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December 11, 2025

For senior music business major and social media marketing minor Patrick Sheeley, ������ý��Ƶ has been home base for some lifelong memories. From a duet with Swedish multi-instrumentalist Gunhild Carling to a spring break trek across Europe with the ������ý��Ƶ Chorale and ������ý��Ƶ Jazz Ensemble, Sheeley has been making the most of his college experience both in and out of the classroom.

It started with a lifelong dream and a simple Google search.

“I always knew I wanted to pursue a music career, but I wanted to explore all paths, beyond those of performance alone,” Sheeley explained. “������ý��Ƶ has one of the best music business programs, dating back to 1947, and it popped up in my search with other top music business schools.”

The rest was history. Soon, he was working on projects like one in which he fabricated a fictional band, designed and priced their merch, and routed their entire tour. It was a match made in heaven.

“My professors and mentors at ������ý��Ƶ have been nothing short of incredible,” Sheeley said. “They’ve also been some of my biggest personal advocates. They care deeply about my learning, professional development, and success. They’ve done everything they can to make sure I’m a well-prepared young professional in the industry.”

When some of those same professors informed Sheeley he had been awarded both the Edith and Harold Anderson Endowed Scholarship and the Dr. Richard Wolf Memorial Scholarship, it meant the world.

“Receiving support from generous donors like the Andersons and Dr. Richard Wolf is an absolute honor, and it enables students like me to have opportunities that I may not have otherwise had. I am very grateful to have received both of these awards, and I cannot thank ������ý��Ƶ’s donors enough for empowering students like me,” Sheeley said.

With the end of his time at ������ý��Ƶ on the horizon, Sheeley aims to work in music and/or entertainment—something he hopes will be all the more doable with the ������ý��Ƶ Hollywood Semester under his belt.

“While in LA, I’ll be interning for a digital music marketing company called ,” Sheeley shared. “They work with artists and labels to boost their streams, website traffic, merchandise sales, and overall revenue through social media and other forms of digital advertising. They’re the perfect fit to combine my undergraduate studies in social media marketing and music business!”

Recently, Sheeley performed his senior recital—an emotional moment that touched everyone in the room.

“Words cannot describe the feeling I felt when I walked out on the Dingeldine stage to see so many of my friends, mentors, professors, and Peoria community members supporting me in the audience,” Sheeley said. “I am so grateful to have made so many long-lasting memories and connections at ������ý��Ƶ and in Peoria. To be able to cap off my time here with such a fulfilling senior recital, and to have an amazing internship experience waiting for me in LA, I could not feel more rewarded from my ������ý��Ƶ experience.”

For more on Sheeley’s ������ý��Ƶ experience, check out his appearance on .

–Jenevieve Rowley-Davis