Band leader's estate endows scholarship

Northwest Missouri State University instrumental music students are eligible for a new scholarship endowed this year by the estate of a longtime Bearcats band director.

The Ward Rounds Instrumental Music Scholarship became an endowed scholarship this fall and is awarded to instrumental music education majors who play a wind or percussion instrument. The scholarship helps pay for the recipient’s junior and senior years of study.

Eligible students must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 and maintain it throughout the award year. They must also be enrolled as a full-time student and belong to the Bearcat Marching Band, Wind Symphony or Jazz Ensemble.

Successful applicants for the renewable award must have demonstrated leadership in Northwest's band program, show financial need and participate in a music service organization.

Rounds, who died last year at age 90, was perhaps best known as the director of the Bearcat Marching Band. He was a professor emeritus of music, having taught at the university from 1960 to 1985. A professor of brass and percussion, he conducted various university instrumental ensembles and founded the Northwest Summer Music Camp program.

Rounds and his wife, Liz, also performed at faculty recitals in addition to providing music on special occasions at their church. After retirement, Rounds gave music lessons for many years and repaired horns for area schools.

Alfred E. Sergel III, who served as Northwest director of bands from 1981 to 2003 and returned to that role this fall, said the scholarship serves as an incentive for Northwest music students to excel academically and demonstrate leadership among their peers.

"It recognizes the best students for the efforts they made, not only for going into the field of music education but on the campus as a positive influence in the band program," Sergel said.

"This scholarship really is based on their leadership and academic standing in the department, and it recognizes our best, which is a good thing to do. It sustains the legacy that Ward Rounds brought to the music program."