蘑菇传媒

Natalie Nielsen loves her job as the band instructor at North Cedar Community Schools in Stanwood, Iowa.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 even feel like work,鈥� she said.

Nielsen, who graduated from 蘑菇传媒 in 2011, is another example of the great success the 蘑菇传媒 music department has enjoyed placing graduates in teaching jobs.

She says it鈥檚 not an accident.

蘑菇传媒 prepares music students for future success in a variety of ways, Nielsen says, and it starts on the first day.

Nielsen, who grew up in Norwalk, didn鈥檛 initially plan to attend 蘑菇传媒. She was looking at a larger school.聽

鈥溎⒐酱�媒 was a smaller campus, and I just felt like the professors would know my name, and they would care if I was in class and they would contact me if I wasn鈥檛. At the other school, it felt like I鈥檇 be a number because there are so many people there.鈥�

The smaller classes sizes means more personal attention and coaching from faculty members.

Nielsen said she was impressed by how much effort Dr. Mike Eckerty, assistant professor of music, invested in recruiting non-music majors to participate in 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 various bands. 鈥淗e鈥檚 great at that,鈥� she said.

At 蘑菇传媒, Nielsen performed with the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Saxophone Quartet and even played a recorder at the Madrigal dinners.

鈥淚 was involved in every single instrument ensemble you can think of,鈥� she said.

Nielsen says 蘑菇传媒 did a great job of preparing her for a teaching career by lining up opportunities with area high schools to help out with their bands.

鈥淲e were thrown in front of a high school jazz band and were there to work with them an entire semester,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey invited us back the next year. It鈥檚 great experience.鈥�

Nielsen said she has been encouraging her youngster sister to attend 蘑菇传媒.

鈥淔or me, it was a great experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 going to live on campus at first. But I did, and I wouldn鈥檛 change that for anything. I became best friends with my roommate. I鈥檓 about to be maid of honor at one of my roommate鈥檚 wedding.鈥�

As much as she loves her teaching job, Nielsen said there鈥檚 one thing that might lure her away 鈥� the chance to relive her 蘑菇传媒 experience.

鈥淚 seriously miss it every single day,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wish I could live there all the time.鈥�