Staging a Future in Music Education
Will Schindler ’27, Laura M. Winkelman Scholar
Inside a classroom at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center, Will Schindler ’27 would listen closely, then offer feedback as young residents transformed their experiences and ideas into original songs set to pulsing hip-hop beats.
“We focused on lyric writing and music production, which was an effective way to ensure they have access to music education they can engage in,” he says of his work with Northwestern University’s Arts and Music Programs for Education in Detention Centers (AMPED), a partnership between the Center for Civic Engagement and Bienen School of Music.
For Schindler, a double major in music education and voice and opera performance at the Bienen School, the experience has shaped his sense of purpose, sharpened his craft, and guided him toward a career in music education.
A recipient of the Laura M. Winkelman Scholarship, Schindler has been intentional in pursuing immersive opportunities, like AMPED, that build his artistry and prepare him for a future in the classroom.
“Yes, I’m there to teach, but I think I’ve learned just as much—if not more—from the residents,” says Schindler, who joined AMPED in fall 2025 and plans to participate during his senior year. “One day, I’d like to teach choir and direct ensembles. For now, I’m doing everything I can to develop those skills.”
Northwestern is putting support for its students, like Schindler, front and center with a new fundraising campaign. Through the Forever Shine Campaign, announced in May, the University aims to raise at least $625 million for scholarships and supplemental programs.
Before arriving in Evanston, Schindler sang in church choirs and performed in high school musicals in his hometown of Georgetown, Kentucky. At Northwestern, he began studying and performing in opera, but his interests quickly broadened as access to performance training, leadership roles, and mentorship helped him discover a new career path.
As treasurer of Opera Projects for Undergraduate Singers, Schindler helps manage budgets for large-scale student productions. He also serves as treasurer and music director of the Renaissance Singers of Northwestern University and co-treasurer of Northwestern’s collegiate chapter of the National Association for Music Education.
Through the Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP), a funding source for undergraduates seeking real-world learning and career-building opportunities, Schindler trained with the Berlin Opera Academy in 2024, working alongside professional singers and refining his craft through intensive instruction.
Last year, SIGP gave him the opportunity to perform with the Chicago Summer Opera, taking on the comedic role of Truffaldino in a modernized production of the classic German opera Ariadne auf Naxos. It tells the story of a princess abandoned on a Greek island as a troupe of musicians try to cheer her up. In this version, however, Schindler played a member of a ’90s boy band.
“It was a bit of a slapstick comedy, but I got great experience both singing and dancing, which you don’t often get to do in an opera,” says Schindler, a baritone who has performed in nine Northwestern productions. “I also gained valuable insight into the audition process and what it means to pursue music professionally.”
In summer 2026, he is taking part in a third opportunity funded by SIGP with a music pedagogy program in Paris, where he will study diverse teaching approaches from international faculty and continue to hone his skills as an educator.
From stages in Chicago and Berlin to a classroom inside the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center, scholarships and grants have given Schindler access to formative experiences at Northwestern and prepared him for a future in music education. He points to his work with AMPED and the detention center’s residents as a defining influence on his commitment to teaching and to using music as a tool for impact.
“My parents have always instilled in me the importance of doing what you’re passionate about and making a positive difference,” he says. “I can’t stress enough the amount of appreciation I feel for the people who continue to support these programs and students like me.”
Northwestern launched the Forever Shine Campaign in May 2026 as a University-wide effort to empower students to thrive. The campaign aims to raise funds for scholarships and supplemental programs benefiting undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students.