2014 Whittenberg Scholarship winner Jonathan Yi returned from his summer at the Indiana University Summer String Academy with a surprising decision. He was officially changing his major from engineering to music. Here is what he had to say about that choice.
“I have no words for the gratitude I owe to you and the faculty that bestowed this award on me. Seriously, you have no idea. Ok well you will now actually haha. So… because I was awarded the scholarship money, I was able to afford going to the Indiana University Summer String Academy, and study my instrument for another month. It was…. needless to say the greatest experience of my life. The performances I was able to take part in, the friends I made, and the memories I still carry in my head every day; each of these helped contribute to my final decision: that I needed music in my life every day.
Therefore, about three weeks before school started, I emailed Mimi Zweig, the String Academy Head Professor with a plea to somehow let me into the Jacob’s School of Music at IU. And so…after about 3 weeks of ridiculous amounts of paperwork, phone calls, emails, tears, and hugs, I was able to gain admittance into the Indiana University Jacob’s School of Music where I will be spending my undergraduate years. I don’t know how much you think this scholarship might’ve meant to me before, but you and the Whittenberg committee have successfully transformed my very life and future as we know it. I just thought it would be nice for you guys to know, whether you want to share this with the other people that were involved. Thank you so much.”
It is an honor to award performing Artists like Jonathan Yi the opportunity to explore a career in the Arts. We wish you all the best, Jonathan and look forward to many more updates on your musical journey.
For more information on the Fund for the Arts Whittenberg Scholarship visit: www.fundforthearts.com/the-whittenberg-scholarship/
