Linnea Noeldner-
On April 17th, 2025, starting at 11:30 a.m., tables will surround the outer walls of the Saint Peter and Heritage rooms with staff and faculty ready to answer questions and discuss the current political state of our country. Sponsored by the History department, Bigger Than The Music; A Teach-In and Community Conversation for Turbulent Times’ direct purpose is to help provide a safe space for open discussion and expand the current knowledge of current events.
The event will have stations set up through the room of different faculty involving multiple different departments and topics, including history, economics, international students/faculty perspectives, peace studies, gender, women, and sexuality studies, antisemitism argument, communications, science, indigenous studies, and several others. Professors from select departments will be in attendance to help answer any questions that students have, but also any insights of how their area of study may be affected politically.
“It’s a chance for students to learn how different areas of study are affected by these political changes and what it means for everyone and yourself. If you don’t think you’re affected by something, think ‘How can I learn about things to understand in what ways I maybe am [affected]?’” Senior Erica Gaebe said.
This invitation to broaden one’s perspective is at the heart of the event’s mission; to provide opportunities for students and faculty to learn how various disciplines are impacted by political dynamics, and in turn, how those changes shape the lives of people both within and outside the academic community.
The event is free and open to everyone, students and faculty alike. Any person who wants to ask questions, voice concerns, or simply become more educated is welcome to stop by and spend time with a community who can provide resources for them, whether that’s through word of mouth, infographics, podcasts, songs, or other items provided by the African American History II class. Additionally, there will be questions provided to ask faculty for those who are unsure of where to start.
“Whether you’re faculty, staff, or student, it affects everyone, so everyone deserves to attend,” Gaebe said.
Education is the goal of the event, the emphasis on the non-partisan being a key part of it. Bigger Than The Music is not a “party vs party” event, as Gaebe said. There are no sides to the event, only openness and availability of people being willing to communicate what is going on in the world and what actions can be taken, whether that’s individual or otherwise.
“The world is losing a lot of empathy and it’s really upsetting. We need to be more empathetic and this is a really great way to re-center yourself in the world and do it in a way that you can be actively listening to those who are affected–or realize how you yourself will be actively affected,” Senior Willa Brown said.
Being empathetic towards fellow Gusties as well as the rest of the world can give more space for connection and open minds. This goes beyond just understanding the facts; it’s about recognizing the human impact of those changes, learning from those whose lives are most
directly affected, and developing a deeper awareness of one’s own place in the broader conversation.
“There’s a lot of blame and it’s easy to point fingers at people you see every day. We’re starting small and we only want to get bigger from here,” Brown said.
Gusties, as well as anyone attending the event, are recommended to continue to be empathetic and kind to others, keeping an open mind and a non-judgemental view of other people’s perspectives as they are all valid–especially in this event’s discussion.
“There’s not one right answer and bringing people down when you’re saying that ‘this is what I believe’ and ‘this is right’ is not as helpful as coming together and focusing on bigger issues because there are multiple ways that we can make change,” Senior Lily Horsch said.
Bigger Than The Music isn’t about reinforcing existing beliefs but rather expanding one’s worldview, understanding that there are many paths to achieving meaningful change. By being considerate and open to listen, students can both take away information and bring anything they want to expand on.
In addition to the information sections of the event, there will also be a drawing for a $50 gift card to the Bookmark and two $20 River Rock gift cards that attendees can enter simply by attending.
Ultimately, the Bigger Than The Music event is about more than just expanding one’s knowledge. It’s about fostering understanding, building connections, and embracing a culture of empathy that can inspire change both within individuals and the community at large.