Josh May

5th Year - Electrical Engineering

UC Bearcat Bands

Many people are familiar with the UC marching band, but the UC Bearcat Bands also includes many other ensembles like basketball pep band, a variety of concert bands, jazz bands, and smaller ensembles. I have been involved with the UC Bearcat Bands, specifically the UC Marching Band, for all five years at UC. In my past two years I have been able to lead the group, serving as center snare and snare drum section leader in 2019, and as a veteran member helping other leaders survive the COVID-19 era in 2020. When I heard about this opportunity to meet other student leaders and share my own experiences in a virtual format, I thought it would be a perfect way to spend my newly acquired free time as a fully-online student.

What I enjoyed most about this experience was learning about all the different organizations on campus. Specifically, I learned what these groups were involved in before the pandemic, and how they were adapting in 2020. As a member of a band program with directors and other staff, I have the luxury of solely focusing on other members and myself to make sure we are successful. This experience opened up my eyes to all the other challenges leaders face across other organizations such as advertising, finances, and recruitment. These areas are covered by our band staff and I am much more appreciative of all they do after participating in the leader's roundtable.

I also enjoyed the opportunity to meet the other wonderful members of this experience that I would not have spoken to otherwise. It was very comforting to hear that others outside my band bubble were experiencing the same events I was and pushing through in their own ways. I enjoyed being able to share how the marching band was doing and gained a greater appreciation for being a part of an organization that was still able to meet in person multiple times a week.

I recommend this experience to anyone who has a leadership role in an organization, especially during this time where it is difficult to stay connected to the world around us. The honors staff and other members provided a constructive atmosphere to help me to learn and grow both as a student and a person.