Elizabeth Langston inherited her love for music, education and Stetson from her family.

“My introduction to Stetson was very unique,” said Langston, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a minor in Psychology.

Both her parents, Joshua and Lisa Langston ‘94, graduated Stetson with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Funny enough, Langston’s brother, Thomas Langston ’23, and sister-in-law, Melody Quiroga ‘23, also obtained their music education diploma from Stetson while her grandmother Connie Langston ’94, also a Stetson alumna, graduated with a degree in Education.

“But that’s not really what sold me,” she said. “I first realized I wanted to come here through Stetson’s Brass Camp. The trumpet professor at the time, Tom Macklin, was a fantastic educator with whom I really wanted to work with. The family part was an added bonus.”

Langston fell in love with the trumpet the summer before entering sixth grade, when her late grandfather, Jim Jones — also was a trumpet player — offered to give her lessons. She didn’t know it then, but that moment marked the beginning of her professional journey.

“It was just something I really loved and enjoyed,” she said.  “But, when I got to high school, I got a lot of opportunities to be a leader through treble playing like section leader and field commander. I also got to teach other trumpet players in my band, and I really enjoyed doing that, and I think that’s where it started. It was when I got to college that I realized I really enjoy elementary music education.”

Hatter Ready

During her years at Stetson, Langston was exposed to several experiential learning opportunities. During her sophomore year, she traveled to Italy to perform with Stetson’s orchestra. She participated in the National Trumpet Competition twice as a member of Stetson’s Trumpet Studio. During her senior year, she completed her internship at Heathrow Elementary under the school’s music teacher Michelle Smith.  

Langston received a number of awards during her time at Stetson. They include Outstanding First Year in 2022, Outstanding Second Year in 2023, Outstanding Senior Music Educator – Instrumental Award in 2024 and the Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar Award in 2025 — which is the School of Music’s highest honor.

“It was not even in my radar that me receiving the Presser Award could really be a possibility,” she said. “Being a part of the music school, I know so many people that are fantastic at their instrument, fantastic teachers and performers, and academically successful. So, I really was not expecting to be chosen as the recipient of it.”

Prior to graduating Stetson, Langston was chosen to perform at the 2025 Academic Awards and Recognition ceremony, where she was presented with the Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar Award back in May.

Don’t Be An Island

Through her years as a music student, Langston learned one phrase that often echoes through the hallways of Stetson’s School of Music — don’t be an island.

“People say that all the time and it’s super, super true,” she said. “In fact, I couldn’t have done anything had it not been for the people around me. They helped me study, they helped me put down my laptop and put down my trumpet — which is something that I was always doing, homework and practicing. So, the people in the School of Music helped me see that I can enjoy life without those things, but also helped me be more academically successful.”

If one thing rings true for Langston about Stetson and the relationship-rich environment that can be felt all around campus is  to “really cherish your relationships while you’re here, because the days are long but the years are super short,” she said.

Langston will be starting a full-time position as the new music teacher at Lawton Elementary School in Seminole County in August. She’ll be teaching students from kindergarten to fifth grade.

“I grew up with my parents being my teachers,” she said. “And I think growing up, that’s what really inspired me to become a music teacher.”

– Andrea Mujica