College of Arts & Communication at UW-Whitewater

With the start of the New Year and new semester, the College of Arts and Communication has decided to bring something new to the blog. Every Friday we will pick one faculty member from the college to be featured in our Featured Faculty Friday blog.  We’ve asked faculty members about themselves so you can learn more about who’s who in the college. This week’s lucky winner is Sharri VanAlstine from the Music Department! Read on to find out more about her!

Q: Where are you from?

A: Rush City, MN

Q: What do you do at UW-Whitewater?

A: I teach methods classes for students studying to be elementary teachers or high school choir teachers and supervise student teachers.  I also direct Women’s Chorale, Vocal Jazz, and I’m directing the music for the musical this year.

Q: What is your favorite thing about UW-Whitewater?

A: I love the size of the school.  It has helped me to get to know people quickly, and everyone knows one another well enough to be helpful in a genuinely caring & friendly way.

Q: What are some of your hobbies?

A: I like to read, garden, travel, and I’ve even made a few quilts.  I also like to bake, although that might be more related to eating goodies than a real hobby!

Q: If you could have any superpower what would it be and why?

A: Superpower:  Location, location, location!  I would like to be able to be in an area of beautiful mountains & lakes & sunshine whenever I want.  There wouldn’t be any snow (except up on the mountain peaks) or gray skies.  I would sit out on my deck overlooking a gorgeous lake in the shadows of a majestic mountain.  There would likely be miraculous music floating on the air (which is sunny with no mosquitos or snow).  As soon as I needed to leave, my powers of location would zip me right to the next place I need to be.  I figure this would save on gas and emissions, time, and mosquito spray, all in one great super-power!

Q: What’s the best thing that you have ever done that you suggest others try?

A: I’ve walked behind a waterfall (Giessbach Falls) on Lake Brienz in Switzerland.  Spectacular!!!

Q: What’s your favorite movie? Book?

A: Favorite movie:  Princess Bride

A: Favorite book:  Bible

Q: What is your best advice for students? 

A: Dress for the weather, & always have M&Ms handy.

Q: What’s one thing that you want people to know about you?

A: I love chocolate, and I appreciate a good laugh.

Below is VanAlstine’s professional bio to learn more about her!

Education

B.M.E. Bethel University-Minnesota; M.M. St. Cloud State University-Minnesota; Ph.D. University of Minnesota

Professor VanAlstine joined the faculty at UW-Whitewater in 2011. She was Instructor of Record at the University of Minnesota for music methods coursework for elementary classroom teachers, and also taught collegiate Class Piano, Music Appreciation, Music Fundamentals, and Concert Choir at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Minnesota. The bulk of her career, however, has focused on high school choral music education. She taught high school and middle school choral music, Music Appreciation, and voice lessons for 17 years, including 2 years at Black Forest Academy in southwestern Germany. In addition to her teaching duties, she has traveled and performed with Evangelion, a professional choir based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on semi-annual tours to Ukraine. She has also directed the Sanctuary Choir at First Baptist Church in Cambridge, Minnesota for 16 years. In 2011, she joined the Bel Canto chorus of Milwaukee. VanAlstine has published in Gopher Notes, the Minnesota publication for NAfME: National Association for Music Education. She has also presented locally, nationally, and internationally, including presentations for: the International Society for Music Education World Conference, the NAfME National Conference, the Minnesota Music Educators Association Conferences (NAfME), Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) for the “Big Ten,” and Internationalizing the College Campus Conferences at the University of Minnesota (ICC).

Thanks for being our Featured Faculty for this Friday VanAlstine! Stay tuned next Friday to see who the next featured faculty member will be!