The Department of Music, Theatre and Dance announces that Colorado State University’s Collegiate Music Educators National Conference (MENC) Student Organization has received the National 2011 Chapter of Excellence Award for Recruitment given by the MENC National Association for Music Education.

The CSU Collegiate MENC Chapter held a Swing Dance Social in November 2010 featuring the CSU Jazz Ensemble. The event was initiated and planned by MENC chapter officers in an effort to attract more music students to the organization and to reach out to other members of the CSU campus at large. Like many schools of music, upper-division students studying the performing arts aren’t always connected to other students across campus. Conversely, there are many university students who enjoy music and dance but do not take coursework at the University Center for the Arts building. This event allowed students – both performing arts majors and non-performing arts majors – to meet each other, socialize and share common interests while learning something new.

MENC Officers contacted the CSU Swing Dance Club and requested that they teach a swing dance lesson, backed by the CSU Jazz Ensemble. Students were invited to dress in 50’s attire while an old-fashioned popcorn machine provided refreshments. A small admission price helped subsidize the lesson instructors and the remaining profits were allocated toward MENC members’ trip to the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference in January 2011.

The award was given in recognition of outstanding recruitment techniques for the advancement of music education, and the MENC National Collegiate Advisory Council selected the 2011 winners. “Congratulations to all of our MENC Collegiate chapters for an excellent year,” said Becky Spray, MENC Collegiate Manager. “We had more Chapter of Excellence applications this year than ever before, and the high quality of chapter programs made the selection process a challenge.”

The MENC chapter at Colorado State University is advised by assistant professor of music education and director of the Colorado Kodály Institute Dr. Bonnie Jacobi.