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Watervliet’s Lauren Lovell is a triple threat for Southwestern Michigan College, playing clarinet and tenor saxophone, singing and appearing in “Shrek: The Musical” last March.

When she finishes her associate degree in instrumental music in May, the Nov. 7 Founders Day speaker hopes to transfer to Western Michigan University and ultimately become a band or choir director.

“I’m leaning more toward band,” she said.

As a Roadrunner, Lovell has an unusual perspective from working as music librarian for Director of Bands Mark Hollandsworth, whose wife, Jennifer, was her band director when she was a Panther.

“It’s funny because they’re similar, but also very different people,” she said. “Mr. H. is very organized, but she’s even more organized and prepared me well for music theory.”

Director of Choral Activities David Carew first approached her about attending SMC when she was singing for Watervliet’s choir director Tami Brush freshman year.

“I wasn’t even thinking about college yet,” Lovell said. “Senior year, I was talking to Mr. H. about coming here and auditioning for scholarships and he called me a triple threat: ‘You do everything.’

“I came to SMC because of the arts program. I originally thought of vet tech, but I switched to music senior year, and I knew SMC’s music ed program was good with a good reputation when it came to the arts.

“I knew I would be paying for it myself and didn’t want to take out crazy amounts of student loans. My parents support me, but my mom lost her job senior year.”

Lovell was “excited” to hear about the Room to Grow campaign addressing fine arts needs in the Dale A. Lyons Building, where the long, rectangular choir room was originally set up for offices, not musical instruction.

Hollandsworth’s band room is more than 30 years old and needs to be enlarged for additional rehearsal and practice space.

The expanded choir room features a round design, allowing singers and Carew to see and hear each other while practicing.

The band room, containing instrument storage space, is too small, accommodating chairs for just 40 members.

The new band room provides an additional 1,980 square feet to accommodate 20 additional members and a more open rehearsal space.

The Jazz Ensemble gains a dedicated practice area.

A flexible multipurpose classroom will host music theory classes.

Four ensemble rooms and six practice rooms will give groups more flexibility and practice space.

“I’m kind of sad I’ll be transferring before I see it,” said Lovell, a Dean’s List student last spring. “It looks like a really good, bigger space and more open. The room gets packed. It’s cramped. I’m also excited about the new practice spaces.”

Advice for future Roadrunners would be to “find instructors you mesh with because you work so closely together,” like her vocal instructor, Megan Laine, whom she credits with building her confidence by “getting me out of my head. If I’m overthinking, she calls me out on it. And be willing to be coachable and to try new things. Carew and Mr. H. push me a lot.”

This year Lovell, who transitioned from singing soprano to alto, benefited from the Lyons Memorial Scholarship and the Ruth Sarabyn Memorial Scholarship, named for Academic Dean, School of Applied Arts, Business and Technology Dr. Karen Reilly’s mother.

Lovell’s first year she landed arts scholarships for theatre, band and choir.

“Books are really the only thing I’ve had to pay for, and even then I had an outside scholarship, a 4-H equine scholarship,” Lovell said.

She is an accomplished horsewoman who shows at the Berrien County Youth Fair in Berrien Springs, with one year of eligibility remaining.

She leases her horse, cleaning stalls and feeding him twice a week. “Then I get to ride. Over the summer I worked at (J.W. Morlock and Girls Fruitstand, Watervliet).”

In high school she played soccer until a knee injury made her manager senior year.

She was involved in Student Council, National Honor Society, Color Guard assistant section leader in marching band, 4-H Leaders Council vice president, choir secretary and band librarian.

“I organized music for Mrs. H, which is literally what I do here and get paid for. I did it in high school for volunteer hours.”

Learn more about the Room to Grow capital campaign by visiting givebutter.com/roomtogrow or contact Emily Schrock at eschrock02@swmich.edu.