BVU activity strikes right chords for biology major
Junior finds collegiate experience affordable, enjoyable thanks to scholarships and co-curriculars.
Faith Beebe plays bass in the Blue Steel, Buena Vista University’s pep band. She also plays bass in the University’s jazz band. In concert band and with the BVU Marching Blue marching band, she has performed on trombone.
Additionally, Beebe sings alto in Vista Singers, a BVU chamber choir, and sings soprano in the concert choir. Lastly, she’s joined the rock ensemble on campus and sings and plays two evenings per week in preparation for a concert this spring.
What might surprise you is this fact: Beebe, a junior, isn’t a music major. She studies biology while earning scholarship aid for her musical acumen as well as her academic performance.
“My focus is veterinary medicine,” says Beebe. “I’d like to earn my bachelor’s at BVU, work as a veterinary tech for a couple of years, and then go to vet school.”
Before then, there is plenty of music to play, co-curricular activities that had BVU hitting all the right chords when she visited campus as a Griswold High School senior.
“It is so nice to have someone so responsive with multiple skills helping us to grow our music programs.”
Sarah Fabian
“BVU was just starting the BVU Marching Blue marching band when I was looking at colleges,” she says. “I was involved in many musical activities in high school and being at BVU gave me the chance to continue growing as a musician.”
Beebe’s older brother, Garrett Beebe is a 2019 BVU graduate who majored in computer science; he blazed the trail as a Beaver in their family. That connection along with the student-to-faculty ratio and assortment of co-curricular activities piqued Faith Beebe’s interest. When she struggled a bit in one course her freshman year, Beebe came to understand the depth of support BVU offers for students.
“I received some assistance from a tutor in the Center for Academic Excellence (which is free for students), and it really helped,” she says. “I was also given advice from professors and friends on how to schedule my time. Even getting Todoist (an app) has made a huge difference as I always have my planner with me.”
The resulting organization allows Beebe to meet her academic commitments while participating in a host of music activities. “I love playing ‘Bulls’ by Rage Against the Machine,” she says. “The bass part is really fun!”
“Faith can pretty much do anything,” says BVU Director of Bands Sarah Fabian. “She plays trombone and is a very strong player for the marching band. In pep band, she’s an anchor for us and helps give us a fuller sound. It is so nice to have someone so responsive with multiple skills helping us to grow our music programs.”
The strength mentioned by Fabian isn’t limited to band, as evidenced by the way in which Beebe and her friends close their day at the Fritcher Fitness Center three times per week, participating in a loosely organized weightlifting club, the type of activity encouraged and supported by members of the BVU staff.
“We have a designed workout, which is perfect for us, because some of us were hesitant or just didn’t have the knowledge,” Beebe says. “It’s another place where we can take part in an activity that interests us.”