Bronco Spotlight: Anthony Healy

Image of Anthony Healy

Master of Arts, music performance: jazz piano performance

Adjunct Faculty at Western Michigan University

I currently work as an adjunct professor at Western, assisting with the Class Piano and Music Education departments. In addition to my work at Western, I also teach private piano lessons at Crescendo Academy, as well as group piano lessons to grades 2-5 at Spring Valley Elementary in Kalamazoo. This position exists through The Gilmore Education Program. This job is very rewarding as it allows me to give students an opportunity to study the piano that they might not have otherwise. 

What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is having the chance to work with so many different students, all from different backgrounds, all with the same goal of improving their piano playing ability. The most challenging part is trying to give each student exactly what they need, which in a group piano setting can be challenging. Finding the perfect balance between individual attention and progress and meeting curricular goals as a whole class is always the hardest challenge.

If you had a campus job or internship, how did they impact your career development?

The work I did as a grad assistant ended up being the very work I was hired to do at a professional level. All the learning, student interaction, and networking I did helped to secure my current position.

What advice would you offer students to help them decide on a career path?

If you can find something that you're good at and you enjoy, pursue that with vigilance. Whatever job you choose, you'll have to work in that job for a long time; make sure you like the work you're pursuing.

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