Student Spotlight: Devin Mroz, Drumline

The crowd roars under the Big House lights in the summer heat, anticipating the signal. The lights turn a deep blue. Here it comes. The voice of Carl Grapentine booms in the stadium speakers: "Michigan Fans everywhere… presenting the Michigan Marching Band! Baaaaaaaand. . . Take. . . the field!"

Three quick taps from a steady hand and the entry cadence begins. The band surges forward, bursting out of the tunnel. Keeping the beat is Devin Mroz, the snare rank leader. 

"The drumline rank leaders act as instructors for our subsection," Mroz said. "So, during our subsectionals—usually the first 60 percent of drum tech before full ensemble—each section is left on their own, largely self guided. I'm the one running rehearsal, running the metronome, instructing on exercises, and giving comments and feedback. I do a lot of playing, but on other peoples' drums. I had been section leader for my drumline in high school. I felt like I could serve the drumline well and help create a good culture. I felt my strength was in the instructional aspect, and knowing a few techniques to help people learn. I was also really interested in designing my own solos and getting to be the first one out the tunnel."

Since drumline clinics for the upcoming season begin in January, leadership decisions are usually made by December. Members who audition for leadership are expected to fill out an interest form, play a two minute solo or fundamentals, interview with the leadership from the previous season, and are evaluated by their peers in a feedback form. 

"I would say drumline has a great culture because it's relaxed and everyone is on the same page and dedicated to a common vision to be the best drumline we could be," Mroz said. "Our very first drum tech, we went around the snare and I asked each person why they joined drumline and what their ultimate vision is, so that we could create this one vision of a snare line for everybody. That created a lot of buy-in from everyone; we want to look good, sound good, be efficient and make memories with our friends. We are here to be the best versions of ourselves but not at the expense of what's important. We shouldn't be upset that someone isn't up to standard and instead, we look to support one another to get where we need to be together. We will work hard and hold each other to a high standard, and we will still crack jokes between reps and check in on one another."

In addition to marching band and hockey band commitments, Mroz balances a job and a degree in aerospace engineering. 

"As a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut," Mroz said. "I realized a possible route to achieving that was to become an airforce pilot. I figured that if there is a 99 percent chance I can't be an astronaut, I want to make sure I do something I enjoy and make the most of the brain I have, so I thought about aerospace. I could combine problem solving skills with creativity and design. The most exciting field for me, the biggest impact I think I could have on humanity, is advancements on the frontier of exploration, and for me that's in outer space. If I can't be the astronaut, I want to be the engineer that helped design the shuttle."

The aerospace engineering program has a series of project-based courses, the X88 courses, a series of courses ending in 88 that focus on developing teamwork and project design skills. Previously Mroz was a part of M-ACT, the Michigan Aerospace Cybersecurity Team. 

"We built a drone and tried to make it unhackable and tested its security at competitions," Mroz said. "On M-ACT, I was the flight performance lead: I did everything to do with the physical design and layout of the drone as well as battery and propeller performance. One of the main problems I focused on was trying to find a light enough battery that still has the power to make the drone fly for ten minutes. It was surprisingly difficult to find the right battery, but we did work it out."

This year, Mroz is serving as an adviser for another project, Murple. Murple is an offshoot of MASA, the Michigan Aeronautical Science Association. MASA is focused on using engineering concepts to build and design rockets that utilize liquid fuel. 

"Murple is focused on using solid fuel," Mroz said. "The idea is to make the rocket refurbishable so that we can launch it multiple times so that MASA can use it as well as other laboratories for smaller scale launches while still going ten thousand feet. The way that aero X88 courses work is that there are students in 288, 388, and 488 that work together to build technical skills. This is the first year of 488: there's three of us acting as advisers for 12 students. I am in an advisory role for students starting out in the X88 series. I am in charge of operations: outlining the launch standard operating process—the document for how our rocket launch day is going to go— and coordinating with test facilities and helping out the team wherever I can."

Four times a year, the X88 courses face design reviews. 

"Design reviews are based on the different phases of the design cycle your project is in," Mroz said. "They are two hour sessions where we present our progress to industry judges—employees from different aerospace companies. This year we have a lot of judges from Blue Origin. Their job is to critique it and find all the faults they possibly can so that our project is the best it can be. Giving a two hour presentation as a team and getting criticized isn't super fun, but going out to dinner after that big presentation definitely is. Having project team experience is going to be one of the most useful things for getting an internship and hopefully a full time job, or just getting experience. You become good friends with your teammates. Even though now we are on different project teams, we still get together. The most fun part is the friendships that will last. The team bonding helps you be more effective in doing all the engineering work together as well."

Mroz also has aerospace friends within the drumline, fostering a greater sense of teamwork and camaraderie.

"For incoming  MMB students I would say, don't take any of it for granted," Mroz said. "Even if there are differences or small disagreements, don't let it ruin your marching band experience, because at the end of the day you are frequently with people in your section. Learn to love everyone around you, and you will have a great time."

Mroz is beginning his senior year.