When she’s not competing in the 800m or delivering champion-quality speeches for the Debate Team, you might find Kaitlyn Butts playing away on the baby grand Steinway in South Lobby. Since first learning her scales at age six, this North Carolinian has stewarded her musical gift well, taking it from church sanctuaries and nursing homes to the hands of her 15 piano students throughout high school. After discovering her love for connecting with people through music, she decided to take her talent to the next level at Grove City College, where she is pursuing her calling with grace and gusto.
With a rigorous homeschool background and a plethora of extra-curricular interests, Kaitlyn began her college search looking for a big school that was close to home. But after getting introduced to Grove City early on in her senior year, she was drawn to its tight-knit Christian community nestled ’mid the pines of Western Pennsylvania, where she felt that faculty and staff genuinely wanted to connect with her as a person with God-given potential to grow.
Since coming to the Grove, Kaitlyn has thrived studying alongside other passionate musicians who share her values and desire to glorify God through music. Among various formative conversations with professors, one in particular led her to look into philosophy, which she recently added as a second major.
In reflecting on the importance of a liberal arts education, Kaitlyn shared with us in a recently recorded interview that “the discipline of music itself is enhanced and enriched when it’s combined with so many other disciplines that have also shaped human history. So when I walk into a music performance class, my perspective on it is enriched by the philosophy and the history and the writing classes that I’m also taking. And the amazing thing about Grove City College is that you can graduate with a degree in music, but you will have studied and grown in every other discipline that has impacted the people who have written and wrote about music throughout history, and I think that’s one of the things that makes Grove City’s Music Department so special.”
Now with a year of college under her belt, Kaitlyn encourages prospective students exploring schools to ask themselves – how will this college grow me as a person holistically?
“No college is perfect and no experience will be perfect. So you want to be at a place that’s helping you to grow spiritually, mentally, and in a community with other people who have the same priorities with their faith and their academics as you. And I can assure you that, at least from my personal experience, the answer at Grove City College is absolutely – you will grow in every arena of your life.”
To listen to highlights of our interview with Kaitlyn, check out the links below. To explore the Music Department at Grove City College, visit our website at www.gcc.edu/music. Also, to check out Kaitlyn’s personal blog, visit kaitlynbutts.com.
Click here to listen to our full interview with Kaitlyn.
In this clip Kaitlyn shares why she decided to attend Grove City College, where she felt appreciated as a person with a unique story.
In this clip Kaitlyn discusses how she has grown in confidence, skill, and well-roundedness since taking her musical talent to the collegiate level.
In this clip Kaitlyn explains how her faith informs her approach to music, which she sees both as a ministry and platform to glorify God.
In this clip Kaitlyn talks about her formative relationships with professors, one of whom prompted her to pursue a double major in philosophy.
In this clip Kaitlyn shares advice for prospective students on the college search, encouraging them to seek out a school where holistic growth is prioritized.