College of Liberal Arts
Cody Webb chose ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ for its affordability and close-to-home convenience. Along the way, he discovered a supportive music department, meaningful teaching experiences and the confidence to pursue a career in music education. Read on to learn more about Cody's ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ journey.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Cody Webb. I'm a double major in music performance (clarinet) and music education, and something about me is that I like to fish.
What brought you to ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ, and what made you decide it was the right place for you?
What brought me to ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ is that I'm from Fairbanks, so it was close to home, and I was able to receive a lot of financial aid. That's why it was the right place for me.
I didn't really know where I wanted to go until my senior year, but as soon as I saw the scholarship offers I received, I was like, "I kind of need to go here."
In your own words, why study the liberal arts?
I think, for me, studying the liberal arts is appealing because of the broad education you get from them. The world changes a lot, and even by the time I graduate, it could be completely different. I think having a robust skill set will prepare me for life.
What has your experience in the Department of Music been like, and what makes it special?
My experience with this department has been nothing but positive. I think one of the things that makes it stand out is how small it is. It's very easy to get individualized attention from our professors, and it's really easy to make friends. Most of us get along pretty well.
How has your time at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ changed you, either academically, personally, or professionally?
My time at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ has changed me, especially professionally. Before college, I didn't really have much responsibility other than coursework. Since coming to ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ, I've learned that when I get emails, I need to respond to them in a timely manner.
You don't have as many people holding your hand when you're in college, so learning to be responsible has been a big thing for me, too.
What’s one experience at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ that really stands out to you, and why?
That's a hard question to answer, but if I had to pick one, I'd say being part of NAfME, the National Association for Music Education. We got to attend a music educators conference in Anchorage, and getting to experience that with the other members, especially since it was my first conference, was really exciting.
There were presentations from teachers in the Anchorage School District, and a lot of the topics were things you don't really learn in a music education program. There's a lot to fit into a music education degree, and there's just not enough time to cover everything. Getting to hear from practicing teachers and have my questions answered was really helpful.
What are you excited about next, and how has ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ prepared you for it?
I'm excited to become a future educator. One of the things I think the music education program has done really well is give students hands-on teaching experience.
I think in a lot of programs around the country, you don't really start teaching until your senior year, when you're student teaching. Last semester, I taught at the Bunnell House developmental preschool as part of one of my classes, and that experience was really eye-opening. It showed me how much I really enjoy teaching.
What advice would you give to future ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ students?
I would say one piece of advice I'd give to students is to definitely take things one day at a time. There will be times when you have exams and presentations, and, especially for music students, performances on those same days.
If you think about everything you have to do throughout the whole week, you're going to get so stressed that you're not really going to be productive. Just taking things one day at a time and taking care of your obligations step by step, I think, is really helpful.
Congratulations again to Cody on being recognized as an Outstanding Student. Learn more about the Department of Music and the opportunities available to ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ students, and watch for more Outstanding Student spotlights from the College of Liberal Arts.
