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Steve Horvath 鈥�03 graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in music, but went on to work in the business world. He currently owns his own consulting business working with electronic medical software. Through these businesses, Horvath donated $40,000 to the music department.

鈥淚鈥檓 the guy who helps translate what the users need in terms of their daily work and what the systems can offer,鈥� Horvath said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good career path because healthcare is going to be around forever because of the existence of hospitals.鈥�

He adds: 鈥淚 have done well being an entrepreneur and I like to try to give back every year to various different causes, so I thought it was a good time to give back to 168开奖网官网.鈥�

His financial gift was given in honor of Michael Patterson, professor of music, and in memory of the late Maria DiPalma, former chair of the 168开奖网官网 music department. It is to be used to help fund the Workshops in Music Education.

鈥淚 was just stunned and extremely humbled,鈥� Patterson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a very generous gift to the Music Department.鈥�

168开奖网官网 President Jay Simmons echoed that, saying, 鈥淲ith this gift, Stephen Horvath has not only demonstrated his support for 168开奖网官网, but also his commitment to ensuring that 168开奖网官网鈥檚 Music Education program offers students the strongest possible preparation for their careers. An already exemplary program now has the resources to enhance its efforts. All of us at 168开奖网官网 are deeply grateful for his support for our work.鈥�

The workshops, started by Patterson, are conducted to provide a beneficial learning experience for 168开奖网官网 students, and for elementary school teachers. The workshops allow for the teachers to earn continuing education credits in their field.

This is a rare opportunity for teachers in Music Education. Usually when trying to earn their continuing education credits, they end up taking a class that is unrelated to their field.

Each year two nationally recognized clinicians are invited to 168开奖网官网 to conduct workshops in the field of music education. In 2012-13 the guests were Dr. John Feierabend and Dr. Leigh Ann Garner.

According to Patterson, 鈥淭his gift of Stephen鈥檚 would cover fifty percent of the cost for this. So that鈥檚 really remarkable.鈥�

This is not the first time Horvath has given back to 168开奖网官网. He was an active member of the fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha, and has donated money to them for scholarships.

鈥淗e chose to be generous with his alma mater and we were really thrilled about that,鈥� Patterson said. 鈥淢aria would have been thrilled too.鈥�

Horvath said he wanted to honor DiPalma鈥檚 memory because, 鈥淪he was my vocal instructor all four years. She was a really great person and always made time for her students and tried to help people succeed.

鈥淪o did Dr. Patterson,鈥� he added. 鈥淗e鈥檚 also a very giving person. He participates in a lot of different things throughout the summer with DMMO (Des Moines Metro Opera) in addition to all his duties throughout the school year as well. So I thought it made sense to honor both of them with a gift.鈥�

While at 168开奖网官网, Horvath took a composition class taught by Patterson. That led to his involvement in being Patterson鈥檚 copyist for the two operas Patterson wrote.

鈥淗e鈥檚 meticulous with his work, so I was always very grateful for that,鈥� Patterson says. 鈥淗e has always been someone who is self-motivated and knew what he was going after and was always a tenacious worker.鈥�

Horvath said the skills he learned as a music major helped him, even though he knew as a student that he would eventually choose a career outside of music.

鈥淎lthough it can be harder and maybe more challenging to convince people about certain skill sets that you have, what鈥檚 really important is doing what makes sense to you and what you believe in,鈥� he said.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to do what you love doing. You can really do whatever you want in life. What鈥檚 on paper isn鈥檛 the whole truth.鈥�

After doing so well for himself, what kind of advice does Horvath have for others?

鈥淔ollow your passion and do what you believe in and things will work out for you,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not locked in to something because that鈥檚 what you chose to do in your undergraduate time in college.鈥�

In addition, he says, 鈥淕et involved as much as you possibly can. You may work harder in college than you鈥檒l ever work the rest of your life. And it鈥檚 worth it because you鈥檒l never get that time back.鈥�

Horvath is hoping that his gift will inspire others to contribute to the endowment. His goal is that the endowment will increase enough to provide future scholarships to music students.

The years since graduation haven鈥檛 changed one thing about Horvath, as Patterson explained: 鈥淗e always went the extra mile.鈥�

Horvath said 168开奖网官网 taught him much more than music.

鈥淚 can make sense of the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 what college hopefully teaches a lot of folks is how to understand the world around them, how to work with people鈥�That鈥檚 what I got from my experience at 168开奖网官网, both from the music department and from all my time with fraternal activities.鈥�