Huskie Spotlight

Meet some of our great students and faculty.

Huskie Spotlight: Alma Perrote, Music Education and Steelpan Performance

Alma Perotte, who is majoring in music education and steelpan performance in the School of Music is the subject of a Huskie Spotlight. Alma says she knew as a child growing up in Belize City, Belize that she wanted music to be an essential part of her life. When I was...

Huskie Spotlight: Katelyn Ackland, Music Education, Clarinet Performance

Katelyn Ackland, a senior majoring in music education and clarinet performance in the NIU School of Music is the subject of a Huskie Spotlight. Katelyn has earned multiple scholarships at NIU, and is appreciative of the support of her professors and fellow students....

Huskie Spotlight: Jayla Herring, Recording Arts and Media Technologies

Jayla Herring, a fall 2025 graduate of the School of Music with a degree in recording arts and media technologies is the subject of a Huskie Spotlight. Jayla says this major was a perfect fit, and the pursuit of an additional certificate increased the chances of...

Huskie Spotlight Lilliana Benitez, Music Education, Euphonium

Lilliana Benitez, a music education major with an instrumental emphasis in euphonium from McHenry, Illinois is the subject of an NIU Huskie Spotlight. A proud member of the Huskie Marching Band, she appreciates the mentorship of Dr. Tom Bough both on the field and in...

Joe Beribak, ’25, Composition

Music Huskie SpotlightHuskie Spotlight: Joe Beribak, '25, CompositionWhat did you want to be when you were growing up? When I was a boy, I wanted to be a Catholic priest. When I grew a little older, I loved amusement parks and wanted to design roller-coasters. This...

Annika Roberts, ’23, Cello Performance and Psychology

Music Huskie SpotlightHuskie Spotlight: Annika Roberts, '23, Cello Performance and PsychologyWhat did you want to be when you were growing up? I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a musician because I come from a musical family. Pursing a degree in cello...

Paisley Stevens, ’24, Music Education

Music Huskie SpotlightHuskie Spotlight: Paisley Stevens, '24, Music EducationWhat did you want to be when you were growing up? When I was growing up, I wanted to be a professional ballet dancer. I pursued ballet throughout high school and did get to chance with some...

Andrea LaFranzo, ’24, Orchestra Conducting

Music Huskie SpotlightHuskie Spotlight: Andrea LaFranzo, '24, Orchestral ConductingWhat did you want to be when you were growing up? There was no doubt at the age of 13, after my first experience playing in a symphony orchestra, that I wanted to be a cellist and a...

Ethan Patterson, ’24, Recording Arts

Music Huskie SpotlightHuskie Spotlight: Ethan Patterson, '24, Recording ArtsWhat did you want to be when you were growing up? Growing up, I wanted to be a zookeeper... I always had a lot of pets and a passion for animals. In high school, I was passionate about the...

Ning Wang, ’24, Music Education, Choral

Music Huskie SpotlightHuskie Spotlight: Ning Wang, '24, Music Education, ChoralWhat did you want to be when you were growing up? I always wanted to be a musician throughout my whole life. Music is everything to me. I already had my master degree in piano performance...

Kaelyn Witt, ’27, Music Education and Flute Performance

Music Huskie SpotlightHuskie Spotlight: Kaelyn Witt, '27, Music Education and Flute PerformanceWhat did you want to be when you were growing up? Growing up I always wanted to be an artist. I loved creating and painting and expressing myself artistically. I ended up...

Fernando Marroquin Mendoza, ’24, Oboe Performance

Music Huskie SpotlightHuskie Spotlight: Fernando Marroquin Mendoza, '24, Oboe PerformanceWhat did you want to be when you were growing up? I am not really sure what I wanted to be when I was growing up but, I remember one time when, while watching a symphony orchestra...