Alexander is a double-major in philosophy and political science and wants to go to law school at Wake Forest University.[/caption]
Alexander, a junior, is originally from New York but moved to Greenville for high school. Alexander said coming to North Carolina helped get him to ECU.
“I wanted to go to school in North Carolina, my parents wanted to come to North Carolina and I really wanted to go to ECU after I visited,” Alexander said.
Alexander is a double major in philosophy and political science with a 3.76 GPA and wants to go to law school after he graduates from ECU. Alexander believes the two subjects complement each other and will benefit him as he prepares for law school.
“Philosophy makes you think in a certain way and has analytical thinking that you need when you go to law school, and political science can help increase my knowledge about things such as constitutional law,” Alexander said.
This summer, Alexander attended Duke University’s Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars, a four-week residential program aimed at students of color and first-generation college students planning to go to law school.
“The experience was great and I got a feel for what law school would bring,” Alexander said. “We had different exercises and studies we looked into and we practiced the Socratic method, which is an important aspect of law school, especially in the classroom environment.”
At ECU, Alexander is the vice president of the Political Student Union and is a member of Team Empowered Aspired Men (TEAM). Alexander has logged over 100 hours with TEAM, which focuses on networking and serving in the community.
He is also the co-facilitator for Barbershop Talk, a bi-weekly event started by some of the members of TEAM.
“We have a guest speaker come in every other Monday and we meet in the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center, and the speaker comes in to inspire us and give us some things we can take into our everyday lives,” Alexander said.
Alexander also loves to collect and resell sneakers in his free time.
Once he graduates, Alexander would like to attend Wake Forest University for law school.
COMPETITION WINNER
ECU student tuba player wins Yamaha international performance award
An East Carolina University School of Music graduate student is one of nine winners in the 2015 Yamaha Young Performing Artists competition.
Zachary Grass of Greenville, who plays the tuba, is the only low brass instrumentalist selected as a YYPA winner for 2015. Other winners were from South Korea, Japan and the United States, and included flute, bassoon, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, drum set, cello and piano.
Grass is a student of ECU tuba and euphonium professor Tom McCaslin, a Yamaha Performing Artist.
“I am humbled by this opportunity,” Grass said. “Past winners of this competition include Carol Jantsch, the principal tubist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Stephen Dumaine, principal tubist of the National Symphony Orchestra, to name only two of many who have gone on to successful music careers.”
The annual YYPA Program, which underscores Yamaha’s commitment to music education, recognizes exceptional emerging jazz, classical and contemporary music instrumentalists. Winners are chosen after submitting recordings and supporting materials, which are evaluated by a panel of Yamaha Performing Artists and other celebrity musicians.
“I am just happy to be able to represent my instrument and the hard work of my professors and influences at ECU and abroad who have gotten me to this point,” Grass said.
Grass joins the ranks of more than 200 competition winners since the program’s inception. This year’s honorees receive an all-expense paid trip to the YYPA celebration weekend, set for June 20-23, which includes rehearsals, master classes, social events and workshops focused on how to establish and maintain a career in music.
“The Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition is one of the most prestigious competitions for young performing musicians in the United States,” said McCaslin. “For Zack to be included as one of the 2015 winners is a recognition of his talents, work ethic and dedication to improving himself as a performer. I am extremely proud of Zack and can’t wait to see what the future holds for this young man.”
Grass grew up in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania.