TCNJ

31 SPRING 2020 A s a student teacher, Nia Pierce gained valuable insight from time in a class- room and working with elementary and middle school students in West Orange, New Jersey. As a harpist, she made such strides that she says, "I can't even remember how I used to be as a per- former." And as a student activist, she became a vital member of the campus NAACP chapter, serving as president her junior year, when incidents of racial bias led to a campuswide discussion on racism. Pierce and other NAACP board members met with President Kathryn Foster to codify a prohibition against hate crimes in the college's Student Conduct Code. "It was an emotional roller coaster for a lot of us," Pierce says. "We were able to come together and support each other." She is especially grateful for the performance instruction she received from Professor André Tarantiles, a renowned harpist who holds principal positions with a multitude of opera companies. While she focused her TCNJ performances on a classical music repertoire, she hopes to pivot, post-graduation, to more jazz and pop. Her student-teaching gig also required her to become comfortable with the violin, viola, cello, and bass. "It was a learning experience," she says. "The kids were the best. When I had to leave them, I actually cried. They gave me cards. It helped me really develop as an educator. It pointed out my strong suits and my weaknesses, and helped me maneuver around my weaknesses." Throughout her college career, Pierce pursued opportunities to teach young students. She interned at the Chad School Foundation in Newark, an education advocacy organization that had earlier awarded her a scholarship, where she helped high school seniors prepare for life in college. Through her NAACP ties, she recruited TCNJ classmates to mentor Trenton students preparing for the annual competition known as the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technical, and Scientific Olympics. Looking beyond graduation, Pierce is considering several teaching offers, including one with Teach For America. She's also considering, perhaps simultaneously, graduate school. NIA PIERCE, music education 2016 Harpist-in-training 2020 Road-tested music teacher KIM TANG, communication studies 2016 Ambivalent open-options major 2020 Social media guru Kim Tang 's real major is persistence. First rejected as a community advisor, she reapplied and then won CA of the Year. She tried for 60 internships before landing the coveted role of social media intern at National Geographic. Also: Asian-American Association president and homecoming queen.

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