School of Music alumna Dr. Christina L. Reitz (Ph.D. Musicology, ‘07) is living her dream as assistant professor of music at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina, and credits her success as an overall professional to her UF professors.
Reitz was accepted to present at the peer-reviewed national conference for the Society for American Music in Boston in March 2016. She recently presented her research "Ole Bull and the Ill-fated Norwegian-American Colony" at the 2015 College Music Society's International Conference and presented her research “Fletcher’s Omaha Music Collection: Select Analysis and Subsequent Influence in Post-Romantic America” at the Nineteenth Century Studies Association.
Despite these accomplishments, Reitz remembers Professor Emeritus of Musicology Dr. David Z. Kushner’s response to her first paper, and how he taught her to be strict and demanding but still likable. “He gave me back my first research paper and said ‘I can’t believe English is your first language,’” Reitz said.
She still calls him for advice and is also thankful for Dr. Kevin Robert Orr. “He (Orr) is amazing at bringing out the best in people,” Reitz said.
Reitz worked three jobs in college, but always made time to be around the arts. She supports the arts in her local community and attends as many events as she can.
“In the arts, go to as many things as possible,” Reitz said. “I think that gave me incredible knowledge that you can’t get out of a book.”
Reitz recently watched one of her students graduate from UF, and it made her extremely proud. “It really brought everything full circle.”
