Dr. Sharon Gorman
Professor of Music & University Organist
B.M., Westminster Choir College
M.M., Westminster Choir College
Ph.D., Stanford University
Office: 178 Walton Fine Arts Center
Phone: (479) 979-1343
E-Mail: slgorman@ozarks.edu
Dr. Sharon Gorman joined the Ozarks music faculty in 1996. Her love of learning played a major role in her decision to become a university professor. She says, "I love learning -- and not just in my field, music, but in art, history, psychology, and literature -- and there is no better way to keep learning myself than to teach!" Having lived in California for several years prior to her move to Arkansas, Dr. Gorman says that while the change in temperature was quite a shock, the move to Ozarks has been a wonderful experience. Speaking of Ozarks, she says, "I enjoy the small classes and close-knit faculty. I have opportunity here to really get to know my students and colleagues. In larger places it is too easy for a student to become a faceless number."
Dr. Gorman says her desire to continue learning has brought her these lessons from her students: "With their questions, students constantly challenge me to learn more, both within my discipline and in other fields. But, perhaps more importantly, students have prompted changes in the way I approach the world. I am by nature an introvert but my students have taught me to step outside my comfort zone in order to teach more effectively." Her colleagues recognized the effort Dr. Gorman has put into her work by selecting her as one of the two "Bagwell Outstanding Faculty Member" recipients in 2002.
As a music instructor, Dr. Gorman has this observation for her students: "Music is all around us these days but I am afraid that most people really do not listen too closely. As a culture we have learned to filter out most of what we hear and ignore it; we allow ourselves to be manipulated by music without conscious thought (usually for some commercial end). People tend to use music too often, not to enrich their lives, but to provide some kind of sonic anesthesia against the world. It is my hope that through my music courses I can help students relearn the art of critical listening, a skill that has value outside the music field." She says she hopes most of all that her students will leave Ozarks with a strong sense of Possibility, fueled by confidence in their own skills and a strong desire to experience life fully. She reminds them, "A liberal arts education should not dead-end in a job, but should be something that enriches a person and prepares them for all the challenges and wonders and dreams that await them in the future."
Dr. Gorman says she finds inspiration in anything that is beautiful, whether a work of art, a piece of music, a well-written story, a well-acted drama or a spectacular sunset -- she is a person of many varied interests. This is reflected in the types of activities she is involved at the University. During weekly assemblies in Raymond Munger Memorial Chapel, you're likely to find Dr. Gorman at the keyboard of the University's three-manual Reuter organ, one of the finest organs in the region. She also sponsors the University's Photography Club and is the faculty director for the Freshman Mentor Program. In her spare time, Dr. Gorman enjoys many different hobbies. She says, "I enjoy reading of all types, especially science fiction/fantasy." She also says she enjoys movies with music by John Williams, of Star Wars fame. Some of her other interests include vegetarian cooking, landscape photography, and hiking in a wide variety of terrains, including ocean-side, mountain and desert. Her interest in photography and hiking naturally intersect; a number of her photographs have been featured in exhibitions at the University's Walton Fine Arts Center.
