by Ben Ruby
Staff Writer
As Music Education major Natalie Williams swiftly approaches graduation, she reflects on her core values along with the events and individuals that guided her to her success.
“The arts are so impactful, and you need to let other people know that it’s impactful,” Williams said. “You can hear one song and that may change your life.”
Williams grew up in Polk County in a very STEM-focused family. The third born of four siblings and the daughter of two highly-successful parents, Williams had a lot to live up to. Early on, she developed an interest in robotics. As she continued to develop, Williams eventually became involved with academic band and later choir. Williams thoroughly enjoyed all of these activities, and once it was time to decide a career path, she had a difficult decision.
“I think [in] tenth grade, once I started choir, that’s when I decided this is my career path going forward,” Williams said.
Because of her musical interest growing up, Williams visited Florida Southern several times as part of the All-County Band and Chorus, an annual music event where middle and high school students compete to foster musical excellence and community throughout the county. Through these musical competitions, Williams fell in love with Branscomb Memorial Auditorium, the main performance space for the department, along with the broader campus. This love was further solidified as her older siblings began attending Florida Southern and flourished there. Williams speaks highly of the connections brought by music, especially at Florida Southern.
“Especially in the music end, everybody’s coming from all different types of backgrounds, and it’s so amazing to get to know those types of people,” Williams said.
During her time at Florida Southern, Williams has been incredibly involved on campus. Valuing service, she is a residential advisor and she is incredibly involved in a variety of campus organizations, particularly those that celebrate multicultural inclusivity. Williams also took full advantage of the guidance and instruction of her professors.
“I think [our professors] just perfectly set us up for our success in the future,” Williams said.
Off campus, Williams pursues professional experiences that help expand her knowledge and experience in preparation for this successful future. Currently, she is involved in an internship at McHale Academy of Technology, a high performing charter school for seventh through twelfth graders, where she instructs actual students with the guidance of Gentle Hamilton. Williams speaks very highly of Hamilton, regarding him as one of her most influential mentors.
“He cares about us so much…no matter how busy he is, he’s not missing anything for the world,” Williams said. “He just shows me that everything will be okay in the end, and I just need to have confidence in myself.”
After she graduates, Williams wants to focus her career on vocal pedagogy, studying the voice specifically through its anatomical setups. She wants to continue to spread the love for music so that others can witness its effects as much as she has.
“At the end of the day everything’s there—you just need to believe in yourself,” Williams said.
