Senior Highlight: Claire Nelson

In celebration of our college graduates, we reached out to our seniors for a little highlight and feedback from their time at Eastern. Congratulations on getting your degree! And welcome to the Eagle Alumni Family! Go Eags!

What is your major and minor/certificate and what made you choose that major/minor? 

My degree is a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance.

What’s one class that wasn’t in your major that you’d recommend?                                  

A class outside my major I highly recommend is the education class, Diversity and Inclusion in Education. It gave me a fantastic perspective on the role of public education in our world and as it pertains to my future pursuits. 

What is your plan after graduation?

After graduation I will be working with my band to record the literature I am playing for my senior recital and hopefully release that as an album, as well as continue to teach my private studio lesson students and play professionally in and around Spokane while working towards pursuing a masters in music or in music education. 

Which faculty member in your program did you connect with the most and why?         

The professor I connected with most in my time at Eastern is Professor Andy Plamondon, he was my improvisation professor as well as the director of many of my ensembles. Professor Plamondon is an outstanding educator and performer, and his guidance and unconditional support are definitely the reason I was able to succeed in my artistic pursuits while attending school here and I will treasure all of the knowledge he passed on to me in our time together. 

What was your favorite place to eat on campus or in Cheney?                          

Throughout my time in Cheney I’ve become something of a regular at Barrelhouse, but I also love Arturo’s!