#GiveCentral project helps fund installation of historical photos in music building

With the annual #Give Central campaign taking place this week, members of the CWU community are encouraged to support the 42 projects submitted earlier this year by our faculty and staff.

One such project is designed to bring the rich history of the CWU Music Department to life by installing archival photos throughout the McIntyre Music Building.

Every time donations reach $2,500, a committee of Music Department faculty, staff, students, and CWU Special Collections representatives will join together to select, enlarge, mount, and install archival photos with captions that showcase the department’s legacy —from its beginnings in the 1890s to the present day.

Starting with the larger public spaces, the project will transform empty walls into a visual celebration of the CWU Music Department. Hallways, rehearsal spaces, and classrooms will eventually feature images that provide historical context, inspire creativity, and strengthen the sense of identity and connection for students, faculty, and visitors. Each photo will include informative captions and descriptions wherever possible.

Initial priorities will focus on:

• Student activities that highlight campus life and engagement through the decades.
• CWU “firsts,” including the earliest documented musical activities in 1894 and 1906, and the first appearances of university choirs, orchestras, bands, and jazz ensembles that laid the foundation for today’s Music program.

Donors are encouraged to offer suggestions, though this initiative is intended to celebrate the department collectively. No individual tributes or shrines are planned at this time.

If you are interested in supporting this project, please visit the project page. To learn more, email Dr. Jeffrey Snedeker at jeffrey.snedeker@cwu.edu.

The CWU community is also invited to support a wide variety of other projects during our annual Day of Giving on Thursday, April 23. To learn more, visit give.cwu.edu.