V-State Experience Coming to Jacksonville Saturday

Greyson Halligan of Jacksonville, Florida, discovered VSU while attending Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and playing trumpet with The John Lumpkin Institute and Douglas Anderson Jazz Ensemble II. He anticipates earning a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance, emphasis in Jazz Performance, in Summer 2022.

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University is bringing its V-State Experience to Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday. The fun kicks off at 4 p.m. at The River Club located at 1 Independent Drive #3500 — and everyone is invited to attend.

Valdosta State is excited to return to The River City by The Sea and have an opportunity to meet Jacksonville area residents interested in learning more about VSU’s unique model of education — one centered on individualized mentorship and support. This is the first time VSU has offered this type of face-to-face in-person experience since before the start of the ongoing global pandemic.

Admission to the V-State Experience is free of charge. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served. Attendees will have a chance to win a VSU scholarship and take home some Blazer Nation swag. Guests can register at www.valdosta.edu/vse.

“This is the perfect opportunity to come out and get to know VSU,” shared Ryan Hogan, director of Admissions.

“We are excited to talk about our out-of-state tuition waiver for Florida residents; our new Online College for Career Advancement, which is ideal for nontraditional and active-duty military personnel who want to earn a college degree; our commitment to experiential learning and helping our students develop the skills necessary to make a positive impact on the communities they call home; the many opportunities for degree holders who want to further their education at the graduate level; our national championship athletics; our diverse array of academic, service, and social organizations; and so much more.”

Greyson Halligan of Jacksonville discovered VSU while attending Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and playing trumpet with The John Lumpkin Institute and Douglas Anderson Jazz Ensemble II. One of his teachers, Don Zentz, is a VSU alum.

Halligan graduated from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in 2018. He anticipates earning a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance, emphasis in Jazz Performance, in Summer 2022 and joining VSU’s powerful and positive community of Blazers who find genuine happiness and fulfillment in their personal and professional lives and use it to empower the people and places closest to them.

VSU: How did you discover a talent / passion for music, and when did you know that is what you wanted to study in college?

Halligan: I started learning trumpet in the fifth grade at KIPP in Jacksonville. I later auditioned for LaVilla School of the Arts for band, and I never stopped loving music.

VSU: What are your ultimate career goals?

Halligan: I want to be a freelance musician and composer.

VSU: Talk about your VSU experience.

Halligan: Learning from the faculty here has been an absolute blessing. Mr. David Springfield, director of Jazz Studies, is a fantastic arranger and bandleader, and everybody in the music department works to respond to my specific needs. For example, I get two trumpet lessons and one piano lesson every week because I want to focus on both instruments.

VSU: What would you say to any Jacksonville area residents who might be considering attending VSU in the future?

Halligan: Look into it. The perfect university is different for everybody, so think about what you want out of your college education. I chose to attend VSU because it’s affordable, only a two-hour drive from home, the faculty is incredibly talented, and they tailor the education to the individual — not to mention the campus is beautiful.

VSU offers more than 180 academic programs at nine different levels — associate, bachelor, master, specialist, and doctoral degrees, as well as minor, certificate, certification, and endorsement. Programs are available online, on campus, and via a hybrid format. The new Online College for Career Advancement opened this fall.