School of Music students hone skills at summer internships across the nation and abroad

After completing finals this past May, close to 75 Liberty University School of Music students scattered across the country and overseas to experience life outside of college through internships pertaining to their specific areas of musical study.

“We have been blessed with an ever-growing network of industry partners who receive our students with enthusiasm,” School of Music Dean Dr. Stephen Müller said. “For many, the internship is where the specifics of their career choices are articulated.”

From Blackbird Studios in Nashville to Waymaker Ministries in Greece, this summer’s internship opportunities continued to build off of the school’s legacy of maximizing industry partnerships. Liberty interns receive assistance from the School of Music in finding an internship in their specific area of interest.

“One of the distinctive (aspects) of our music degrees is that students have the opportunity to do an internship, and this is built into the degree,” Müller said. “Our internships offer industry specific, on-the-job training in churches, schools, recording studios, and arts organizations.”

Students brought the love of Christ to many different realms of the music world this summer in 15 states and in three countries, all while learning how to apply what they have learned in college to professional life.

“You can be taught things all the time and be told how things work but until you actually do it, it doesn’t always make sense,” senior commercial music: film scoring student Talitha Armbrust said. “Learning how things work in the outside world and having people expect things from you not just because you need to get an A in a certain report has definitely been different but also great.”

Armbrust is spending her summer in the Lynchburg area interning with Ryan Thomas Studios, assisting producers.

“Liberty has prepared me in that it gave me the knowledge to know how to do things without having much guidance during my internship,” she said. “It’s been helpful because I haven’t had to ask how to do a whole lot.”

Rising senior and music and worship student Evan Hasker has spent his summer interning with First Baptist Church of Arnold near Kansas City, Mo.

“I’ve felt called since I was about 12 years old to be a worship pastor, and so that is where I know that God has called me to be,” he said. “Why I am here is to be able to see not only how Sunday morning and Wednesday nights go from a staff perspective, but also to be here throughout the week, making phone calls, visiting people, and doing a lot of the shepherding side of things.”

Hasker said he has enjoyed the challenge and the unknowns of living in a new city.

“It’s definitely different because when you’re at Liberty you’re with your friends all the time and I’ve been blessed with a great group of guys from the School of Music where it is an iron-sharpening-iron type of situation,” he said. “Coming out here, I didn’t know anybody, and so it’s really been interesting to grow in relationships and connect with the people here.”

Hasker said the knowledge he has gained at Liberty has greatly benefited him this summer as he helps lead worship every Wednesday and Sunday and works in the church office throughout the week.

“Liberty’s the place where you get the training that you need, but you also get to meet people that are amazing,” he said. “At a lot of other schools you get training that you need in the field that you want to pursue, but you don’t always get to meet the people that you need to meet. All the professors are always looking out for you and are always looking out for your best interests and making sure that you are well equipped for kingdom purposes.”