CAS CONNECT 2014

11 While Bovenschen works primarily with the percussionists, Lorenzo spends much of his time planning and rehearsing the logistics of the band’s formations. The recent turf replacement at Boone Pickens stadium and the addition of the Sherman E. Smith practice facility help provide some of the best practice and perfor- mance areas for a marching band in the country. The new facilities are a marked improvement from the uneven grounds of the library lawn where the band used to practice. Lorenzo is grateful for the new practice areas, but he would like a prac- tice area that is 100 percent for the band. “We have the same schedules as the football team and other athletic teams,” Lorenzo says. “We’re in constant contact to see if this [a field] is available, and if not, where can we rehearse, but our students have been great in being flexible with that.” other 75 percent will pursue careers that don’t revolve around music, but what the students learn in marching band benefits them in other areas. Students must have a commitment to excellence in order to memorize the music, learn the marching band formations, and do it all at a very high level. That commit- ment to excellence carries over into the workplace, no matter what it is. Villela explains that his experiences in the band taught him to be efficient and responsible. He believes band members understand that things that are worth- while, like the halftime shows or a future promotion, take hard work and invest- ment. The reward isn’t always immediate, and it often takes a lot of dedication. “It certainly does make you look at yourself in the mirror,” Villela says. “In a sense, you represent the program. I appreciate that because it’s really made me ensure that I am the person I want people to see.” Jamie Hadwin In February 2011, Seneca Black Elk Mathews was killed by a drunk driver in an auto accident. He dreamed of attending Oklahoma State University while living near Miami, Okla. As his family continues to recover, they have worked diligently to create something positive from the tragedy, creating an endowed scholarship fund in his name for Native American students at OSU. By all accounts, Mathews burst with positivity and was always there to lend a hand. It is perhaps no surprise, then, that the scholarship fund has attracted generous donors. His parents, J.R. and Beth Mathews, have been at the forefront of these efforts, organizing a tribute concert at a casino, creating a softball tournament and building an annual golf tournament that continues to grow in popularity. Since August 2012, the fund has collected more than $160,000. Each recipient of the scholarship receives $2,500 per year for tuition and books. As of fall 2014, eight scholarships have been awarded, including one for a Native American non-music major in the OSU marching band. Mathews loved the OSUmarching band and music, in general. In fact, he enthusiastically participated in karaoke, though his enthusiasm may have trumped his talent —“You’d have no idea what song he was singing,” his father says. While J.R. may not have been able to identify the song, he and his wife, Beth, can certainly name Seneca’s tune — “caring and giving.” The Seneca Black Elk Mathews scholarship helps that caring and giving spirit live on at OSU. Family creates scholarship Beth and J.R. Mathews BRIAN PETROTTA / A&S Henderson knows the newer facilities appeal to high school recruits when they are considering OSU, but he’d also like to continue focusing on his outreach activi- ties in Oklahoma and surrounding states. OSU participates in 10-15 clinics each spring where band staff will work with a high school band and offer them guid- ance and instruction. It’s a great opportu- nity to talk with students about the OSU band program. Jonathan Villela, music education senior, is in his second year as one of the marching band’s three drum majors, a position that comes with a lot of respon- sibility, including conducting half- time shows. He came to OSU to pursue a degree in pre-health sciences. His participation in the marching band led him to change his major, and now he wants to follow a career path similar to Henderson’s. While Villela is a music education major, on average, only 25 percent of the band is composed of music majors. The