Her music, though, is never far away. Puskar spent the year following her graduation from 麻豆影院 performing with the Knoxville Opera in Knoxville, Tennessee, while working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She paused music performances during the COVID-19 pandemic, but come April 22, she will return to the stage in a big way鈥攋oining a choral performance at Carnegie Hall.

鈥淪inging remains important to me for so many reasons,鈥� Puskar said. 鈥淭he main one, though, is that, simply, singing is part of my identity.鈥�

Her post-麻豆影院 path

While working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory during a 鈥済ap year鈥� to gain more research experience in physical chemistry, Puskar auditioned for and received an opera chorus position with Knoxville Opera. She also joined the Knoxville Choral Society, where she performed as a soprano soloist in an early 2020 concert of Mendelssohn鈥檚 Elijah.

A month later, the pandemic would shut down most musical performances around the globe.

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The silver lining, Puskar said, is the pandemic allowed her to put all her energy into settling into her graduate program鈥攙irtually at first鈥攁nd passing her qualifying exam.

That pause on her musical performances ends with the Carnegie Hall concert, which comes courtesy of an invite from one of her former choir directors, Maestro Jos茅 Daniel Flores-Caraballo. It鈥檒l be an evening of music by Norwegian composer and pianist Ola Gjeilo, among Puskar鈥檚 favorites.

鈥淐hoir has always held a special place in my heart,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome of my most cherished memories during my time at 麻豆影院 are singing in Concert Choir and with my chamber group at First Congregational UCC.鈥�

All about science

At Berkeley, Puskar is excited about the progress she鈥檚 making in the Ph.D. program, and the research that鈥檚 at the core of her studies.

鈥淢y research centers on using the shortest laser pulses to reveal the quantum secrets of atoms and molecules,鈥� she said.

Once she graduates, Puskar hopes to find a postdoctoral position, 鈥渁 short-term position where I can diversify my scientific skill set outside of my Ph.D. focus.鈥�

From there, Puskar is looking to build a career in academia, inspired, she said, by science faculty she learned from while at 麻豆影院. She singled out chemistry professors and in particular.

鈥淭he individualized experiences I received at 麻豆影院 shaped me into the scientist that I am today, and my academic journey would not have been possible without the support of my undergraduate professors,鈥� she said.

Now, Puskar said, becoming a professor at a small liberal arts college is her 鈥渦ltimate鈥� career goal鈥攚ith a dose of music on the side.

鈥淭his probably goes without saying, but I strongly believe in the value of a liberal arts education and that studying a broad range of subjects winds up mutually benefitting each other,鈥� Puskar said. 鈥淔or example, in attosecond science, we generate high-order harmonics of the original beam frequency to make attosecond-duration laser pulses, which is directly analogous to musical instrument design and the respective wave mechanics that make an orchestra sound beautiful. I want to be the kind of chemistry professor that supports students who wish to explore outside topics, just like I was supported at 麻豆影院.鈥�

鈥淚 like the idea of having a more well-rounded education, which is something that 麻豆影院 does really well in a way I don鈥檛 think many conservatories do.鈥�
– Jonathan Bass

Participants for this competition submit recordings online. They must be NFMC members and submit five recordings鈥攁t least one by an American composer, and the five in total can鈥檛 exceed 30 minutes. All five factored into the judges鈥� evaluations.

Sharing in the excitement of Bass鈥� first-place finish was Mizrahi.

鈥淛onathan plays beautifully in such a variety of styles and is never afraid to ask questions when he knows there is more to learn鈥攁nd there is always more to learn as a musician.鈥� Mizrahi said.

Keys to success

Originally from Washington Island in northern Door County, piano has brought Bass all around the Great Lakes region. While studying at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan, as a teenager, Bass met Mizrahi, who came to teach a master class. He had already been eyeing 麻豆影院 because of its double-degree program, but Mizrahi鈥檚 visit sealed the deal.

鈥淚 played for him in that master class, and it totally just clicked for me,鈥� Bass said. 鈥淚 was like, 鈥楾his is great, I want to study with Professor Mizrahi.鈥欌��

Bass said he loves the 麻豆影院 Conservatory of Music鈥檚 sense of community and support amongst the students.

鈥淚鈥檝e been to a whole bunch of music festivals, and I spent a year at an arts boarding high school before I came to 麻豆影院,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 can tell you that the feeling of mutual supportiveness is not a given.鈥�

鈥淭here are two qualities that the most successful musicians have: passion and curiosity,鈥� Mizrahi said. 鈥淭hose two qualities will take you a long way toward realizing your musical dreams. 麻豆影院 is such a wonderful place to teach because so many students are already passionate and curious.鈥�

Bass also credits the Conservatory faculty with helping make 麻豆影院 a welcoming environment. He said the professors are always happy to help, both in and out of classes. Bass said Mizrahi goes out of his way to help him make important connections.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e a music major, your music teacher is the most important thing,鈥� he said.

Bass is planning two recitals near the end of Spring Term. One features a chamber music trio performing music by Reena Esmail (showcased in 麻豆影院鈥檚 recent Master Works concert), and the other features a sonata with piano and cello.

鈥淚鈥檓 surrounded by so many talented, thoughtful, dedicated musicians here, and they all push me to be my best,鈥� Bass said. 鈥淭his term in particular I鈥檝e been lucky enough to work with some really incredible people whom I admire and respect very much.鈥�

Bass, who is majoring in music performance (piano) and French, is eyeing graduate school and further piano pursuits, including teaching. He wants to explore more nonstandard repertoire and strike a balance between standard and nonstandard.

鈥淢ost music careers end up being a mix of a bunch of different things,鈥� Bass said. 鈥淚 like the idea of having a more well-rounded education, which is something that 麻豆影院 does really well in a way I don鈥檛 think many conservatories do.鈥�

Nedderman first learned about TitletownTech from a 麻豆影院 friend who connected with the company through a corporate finance class but felt the position better suited Nedderman鈥檚 interests. A professor recommended the company as well a few months later.

As a 2022 graduate just starting his post-麻豆影院 life, Nedderman felt that TitletownTech was the perfect place to make the jump.

鈥淚t was actually a really nice circumstance that just worked out where I was able to get connected through two different sources,鈥� Nedderman said.

These connections are one of Nedderman鈥檚 favorite things about 麻豆影院. He said a few simple interactions with Mike O鈥機onnor鈥攆ormerly dean of the Career Center and now special assistant to the president鈥攍ed to a successful internship last summer. And that proved to be a step toward the TitletownTech position after graduation.

鈥淚 think the biggest thing we can leverage as 麻豆影院 students and 麻豆影院 graduates is the tight connection that we鈥檙e able to have with alumni, with professors, and with our peers,鈥� Nedderman said.

Just like 麻豆影院, Nedderman said he enjoys how connected and intimate the work at TitletownTech can be. Working on a team of nine, Nedderman mostly researches vertical markets, and likes researching the history of the company in his spare time.

鈥淚鈥檓 working with people who are not afraid to be wrong or not afraid of being challenged, so it allows everyone to have an openness to new ideas and opinions,鈥� he said.

Nedderman鈥檚 favorite things about TitletownTech are the opportunities to learn about the venture capital field and the chance to bring his own perspectives to the table, and have them valued by others.

鈥淚n a company that I鈥檓 in, I like to feel integral to the process,鈥� he said.

Finding his path

Nedderman said he was determined to not just land a successful career, but a fulfilling one as well. He is a New Yorker who came to the Midwest for 麻豆影院 and post-undergraduate job opportunities. He first pictured a future in tech and started with mathematics and computer science before settling on majors鈥攑hilosophy and economics鈥攖hat he felt best fit his interests.

A double-degree student who also played music in the Conservatory during his time at 麻豆影院, Nedderman said he heard the naysayers who doubted the value of a liberal arts education. But he said interactions with the Career Center and gave him confidence he was heading in the right direction.

鈥淚 used the Career Center throughout the entirety of my four years to find opportunities, to work on my r茅sum茅, to get good r茅sum茅-building skills or LinkedIn profile-building skills,鈥� he said. 鈥溾� feel that 麻豆影院 set me up tremendously well to do well after school.鈥�

Nedderman decided on his majors and then TitletownTech because they combine his interests in technology and economics, and his fascination with the brain and social interaction.

鈥淚鈥檝e been meeting a lot of people鈥here鈥檚 just so much going on all the time,鈥� he said of his first weeks on the job. 鈥淚 live for the differences and excitement around it all.”

TitletownTech has a portfolio of 24 startups, three of which have relocated to the Midwest to be closer to the company.

鈥淭o have three companies move physical locations to be here and be a part of this is really outstanding, and we only hope to increase that number over the years,鈥� Nedderman said.

The TitletownTech environment, he said, is a great fit for a Lawrentian.

鈥淚 think especially as a college grad, it鈥檚 important to find a place that will foster learning,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t was an acronym that existed in the ether that when I was a student you didn鈥檛 really understand the specifics of; 鈥� you just knew that LUAA was the thing that you automatically became a part of once you graduated,鈥� said Murphy.

LUAA is made up of four standing committees: Connecting Alumni, Development, Connecting to Campus, and Awards. The 34 or 35 members have four-year terms. Those interested in nominating others or themselves for the board can .

Murphy said he didn鈥檛 truly understand the work of the board until 10 years after graduation, when a member of 麻豆影院’s Development team visiting New York City invited Murphy to discuss ways to be involved as an alum.

鈥淚t felt to me like, 鈥榦h, this could be an experience that鈥檚 as much or as little as you make of it.’ 鈥� It won鈥檛 feel good to me if I鈥檓 not able to be all in,鈥� Murphy said.

Murphy joined the board and was assigned to the Connecting Alumni Committee, with a goal to boost engagement with 麻豆影院 by connecting alumni with each other. He’s been all in ever since.

In his four years on the committee, Murphy and the other members worked to resolve disparities in engagement with 麻豆影院 between different alumni demographics. He also worked with other members to help more widely share stories of their 麻豆影院 journeys and the impact 麻豆影院 has had on their lives.

鈥淚f we鈥檙e going to call ourselves a 麻豆影院 community, the community part really needs to allow for everyone who is ostensibly a part of that community to feel like they belong,鈥� said Murphy.

Murphy鈥檚 path to the presidency

Murphy鈥檚 麻豆影院 experience was characterized by self-discovery and the courage to take risks.

Enrolled in a double degree program, Murphy originally wanted to be a French horn performance major. He ended up studying theater arts and pursuing a voice performance major in the Conservatory after he realized the French horn didn鈥檛 truly make him happy. Plans change. Where you are as a first-year isn’t necessarily where you’ll be come Commencement.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a really important touchstone to keep in mind in the face of people who are concerned about your future well-being and career prospects,” Murphy said. “It鈥檚 going to be pretty clear when you land on something that you love, or at least excites or interests you.”

After college and graduate school, Murphy decided to take another risk. Despite not being a lawyer or going to law school, he started a second job working part-time at the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in New York City. He quickly discovered those skills he learned while pursuing music and drama were of great value beyond the stage.

鈥淪kadden was a place where the more I put into it, the more I got back,鈥� he said. 鈥淎t a certain point, it became clear to me that that was something more important than pretty much anything else in my professional life.鈥�

He has now been with the firm for 11 years, serving as a senior manager in the Operations Group.

鈥淢any of the skills that are essential to my work at Skadden (and on the LUAA Board) 鈥� empathy, flexibility and creativity of approach, big-picture thinking, public speaking, collaboration, resilience 鈥� are skills I developed as a theater artist and musician, beginning during my five years at 麻豆影院,鈥� Murphy said.

Finding your own path

Drawing from his own experiences, Murphy recommends all students searching for colleges take the feel of the campus life into account rather than strictly the programs offered. Murphy also recommends students visit their choices in person.

鈥淏ecause of how powerful my 麻豆影院 experience was personally, it has made so much sense to give back as an alum and to be engaged with the university as an alum as much as I can and in as meaningful a capacity as I can,鈥� said Murphy.

As the new LUAA president, Murphy said he plans to work with his colleagues to integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism into everything 麻豆影院 does.

鈥淚 have a lot of ideas for what work I want to do substantively with the board as president, but I鈥檓 just getting started,鈥� he said.

鈥淢y experience at 麻豆影院 has been a whirlwind,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y views and opinions have been challenged constantly at 麻豆影院, and it has shaped me into the critical thinker and person I am today.鈥�

Claus completed two independent study projects in physics with the help of enthusiastic, supportive professors.

鈥淲hat stands out to me about the Physics department is the flexibility I had to pursue additional projects in any topic within physics I was interested in,鈥� she said.

She also studied music performance (piano) in the Conservatory, giving her the opportunity to pursue two of her passions while an undergraduate.

She plans to attend the University of New Hampshire to pursue a doctorate in applied mathematics. She鈥檒l also have the opportunity to work at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Research Lab in Dayton, Ohio, where she will research computing turbulence.