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Scholarship Sets the Stage for Success

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Tommy Truelsen

Tommy Truelsen, along with nine other students, established the UNI Guild of Carillonneurs to continue the tradition of carillon performance in the Campanile.

Music was always a big part of life for Tommy Truelsen. But it wasn't until he was hired as a worship technician at his church during his sophomore year of high school that he began to imagine music as a calling. In his role, Tommy sets the stage for audio reinforcement, runs the sound board and prepares video presentations.

"I loved that I was able to help other people in the congregation and on staff who wanted to do different projects. I could collaborate with them to do different things that utilized music and any of the audio," he says.

Today, Tommy is a senior music technology major. But stage fright initially cast doubt in his mind as to whether he would pass his audition for the UNI School of Music.

"My main goal was to get accepted," Tommy recalls.

The audition not only earned him a spot in the School of Music, it earned him the Russell Baum Endowed Scholarship established by Marybeth Nelson in honor of Dr. Russell Baum, a retired faculty member.

"To get a scholarship reaffirmed that I can be a music major, I can do this, and gave me that drive to succeed," Tommy says.

"Marybeth told me it's been a really long time since there was a student that she supported for four years. At that moment, I decided to strive to be that student. My scholarship made me feel that I belonged here; I was wanted here," he says.

Tommy has made the most of his time as a student. He is part of the Panther Marching Band and president of the UNI Guild of Carillonneurs.

Make a Gift That Resonates for Years to Come

When you make a gift to the University of Northern Iowa Foundation in your estate plan, you can help more students like Tommy achieve their dreams. Contact Jane Halverson at jane.halverson@uni.edu or (319) 273-4665 to learn about your giving options.

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