50 Years of Alumni: Chloe Beck
College(s)/University attended:
Luther College (BA Data science, graduated 2020), currently at University of Iowa in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics pursuing a PhD.
What years were you in GTCYS?
I was in GTCYS from 2013 to 2016. I graduated high school in 2016.
What skills or lessons did you learn in GTCYS that you still use today?
GTCYS was the spark for my passion for music, which was the deciding factor when I was choosing which college to go to – Luther College. My orchestra experience has been something I talk about in job interviews and has greatly impacted my life as a student and now graduate student. I even talked about my orchestral experience in a recent grant application to the National Science Foundation!
Why do you think GTCYS is important for students now?
I think GTCYS is important for students now because it provides the opportunity to meet other musicians in the area and make friends with people you wouldn’t otherwise have met. I think it’s also really important for students who may not have the opportunity to play in an orchestra at their school, which was the case for me because my school only had a band program.
How does music still play a part in your life?
The lessons I learned from music are a core part of who I am today. I learned persistence, patience, dedication, and how to work as a team. These lessons are invaluable to me as a scientist today and are lessons that I commonly bring up in job interviews and, more recently, grant applications.
What is your favorite composer or piece of music?
Dvorak’s New World Symphony is a personal favorite — it was supposed to be piece I played for my senior tour at Luther that was unfortunately canceled due to COVID.
What’s a fun fact about yourself?
I studied abroad in Nottingham, England my junior year of college!
What do you hope to see from GTCYS in the next 50 years?
I hope to see more and more students experience the same joy that GTCYS gave me. I met some of my best friends and made some of my favorite memories throughout my time with GTCYS. And 50 more years of Jupiter at Spring Festival!