Dr. Marilyn Mason (NOT Manson!) is the University of Michigan School of Music's Organ Department chair. In addition to her faculty position, she is the organist at First Congregational Church, right in the middle of central campus. She is also a former resident of the Martha Cook Building (student residence) a couple blocks down the road, where she continues to visit for an occasional dinner. Dr. Mason has traveled all around the world to share her music, while influencing generations of students here at the U of Michigan, in and
out of the classroom.

Recently, the University held a concert in her honor to celebrate her 60th year of teaching. Despite much recent publicity around campus about her career and accomplishments, something many people may not know is that Dr. Mason begins every lecture with prayer. Yes, there is a professor at a public university who prays in the classroom! Granted, nearly all organ students work in churches so prayer likely would not offend them. And I doubt Dr. Mason's job would ever be in jeopardy considering her world renown, legacy and this thing called tenure. It (prayer in the classroom) seemed like a foreign concept to me at the time of taking her class, especially since most of my courses were in the science or ultra-liberal romance languages departments. She thanks the Lord for "the gift of music and what that
means to us" and prays for her class that we would be responsible stewards, "to whom much is given, much is to be expected".

When I think about our calling as Christians, I think of God's covenant with Abram to "be blessed" and "to be a blessing". Dr. Mason blessed me by reminding me to thank God for His gifts and my education, to use art as a reflection of Him, and to start everything
with prayer. I'm training to be a different type of "artist" now, but these very basic lessons remain indispensable in my life every single day.