Mark Rethman

Mark Rethman is a graduate from the Music Program at SVSU.  He thoroughly enjoyed the time he spent here, especially within the Music Program. “It (the university) is small and the professors have time to really help students. The faculty truly care about helping the students succeed and they put their whole heart into helping. I would love to see more faculty added to expand the program into performance areas to make the program even better than it already is.”

Mark like many others, chose SVSU because of it’s convenience in location but he stayed for the great experience he encountered. “Living at home while getting my degree kept me focused on my studies and helped me save a lot of money.  I didn’t have to worry about rent or other big bills because I was living at home.”

“The Music Program has a lot to offer as far as classes go.  One that I particularly enjoyed was theory and counterpoint, this is always my favorite!”

In response to specific faculty that helped Mark in his educational journey, Mark had nothing but great things to say about Jane Girdham.  “Jane Girdham is a blessing to the faculty.  She is a keen musician herself and knows a great deal and is a gracious person on top of all that.  It is obvious that she is proactive in her students' success.”

One great benefit of the Music Program for Mark was that he received a scholarship for accompanying the choir for a year.  “The scholarship was an added bonus to my already wonderful experience within the program. Also, the Rhea Miller Recital Hall and the Steinway Pianos are a definite huge, huge, huge bonus!!”

 “I believe that either teaching music in schools or continuing on to graduate school is the best thing for any student to do.  I was well prepared for my graduate school diagnostic exams and was not deficient in any area.  I attribute this to the classes and teaching offered in the music department.”