It's Big, It's New, and It's Fun

By Tami Dimock
Beginning with the 1999-2000 academic year, the George Mason University Department of Music will offer 10 scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each to talented and deserving students, thanks to a generous gift from philanthropist and entrepreneur William N. Melton, CEO and founder of Reston-based CyberCash, Inc., a leading provider of secure electronic commerce payment solutions.

"These scholarships will be the largest ever given by the department," says Music chair Joseph Shirk, "and the scholarship gift is the largest we have ever received." Melton's total gift of $165,000 includes scholarship funds for three years and an additional $15,000 to provide sheet music, rent instruments, and cover other costs. The new program, called the Melton Music Teaching Scholarship Awards, will be instrumental in recruiting and retaining full-time graduate music students, as well as junior and senior undergraduate music majors. And scholarship renewal is possible for a period of up to two years.

In return for the award, each recipient will teach and mentor up to four public school students (elementary through high school level) who demonstrate musical talent but don't have the resources to rent an instrument or pay for lessons. Each semester, the students will receive 14 private music lessons in either voice or instrument. Additional instruction in music theory and other areas is also available.

According to Shirk, Melton Scholars are matched up with public school students and their teaching assignments are coordinated through MusicLink, a Music Teachers National Association program that "promotes the recognition and development of musical talent through the collaborative efforts of music teachers in schools and the community." MusicLink was developed by adjunct Music faculty member Joanne Haroutounian and is always in need of qualified volunteers to teach disadvantaged youth identified through the program.

Like MusicLink, the Melton scholarship program "encourages musical talent that might not be fostered otherwise," says Shirk. Therefore, the two make a good match: talented and deserving graduate and undergraduate students are able to afford a George Mason education, and talented and deserving students in the public schools of Fairfax and Arlington Counties are able to receive instruction to nurture their musical talents.

"Community outreach is a big part of the Music Department's mission, and we also have a very strong commitment to the teaching of music," Shirk says. "And, of course, another of our high priorities is to recruit talented students," he adds, noting that Music has very little scholarship money other than what is raised from the annual Music Scholarship Benefit Concert. So Melton's gift is much appreciated.

Shirk describes Melton--who has a master's degree in Asian languages--as an extremely interesting and generous person who thinks globally. "He does a lot for others and is interested in people having an opportunity to know more about the world than just what is in their own backyard."

Upon learning about Music's quality programs and the need for scholarship funds through friend and Mason alumna Juliana Kuo, M.A. '95, Melton showed a genuine interest in helping out. When the original proposal for scholarship support ($50,000 for one year) was submitted to Melton, he decided to commit for three years and throw in the extra $15,000 for expenses during that time period. The gift has laid the foundation for a win-win program, says Shirk, who credits Kuo for her part in making it happen and calls her "a great advocate of George Mason University and the Music Department."

The Melton Music Teaching Scholarship Awards "will enable us to assist some very talented students who want to come to George Mason but who otherwise wouldn't be able to. At the same time, we will be serving the community by working with young students who show promise in music but otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to take music lessons," Shirk says. "Mr. Melton has a desire to try to make a difference in the lives of young people."