Musco Performing Arts Students meet their benefactors

As Marybelle and Sebastian “Paul” Musco walked in to the J.E. and Flora Scott Wilkinson Founders Chapel, they were greeted by the smiling faces of the four music students who had been selected as the vocal performance Musco Scholars.

After introductory hugs, handshakes and selfies, Yeon J. “Duke” Kim ’15, Kyla McCarrel ’15,  Natasha Bratkovski ’15 and Benedict “Benno” Ressa ’15 sat down to lunch. Soon, the air was peppered with questions -  from the students, aimed at the Muscos.

“Where did you go to school?”

“What is your favorite area of the arts?”

“What kind of theater do you like?”

Paul and Marybelle talked with the students, each of whom graduated this past weekend with a Bachelor of Arts degree either in or related to vocal performance.

One voice was not present for the meet and greet: Daniel Emmet Shipley ’15, who was unable attend due to a musical scheduling conflict.

At the end of the lunch, the students were surprised to each be handed an honorary medal to wear at graduation featuring the likeness of the future Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Center for the Arts on one side, and their name and major engraved on the other.  McCarrel was shocked.

“Oh my gosh, I knew we were getting the award, but I didn’t know we were getting these,” she said.

Later in the day, the Muscos met up with the recipients of the Musco Scholar award for dance: Leah Dugas ’15, Victoria Pizzo ’15 and Alanna Seitz ’15.

As the group sat around the table sharing desserts, Marybelle and Paul asked the young dancers about their plans for the future – to a one, they were already working on getting through the process of auditions.

“It’s hard to be successful in world of performing arts,” Paul said. “You’ve got to keep at it.”