Fine and Performing Arts Department Partners With Nonprofit to Host Music Technology Camp

STEM Career Prep will be at FPAC for a Week-long Music Theory Summer Camp

MEDIA CONTACT: Jonathan Saxon, [email protected], 301-860-3607

(BOWIE, Md.) - Music is the sound that moves us, but a group of students are learning this summer that music theory could serve as a foundation for fruitful careers. At least, that is the hope of Dr. Kristin Sampson, the executive director of STEM Career Prep, a nonprofit which seeks to provide K-12 students with meaningful opportunities for creative exploration, research, and STEM career exposure and preparation.

"STEM Career Prep started the school year before COVID," said Dr. Sampson. "When COVID occurred, we realized we had to switch to a digital platform. That first year, we had four camps. Our whole focus is not to just expose students to science and STEM-based activities but also to their related careers, so they have a better understanding of what to major in during college."

During this latest iteration of the career prep camp, Dr. Sampson decided to partner with Dr. Gilbert Pryor, an associate professor and the music technology coordinator in Bowie State's Department of Fine and Performing Arts.

Dr. Gilbert, a lifelong music enthusiast and accomplished musician in his own right, leapt at the chance to show the camp's current crop of students just how much thought and knowledge goes into music, which he covered during a presentation Monday morning that touched on music history, theory, mathematics and technology.

"I got offered the opportunity to share in this week," said Dr. Pryor. "Today was special. The students' interests in terms of math, science and history were connected to their knowledge with music, either creating beats or enjoying music. Now, the camp gives them an opportunity to show them how music has utilized technology to be a resource to be productive and creative. Within that, those elements of STEM have always been prevalent."

Bowie State senior music technology major Erica Harrell is assisting Dr. Gilbert in teaching the camp this week, and she was filled with ecstatic energy after meeting the students during Monday's first session and getting a chance to share her passion for music with them.

"Today was very exciting. I was happy to meet all of the students," said Harrell. "To listen to them and their interests and see where their minds are, we have a really bright group of students. Something I hope they can take away from this is no matter what they do, they can create something. It doesn't necessarily have to be music."

Dr. Sampson also hopes the camp will develop the students' critical thinking skills, as well as expose them to new, potential career paths they may not have considered before.

"We strive to get the kids excited about STEM," said Dr. Sampson. "Just by practicing critical thinking, it transfers into any type of career. Also, with the exposure to professionals they've often never heard from, such as a speech pathologist, it helps them to even know whether this is something they want to pursue. They haven't had that representation from people that look like them."

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