Linda Schroeder
Augustana Class of 2001

Hometown: Wessington Springs, SD
Majors: Music Education, with Vocal Emphasis

Current Employer: Coast Music Therapy
Current Position: Supervisor, Music Therapist
Current Place of Residence: The other SD... San Diego, CA

What have you been up to since graduation from Augustana a few years ago?
Has it only been a few years ago? Since graduation, I've moved to Kansas, gotten a Master's degree, moved to California, become a supervisor, led worship in front of over 14,000 people, studied in Costa Rica for a short time, bought a condo, and am currently planning my next adventure.

Tell us about your job. What's a typical day like?
One of the things I love most about my job is that there is no typical day. I work mainly with kiddos with autism, so each day is different from the previous. Schedule wise, I start most days by traveling to anywhere from 2-4 different schools, providing music therapy services to students with special needs, either in a 1:1 setting or in a group. My main interest is autism, so I also travel to a few non-public schools that are solely for children with autism. I do a lot of co-treating and collaborating with other service providers, such as speech therapists, occupational therapists, behavior specialists, etc. In the afternoons, I can usually be found in an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting, supervising our private therapy programs, or trying to come up with creative new ways to teach our students using music strategies.

What's the best part of your job?
I feel so blessed to have a job that I truly love. I love the flexibility and variety in my schedule. I love the fact that I have so much to learn because we don't understand autism yet (and that's very motivating for me). I love that I get to work with a variety of specialists in other areas, and I get the opportunity to present on the effectiveness of music therapy at various conferences around the nation.

In simple terms, how can music be therapeutic?
Some people say that "music is the universal language", and while that's kind of cheesy to me, I do believe that music is one of the few mediums that connects cross-culturally. When I first tell people that I'm a music therapist, the classic response is, "so you play music and people feel better"... well not quite! In very basic terms, music therapy is "the use of music to achieve non-musical goals." A few examples: music therapists can work with Alzheimer's and dementia patients using music to facilitate memory and improve quality of life, or music therapists may work in a Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), using music to lower heart rate and improve oxygen levels, as music helps calm premature infants, or music therapists may use rhythmic entertainment to rehabilitate uneven gait patterns in stroke patients, or music therapists may use lyric writing to help pediatric cancer victims express their fears and anxieties, or music therapists may use music with children with special needs to help them achieve educational goals through facilitating attention/motivation and rote memorization (which is what I do)... and that's just to name a few!

What are the employment prospects like for new graduates? It is my impression that music therapy is a growing field.
As the body of research supporting music therapy grows, our field is gaining more and more recognition, which is great! There are always job listings in the field of music therapy, it just may require recent graduates be flexible in where they live and what populations they work with. However, I am living testimony that you can get your ideal job and your ideal location right out of school!

If a prospective Augustana student were interested in music therapy as a career field someday, what advice would you give them?
Go for it! Find what you're passionate about, and if that's using music to help others, then go for it! I can't imagine waking up everyday and not enjoying going to work. It makes such a difference! My advice is to go to Augustana College and earn your music education degree :-) Take as many psychology classes as you can, as well as any special ed. or behavioral training courses that you can fit in. As you're looking into continuing on to get your Master's in Music Therapy, choose your graduate school based on the quality of research coming from the professors there, as well as the philosophy of music therapy at that school. I didn't know this at the time, but there are two very different types of music therapy: one is referred to as "creative music therapy" (emphasizing improvisational music and the fostering of relationships) and the other is "behavioral music therapy" focusing more on measured outcomes and research (definitely my preference!).

Where did you do your graduate work? Did Augustana prepare you well?
I received my Master's from the University of Kansas, and Augie must have accomplished it's goal because I was accepted into my graduate school of choice, and graduated with honors! I'm so thankful for the small, liberal arts setting at Augustana and the personal attention that comes with that. I know I received so many more opportunities to be involved in different organizations and events, and take on leadership roles at Augustana, versus if I would have attended a larger public school.

Has having a liberal arts background helped you in your work? In your life?
While Augustana provided so many opportunities for involvement and leadership, what truly impacted my life the most was the ability to learn and grow in my relationship with God. My experiences in the Augustana Choir, Bible studies, and with professors who aren't afraid to talk about God shaped my attitudes, my perspectives, and my goals.

Was it difficult to find a job in California as a graduate of a small college in South Dakota?
Not at all - if anything, I think people out here know us Midwesterners tend to have a stronger work ethic :-)

Do you speak any Spanish? Is foreign language proficiency important in your field?
Funny that you ask - my goal is to become fluent in Spanish, but I'm not there yet :-) I was just at a Mexican restaurant (real Mexican food!) and asked the waiter to speak to me only in Spanish. He said that I'm "not great", but "good." I have a ways to go! I spent some time in Costa Rica last summer and am going to Guatemala and Puerto Rico this fall, so I'm trying to find ways to immerse myself. While knowing Spanish (or another language) isn't necessary for my job, it's very handy when living in San Diego (only 20 minutes from the Mexican border).

Thinking back to your senior year of high school, why did you choose Augustana?
I was actually registered to attend a different small, liberal arts school in the Midwest when a friend had me come to Augie for a weekend visit. I met some great people, and in combination with being closer to my family, that helped me make the decision to switch to Augustana. I haven't questioned that decision for a second!

What kinds of things do you do outside of work?
Beach bonfires are the best. I sing a lot at my church, which I love. Anything active - traveling, hiking, kayaking...

What kinds of things were you involved with outside the classroom at Augustana?
I was a member of the Augustana Choir, involved with the Augie Theatre program, Viking Days Committee, Bible study, Campus Crusade for Christ, and at one point we started a little worship band.

What do you miss most?
My friends :-) Even though I'm the worst at staying in touch, they are truly my friends for a lifetime. Right behind that is the Augustana Choir.

Who was your biggest influence at Augustana?
Dr. James Johnson [Professor of Music] - one of the most wise, dedicated, and amazing men of God I've ever met.

What's next on the horizon for you?
Good question. I will probably begin work on my Ph. D. soon, although I haven't quite narrowed down what area I want to specialize in yet. I'm also praying about 6 months to a year of mission work (in a Spanish-speaking country of course!) - we'll see what God has in store!

What's the one thing that every student who considers Augustana should know?
At Augie, you truly have the ability to get as much out of your college education as you want to get. The only limits are those that you set for yourself.