Micah Jones ’15, a music major and theology minor from Medford, Oregon, has benefited from Dr. Halbert Blair Memorial Scholarship, which is dedicated for singers; the Mary Mastrovich Adams Scholarship, which goes to music majors; and the J. Terrence Lanni Family Foundation Scholarship for CFA students. He shared this first-hand perspective of how being a scholarship recipient has affected his college experience.
I’ve come to realize that it’s a rare thing to find a university that can bring together the academic, social and spiritual elents of our lives. That’s why I’m proud to be a part of the LMU community and why I’m so grateful for the generosity of the donors who have established scholarships.
I am a music major in my junior year. Both of my parents are musical, so singing and music have always been a big part of my life. I sang in churches and with bands through middle school, and as high school started, I began seeing music as something I might want to do the rest of my life.
My sister graduated from LMU last year, so I was aware of the university when it came time for me to pick a school. I looked at other universities, but when the Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Scholarship came through it became clear I was going to LMU. My parents work in public schools – my mother is an English teacher, and my father is an assistant principal – so we were comfortable, but an LMU education wouldn’t have been possible without the help.
I’ve also benefited from the Dr. Halbert Blair Memorial Scholarship, which is dedicated for singers; the Mary Mastrovich Adams Scholarship, which goes to music majors; and the J. Terrence Lanni Family Foundation Scholarship for CFA students. I consider those scholarships as great votes of confidence in me and they have allowed me to continue my studies.
When it came time to choose a major, I decided to trust the cliché and picked for love, not solely the money-making potential. That’s something I’ve treasured from my parents: They provided me with a wonderful combination of pragmatism and unconditional love and support. They told me to follow my dreams but in a way that allows me to make a living, too.
Faith has always been a part of my life, and I’m thankful to attend a university that emphasizes, personally and intellectually, uniting the head and heart and the spirit. I’m also grateful to the donors who established scholarships that allow students a chance to study at this amazing university.
