Grads at a Glance: Marching from Band Toward a Teaching Career
By Sophie Coker, Class of ’26
ALBANY, N.Y. (May 11, 2026) — For history and anthropology major Grace Augenstern, the University at Albany struck all the right chords.
Coming from a competitive high school marching band in Endicott, N.Y., Augenstern joined the Marching Great Danes as a freshman, playing trumpet at football games, performing at events and representing UAlbany in purple and gold.
This year, Augenstern served as the drum major, the highest-ranking student leadership position in the group, keeping the band in time. She runs rehearsals and conducts from a podium.
“It has been a privilege to lead the band, which has grown to 130 students,” Augenstern said. “It really is just so much fun to do something I love alongside the people that I love.”
Augenstern has used campus resources and coursework to unite her love for music and history. Her senior capstone project for the History Department explores the use of music by governmental institutions in the United States as propaganda. She analyzed Woody Guthrie’s role as a musician in 1940s, a time of massive social, cultural and political change in United States history, aiming to answer the question: “Why music?”
An active member of the UAlbany Student Association, Augenstern serves as a humanities senator and University Auxiliary Services (UAS) board member, where she advocates on behalf of students through legislation and administration.
“Being part of a group that can help clubs and organizations find the financial opportunities to succeed makes me feel like I am creating a stronger campus community,” Augenstern said.
With the goal of becoming a high school history teacher, Augenstern plans to stay at UAlbany to pursue a Masters in Secondary Education through the School of Education. As she continues her journey in the Capital Region, she looks forward to sharing her experiences and assisting local high school marching band programs.