It was a very proud moment to welcome back a recent graduate and to have our current students see Jen’s immediate success in the classroom,” said Dr. Marra.
Dr. Vaughan-Marra and Dr. Marra have been hosting visiting ensembles at Seton Hill since 2018; these events have been coined “Fieldwork Fridays” since that is when the music education majors have availability to complete their fieldwork. By bringing these students to campus, music education majors are able to connect with a diverse group of music learners from across the region, helping to inform the ways a future music educator approaches their students and visualizes their impact on the profession long term.
“These visits serve not only as an opportunity to welcome students from various districts to campus, but also for Seton Hill undergraduate music education majors to have more time to work with ‘real’ students in a concentrated block of time different from the quick pace of a traditional school day,” said Dr. Vaughan-Marra.
Seton Hill University has a rich history of alumni across music degree programs thriving in their careers. In the past nine years, Dr. Vaughan-Marra and Dr. Marra are particularly proud of how many music education majors have continued into PreK-12 teaching opportunities and are thriving as they seek professional development, connect back to Seton Hill and the Music Education program, and pursue advanced degrees in the field.
In addition to Kist, the music education program welcomed Emily Hazlett Kempa '21 and the Greensburg Salem High School Choir back to campus and will be hosting David Emmanualson ’14 and the Hempfield High School Choir in May. Along with hosting visiting groups, the program also connects with music education alums for on-site fieldwork, including working with Sarah Palli ‘22 and Alexis Zanotti ‘25 who are teaching in the Jeanette School District, and has hosted alumni for student teaching seminars to offer insight into having success in both internships and in entering the profession.
“I am grateful for Dr. Marra and Dr. Vaughan-Marra’s mentorship post-graduation,” Jennifer noted. “They have tremendously aided me during my first year of teaching and the start of graduate school for music, and I know they will be available to help me in the coming years.”