Student Spotlight: Rachel Pac The music education major talks about her passion for teaching, a podcast she started as a result of a class project, and her mentor, the late faculty member Jarritt Sheel.
By
Editorial Staff
April 18, 2023
Image courtesy of Rachel Pac
What's it like to study at Berklee? Our Student Spotlight series asks current students all about their Berklee experience-what they're learning in class, what kinds of projects they're involved in onstage or behind the scenes, how they recharge, and of course, what they're listening to. This week, get to know Rachel Pac, an eighth-semester vocalist and music education major from Houston, Texas.
Tell us about your path to Berklee. What made you decide to come here? I first heard about Berklee when I was in middle school and my family friend would always ask what I wanted to do when I grow up. He told me that if I wanted to study music, the place I needed to be was Berklee. Later that evening I put a picture of Berklee on the cover of my journal. Then, flash forward four years later, I took part in the five-week Aspire program and auditioned for Berklee! I knew Berklee was the right place for me because of the tight-knit community within the music education program. As one of Berklee's smallest majors, and the nature of Berklee itself being a smaller school, I was really looking forward to creating relationships with peers and mentors.
Picking a favorite class...is such a hard question when you're studying something you love.
- Rachel Pac
Whats been your favorite class so far, and what has it taught you? Picking a favorite class out of my time at Berklee is such a hard question when you're studying something you love. My top two, though, and fittingly so, are probably the classes that tie together the book ends of my time in the music ed major. My very first music education class was Intro to Music Education with the late Professor Jarritt Sheel. Jarritt would end up becoming my first and closest mentor at Berklee; his class was my favorite because of how he made space for everyone in his classroom and really pulled me into involvement in the music ed major. My second favorite class is my directed study with Dr. Brian Gellerstein, analyzing the roots of white supremacy in music education. Dr. Gellerstein has inspired me in a myriad of ways. I love this class because I think it reflects the pinnacle of what Berklee prides itself on being-a progressive music education encouraging critical thinking for the benefit of everyone who engages with music in the classroom.
Whats a project youve worked on since coming to Berklee that youve been especially excited about? Jarritt and Intro to Music Education also introduced me to the world of podcasting! Our final project was to record a podcast with a music educator we admire. I recorded a podcast with my high school orchestra director, Creston Herron. I am a part of the entering class of 2019, so weeks after this final was assigned, we shut down for the pandemic. At this time was when I encountered my first explicit account of verbal racism as Asian hate arose during the peak of COVID-19; the silver lining would be that this instance would help me come up with the name of my podcast, Rachel Profiling. During this time of need for community and connectivity, I realized that my podcast would be a great outlet for this, and I have continued podcasting for the past four years-thanks to Jarritt for assigning a podcast as our Intro to Music Education final.
Listen to Rachels heartfelt tribute to Jarritt Sheel in this episode of her podcast, Rachel Profiling:
How do you typically recharge or find new ideas outside of class? My friends help me recharge and keep me inspired! Friends have always been the most stable aspect of my life. There is nothing that brings me more joy than spending time with them, going on walks around the Charles [River], getting a little iced coffee and catching up. Moments spent with my friends are really what makes my time at Berklee special and my heart so full. I know when I look back on my time in college, even the smallest moments of joy shared with my friends will be what I remember and most important to me.
When you think towards your own future, who inspires you most? When I think towards my future, my peers and mentors inspire me the most. I am someone who really holds friendship and mentorship most dear to my heart, and I am incredibly lucky to have so many people who have become this overwhelmingly kind and caring support system in my life. I have so many educators who have shared words of wisdom with me; my favorite thing to do is take voice memos or notes of the things they say-I think often about my favorite thing Jarritt once told me: Education is insurance for life. Conversations like this, from Jarritt and many of my other mentors, have helped me realize my philosophy of education. My peers in the music education major are also the people who inspire me most and really fuel my fire. I have met the most driven, genuine, and caring people in this major that I am lucky to call my best friends. They inspire me to not only be the best educator I can be moving forward but the best person I can be and uplift me where I am at every single day.
Whats one piece of advice youd give to your high school self? If I could give my high school self any advice, I would maybe actually ask her for advice too. I have always lived by two sayings: As long as you do your best, that's all you can do and Someone's gotta do it, so why can't it be you? It was in my junior and senior year of school when I started living by these and I felt unstoppable. I had immense confidence in myself and my future. I still have confidence in my future and myself, but as I have become more immersed in education I have begun to second-guess
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
Student Spotlight: Rachel Pac The music education major talks about her passion for teaching, a podcast she started as a result of a class project, and her mentor, the late faculty member Jarritt Sheel.
