{"id":23081,"date":"2026-07-13T14:42:03","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T18:42:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/?p=23081"},"modified":"2026-07-13T14:42:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T18:42:03","slug":"the-sound-of-student-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/the-sound-of-student-life\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sound of Student Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Music is everywhere on campus. It leaks out of classrooms and dorm rooms, off stages and into late-night conversations. It shows up in majors that have nothing to do with it\u2014and everything to do with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These students offer a glimpse of that. A lead singer chasing a chorus. A DJ reading a room. A songwriter starting with nothing and seeing what sticks. No single path, no single sound. Just a campus where music keeps finding its way in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s Been “Unforgettable”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hana McKinney fell in love with music early\u2014\u201cfrom the very first moment\u201d her mother introduced her to classical music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt captivated my mind and allowed me to feel every emotion at once,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen I first performed on stage, I knew it was something I wanted to do forever.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

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By her early teens, McKinney had formed the band Hana and the Sisters, performing alongside her four sisters at venues across the country\u2014eventually opening for the Plain White T\u2019s at the World Team Tennis All-Star Event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now a songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist, she\u2019s building on that passion at Monmouth, where she\u2019s pursuing a career in music law while balancing life as a Division I tennis player. While playing tennis and performing both demand discipline and repetition, music offers her something a bit different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMusic gives me a constant sense of exuberance,\u201d she says. \u201cIt is something that never fades.\u201d Currently, she performs as a co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Corine Rose, a band she formed in 2024 with fellow Hawk Sarah Fedak. It was with that group that she experienced one of her most memorable moments at Monmouth\u2019s Battle of the Bands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we hit the chorus of \u2018Shut up and dance!\u2019 we pointed our mics toward the crowd, and they screamed it back at us,\u201d she says. \u201cFor a moment, everyone in that room felt like part of our band. It was unforgettable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A Stroke of Luck<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Will Horn and his indie rock band, the Blackouts, took a chance. About a year after forming and building a local following, the group cold-emailed Gordon Raphael, the producer best known for his work on The Strokes\u2019 early records. To their surprise, he responded within two days, inviting them to record with him in Leeds, UK. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Will<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A few months later, they were in Leeds, recording 12 songs in four days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGordon is an exceptionally supportive collaborator,\u201d says Horn. \u201cWhether he was suggesting harmonies, refining guitar parts, or offering structural feedback, his focus was always on achieving the strongest possible outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closer to home, Horn has played iconic venues including The Stone Pony in Asbury Park and The Bitter End in New York City. Offstage, you\u2019ll find him taking in friends\u2019 gigs or catching shows in the city. \u201cMusic is a constant presence in my life,\u201d he says. \u201cThe local scene offers endless opportunities to learn, perform, and connect.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s in the classroom where things have really clicked for him. A senior music industry major, Horn says what he\u2019s learning about licensing, marketing, and artist development has enabled him \u201cto better protect my work, advocate for myself, and navigate an industry that can often be complex and challenging.\u201d After graduation, he aims to take that knowledge into a managerial role, supporting and guiding artists as they build their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Writing Her Own Verse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Sami Khatri, music has always been more than something to enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have always felt a strong connection to music from a young age,\u201d she says, noting how that feeling deepened after a difficult transition to a new school. \u201cI turned to music and performance as an escape. I began writing music and started to view it as an art instead of just a hobby.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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That mindset shows up in everything she does at Monmouth\u2014both creatively and in the leadership roles she\u2019s taken on. She founded and led the Shadow Writers Songwriting Club, performed with MU Players, choreographed productions, and contributed her original song, \u201cBurden Like Me,\u201d to a Blue Hawk Records release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wrote \u2018Burden Like Me\u2019 as the most honest and vulnerable version of myself\u2014I didn\u2019t care if the lyrics were silly or if people would like it,\u201d she says. \u201cI just wanted to create something that was unapologetically me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Khatri says taking on a variety of leadership roles has helped boost her confidence, leading her to pursue a minor in leadership communication, and inspiring her to continue pursuing choreography post-graduation. Whatever she ends up pursuing next, she says she\u2019s driven in part by a desire to create space for others like her to feel seen\u2014using music and performance to show up as herself in ways she didn\u2019t always see growing up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a little girl, all I wanted was to see someone who looked like me on my TV,\u201d she says. \u201cEvery time I walk into class or step on stage, I\u2019m reminded that I am putting in the work to make my dreams come true because I know there are people out there who need to see it. We deserve to see people who look like us chasing their dreams, and I hope to be a part of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Turning Ideas into Sound<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Portrait<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Kylensky Miracle is interested in how creativity and collaboration turn ideas into something real. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That thinking is behind the SongWriter Series, a competition he created through Blue Hawk Records that challenges students to write original songs in 30 minutes. Groups are given a theme, build something from scratch, and see it through to a finished track, with the winning song released as a single. \u201cThe storytelling that music creates fascinates me,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A junior finance major and honors student, Miracle is drawn to projects where he can contribute both creatively and analytically, something he\u2019s found as vice president of BHR. \u201cI never would have thought that such a variety of majors could come together to cultivate a community that celebrates and produces music we love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He hopes to bring that same approach to a career in film production. If given the chance to start tomorrow, he\u2019d tell a story rooted in his Haitian heritage, following someone growing up in a less fortunate country and finding their way forward. A first-generation American, he sees that kind of story as both personal and universal. \u201cIt\u2019s important to tell stories like this because they provide the world with a sense of compassion and understanding.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

She Picks the Songs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Growing up, Kaitlyn Sullivan\u2019s house was filled with music\u2014her dad played classic rock, her mom leaned toward yacht rock and \u201990s bands, and mornings often started with MTV music videos playing a rotation of everyone\u2019s favorites, including her own go-to: 2000s pop. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cI was exposed to a lot of different genres growing up,\u201d she says, noting that she has one Spotify playlist that is 23 hours and 39 minutes long\u2014a testament to her broad musical taste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That early exposure led Sullivan, a communication major focused on media studies and production, to get involved with WMCX 88.9 FM, Monmouth\u2019s student-run radio station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now in her second year as music director, she plays a key role in shaping what students hear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWMCX exposes students to music that they might not have heard before, whether from record companies or just older songs, but we still also play their favorites,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s a good mix of old and new.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the role, Sullivan helps build the station\u2019s music catalog, charts new tracks, connects with record labels, hosts shows, and helps plan events\u2014giving her hands-on experience in both media and the music industry. Beyond the day-to-day, she enjoys being able to share music with others and introduce listeners to something new. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lately, that\u2019s meant keeping Megan Moroney\u2019s \u201cWedding Dress\u201d on repeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Keys to Cues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jeffrey Mendez remembers the moment he realized music could be more than a hobby. In 2021, he made a last-minute decision to enter a Twitch beat mixing competition hosted by multi-platinum producer SuperStarO\u2014and won.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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\u201cThat experience changed my perspective and helped me see that what I had been building was more than just a passion, it was something real, beginning to take shape,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A senior music industry major, Mendez is both a producer and pianist\u2014leading projects for Blue Hawk Records, overseeing studio production, and collaborating with artists across campus and beyond, including through his own company, SPVTIAL STVDIOS\u2122.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether he\u2019s performing at university events or working behind the scenes, he sees his two main passions\u2014live performance and studio production\u2014as two sides of the same coin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I am performing live on piano, I approach it almost like production in real time\u2014I am reading the room, shaping dynamics, and building arrangements on the spot,\u201d he says. \u201cThe live experience sharpens my instincts as a producer. It strengthens my sense of arrangement, dynamics, and storytelling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That focus on storytelling is also what drives his interest in pursuing a career in sync licensing\u2014the art of placing music in film, television, and video games. Building on that interest, he has created opportunities for other students through The World of Sync, a panel series that connects emerging creatives with industry professionals across film, television, gaming, and media\u2014offering insight into how music is placed and experienced at the highest level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe best sync placements create something bigger,\u201d Mendez says, pointing to recognizable sounds like the Super Mario Bros. theme. \u201cThey spark conversations, connect people across the world, and become part of how we remember moments in culture. What excites me is the opportunity to be part of those cultural moments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

His \u201cthoughts arrive in symphony\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It was the Beatles that hooked Elijah Elias. Introduced to the Fab Four at a young age by his parents, he knew then he wanted to be a musician. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Elijah<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Now a sophomore, the singer-songwriter describes his writing process as instinctive: \u201cI start with chords and a melody off the top of my head. And I\u2019ve found that if I don’t start singing as soon as I have my chords down, then I won’t come out of it with a song.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No surprise: He cites the Beatles, specifically Paul McCartney, as his biggest influence. \u201cHe has a way of blending beautiful melodies with out-of-the-ordinary chord progressions. That has inspired me to challenge my own writing in these ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it was another rock icon who recently took notice of Elias. The music industry major contributed to Blue Hawk Records\u2019 \u201cRunaway American Dream\u201d EP, which featured reimagined versions of songs from Bruce Springsteen\u2019s \u201cBorn to Run.\u201d Elias is pictured on the album\u2019s cover, and a smiling Springsteen was photographed holding the CD<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s surreal to think that, in some capacity, Bruce knows who I am.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monmouth has helped him grow as a musician, he says. \u201cI used to be afraid of performing or showing people my music. Now, I have friends who push me to share and continue my musical journey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never was that clearer than during a recent Blue Hawk release show, when the crowd sang along to his performance of his own song, \u201cSave My Soul.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was my \u2018Why I\u2019m here\u2019 moment,\u201d says Elias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

When It Lands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When Julianna Chesla was a little girl, she often found herself performing on the biggest stage she knew\u2014her living room.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cWith help from karaoke tracks on my iPad and decked in my grandmother\u2019s accessories, I played any part I put my mind to,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing her passion for performance, Chesla\u2019s parents signed her up for school musicals and
vocal lessons. At 13, she had what she calls her \u201clight bulb\u201d moment, falling in love with performing while playing the lovable French candlestick Lumi\u00e8re in her middle school\u2019s production of Beauty and the Beast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Monmouth, she\u2019s worn a number of hats within MU Players\u2014from acting and costuming to directing. This past spring, she made history as the first student to direct a MainStage production with Play On!, an experience that allowed the English and education major to lean into her natural storytelling abilities and delve deep into character development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I read a script, I see beyond what is written on the page,\u201d she says. \u201cIt is up for interpretation how a character talks, walks, and responds to others\u2014who they are as a person. That is what makes a story.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While directing was a \u201cthrilling\u201d experience, Chesla says one of her most memorable moments at Monmouth came while performing in Into the Woods last fall, where she was cast as one of her dream roles: the Witch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI used the emotions I felt in my own life to express the Witch\u2019s own grief\u2014and it worked,\u201d she says, drawing from the loss of her mother. \u201cThe audience reaction to \u2018Witch\u2019s Lament\u2019 was palpable. By the end of the show, there wasn\u2019t a dry eye in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Mixing it Live<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Victor Davidson, aka DJ Vic, doesn\u2019t script his sets.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Victor<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI never plan what I\u2019m going to play,\u201d he says. \u201cYou go out there not blindfolded, but unaware of the future. And that\u2019s when you start to DJ.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playing shows from Baltimore to New York City, Davidson reads the room in real time, scanning the crowd and adjusting on the fly. He comes prepared with music for different situations, able to pivot depending on the energy in front of him. The goal is simple: \u201cMake people dance,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s not optional.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online, Davidson has built an audience across TikTok and SoundCloud, landing partnerships with McDonald\u2019s and Twitch. There\u2019s no crowd to read; here, it\u2019s more about \u201cshowcasing your creativity,\u201d he says. What works online doesn\u2019t always translate live, but the connection still matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the reason my community consistently shows up is because I actively engage with people, talk to them, share advice when I can,\u201d he says. \u201cI treat people like people, not like fans. That goes a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Just Play<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sophomore Leo Hernandez has his sights set on law school and a career in entertainment law, where he hopes to work with artists and record labels on contracts, rights, and negotiations. To prepare, he\u2019s pursuing a double major: his political science classes focus on policy, ethics, and regulation, while his music industry classes show how records are produced, marketed, and released.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Leo
Leo Hernandez is one of the first two recipients of the David J. Steinberg and Thomas R. Bell Endowed Scholarship, which supports students pursuing careers in the music business. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

His Record Label Strategies class gave him an early look at how both worlds come together. Students find artists, produce an LP, and manage the rollout. The work moves between creative collaboration and the legal and logistical details that make a release possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a double major, I have two drastically different workloads, and there\u2019s never a time I don\u2019t have an assignment due,\u201d he says. \u201cMusic helps me power through; it\u2019s the backbone to my mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hernandez, who plays guitar in the death metal band Paradigm NJ, says there\u2019s nothing quite like performing on stage. But the quieter moments are just as meaningful to him. During a recent dorm room jam, he played electric guitar while a friend was on acoustic and another drummed on a pizza box using jazz brushes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was one of those moments where I realized, \u2018This is exactly why I love music so much,\u2019\u201d says Hernandez. \u201cNone of us were talking; we just played and were completely present in that moment.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In Sync Since the Fourth Grade<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Besties since elementary school, seniors Daphne Valenzuela and Camryn Moschitta have been making music together just as long\u2014through band, choir, musical theater, and now as four-year members of Monmouth\u2019s Pep Band. Health studies and computer science majors, respectively, the duo says music is central to their Monmouth experience: a creative outlet, a stress release, and a shared connection that carries into everything they do together.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Daphne
Daphne Valenzuela (left) and Camryn Moschitta have been performing together since fourth grade.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The two started performing together in fourth grade band and choir and kept it going through high school, where they were in jazz band and part of their school\u2019s production of \u201cFreaky Friday.\u201d By the time they arrived at Monmouth, neither was ready to stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They joined Pep Band during freshman year, eventually stepping into leadership roles as officers. Valenzuela serves as wind captain, helping lead rehearsals and warm-ups, while Moschitta works as the band\u2019s spirit officer, helping keep the energy high during games and events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGame days are my absolute favorite, especially basketball season,\u201d says Valenzuela. \u201cI love presenting ourselves as the band to everyone at the game and hearing them cheer for us and compliment our music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That energy is part of what\u2019s kept both students involved over the past four years, especially during annual trips to the Coastal Athletic Association basketball tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe energy during the tournament is so different compared to the rest [of the time],\u201d says Moschitta. \u201cThis is like the leading-up moment to everything we had played thus far and where it all really counts.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of Pep Band, both have stayed involved in music and theater through MU Players, Sea Sharps, jazz band, and as members of the pit orchestra for the music and theatre arts department\u2019s recent production of \u201cInto the Woods.\u201d Neither is a music major, but both say those creative outlets became an important balance alongside demanding coursework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cParticipating in the Pep Band and the theater has given me a chance to relax over stressful schoolwork,\u201d says Moschitta. \u201cI also feel like it gives me an opportunity to shine and enjoy myself.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their friendship extends well beyond rehearsals and performances. There are nights when Moschitta shares demos of songs she\u2019s writing while Valenzuela talks through choreography ideas inspired by whatever music is playing in the residence hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two have also become each other\u2019s biggest supporters. Moschitta calls Valenzuela \u201can amazing leader\u201d whose \u201cenergy is contagious,\u201d while Valenzuela says Moschitta \u201calways brings the hype and energy to the games.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even when they\u2019re not performing, the two remain in sync. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love being able to share my college experience with her and I\u2019m so happy to have her as my best friend,\u201d says Moschitta.\u201cOften the best part of my day is performing with my best friend,\u201d says Valenzuela.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Twelve students share how music shapes their Monmouth experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":23364,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"image_focus":"{\"x\":46,\"y\":44}","hide_title":"on","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features"],"thumbnail":"\"\"","catString":"Features","issue":"Spring\/Summer 2026","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23081","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23081"}],"version-history":[{"count":42,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23424,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23081\/revisions\/23424"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23364"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}