The program is the first four-year program offered by Snow College. It is expected that classes will begin in August with the first graduates expected in May 2014.
Snow College President Scott Wyatt sais, "This is an historic day for Snow College. We are thrilled with the outcome.”
Dr. Vance Larsen, Dean of the Fine Arts Division, said the process of getting a proposal ready has been a lot of work but extremely rewarding.
“This is an exciting time for us,” he said. “We have worked very hard to provide a proposal that we believe will meet the needs of the students.”
Preparing the proposal and ensuring that Snow College was ready for a bachelor’s degree has been a multi-year process. It included the development of a 15-member advisory board, which includes world-class musicians and educators from across the country.
Dr. Laurie Carter, vice president of the Juilliard School in New York, serves on that advisory group and has been part of a collaboration with Snow College for the past eight years. She said the program is unique in that it is not solely focused on music.
“It is really a cutting-edge proposal in that it encompasses entrepreneurship,” said Carter. “I feel honored to be here.”
Dr. Steve Meredith, chair of the Music Department at Snow College, commended Dr. Carter and the Juilliard School for their help with the program. The Juilliard School, which has been in collaboration with Snow College for eight years, helped focus the proposal, said Meredith.
“We expect to have students starting in the fall as juniors,” said Meredith. “We have a lot of work to do but are very excited for the path.”
Meredith said one of the main challenges is to move the program forward with the expected enrollment for the first year.
“We are a little late to recruit students,” said Meredith.
With the idea that the program could be approved, Meredith believes that there are still a large number of students who will enroll.
“I am very excited for the program,” said Carlie Hansen, a vocal performance student from Cedar Hills and a current Snow College student. “My plan was to transfer, but now I can stay here. I love Snow so it is perfect for me.”
The program will have three areas of focus: music performance, music production and songwriting/composition. All three will begin in the fall. It is expected that both Snow College students and transfer students will participate in the program
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