by Avanti Herczeg, Department of Art & Art History

In May 2021, the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts welcomed Dan Hanrath to the Creative Warrior family as the academic advisor for the Department of Music.

Graduating from Central Michigan University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition and Theory, Dan began working on his Masters of Music at Wayne State University (which he completed in 2019), with the primary goal of becoming a teacher. Working as a TA on lectures, however, he suddenly began to question this career path. It was also during his time as a graduate student that Dan took a position within the College of Nursing working with undergraduate veteran students and eventually moving on to work with graduate students. His two positions in Nursing allowed him to start working with students on a more regular basis.

It wasn’t until a meeting with his own advisor, former Music Department Advisor Maurice Draughn, that Dan realized “this is a job!”—in reference to academic advising. And so began his quest to become an academic advisor!

When asked what made him want to go into academic advising, Dan reflected back on his mom being a social worker and how he wants to be an advocate for students. He spoke of his love of education and how the “key to knowledge is power!” What is he most looking forward to in his new position? He mentions first that he is eager to get to know his students, something unfortunately lacking in his previous position. He also looks forward to having a platform and an opportunity to see his students progress from the first time they walk through his (virtual) door all the way to graduation. In addition, he looks forward to the opportunity of having more musical colleagues. And his first goal as an advisor? Working with the program coordinators to create plans of work for freshman and sophomore students department wide.

We spoke on his interests outside of advising. During the pandemic, Dan took up fly-fishing. His father-in-law recently gifted him a fly rod, and he now drives across the state trying to “catch the big one!”. He also talked about recently feeling some burnout from work and how he looks forward to “getting back into music!” to help with that.

WSU and CFPCA welcome Dan to the advising family!