Whitener Foundation grant funds music therapy scholarship

Posted June 29, 2015 at 11:37 a.m.

BOONE—A $5,000 grant from the Whitener Foundation will fund a music therapy scholarship in Appalachian State University’s Hayes School of Music.

The scholarship for a rising junior or senior music therapy major will be this fall based on the recipient’s academic, musical and clinical excellence as well as financial need. The $2,500-per-year scholarship can be renewed a second year.

“This new scholarship highlights the stature of Appalachian’s program in the ever-growing field of music therapy, and it will recognize the achievements and dedication of our remarkable young scholars as they complete their degrees and move toward their next steps in the profession,” said Dr. Bill Pelto, dean of the Hayes School of Music.

The Whitener Foundation is based in Morganton and managed by the Whitener Family. Ed Whitener, a 1971 Appalachian alumnus, is a member of the Hayes School of Music Advisory Board.

The Bachelor of Music in music therapy degree provides skilled musicians with opportunities to develop the expertise to use music as board-certified music therapists within a therapeutic relationship to meet the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals. The program’s approximately 55 students come to Appalachian from throughout the U.S. Its graduates serve the region and nation in professional health care and special education settings.

The school also offers a Master of Music Therapy degree.

Nearly 100 percent of program graduates have passed the national board certification exam and achieved job placement within music therapy. Alumni of the program are leaders in professional healthcare, special education and private practice settings throughout the United States.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.