 "Photo: Photo courtesy of www.shepherd.edu")
When you walk into Dr. Scott Beard’s office, the first thing you lay eyes on is two pianos sitting side by side in the back of the room. Those pianos are, in essence, Dr. Beard.
Dr. Scott Beard is an accomplished pianist that has played all over North America and Europe. Additionally, Dr. Beard is an accomplished author that has been published in several editorials and magazines as well as a professor in Shepherd’s music department.
Being this trusted teacher has led him to be a finalist in 2009’s West Virginia’s Professor of the year award.
Dr. Beard, along with four other finalists, was in the running for this prestigious award.
Dr. Beard started teaching at Shepherd in 1995 as an adjunct professor, and became a full-time professor in 1998. “What has been a real rewarding part of my time being a teacher here at Shepherd is doing the other things here on campus like faculty advisor, the music fraternity, ALLIES, and working on the general studies curriculum.” Dr. Beard sees this as his way of impacting not only the music students’ lives, but the lives of all students on campus.
The impact that Dr. Beard has on his students can be seen in the way they surround him before their next class, laughing and joking. “I love him as a teacher, he’s very personable,” Kevin Rowland, a senior Music major commented.
Beard teaches what he has learned in life, and one thing he is adamant that his students do is learn abroad. “I love to travel, and that is something that I want to share with my students. Shepherd is great but there is a bigger world out there.” The Music department shares this philosophy by planning trips overseas every two years.
In addition to helping his students travel abroad, Beard also helps them find work playing locally. Beard works for a company that hires him to play different shows, “I try to get my students to be part of the larger shows I do,” Beard said.
With all the talent Dr. Scott Beard posses, he still makes time to work on the farm that he owns with his partner. “I love to garden and cook,” he offhandedly comments, thinking of times he’s given his students a chance for a home-cooked meal after working on a new piece of music.
Dr. Beard is truly a professor that cares about his students and their well-being. Not only does he do his job, he does the little extra that makes him stand out from the rest.
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