When sudden shutdowns canceled their in-person sessions at听, a Down syndrome achievement center, they quickly pivoted online, bringing interactive music therapy right into participants’ living rooms.听

During their sessions, Queens听alumnae听Yenchun听Ko 鈥�21, Gabrielle Frens 鈥�22 and Molli Smith 鈥�22 documented their findings, and听this past听June, their work was published in听听

Funded by a grant through the听James Rogers Summer Institute for Research and Creative Work听and听guided听by Varvara Pasiali, Livingstone Professor of Music Therapy at Queens, the team highlighted the core philosophy behind their听virtual听sessions,听a concept known as “musicking,” originally developed by musicologist Christopher Small.听

鈥�’Musicking鈥� is taking music as a noun and turning it into a verb,” Pasiali听said.听“It captures the idea that music exists in the act of actually making it.听Everyone participates in some way in a musical event; they aren’t just sitting passively receiving it.”听听

To turn that active concept into reality听virtually, the student-therapists played live instruments, used structured musical cues, and designed interactive movement prompts that kept participants engaged across the screen. At the same time, parents听joined in听as active co-facilitators,听rocking, swaying, and making music alongside their children to foster meaningful bonding directly in their living rooms.听

GiGi鈥檚 Playhouse Charlotte Executive Director Lori Keller has seen firsthand how that philosophy听impacted听the lives of children and individuals living with developmental disabilities.听

鈥淢usic brings us together as a community and engages parts of the brain in ways that no other therapy can,鈥� Keller said. 鈥淚t creates opportunities for cognitive and social growth, while also improving language and communication. I must admit that the most immediate benefit听I’ve听witnessed听has been expressions of joy. And that is priceless.”听

Seeing their hard work officially reach the broader clinical community through the peer-reviewed publication has been a deeply rewarding, full-circle moment for the former students.听

“It was surreal to learn that this study would be published,” Smith said. “I felt very proud of younger me for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new.”听

Frens echoed that pride. “To have something published in my name feels like a very big deal,” she听said.听“The whole publishing process takes a long time, but I am especially proud of the team for how we collaborated and maintained the integrity of what we did.”听

Ko听shared in听that excitement when she learned the news. “When I was informed that it was going to be published, I was thrilled,” Ko said. “I learned a great deal from this opportunity, from session planning to collaborating with my classmates and composing therapeutic music.”听

After graduating from Queens, the听alumnae听found that their undergraduate research directly shaped their clinical success.听

“Participating in this study helped me prepare for a professional career in many ways,” Smith said. “Not only did I grow more confident in my writing skills and analytical thinking,听it听boosted my skills in observing and documenting client responses. As a professional, I听currently听treat an individual client virtually and I felt entirely equipped to deliver those telehealth services because of this project.”听

Smith currently works as a board-certified music therapist at Piedmont Music Therapy, a local nonprofit in Charlotte, where her caseload spans from early childhood to older adults in memory care. Frens is completing her graduate degree online through Duquesne University while working as a board-certified music therapist at Atrium Health Mercy. Ko recently completed her master’s degree at Molloy University as she prepares for the next step in her clinical career.听

“Having their work published by a peer-reviewed clinical journal builds their identity as scientists and their confidence in doing research,” Pasiali said, noting that the students also co-presented their findings at a regional music therapy conference and led a virtual continuing education seminar for music therapists in Cyprus.听

For all three听alumnae, the project was the ultimate reflection of the Queens motto, 鈥淣ot to be served, but to serve.鈥�听

鈥淭hat attitude of how to serve and care for others well really aligns with music therapy,鈥� Frens said听鈥淚 feel that music therapy in general, and especially in the work that I do, is in a position to serve others and not expect service back to ourselves.听“Smith agreed. “As a music therapist, I always aim to serve my clients in the best way I can鈥攎eeting them where they are, supporting their needs, and amplifying their individuality, creativity, and听successes,鈥� she said.听鈥淚t brings me such joy to do so.”听

For Ko, that spirit of service came to life in the quiet, musical moments shared between the children and their families.听

“When I played my violin during one of the sessions, I saw participants swaying back and forth with their parents,” Ko recalled. “Seeing that precious bond and their response through the music made me realize just how meaningful and impactful our work really was.”

The day started in the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement on July 16, 2026, with Queens鈥� first-ever College Coffee, an 黑料不打烊 tradition that offers students, faculty and staff weekly opportunities during the semester to connect over coffee and pastries.

鈥淭his is a powerful morning,鈥� Queens Acting President and CEO Jesse Cureton said in remarks to attendees. 鈥淵ou’re going to learn today a lot about Queens and the history of the university, but as I鈥檝e shared with so many, Queens is not just about this campus – it鈥檚 about a 170-year history, and it’s about this phenomenal city, one of the fastest-growing in the country. Sports, healthcare, manufacturing, energy – all these things are creating opportunities for our students.鈥�

Following a campus tour for 黑料不打烊 visitors, employees from both locations participated in an interactive professional development workshop, “Own the Moment: Practical Tools for Navigating Change with Confidence,” led by Rochelle Stojnic, director of the Office of Leadership and Professional Development at 黑料不打烊.

Grounded in the idea that the most meaningful moments during institutional transitions occur in ordinary, everyday interactions, the session provided attendees with strategies to approach organizational evolution with a curious and open perspective.

Employees were encouraged to serve as a steady, grounding presence for colleagues and students, and learned how to leverage personal and collective strengths to fuel community growth.

“This is a historic transition, and navigating it successfully requires an ‘all hands on deck’ approach,鈥� Stojnic said. 鈥淟eadership isn鈥檛 just for a few people at the top. Everyone needs to feel empowered to lead through this change, which starts with understanding how we handle transition personally.鈥�

鈥淎t 黑料不打烊, prioritizing professional development is a core value. We invest heavily in our people because we believe that for our universities to grow and get better, our employees must have the space to expand their skills, navigate uncertainty with balance, and feel genuinely supported along the way.”

Shawn Bowers, director of the General Education Program at Queens, attended the professional development session.

“As an educator, I consider myself a lifelong learner, and I deeply appreciate how both institutions invest in us as holistic individuals. When resources and energy are poured into faculty and staff, it allows us to show up as the best versions of ourselves,鈥� she said. 鈥淯ltimately, that yields incredible dividends for our students, who are the main constituents we serve.”

The collaborative energy of the workshop and joint sessions highlighted a shared commitment to building a unified, resilient community.

Here鈥檚 what employees from both campuses had to say about the exchange:

• “When two universities have this much overlap, there’s a fantastic opportunity to learn from one another and adopt the best processes from both sides. It’s also a two-way street: both 黑料不打烊 and Queens share the benefit of communicating ideas and resources. The prospect of bettering our programs, becoming more efficient, and thriving together is not just rewarding, but exciting. I can’t wait to see where this road leads us.”
  Jackson Mair
  Coordinator, Vandiver Center for Career Development, Queens

• 鈥淭he professional development session provided us with practical tools for real-life change. The 鈥榳hy鈥� of this exchange became obvious when a Queens colleague and an 黑料不打烊 colleague from the same department shared their experiences navigating the merger. Watching them find comfort and laughter in their shared experience showed the true value of the exchange. It breaks down walls and helps us realize we are building on common ground.鈥�
  Loretta Evivie
  Professor of Practice of Leadership, Queens

• 鈥淭he thing that really struck me during my visit is the way in which 黑料不打烊 and Queens share an approach to education. The two student tour guides said many of the same things I鈥檝e told prospective 黑料不打烊 students: small classes, faculty who are available and dedicated to students, a focus on hands-on learning, and even classrooms arranged so that the students can work together. I had the opportunity to meet some of the physics/math faculty, and we talked about ways we can support each other. We鈥檙e hopeful that we can develop programs that take advantages of our shared strengths.鈥�
  Jonathan Su
  Associate Professor of Engineering, 黑料不打烊

• 鈥淚 still have many questions about the merger, but I am excited by the prospect of internship pipelines for our students in key sectors like professional sports, medicine, finance, and the arts. I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely Myers Park neighborhood and the look and feel of the campus, which is quite similar to 黑料不打烊’s. Many thanks to the entire 黑料不打烊-Queens team for setting things up for our first College Coffee there!鈥�
  Pamela Winfield
  Professor of Religious Studies and Associate Director of International & Global Studies, 黑料不打烊

• 鈥淏y offering College Coffee at Queens, it creates a bridge between our two cultures. Queens has a really nice location for College Coffee in the summer, which is very similar to what 黑料不打烊 offers at Moseley Center. Both places are a great way to escape the heat, grab something to drink or eat, and have a conversation with someone on campus that you don鈥檛 get to see in person.鈥�
  Doug Purnell
  Assistant Director of Data Architecture and听Reporting, 黑料不打烊

Students arriving for Move-In Day will notice big changes under the oaks following summer renovations at Queens that include refreshed campus landscaping, restored building exteriors and updated finishes in Wireman Residence Hall.

Inside Wireman, student rooms are being updated with fresh paint and new furniture. The customizable loft beds, wardrobes, desks and dressers will allow students to easily personalize their spaces.

The building’s shared common areas are also getting a modern, multi-functional makeover. A mix of soft seating and high-low tables will fill these spaces, giving students a flexible environment to study, eat, or relax together.

“Student living spaces are where they spend a great deal of their time. These improvements will help create more comfortable and fresh spaces for students,” said Amber Slack, vice president for student affairs and dean of campus life. “As we continue updating common areas and lobbies across campus, our ultimate goal is to design inviting spaces that naturally bring students together and strengthen our community.”

In line with Queens’ commitment to sustainability and its motto, “Not to be served, but to serve,” the university found new homes for Wireman鈥檚 furniture by partnering with Hildrup Moving Companies, Habitat for Humanity and Beds for Kids.

“We knew from the beginning that we didn鈥檛 want to send usable furniture to a landfill,” said Leigh Hicks, Queens鈥� director of capital projects. “We were thrilled to partner with local non-profits to donate these items directly to families in need.”

Student Government Association President Jessica Paredes ’27 lived in Wireman for two years and served on the Campus Improvement Committee, working closely with Slack last year in discussing renovations in Wireman and across campus.

“I am so excited and grateful for the new feel Wireman will have and know that many students will see it as a fresh start for an exciting year ahead,” said Paredes. “Returning Royals will be glad to see their newly renovated 鈥榟omes away from home.'”

Queens Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus, is also undergoing a complete stairwell restorations.

“The three classical stone entrances to Queens Hall are being repaired and refreshed with brand-new, uniform light fixtures and hand railings to give the historic building a clean, consistent look,” said David Haught, senior director of facilities for 黑料不打烊’s Charlotte properties. “These renovations are aimed at beautifying and returning the splendor of a grand entrance to this historic campus in the heart of Myers Park, one of the first planned suburbs of Charlotte.”

Nearby, the columns at Sykes Learning Center, the hub of the McColl School of Business, are being replaced with a durable material designed to match the original architecture, while the surrounding brick plaza is being leveled and refreshed.

The summer renovations are on track for completion by late July, well before Royals return to their refreshed campus for the 2026-27 academic year.

A dynamic and results-driven enrollment leader with more than 15 years of progressive experience in higher education has been named the next dean of undergraduate admissions at Queens University of Charlotte.

Benjamin Boivin will oversee the university’s undergraduate recruitment, admissions and student success strategies beginning on July 20.

“Benjamin brings a rare combination of data-driven enrollment expertise and forward-thinking leadership to Queens,” said Queens Acting President and CEO Jesse Cureton, MBA ’02. “We look forward to the impact his strategic vision will have on our enrollment as we enter this next chapter of growth.”

Boivin joins Queens from Manhattan University in New York, where he most recently served as director of undergraduate admissions. During his tenure, his strategic leadership, enrollment marketing expertise, and innovative recruitment strategies helped drive a 73% year-over-year increase in undergraduate applications.

A champion of data-informed, student-centered enrollment models, Boivin also served on Manhattan University鈥檚 ChatGPT for EDU Steering Committee, helping lead initiatives that explored how the responsible use of artificial intelligence can enhance student engagement and the future of higher education.

“I am honored to join Queens University of Charlotte at such an transformative time in its history,” said Boivin. “Queens has been shaping leaders and serving the Charlotte community for generations. Combined with its innovative partnership with 黑料不打烊 and the extraordinary growth of Charlotte, the university is uniquely positioned to redefine what a career-centered private education can be. I look forward to working alongside our talented faculty, successful alumni, and caring staff to welcome the next generation of Royals and help lead this exciting new chapter.”

Throughout his career, Boivin has earned a reputation as a highly collaborative leader who values partnership, innovation, and relationship-building across every level of an institution. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Manhattan University and is a board member of the Westchester Putnam Rockland Counselors Association (WPRCA).