Elizabethtown College is home to all kinds of students with unique experiences and identities, and fourth year music therapy major Zakiyah Grayson is one of those individuals.
Zakiyah keeps themself busy on campus aside from their stacked course schedule. In their free time, they participate in EMotion as a dancer and choreographer, perform and help build sets for the Sock and Buskin theater program, are the treasurer of Alpha Si Omega and the secretary of the Bachelors of Art and Music Association. They also participate in music groups that count as classes such as orchestra, concert choir and Fenice.
When I asked Zakiyah what made them choose Etown as their college, they had a lot to say. They have always wanted to have music in their life, and they also have an interest in psychology, so they naturally gravitated toward music therapy. Zakiyah discovered Etown from a college fair, and when they visited, they said that “Etown has this very homey vibe.” Despite liking Etown, it was not their first pick of college, coming second to another. Nowadays though, Zakiyah is glad they chose Etown due to the small campus vibe this college has.
I questioned Zakiyah about what their favorite aspect of Etown is, and they said that the homey feeling was their favorite quality. Due to the homey vibe and small campus population, they said they have had more opportunities to meet people since the campus is so tightly knit. Along with being close to peers, they said that having a smaller class size makes it easier for them to establish and grow relationships with the professors. The small campus size also lends better opportunities for getting help, be it help from professors or other campus resources.
Knowing how compact the Etown music therapy major is, I questioned Zakiyah about their experience. They said that being a music therapy major can be tough at times. For example, they have never had a semester where they took less than 10 classes. They said there are a lot of required courses which can make them overwhelmed at times. However, they also mentioned how rewarding the fieldwork they do can be, making the course load worth it. Zakiyah enjoys the fieldwork that music therapy majors do, and they especially like the early start they have, starting fieldwork by observing it as a first year.
As someone who uses they/them pronouns, I asked Zakiyah how their identity shapes their campus experience. “A lot of people have been good about it,” Zakiyah said. They specifically recalled their second-year show, and how accepting the cast mates were, even when Zakiyah was still finding themself. Zakiyah also noted how many individuals they have met on campus that identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
This openness and seeing others like them surprised them in a good way, thinking that made Etown cooler overall.
The last question I asked was something every graduate student is familiar with: what are your plans for after? Zakiyah said they must do a 6–7-month internship, but they are not sure if they will go straight into it. Zakiyah wants to branch out and go further from home, but they are unsure if the internship will be paid, so that may complicate things. After Zakiyah does their internship, they would like to work in public schools. They want to improve access to mental health services in public schools by being the change they want to see.
Zakiyah’s enjoyed their time at Etown overall. “I’m going to miss being able to join so many clubs and doing a lot of activities, as well as the people,” Zakiyah said.
