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 Commencement      April 27, 2022

While not exactly a family secret, Chris Seay wasn鈥檛 aware that his grandparents had attended Western Carolina Teachers College, graduating together in 1952.

He made the discovery as a 甜瓜视频app student himself, well into his academic career as a music education major, while piecing together some family stories and reminisces of earlier times and ties to the mountains. His grandparents had passed away before college became a consideration for him.

鈥淚 stumbled across it, really,鈥� Seay said. 鈥淚 knew my grandfather had been a minister in Webster and my mother was born in Bryson City, and I knew there were connections here. The puzzle pieces came together. It鈥檚 a coincidence and it鈥檚 a treat to have found it out.鈥�

So now, exactly 70 years later, he looks forward to following in their footsteps and walking across the stage to receive his bachelor鈥檚 degree from the same, albeit evolved, institution.

The tuba player from Belmont has planned his next steps to include earning a master鈥檚 degree at Oklahoma State, then perhaps seeking a doctorate.

鈥淎s long as I鈥檓 teaching and performing, I鈥檒l be happy wherever I am,鈥� said Seay, who described himself as always being a band kid, having started out with percussion before moving to tuba because that鈥檚 what his middle school band director needed at the time. 鈥淎s long as I鈥檓 changing lives for the better. That鈥檚 what sharing music does and I鈥檓 so happy to be a part of it.鈥�

Besides his grandparents, Seay quickly added he found other 鈥渇amily鈥� ties to WCU.

鈥淭he School of Music feels like a connected family all throughout,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had some wonderful times, a few times of tragedy, and seeing everyone come together regardless of the circumstance, every professor, every studio, knowing you on a first name basis and asking how you are doing while passing in the hallway, makes it such a personable, wonderful time and I wouldn鈥檛 trade the experience for any other or bigger university.鈥�