Dr. Andrew Stetson, the Director of the School of Music at Texas Tech University, pioneered the Music Humanities program to engage students from diverse academic backgrounds and to highlight the importance of music as an essential tool for fostering critical thinking and creativity. “With the advances in technology, it’s clear that creative thought is going to be a commodity in the future, and music is the best way to access creativity,” Stetson explains. “With that as our foundational thought, we are embarking on a plan that opens our doorways to students from across the university so they can experience music and creative activity firsthand. We think it will change their lives and help build a better future for all of us!”
Change is something that Stetson has embraced. He transformed the reputation of the School of Music into one based on cohesiveness, forward-looking vision and trust. How did he accomplish this? “Two words: Open Door,” he says matter-of-factly. “I make a point of being available to everyone and try to make sure I’m accessible for questions, etc. We also post all information from meetings so everyone can see how decisions are developed. That blend of accessibility and transparency help us build a more cohesive unit.”
Stetson applied this same productive attitude to enrollment practices and growing the school’s donor base. ”Communication is always number one. One of the strengths of our program, and something I try to embody, is that we over communicate with everyone,” he says. “Our potential students hear from us constantly, our donors know what we’re up to every day. In this way, we let people know what’s going on, but we also let them know that we care about them and that we want them to join us and be a part of what we are doing.”
Through outreach, Stetson was able to connect Texas Tech with the surrounding community. “The best part about our community program is that it didn’t need any kind of launch,” he says with a smile. “Lubbock is a thriving arts community, and many of the programs already existed. All I did was reach out to the people in charge and look for ways Texas Tech could help.”
Many of these programs simply needed a home or a space to perform that was affordable, and Texas Tech was in a position to provide that. “After a few years, we moved from an existing community chorale program to now partnering with a local civic orchestra and a community concert band,” Stetson explains. “I love seeing the community come to our building to attend our concerts and engage with music in a more direct way.”
