You may not know Justine Olson ’28 by name, but there’s a good chance you know her voice. Justine has graced our campus’ stages plenty of times – as a member of Valpo’s Chorale, on the cast of last year’s “Anastasia” The Musical, and on our home court in the Athletics-Recreation Center (ARC). She’s also found stardom as a national anthem singer for the Gary Southshore RailCats and the South Bend Cubs – and, more recently, as a member of singer Lauren Daigle’s choir.
Balancing a growing performance schedule with studies, a part-time job, volunteering, church, and a social life is no easy feat. But the very same community that brought Justine to Valpo serves as the sturdy foundation that makes it all possible. (With the help of her self-proclaimed mom-ager, Misty, of course!)
“Part of the reason I decided to come to Valpo is the community. There’s such a good community here,” Justine says. As a first-generation college student, a supportive community was at the top of her and her family’s college wishlist. “I remember coming here for the first time and walking into the Chapel and thinking, ‘Yes. I want to be a part of that!’ It’s amazing that we have that here and are all able to meet so many people, and knowing that Valpo has a strong foundation of faith moved me a lot.”
It’s a sentiment Misty shares. “When I first walked on to campus, I just felt the presence of God. You can feel the kindness and the love, and that really does make a difference. … You feel at home,” she echoes. “There are people here you don’t feel judged by; you just feel accepted and loved.”
Location also played a large role in the decision – from both a student’s and a parent’s point of view. “I’ve always been a big fan of Chicago – who doesn’t love good restaurants?” Misty says with a smile. “So, when we moved to Winfield, [Indiana,] I was looking for that again. … [Valparaiso, Indiana,] has parks and restaurants and an art scene, too. … I feel like this is a good place to grow. It’s a great town. It has a more enriched personality. There are a lot of really cool things my daughter can do here to discover who she is. So when she said she wanted to go here, it was a big yes.”
Now that she’s here, Justine’s confident she made the right choice. From small class sizes to professors who are truly dedicated to helping their students succeed, she’s found a community at Valpo dedicated to helping her master her calling – and even help her discover new ones.
While Justine had always had a passion for performance, it was very important to her that she pursue a career that would allow her to help others. As a first-year student, that meant majoring in psychology. “When I was in high school, that felt like the time I had to figure out everything I wanted to do,” she says. “I knew I wanted to help other people. I felt very strongly about that. I just didn’t know how I wanted to do it. … In high school, I was always that person who would sit and listen – just hear people out and be that accountability person for them. Being in the therapy area sounded like where I’d want to be, and I thought studying psychology was a good way to get there.”
But, as Justine’s Valpo story went on, she found herself reconsidering her options. Struggling with the musical void in her classes, she was debating switching fully into our music program – before one fateful conversation after a chorale concert. “Chorale went on tour last year in the spring, and before we went on tour, I was having a difficult time with my major. I knew, at some point, I would have to decide whether I want to be full-on with music and have music in my life forever, or stick with psychology and psychology only.” Justine didn’t know, at the time, about a third route: Valpo’s music therapy program.
“During the tour, we would meet people we’ve never seen before in our lives. And after the concerts, these people would come up to us and the words that I would hear most often were, ‘This music just felt so healing.’ It was something I kept hearing over and over again,” Justine continues. “At [one of our stops], Professor Marin Jacobon, M.M., DMA, had us all introduce ourselves to some of the high school students in attendance – talk about our majors, being at Valpo, and everything. I was talking to another one of my Choralians and he was like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m a music therapy major.’ I had no idea that was even a thing. Then, he explained it to me, and I knew I was all in – that’s what I wanted to do!”
Music therapy is an allied health profession that promotes well-being through the power of music. Students in our program learn to provide hope, healing, and joy through an evidence-based, holistic curriculum, leading them to thriving careers in mental health clinics, community spaces, global medical centers, and beyond. “I knew right away that music therapy is what I want to do for the rest of my life. You are composing music using the knowledge you’ve gained in music therapy and putting it into practice – in an actual music therapy session or just making music of your own,” Justine says.
“When Justine got in the car [afterwards,] she was like, ‘Mom, I have to tell you something. I really want you to hear me out.’ And I feel like this is important to say, because I feel like so many kids are afraid to tell their parents they’re switching their major,” Misty starts, “but when she told me, I couldn’t be happier. … As a parent, I knew music was more her lane. God has truly gifted her; when she sings, she has a beautiful voice, and it’s very healing. This is God showing you the right path.’”
“It’s our culture today to have everything figured out and to stick to the course,” Justine adds. “But you can switch it up at any moment in time. You don’t have to stick to what you’re doing if you don’t like it, and just be happy with any job you get. You can change your path whenever you want. It’s your life – and your education.”
Now fully into her music therapy major, Justine has a lot to look forward to. As she learns, she’s also considering her career trajectory: whether she wants to take her expertise into hospitals – or even open up her own practice one day. Her future internship and current practicum experiences have been instrumental in discovering her future path as a music therapist. She’s observed music therapy sessions at Helping Hands here in Valparaiso, as well as Michigan City, Indiana; this year, her practicum is across the street from the university at Behavioral Specialists of Indiana (BSI). “Next year, I’ll be helping write the music and preparing the actual sessions, and co-hosting the sessions, too, instead of observing them. I’ll have a larger role in it.”
With a bright future in this exciting health profession in the making, it’s easy to look back to the beginning of Justine’s story and wonder – where does she find the time for her ever-growing performance schedule?
Justine’s no stranger to the stage; the first time her parents noticed she could carry a tune was when she was in fourth grade and since then, she’s built a hefty resume: national anthem performances, choir collaborations, theatrical performances, solos, gigs at local coffee shops and county fairs, and a flourishing YouTube channel to document every note and chord. “I’ve been in 11 musicals and plays, and received the National Choral Award my senior year of high school, and that was really special to me… Yeah, music has been my whole life!” she says. At the root of it all: auditioning. “I would always put myself out there. I would always audition, because auditioning is so important – especially if you want to continue performing. It helps you build character and confidence. … When I auditioned here at Valpo for music scholarships, that really helped with my confidence, too.”
Here, mom-ager Misty’s knack for finding opportunities comes into play. “[All of the auditions] – they come through me. … The RailCats [Baseball] booking is actually a funny story, because we were heading to dinner one day and I was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be awesome if they responded to a message on Instagram?’ They saw it and booked her immediately. All I did was send them a link to her YouTube channel; her performances speak for themselves,” Misty says. This weekend, the duo is actually flying out to Mesa, Arizona, for Justine to sing the National Anthem at the third annual games for the Chicago Cubs at spring training.
Of course, having Misty’s help has been a game-changer for Justine – but her faith is what truly has been her rock through this all. “Everything I do is for the glory of God. … Jesus is my savior and everything I do is because of Him. The Lord is my peace,” Justine shares. Her church choir was one of the first places she began performing and discovering her God-given talents – a place of connection between her, God’s Word, her community, and her calling to both sing of His glory and serve others. While she encourages fellow student-performers to take things one step at time when it comes to finding gigs, auditioning, and then taking the stage, she credits all she does and all she accomplishes to God – even when seeking refuge from her busiest days. “When I’m journaling in the morning or taking time to relax, I am grounding that time in Jesus because He is the one who gives me that peace. God is the reason for all that I do.”
If you find yourself wanting to follow Justine’s footsteps – as a growing performer or a professional music therapist – consider exploring your future in Valpo’s Department of Music at valpo.edu/music or getting involved in Valpo’s vibrant faith community at valpo.edu/chapel.
