The East Lansing home where Henry and Phyllis Nelson raised their children and lived for decades is full of musical reminders. There's the tuba in the living room -- at the ready for rehearsal -- and the flute, piccolo, and baritone saxophone in a back room. And there's a stack of songbooks and vocal instruction manuals that Phyllis Nelson left after she died last September at age 85. Soon after Henry, 87, sits down to talk about his life the phone rings; a member of the seniors band he directs wants to confirm this week's performance at a local retirement center.
 
A lifetime of interesting experiences were "all through music," Henry says, and he's found a way to give back and to honor his late wife of 63 years. The Henry M. and Phyllis J. Nelson Endowed Scholarship in Music Education will be given to undergraduate students in the Music Education area of Michigan State University's College of Music. The goal is to annually fund two deserving students who participate in a College of Music ensemble, such as band, orchestra or chorale.
 
The Nelsons both graduated from the music education program at then-Michigan State College in the 1940s and went on to distinguished teaching careers -- she in vocal music, he in band. They were named Michigan teachers of the year in their fields in the same year, 1978.
 
The university and its music education program remain near and dear to Henry's heart and he's especially mindful of helping students who may not have the financial means to pursue their love of teaching music to others. He remembers how hard he and his wife worked to get through school. "Without sounding too altruistic," says Henry, "if you can help someone, you do.  We believe in higher education." Read more...

Shown above: Henry Nelson

After a lifetime devoted to music and music education, professor emeritus, former scholarship recipient, and alumnus Dr. Dale Bartlett recently created two endowments to fund scholarships for students in the College of Music. Through his gifts, he hopes to return some of the pleasure and success he and his family have enjoyed through their long association with Michigan State University.

"We are so grateful to Dale as he completes a wonderful 'circle of life' at MSU -- from student to valued faculty member, mentor, and administrator, to retirement and significant donor," says Dean Jim Forger. "The endowments he has created will recognize and support talented and worthy students in the College of Music for generations to come. There could not be a finer legacy."

The Helen R. Bartlett Endowed Scholarship in Choral Conducting honors Dale's wife Helen. As a teen she dreamed of becoming a pianist but instead studied business at what was then Michigan State College, later earning a degree in human ecology. She served as executive director of the MSU Community Cooperative Nursery before beginning an 18-year career with the State of Michigan. Singing in the MSU Choral Union served as a weekly respite she cherished for 29 years until her death in 2007. 
           
The Dale L. Bartlett Endowed Scholarship in French Horn honors Dale's many ties with the music program. With his eye on a career as a high school band director, Dale attended MSC in the early '50s, thanks in part to scholarships. He taught in public schools while completing a master's degree. The school's faculty recommended him for a French horn teaching position at the University of Kansas, where he earned a PhD. He returned to East Lansing to join the MSU faculty in 1969.
           
During many of his years on the MSU faculty, Dale's administrative responsibilities as assistant/associate chairperson included managing the scholarship program for the School of Music, a role that gave him a deep appreciation of the need for financial aid. "My MSC/MSU education certainly led to my ability to progress in my profession and to teach at a prestigious institution such as Michigan State," he said. "To teach at the institution where I received both my bachelor's and master's degrees makes this endowment even more special for me." The Bartlett family connections to Michigan State University span generations. Helen's father was an alumnus, as are both of the Bartletts' sons.
           
Shown above: Dale Bartlett (middle) with College of Music students Zachary Durlam, a doctoral student in conducting, and Michael Wright, a junior studying music education.

 

It's no secret that tough times are upon us, yet earning a degree has never been more important. For some Michigan families, the burden of covering tuition costs have put some MSU students in the difficult position of having to take on more than one job or of being forced to take a semester or more off from their studies. This was a situation that one donor couple, who have been generous supporters of the arts at MSU for many years, wanted to help change. So in December 2009, they made a $5,000 gift in support of an emergency scholarship award intended to assist a College of Music student facing significant challenges to staying in school due to the state of the Michigan economy. After careful consideration by a college selection committee, Demetrius White, a talented music education senior and Spartan Marching Band percussionist, was chosen to receive this special scholarship.
 
"This generous scholarship will allow me to confidently continue my studies and graduate in December 2010," says Demetrius. "The opportunity to become a music educator who is passionate about both music and the development of the lives of students will enable me to give back and positively influence society as a whole. Words cannot express my gratitude and appreciate of this unexpected scholarship award."
 
"I was so pleased to learn about the scholarship Demetrius received," says Jon Weber, visiting instructor of percussion. "He is a hardworking student who is following his calling to be a music educator. This scholarship has allowed him to have a healthier balance between his class and work schedules as he completes his degree program."

Shown here, from left to right: Jim Forger, dean of the College of Music; Demetrius White; Ben Ebener, admissions director of the College of Music.

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