Student Spotlight: Lindsay Adlhoch, Clarinet
What does it feel like when the wall of sound hits at the mouth of the tunnel in the Big House? Adrenaline. Pure adrenaline. It was Lindsay Adlhoch's first ever pregame performance. And it wasn't just any game, it was the game. Michigan vs Ohio State, 2019.
Since then, senior Lindsay Adlhoch has blossomed in their role as a dedicated leader in the band, and in their surrounding community, whether in their role as a mentor to students, or as president of the Lambda Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma (TBS).
"I first joined TBS my freshman year in 2019," Adlhoch said. "I became a full active member in the winter 2020 semester. I really love being a part of something bigger than myself. I just love being able to serve the world around me. Everyone in the band is doing their best and giving their all and they've done so much for me and I just want to be able to give that back."
Behind every game day and every rehearsal are student leaders and volunteers working tirelessly to make the day as seamless as possible. Tau Beta Sigma, the honorary band sorority and Kappa Kappa Psi, the honorary band fraternity play very active roles each game day, from providing an inexpensive meal service before an early morning rehearsal when dining halls and restaurants are closed, to coordinating uniform handout and distribution.
"Conventions have been a really big part of my time in TBS," Adlhoch said. "I attended two district conventions virtually and one in person and a national convention in person. It's so cool to come to those events and see a bunch of other people who have the same passions. That's part of why I ran for district council."
Adlhoch is now the district Vice President of Membership. The district includes Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.
"I mostly get to be a guide and I work with the other counsel members," Adlhoch said. "I'm putting together an educational retreat that will happen in October along with my KKPSI counterpart at the district level. I'm also helping to plan this year's sister convention. I've seen them as an attendee and now I get to see the behind the scenes."
As Vice President of Membership, Adlhoch oversees recruitment, education and membership.
"I've met so many people that I wouldn't have otherwise met," Adlhoch said. "I have also become much more outgoing. I wouldn't do public speaking, and now I am giving speeches and talking to people. It's something I still struggle with but I've improved a lot because I have that community. I am TBS president. I am roommates with the KKPSI president. It's super awesome to have that tight knit family that wants the best for the band and works really hard."
Adlhoch is also a haul-head for K-Grams, a program dedicated to providing mentorship services to elementary and middle schools students, including tutoring and pen pal programs.
"As a haul-head, I collect letters from each of the dorms," Adlhoch said. "I meet up with the letter liaisons and then I'll take the letters to the elementary schools and pick them up a few weeks later. I also help write letters. I love talking to the elementary school students. I'm also the secretary for the environ-mentorship program. It is a newer program that is just getting off the ground but we are currently trying to provide mentoring to middle and high school students who are interested in the earth sciences and STEM fields in general and provide information that might have been helpful for us. It's really rewarding to be able to help and it's awesome just knowing that I could have a positive impact on them."
Adlhoch is currently studying earth and environmental science with minors in music and Sociology of Health and Medicine. After graduation, Adlhoch is considering going to graduate school for either geology or environmental science.
This summer, Adlhoch attended Camp Davis, a month-long, immersive summer course centered on Northern American history, ecology and geology. Students who take part in Camp Davis have the opportunity to directly engage with their passions as they hike across the midwest and explore the Yellowstone ecosystem and the Rocky Mountain Range.
"Just being able to see so much time represented in rocks, like billions of years laid out for you, is fascinating," Aldhoch said. "At Camp Davis, we got to do field work and we mapped fault lines where there were earthquakes. We got to take a five day camping trip around Yellowstone. I went to my first three national parks and I met a lot of new people. I got to collect rocks. I came home with this gigantic backpack and my mom asked why it was so heavy—because it was filled with rocks."
Within the MMB, Adlhoch is a proud member of the clarinet section, with previous experience spinning flag in high school and in the Michigan Winter Ensemble.
