Dr. Tom Barnett has been teaching music at UWRF since 2001. Over the last 10 years, he has rediscovered the joy inherent in "athletic band." The recently formed UWRF Pep Band (which includes Rotarian Linda Yde) is part of effort to bring back a marching band. Students often don’t know that there is a pep band at UWRF. There hasn’t been a marching band in over 30 years.
Tom has learned that marching bands have a wide reach. Many students become connected to their school and to each other through the experience of being in marching band, which has become more than only football game halftime entertainment and parades.
Marching bands have a strong family aspect. Tom cited the example of a geology major at UWRF who was here for only part of her college years; years later, she has decided to become a lead donor to funding the return of UWRF Marching Falcons. Tom’s second example is his son, who in high school wanted to join a drum corps, which turns out to require a hefty financial commitment. Tom’s son took the initiative to get a job to fund his participation.
Tom has attended camps as an observer to see how band students develop relationships and bond as family. Marching bands are generally 70-80 percent non-music majors. Elaine commented that exchange students who become part of the band in the fall tend to be among those who adapt best and most quickly to life in River Falls, due to the relationships that they form in band.
Advantages of band
Band students are less likely to graduate in four years but are 20% more likely than non-band students to graduate by the end of five. Non-music majors are high among those who graduate in five. Marching bands are also a recruitment incentive for students who want band as part of college experience (and the lack of a band can cause prospective students to look elsewhere). This affects both music major and non-music majors.
Dr. Barnett took a sabbatical in 2018 to dive into the area. He shadowed the UW-EC band director to see what works for their marching band, which has grown significantly. Band offers leadership opportunities to student members. UWRF now has a marching band class as a next step, with 35 registered. The overall plan is Stage two with pep band, now engaging student leaders to develop the next phase. Have created an athletic band minor, which will tie non-music majors into the program. Culmination of the plan will be full marching band in Fall 2023.