Luther Was the Right Choice

When Lindsay was looking for a college, she wanted a school with a great music program in a smaller community where she could completely absorb the college experience. “Luther definitely fit that bill, and when I visited for my audition, everyone was so welcoming. It felt like a place where I would be viewed as an individual that would have a place and a purpose.”

Experiences Help Pave Career Path

Lindsay majored in music with the goal to work in arts management. “I worked as a programming assistant for the Luther Center Stage Series during the school year and my summer internships focused on community outreach, advocacy, production, and marketing,” she says.

After Luther, Lindsay’s first full-time job was as assistant director of the performing arts series at a university in Ohio. “For more than two years, I've been in charge of marketing and communications for the Cathedral Choral Society in Washington, D.C., a 140-voice volunteer chorus in residence at Washington National Cathedral.”

Prepared for Life After Graduation

Lindsay says everything about her time at Luther including her music experiences, classes outside of her major, and work study encouraged her to be a critical and curious person. “I particularly valued that all of my professors outside of music encouraged me to excel,” she says. “It helped me become much more of a well-rounded thinker than if I had gone to a school where the focus was exclusively on music. I also valued that there were so many opportunities outside of the classroom to cultivate myself as a leader.”

Found Support in Music Department

Lindsay felt that Luther's music department was an incredibly helpful place to start her experience and career in arts management. “During my junior year, I worked with a fellow music student to create what would become Water Street Music Series, a small arts non-profit that presents collaborative performances featuring Luther and Decorah artists,” she says. “Launching something like this while still a student was a completely insane concept but we were happy to have professors who supported us, offered advice, and signed on to be involved.”

She’s grateful that she experienced an environment that encouraged and cultivated this kind of creativity. “As a graduate, I still co-direct this organization, and we provide opportunities for Luther students to work alongside us as interns,” she says. “Because of this, I am still learning from the mentors in Luther's music department and they continue to have a positive impact on my life.”

What Lindsay liked best is that Luther’s music department made her feel welcomed, nurtured, and challenged. “At Luther, your individual talents and contributions are valued and your fellow music students will be friends and collaborators, not competitors,” she says. She also appreciated that she had so many opportunities to refine her skills through lessons and ensemble rehearsals. “The sense of communal accomplishment when all of that hard work results in a fantastic performance will be some of the best memories of your Luther experience.”