ALMA — A student-led initiative at Alma College is creating new opportunities for local youth to experience the power of music. The Alma College Community Music Outreach program, founded this past fall by senior Krysta Bennett, connects college musicians with area students to offer affordable lessons, hands-on experiences, and greater access to music education — resources that are often limited in small or rural communities.
Designed and operated by students, the program reflects a growing spirit of community engagement within the college’s music department. It began with Bennett’s vision to build a bridge between campus and the wider community through music, and has grown into a thriving organization with more than 30 student members from a wide range of academic backgrounds.
“Music is wonderful and rewarding, but it can be very expensive,” said Bennett, who graduated from Alma this past spring and intends to enter law school. “This is a way for people who are and are not involved with music directly to make an enormous impact on those who would like to be involved, and help make sure local music programs survive and thrive well into the future.”
Bennett explained that the idea started from her beginnings as a music student in Howard City, Mich., and really took off when she brought the idea to college faculty members Justin Rito and Emma Bosley-Smith. They put her in touch with the Gratiot County Community Foundation nonprofit, which provided grant funding to get started.
With financial support from the Community Foundation and a recent additional grant, the program provides private music lessons to local students for just $5 per session. Those fees are subsidized so that college student instructors — many of them future educators — can be compensated for their time. Already, the group has provided instruction to dozens of young musicians, creating affordable access to learning that might otherwise be out of reach.
Beyond lessons, the group has hosted several community events. A recent instrument drive brought in a violin and a baritone — both valued at over $1,000 — now repurposed for new student musicians. A “Music Library” allows instructors to skip the costs involved with intellectual property rights. The program has also organized a “Meet the Lesson Instructor” event and is planning an “Instrument Petting Zoo” to allow children to try out various instruments before committing to one.
“We want music to be approachable, especially for younger students,” said Lauren McCarthy, a junior music education major who will take over as president of the group this fall. “It can be intimidating to start without knowing what instrument suits you. Trying them out in a fun setting makes a big difference.”
Looking ahead, the team is already imagining ways to bring the model to other areas of the state. Northern Michigan, including places like Petoskey and Traverse City, could benefit from similar outreach efforts, McCarthy says, especially given the high interest in music and the rising costs of participation in some school programs.
The outreach program welcomes involvement from Alma students of all majors and backgrounds — not just music majors. Positions include instructors, administrative roles, and event planning support, allowing any student with a passion for service to contribute.
At its core, the Alma College Community Music Outreach program is about more than music — it’s about building connections, fostering creativity, and empowering the next generation.
“There’s a lot of excitement for this program, I think, because all musicians have experienced pressure from trying to afford the next piece of music and trying to find the cheapest deal on an instrument. The older generations want the younger generations to have an easier time with that kind of pressure than they did, and I think that’s very selfless of the music community we have here,” Bennett said.