The Marching Mocs at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga band has announced new annual stipends for its members of up to $1,000 beginning fall 2020.
The competitive, renewable stipends are available to students in any major, whether already on campus, transferring to UTC or enrolling as a first-time freshman.
“We are very excited about our new Marching Mocs stipends because, while we can provide students with appropriate compensation for all their hard work for the UTC community, we can also create a very powerful incentive to draw in more and more student musicians to join the Marching Mocs,” says Michael Griffith, visiting director of bands.
Currently, Marching Mocs members already receive a stipend of $300 their second year and this increases $100 with each year of membership (up to $500). But, the new stipends range from $400 to $1,000 awards in $200 increments.
Students will need to audition to be considered for the awards. Audition information will be shared on the music division’s website at utc.edu/music. Marching Mocs who qualify for the stipends will not need to fulfill any non-Marching Mocs performance obligations—participating in other ensembles—to maintain their awards.
“In the last year, we have partnered with the Yamaha Corp. and received a $140,000 musical instrument grant for all new marching brass and percussion instruments, and our new $14 million Fine Arts Center renovations—providing our students with a brand-new band room, practice rooms and other facilities—is slated for an August 2020 completion,” Griffith explains. “These, along with our new stipend structure, I believe, ensure a bright and exciting future for the Marching Mocs.”
