Shavon Lloyd ’19 is proud to be a part of “the Crane lineage,” which began for him when he was a grade-school student in Middletown, New York.
“A lot of my music teachers were Crane alumni,” Lloyd recalled. “They fostered in me a love of music that I’d like to inspire in my own students.”
The decision to attend SUNY Potsdam and major in music education was a natural one for Lloyd. In addition to the encouragement from his teachers to pursue a music degree at Potsdam, Lloyd was motivated by the level of competition at Crane, which he said “made you want to be better.” He added, “Crane’s program is so renowned.” At Crane, Lloyd was challenged by the faculty who are themselves accomplished musicians – performers, composers, conductors – who encourage students to pursue new musical experiences and creative avenues.
Lloyd’s experience at Potsdam extended beyond his studies in music. “From the day I moved into my room on campus,” he said, “I fell in love with the atmosphere.”
Lloyd was very happy to see the wave of diversity on campus. “I loved exploring my own culture and learning others’ cultures as well,” he shared. In addition to performing in Crane Chorus and other Crane ensembles, Lloyd had the opportunity to perform in Voices of Victory, the College’s gospel choir, and SOUL, the all black-music performance group on campus.
Among other accomplishments, Lloyd was invited to sing at the inauguration of new SUNY Chancellor Dr. Kristina Johnson and to perform alongside Crane Alumna Lisa Vroman ’79 in her cabaret performance at Crane last year. Additionally, his piece titled “Motherless Child” was performed by Crane Chorus, and he was one selected as one of the soloists for Mozart’s C Minor Mass in the 2019 LoKo Arts Festival concert featuring the Crane Symphony Orchestra and Crane Chorus.
Lloyd sends out “a huge thank-you” to the donors of his scholarships, which include the Cassie Davino Memorial Scholarship, the D’Addario Family Scholarship for Music Education, the Alan E. Adams ’61 Scholarship, the George W. Blaha Award, and the Kenneth C. Cottrell Endowed Scholarship. These scholarships have inspired him to want to do better and work harder to make the donors proud.
One of the best outcomes of receiving these scholarships has been the opportunity to get to know the donors. He is especially grateful to the Davino Family. “Mrs. Davino sent me flowers before my senior recital,” Lloyd beamed. “Because of their generous contribution to my education, I have been able to go above and beyond with my experiences at SUNY Potsdam. For that I am eternally grateful.”
Lloyd has accepted a position as a high school music teacher at Indian River Central School in northern New York, and he is still mulling over where he will pursue his master’s degree. “I want to teach awhile first,” he determined, “before I decide where to go from here.”
Knowing Lloyd, he will thrive and inspire wherever the road may lead.
To learn more about the impact of giving at SUNY Potsdam, visit: https://www.potsdam.edu/giving/donorimpact