At the start of each school year, the U of M campus is packed with students seeking to find a community that suits their personal interests and professional endeavors. It can be overwhelming; students nudge through tremendous crowds at club fairs for an attempt at finding a booth that might pique their interest. Pillars are plastered with vibrant flyers advertising each club, and students are trying to find that one, special organization that they believe they can develop a passion for. MUSIC Matters is one of the many clubs seeking out those on campus that are searching for an organization that aligns with their interests. And each year we welcome ambitious students with a passion for service and an underlying love of music.
The leadership team has been working diligently to ensure the club’s mission and values are vocalized widely to both new and returning members throughout our recruitment process. As MUSIC Matters moves into its eighth year as an organization, the club is being led by co-presidents Noah Dobbertin and Amanda Gross, two seniors dedicated to helping MM reach its full potential. In order to do that, MUSIC Matters is focusing on mission alignment; we want to ensure that all of our ventures promote the organization’s goal of using music to create educational opportunities while celebrating the vibrant Michigan community.
As prospective members filed into the mass meetings, we were able to reflect and proudly share all the success MUSIC Matters has had. Just last year, we hosted shows at Necto, worked with two CoMMunity partners on campus, held several local talent showcases, hosted a fashion show in the UMMA, put on another successful MOvE camp, and capped off the year with another prosperous SpringFest. While we are incredibly proud of all our triumphs from last year, we are even more excited to watch the club grow and see our upcoming events and initiatives come to fruition. We plan to continue encouraging the entire Ann Arbor community to join us and contribute to our success.
To expand the reach of MM on campus and encourage more to join, our new Chief of Staff, Adam Seltzer, has been passionately working to incorporate DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, into our recruitment process. MUSIC Matters takes pride in our ability and commitment to unite the U of M and Ann Arbor community, and emphasizing DEI in our recruitment process furthers our devotion to creating an atmosphere that embraces members from all backgrounds. The University of Michigan highlights that DEI is a three pronged process, explaining that “Diversity is where everyone is invited to the party, equity means that everyone gets to contribute to the playlist, and inclusion means that everyone has the opportunity to dance,” and MUSIC Matters cannot wait for another year of giving the community a welcoming festival for all to dance at.
While mass meetings wrap up and applications roll in, MM could not be more excited to begin the new school year with a group of students who are passionate about music and making a difference. Already, we have locked in a local talent night at Charley’s on September 19th as well as different Necto shows like Icona Pop on October 3rd and Lost Kings on December 5th with tickets available to purchase now. We cannot wait to see all the astonishing ideas our new members will contribute to the club, and we look forward to another amazing year of growing as a club and community within.