OU Graduate Program Helps Lawton High School Alum Achieve Milestone

NORMAN — This December, Bartlesville High School assistant band director Rayél Lindsey, will achieve a major career milestone: earning a Master of Music Education from the University of Oklahoma, a program tailored for working teachers.

Lindsey didn’t always envision a career in music education. Growing up in Lawton, he was inspired by his father’s teaching career and found early success in sports. Despite his athletic interests, the trumpet – a challenging instrument for the young Rayél – became an unexpected passion.

 “Classmates were better than I was at playing the trumpet and it became something I really had to work at,” Lindsey said. “In middle and high school, my extra effort paid off though, opening doors beyond athletics that my friends didn’t see. I wanted to help future students find similar success and explore paths outside of sports.”

 That struggle sparked Lindsey’s lifelong dedication to music, eventually leading him to earn a Bachelor of Music Education from OU in 2019. That same year, he started teaching at Tulsa’s Memorial High School and Thoreau Demonstration Academy where he quickly connected with students from similar backgrounds. “I could communicate naturally, the way I did with my family and the students understood,” he said. His mission was to inspire students to excel in music, encouraging them to reach their full potential regardless of outside expectations.

 “I pushed my students to take pride in the band, saying we are going to sound good and I’m here to make sure of it,” Lindsey said. “Soon, they’d see me in the hall, stand a little taller and smile, knowing I had high expectations for them. Many kids in urban schools feel they must focus on sports, but I showed them they could excel in both band and athletics.”

 After several years in Tulsa, Lindsey accepted a position in Bartlesville, where he assists with the high band ensembles and leads the seventh-grade bands. He also teaches beginning trumpet and Trombone classes for sixth graders. He is the visual director for the high school marching band, instructing students in marching fundamentals and choreography.

 Lindsey had long wanted to earn a master’s degree but hesitated to step away from teaching. Finding a nearby flexible program seemed almost impossible, he says. In 2020, a Facebook post about OU’s hybrid master’s program caught his eye. The program offered flexibility, allowing Lindsey to stay in the classroom while advancing his education.

 “Knowing OU’s professors, especially Dr. Christopher Baumgartner, gave me confidence. I enjoyed working with him during my undergrad years and was eager to continue. Everything fell into place and the program has been a great fit,” Lindsey said. “Enrolling online has been easier since I had already met my professors in person. That familiarity eliminates the disconnect of remote learning, making the transition much smoother.”

The hybrid format, online and in-person on the Norman campus, also connected Lindsey with music educators nationwide, creating a supportive network for sharing strategies and insights.

“Each week, we tackled specific challenges and I applied that knowledge directly with my students,” Lindsey said. “Virtual classes became a time to receive great advice from instructors and classmates who faced similar situations. Supporting each other made us all better teachers.

 “Honestly, it has been a fantastic mix of being a teacher during the day and then switching gears to be a student again, allowing me to unwind while continuing to learn through the online classes.”