On campus Sept. 28, student auditions among Stetson’s talented soloists and chamber ensembles will take place, with performers evaluated by a panel of independent judges. Those selected will get the chance to perform on stage next spring at one of the world’s most celebrated concert venues: Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

For the students, Carnegie Hall represents a showcase opportunity of a lifetime, a moment they’ll likely never forget.

For Stetson, the highly competitive auditions and subsequent NYC concert mark the continuation of a longstanding tradition of excellence that has distinguished the program for decades. The School of Music’s first annual “Stetson at Carnegie Hall Chamber Music and Solo Competition” was held in October 2022, with students taking the Carnegie stage in March 2023.

This year, and for the next five years, both events are being made possible by the charitable spirit of alumna M. Jean Greenlaw, who received her bachelor’s degree in 1962 and master’s in 1965. (She earned a doctorate at Michigan State.)

By virtue of her philanthropy, the School of Music’s big NYC evening has been aptly named the Dr. M. Jean Greenlaw Stetson University Concert, to be held on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 8 p.m. Greenlaw also has joined the School of Music’s Board of Advisors.

“The naming of this year’s Carnegie Hall initiative in honor of Dr. M. Jean Greenlaw reflects her extraordinary philanthropic vision and her profound commitment to elevating the arts and education,” commented Washington Garcia, DMA, dean of the School of Music. “We are equally delighted to welcome Dr. Greenlaw to the School of Music’s Board of Advisors, where her passion for music as well as the duPont-Ball Library will strengthen our community and foster an even greater spirit of collaboration across campus.”

The duPont-Ball Library holds the M. Jean Greenlaw Collection of approximately 1,750 children’s books, acquired in 2006 and housed in the M. Jean Greenlaw Special Collections Room on the library’s ground floor. Notably, Greenlaw’s dedication to the library started when she was a graduate assistant to Ruth Smith, PhD, then a professor of Education, whose education classes met in the new library. Greenlaw had an epiphany that changed the trajectory of her life into becoming a professor of children’s literature. She took part in Operation Booklift, where books were moved from the old library to the new building in 1964.

Following her time at Stetson, Greenlaw taught in public schools and was an active member of the University of North Texas faculty from 1978 until her retirement in 2005. She is a recognized expert and author in children’s literature and reading. In 1992, the International Reading Association chose her as the Arbuthnot Award winner, honoring her as an outstanding university teacher of children’s and young adults’ literature.

Shaping Lives

Over the years, Greenlaw’s college experience at Stetson stayed with her because of the impact of mentors, who remained helpful throughout her career, long after she had left as a student.

“Going to Stetson really shaped my life, and I never lost touch,” she said. “Supporting Stetson is one way I can honor the people who truly changed my life.”

In turn, as a lover of music, Greenlaw is helping to shape students at Stetson today, such as violinist Danae Tran, who has performed at Carnegie twice, both in 2024 as part of a string quartet and last year as a soloist.

“Performing solo in the Hall made me appreciate sharing my music to the audience and trying to build that connection with my music to everybody,” said Tran, a junior. “Performing in the Hall helped me find new ways to express myself in my music through my instrument, as well as building the confidence as a performer.”

Those words are music to the ears of the School of Music dean, who worked to channel Greenlaw’s gift to the Carnegie concert.

“This is a demonstration that there are many people in the community who value, appreciate, respect and admire the relevance of the School of Music, not only in DeLand and in Florida, but in the United States,” Garcia said. “For somebody to say, ‘Wow, I really admire what you guys are doing. I want to be part of this’ is very special.”

Greenlaw wouldn’t have things any other way.

“I am very interested in music. I am not a musician. I am someone who loves music. I must admit, music is a great love,” she said. “I just find that I can go to a concert and leave almost in tears, or I feel totally uplifted. It just adds to making my life better.”

4th Annual Stetson in New York Chamber Music and Solo Auditions
Sunday, Sept. 28, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Stetson University, Lee Chapel in Elizabeth Hall

The Dr. M Jean Greenlaw Stetson University Concert
Friday, March 6, 2026, 8 p.m.
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall
154 W. 57th Street, New York

See the 2026 Stetson in New York website for more information.

-Michael Candelaria