“I want to become one of the people who students looked up to, and are influenced by. I want to become a teacher who is able to provide great opportunities outside of the classroom for students to explore music, along with the other arts, and channel their inner creativity.”
Tyler Wyche, a music education major from Columbus, Ohio, has always loved and been very active in music and the arts.
“One of the main groups and experiences that influenced my decision to pursue Music Education was being a part of the All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir in between my junior and senior year, and the summer after I graduated High School,” Wyche recalls. “Being a part of an experience where music was able to create immediate, life-lasting, amazing bonds between people who had only met days before the fairgrounds opened showed me how strong a force music could be. I want to become one of the people who students looked up to, and are influenced by. I want to become a teacher who is able to provide great opportunities outside of the classroom for students to explore music, along with the other arts, and channel their inner creativity. Ultimately, I want to be able to continue to encourage future generations to see the importance of music in our lives.”
After graduation, Wyche plans to teach, and he hopes to have the same kind of impact on his future students that the late Ann McGree, an inspiring member of campus, had on him.
“Ann was the most kind-hearted, genuine, sweet, optimistic person that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Even on days when the weather was horrible, Ann would find some joy in the day. She never let you slip through the CDR without complimenting something you were wearing, your smile, your personality, or just telling you how wonderful of a person you are. Because of her, I became more open-minded and am now able to find the ‘silver lining’ in even some of the worst situations.”
As he reflects on his accomplishments during his years at Wittenberg, Wyche shares a few words of wisdom for future students:
“Wittenberg is a university that sticks out and stands out from every other university and college that you could consider. From the typical things that are mentioned like small classroom sizes, friendly students and staff, and great variety of activities to be engaged in, to those that aren't mentioned as often like the bonds that you form with your professors and fellow classmates, the engagement that Wittenberg has throughout Springfield, and the fact that there is never a boring moment on campus, are all great reasons to come to Wittenberg. No matter what your interests are, where you're from, how you dress, your ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or religion, Wittenberg feels like home.”
