Just as classes, semesters and grades change, so do the faculty and staff at Winthrop University. With these changes come new leaders with new experiences and those experiences can help enrich students experiences. The music department recently announced Elisa Koehler as the new department chair, meaning that the current chair, Don Rogers, will retire after this semester.
Rogers has been with the department for over 23 years. He has been able to see countless students enter and graduate. Rogers is credited by Winthrop as “having elevated the department of music to one of the best in the southeast.” Current students have expressed their sadness about Rogers’ retirement but also expressed their good memories of him.
“It is sad that Rovers is leaving but he did amazing things for the music department,” senior music education major Alex Sisk said. “He cared so much about how each one of us were doing. He was very personable with students he would come out into the lobby frequently to just get away from his desk and strike up a conversation with us and see how things were going. He wanted to provide us with the best that he could offer, whether that be bringing in guests from other establishments to do master classes and or what not. Overall he took pride in the department he established and he cared about the accomplishments of all of us and wanted nothing but for us to be better.”
Sophomore music major Michelle Studer has also been impacted by Rogers.
“He always does his best to fight for what the students need for classes weather it’s overrides or even sometimes just checking in with us when he sees us in the hallway. He walks through the lobby with a smile on his face,” Studer said.
Koehler will replace Rogers as the department chair beginning Aug. 1. Koehler is currently a professor of music and director of the Center for Dance, Music and Theatre at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland.
Koehler expressed her excitement about joining the music department as the new chair and shared what students can expect.
“Students can expect me to be laser focused on their needs and I am eager to get to know them,” Kohler said.
The new chair also mentioned some plans and procedures she would like to implement in the music department.
“Some of the things that I would like to accomplish for the music department include a series of career development workshops for music majors, outreach to alumni, increased transparency in budget management for faculty, and strengthening the string education and orchestra programs on campus. I am also excited to work with Dean Jeff Bellantoni to support plans for the new SMaR+T building in any way I can,” Koehler said.
A change in leadership is coming to Winthrop’s music department this fall. While Rogers is sure to be missed, he will certainly not be forgotten. Koehler’s plans for the music department seem promising and are sure to honor Rogers’ legacy of engagement and wanting what is best for music students.
