Friends Fellows

Each Year, the Friends Award scholarships known as "Friends Fellowships" of $1,000 to $2500 to outstanding musicians in the SU Department of Music. These Fellowships assist in attracting fine musicians from around the US and other countries to Shepherd University and its renowned music program. Now in its second year, the 2009/2010 Class of Fellows will be announced in Late September.

You can name a fellowship with a gift of $1,000 or more. Gifts of any amount are accepted and donations can be made here.

The 2008 Friends Fellows class included Jennifer Ferenz, flute, of Hagerstown MD; Marie Crenwelge, clarinet, of Hedgesville WV; Kari Edge, piano, of Harpers Ferry, WV; Jackson Hopkins, French horn, of Hagerstown, MD; Mathew Lincoln-Bugg, voice, of Purcellville, VA; Ahmet Akaydin, guitar, of Arlington, VA; and Jason Solounias, piano, of Havre de Grace, MD.

The students expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the awards. Jason Solounias felt “honored to be recognized and awarded the scholarship from the Friends of Music." Ahmet Akaydin said, “I was in a state of disbelief upon receiving the award and am very grateful to the Friends of Music. I will continue to focus my efforts on excelling as a musician and upholding the honor of being a Fellow."

The awards are intended not only to assist the students financially, but also to provide encouragement. Marie Crenwelge said "I feel privileged to have received this award from the Friends of Music. It is great that there are people so dedicated to the musical education of Shepherd's students. I hope to use this award to continue in my musical growth here at Shepherd."

Photo of Friends Fellowship recipients and Friends of Music board members: front row, kneeling left to right - Jackson Hopkins, Matthew Lincoln-Bugg, Ahmet Akaydin, and Jason Solounias; back row, standing left to right—FOM Board Member Roger Munro, FOM Board Member Betty Lou Bryant, Jennifer Ferenz, FOM Board Treasurer David Drennen, FOM Board Member Maggie Drennen, Marie Crenwelge, FOM Board Secretary Betty Severson, Kari Edge, and FOM Board President Dr. Robert Northrup.

"I am very thankful to Betty Lou and Robert Bryant for their gift of the Betty Lou and Robert Bryant Friends Fellowship," said Kari Edge. "This gift will help me travel to Germany this summer with the Music Department and add more life-changing experiences to the list of those I've already had at Shepherd. With help from the Friends of Music, students really can expect to experience the extraordinary at Shepherd."

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