Student Spotlight: Koree Martin

Koree Martin, a senior from Newnan, Georgia, is majoring in Music and minoring in Business Administration. He has been a Marching Southerner for six years, and for the last two years, he has been head drum major. He is also a brother of the Mu Iota chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, currently serving as the Vice President of Service. In his free time, Koree enjoys playing video games, finding and creating new music, and writing.

What is the last book you read?

The Hobbit; Tolkien was a mastermind.

What is your favorite thing to eat on/off campus?

I rarely eat on campus, but when I do, I go to WoW! The Jax State Slammer is so good. My favorite spot to go when I’m off campus is Cook Out. Their Cheddar Style Big Double Burger is UNREAL.

Why did you decide to come to JSU?

In high school, my marching band – the East Coweta HS Marching Indians – would attend the Bands of America Regional here at JSU every year, so I was already familiar with most of the campus. But what really sealed the deal for me was JSU’s one-of-a-kind marching band, the Marching Southerners. Hearing them for the first time honestly changed my life forever, especially since I was so passionate about marching band back then (and still am now). It was an exhilarating experience that I witnessed year-after-year, and I couldn’t give up the opportunity to be a part of it.   

Why did you choose your major?

To make a long story short, I began as a General Music major and changed my major many times. What ended up bringing me back was my passion for music and a sincere interest in its creation. As a freshman, my passion was somewhat there. But as time went on and I became more involved in the music program, my passion for music grew exponentially, which led to me making one final switch back to General Music.

What are your post-graduation plans?

I plan on getting a Master’s Degree in Sound Design at SCAD and possibly becoming a Music Producer or Sound Designer down the line.

Why do you love doing what you do at JSU?

I feel as if everything I do here at JSU is preparing me for my life moving forward. Being a Marching Southerner, being a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, and attending classes to learn something new every day are all layered experiences that I feel will directly benefit me post-college.

What has been the most impactful experience you’ve had as a college student?

The most impactful experience I’ve had as a college student actually took place while I was in the Marching Southerners. In 2016, a little girl and her mother found my fellow drum major and friend Andrew Record and me after we performed at an exhibition performance. The girl came up to us, gave us a few hugs, and took a picture with us because she absolutely loved the Southerners. The following year, the girl and her mother found us once again after an exhibition performance, but this time around, the girl brought her little sister along! She wanted us to sign a cast she had on her foot. So we signed it, took another picture, and were bombarded with hugs. Finally, this past year, Andrew and I attended our final exhibition performance as drum majors, but we hadn’t seen the girls at any exhibitions yet. We were both eager to see if they would be there to get one final picture with us before we hung up our uniforms for the last time. As we finished the performance, I heard a little girl shouting my name from the stands. I turned to see who it was and there they were: both of the little girls! They ran down to the field and once again gave us the biggest hugs! Afterwards, we took one final picture and went our separate ways. Unexpectedly, we saw them one last time at the Kennesaw State game at SunTrust Park! They surprised us with handmade gifts and gave us one final goodbye from the stands. They showed me how important and substantial music can be, no matter how old you are. Their love and kindness filled my heart with insurmountable joy, and they left an everlasting impact on my life.   

What was the coolest part about being a drum major?

Besides what was mentioned in my answer above, getting to perform in front of thousands of students and families and having the opportunity to impact them the same way I was impacted by the Southerners when I was in high school. We work so hard to make the show the best it can be, and seeing all that hard work pay off in front of those enormous crowds is truly indescribable. The look in a Southerner’s eyes after a good run of our show is the closest I can get to describing the amount of joy we feel from making an impact on the lives of our community. 

What about your learning experience in the Music department gives you the confidence to take on life after graduation? 

What gives me that confidence is the amount of passion and care every Music professor injects into their lectures and into every connection they make with their students. They work so hard and they truly care about the success of their students. They’ve single-handedly given me the confidence I need to do well in the real world. With the knowledge and passion that they’ve instilled in me, I feel like I can truly thrive in any field of music I end up in.