Name:Â Meg Roy
Hometown:Â Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
Major:Â MM, Jazz Studies & Performance
Year:Â 2nd-year Masters
Involvement (On Campus): Graduate Assistantship – Jazz Office, Sigma Alpha Iota
Fun Fact: I’m not from New Jersey.
Favorite Quote: “I wanna take a nap.” – YouTube GirlBut more seriously, “Sing like your heart will break if you don’t.” – David Maslanka
Meg Roy is like the cool older sister everyone wishes they had. She’s got a great taste in music, a passport filled with stamps, and she knows exactly when to chime in with a piece of wisdom. Whether she is exploring the world of jazz here at WPUNJ or literally exploring the world, Meg’s finer taste in the beauty of the world is balanced with a humor that welcomes life’s unexpected moments. With humility, grace, and a wonderful curiosity for life, Meg has earned the title of our campus celebrity this week!
HC: What has been your favorite class at WPUNJ and why?Â
MR:Â My favorite class so far at Willy P was probably the jazz vocal quartet I got to work with last year. At that time, there were only four jazz vocal major, and as luck would have it, we were the perfect parts (SATB) for a quartet. We worked hard and got to sing for WBGO and even the New York Voices when they came to perform for a Jazz Room.
HC: Where did you go for your undergraduate education? What are some differences between there and WPUNJ?Â
MR:Â I received my BM in Music Education from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. It feels like pretty much everything at Willy P is different from there, but then again, Miami is one-of-a-kind. The biggest difference is probably that NJ has basements. Miami has more salsa.
HC:  What is your favorite part about WPUNJ? MR: WPU actually has a beautiful campus. I love to run around it when there aren’t too many students around. Of course I also like the people. I’ve met some amazing faculty and cool students here, and I’m really thankful for that.
HC: You’ve traveled a lot; can you share a bit of your experiences?Â
MR: I do love to travel. I’ve been to a lot of places, but have traveled Europe the most. I spent a year teaching English and music at a university in Poland before coming to get my masters at Willy P. That was on a Fulbright grant, and I’m a big advocate for that whole program. Cultural exchange is so important, especially for our generation. Other than Europe, I have been to South Africa a few times to teach music and to help get an after school music program off the ground. I did a count, and I believe I’ve been to 19 countries to date. I would love to be one of those people who completes the “30 under 30” challenge.
HC: Do you have any advice for those students who hope to travel?Â
MR: Do it. Be smart about it, but do it. It’s scary, and it costs money. But if you prepare yourself, there is no reason you can’t do anything in life. Like the unknown quote that has been popularized on Facebook, Pinterest, and the like – “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” It’s true. You can’t put a monetary value on what you will gain by traveling. One more quote – “To travel is to live,” Hans Christian Anderson. When you travel somewhere, don’t go all “spring break” and waste your money or endanger your health and safety. Go to a museum. Visit the locals’ favorite coffee shop. Go to the ballet/opera/symphony. Do your best to blend in and see what that new place brings out in you. You may be surprised.
HC: Â How do you relieve stress in between all that you do?Â
MR: Still working on it! I like to run and do yoga. Writing and reading with a cozy blanket and a candle also works! When I’m feeling really stir crazy, I like planning trips!
HC: What do you hope to accomplish within the next year?Â
MR: I want to graduate, I want to put on a killer recital, and I want to finish a killer thesis. I also would love to have a job/grad school lined up. I’ll just keep working hard until then!
Keep up with Meg on her blog, megroy.wordpress.com!Â