Sycamore finds personal growth in a full calendar

Marching band, yearbook, classes and work keep Melanie Stone on the go. She spends 10 hours a week on yearbook, two to three hours practicing percussion, six hours marching and works three jobs.

"I keep a planner on me at all times and I make notes of literally everything," Stone said.

Stone, a music education student from Jasper, Ind., is the editor of The Sycamore yearbook at Indiana State. Her yearbook career started her junior year of high school when a friend suggested she should join.

"In high school, I joined the yearbook because my friend told me I should work there," Stone said. "I instantly enjoyed the process. In college, I joined the yearbook as a photographer my freshman year because I still really enjoyed yearbook, and now I am the editor here."

While Stone has a passion for media, she also loves music. She currently plays snare drum for the Marching Sycamores.

"I knew in seventh grade that I wanted to work with music," Stone said. "When I got to high school, my school offered a program where high school students could teach middle school students private lessons." The music did not stop when Stone left the classroom. She joined Jasper High School's marching band as a freshman and continued marching through her four years.

"I am a percussionist so I play the marimba, snare drum and timpani," Stone said. "In high school marching band, I was center snare my senior year. Center snare basically means I was the section leader." As yearbook editor this year, Stone has found the position rewarding and challenging.

"I get to put the book together and put my ideas and thoughts into it," Stone said. "It's been hard keeping my email clean and staying organized. It's been a challenge keeping everything and everyone on task and keeping deadlines." 

Martha Milner, director of Student Publications in Student Media, has worked with Stone since Stone joined the yearbook staff in August 2016.

"Melanie is very organized," said Milner. "She is very busy because she's in marching band, but she does a wonderful job of organizing things."

Milner said the strength of Student Media is that they work with students from all majors.

"We are teaching basic communication skills like writing, photography, verbal skills, and how to interview," Milner said. "Through Student Media, we are helping hone skills that students in any major can use in a career."

By working for Student Media, Stone has grown into a leader and a mentor.

"Yearbook has given me a sense of leadership," Stone said. "I've learned how to delegate and how to be less passive. I have also become a better guide to the people I work with."

After college, Stone would like to teach high school music and wants to incorporate media into her classes.

"I am working now at a school doing my field work, and I would love to continue there after college as a percussion director," Stone said. "I want to keep yearbook and media in my career, but I am not sure how I am going to incorporate it yet."

Media contact: Morgan Gallas, strategic communication specialist, Student Media, (219) 246-1805 or mgallas@sycamores.indstate.edu