Exploring citizenship and belonging with two college music students of marginalised identities

Recent College Graduates With Bachelor’s Degrees in Music Education: A Demographic Profile

“…Subsequent classes of college graduates with degrees in music education at all universities need to reflect the changing demographics of our U.S. public schools; the diversifying of music education programs should happen at the local level with individual universities taking active steps to address the racial and ethnic composition of their student populations and communities in which they serve. When considering “whether there is a ‘leaky pipeline’ to music teacher licensure that excludes potential music teachers systematically by race and ethnicity” (Elpus, 2015, p. 317), music education departments, especially those within PWIs, need to interrogate the multiple ways in which Whiteness is promulgated in their programs, including, among others, investigating admissions and audition policies (Abramo & Bernard, 2020; Fitzpatrick et al, 2014; Koza, 2008), curriculum (Fiorentino, 2020), institutional and departmental culture (DeLorenzo & Silverman, 2016), peer support (Fiorentino, 2020; Fitzpatrick et al, 2014), and faculty mentors (Fitzpatrick et al, 2014).…”

“…When looking at programs to improve inclusion and outcomes for music students of color, Elevate , a student-founded and student-run organization at a large midwestern university provides a potential model. Designed to support incoming music students from underrepresented identities, Elevate is dedicated to “fun, inclusivity, retention, mentoring, tutoring, volunteering and the sharing of ideas, experiences, and cultures” (Fiorentino, 2020, p. 148). Outside of music education, Florida State University started a program called CARE in 2001 (Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement) designed to help low-income and first-generation Black college students succeed by identifying potential obstacles students may encounter (Carey, 2008).…”

“…However, many music students of color have also indicated limited musical training and/or study outside of their high school ensembles, which has led to difficulty navigating the college admissions and audition process; acceptance into undergraduate music education programs is often granted through an audition into the school of music in which applicants generally need to demonstrate a high level of fluency in Western European music (Abramo & Bernard, 2020; Clements, 2009; DeLorenzo & Silverman, 2016; Fitzpatrick et al, 2014; Koza, 2008; Palmer, 2011; Robison et al, 2020). Students of color matriculating into collegiate music education programs have reported culture shock (DeLorenzo & Silverman, 2016), found a lack of community and a sense of isolation within their music education programs (Fitzpatrick et al, 2014), and advocated for the benefits of peer support programs and identity-based coursework (Fiorentino, 2020).…”