Graduation Year: 1986
Major: Music Education
Current Position: Music Teacher, FlorenceISD
City and State: Georgetown, Texas
Tell us about your career and what you do now.
My wife of 37 years and I built our retirement home in a retirement community. I unsuccessfully tried to retire. I heard about a school district that was 7 minutes from our new home that needed to build their fine arts program. I decided to teach their elementary music which would also allow me to feed the middle school students with choir as well. Part of building the program included local performances at Veteran Memorials in town. That led to me composing a song in August of 2023 called We’re too Young to Remember, that Day in September. 10 months later that song was featured at ground zero in New York as the new tribute song for the 9/11 memorial. This last year has been a God ordained moment to honor firefighters and police. The children singing this song has gone viral and I am hearing from firefighters from all over this nation. My students performed at Carnegie Hall on June 10th and Ground Zero on June 11th.
What is your favorite memory from Evangel?
I would play piano at times in the chapel so I sat in the front row for my assigned seat. I also attended Central Assembly and played in their orchestra with Dr. Joe Nicholson leading. I was asked all the time from older people at Central Assembly, how can we attend Evangel chapel services? One day I came up with an idea and printed out tickets for my chapel seat. This would allow me to sleep in and miss chapel while letting someone attend chapel that really wanted to go. The attendance people simply gave absences to empty seats.
One day someone else was sitting in my assigned front seat and made the person that had a printed ticket very upset. They called for the campus chaplain Dwight Colbaugh to take care of it.
The next day I was invited to President Spence’s office. He asked about printed tickets for chapel services. I was so busted. He then called in his secretary and did something that was “Classic Robert Spence” style. He told his secretary that I would be designing the tickets for the upcoming concerts held at the chapel and that I would even take care of the printing.
Years later, President Spence and Ann came to our Texas home for a fundraiser. I was hoping he would not remember me getting busted printing tickets. When he walked in the living room he thanked me for hosting. Then he whispered, “Yes, it is an honor to be in your house but I have a question for you…Can we sit anywhere or did you print out tickets for the seats?”
How did Evangel help you identify/develop your calling?
I write songs and arrange for orchestras. This all started in Dr. Joe Nicholson’s class. He forced me to write and unleashed that skill. Dr. Joe discovered my talent and had me do arranging on campus.
How did your experience at Evangel prepare you for life after graduation?
My time in Krause Hall simply taught me how to connect with people. I was not from a pastor’s family. Spending time with guys from Krause allowed me simply to learn the influence of connecting with all people. You can’t lead those who you can’t connect with. Evangel shaped me to lead through the connection of my community.
What advice would you give a current student preparing for the workforce?
Watch the professors closely. Go beyond giving them your attention for a topical class. Learn their stories. Value their stories. Edit your foot prints to reflect their stories. The workforce is waiting for your story. Value that process.
What would you look for if you were in a position to hire new graduates from Evangel?
Finding those active and involved. The workplace is not just your subject of study. It is making time to walk with others. Join the clubs on campus. Join the sporting events. Activate your brother/sister wings to do things of purpose. This is what we are looking for. Be as active as you can. Blow up your resume with who you are instead of basic information.