Albert Kuo '22
What have you been up to since graduation?
For as long as I can remember, I have always had motivating mentors who demonstrated the importance of accountability and maintaining a certain level of integrity, understanding how to receive constructive criticism by becoming an excellent listener, and learning how to lead with humility. Having developed a strong desire to follow in the footsteps of those who inspired me, I want to have that same impact and influence on the next generation of students, guiding them in their pursuit of what success means to them.
Upon graduating from Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music in 2022, I pursued my master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education with a focus in higher education administration, where I furthered my research on how effective a dynamic and high-spirited administrative operation can be for any college or university. Since graduating from my master’s program, I currently work at Widener University in the Office of University Advancement. Each day, I have the absolute pleasure of working, meeting, and learning from alumni, donors, and students of the university—being able to connect with and enable them to achieve their goals of offering their time, talent, and treasure to Widener has allowed me to develop skills I will use for the rest of my career.
Also, I participate on the alumni board with Northwestern’s Alumni Club of Philadelphia and assist Northwestern’s admissions team in reading undergraduate applications during the application season. With a background in jazz saxophone performance, I also perform with several bands in the Northeast and teach private lessons in saxophone technique, music theory, and music history. Most notably, I performed with Morning Dew (a group comprised of seven Northwestern students) on August 17 at The Bitter End in New York City!
Who made an impact on your life at Northwestern?
In addition to the members of the Bienen jazz studies faculty, the person who shaped my Northwestern experience was Victor Goines, former director of jazz studies and professor of jazz saxophone. Professor Goines provided me with personal experiences and opportunities that allowed me to grow not only as a musician but also as a human. I have found that lots, if not all, of the lessons learned through my musical studies can be applied to any given situation whether it be in a professional setting or not. Through my lessons with him, I have learned through jazz improvisation to value my own sense of creativity, to evoke certain emotions to coordinate with others within a community, and to celebrate meaning in both the tragedies and achievements that occur in everyday life.
Furthermore, it is difficult to express how grateful I am for the lifelong friendships I have developed with other students during my undergraduate years. I still frequently keep in touch with and visit all of them, and to me, this sense of comradery is what constitutes the enduring Northwestern spirit that I am honored to be a part of. Go ’Cats!