Elizabeth AdcockElizabeth Adcock

Part-time Faculty, Music, CLASS

Elizabeth Adcock has been employed at MSU Billings for 28 years and her impact on students has not gone unnoticed during this time. Putting in extra time to help the department recruit new students, provide extra lessons, and be there for her students, Adcock’s dedication to her students is the reason why she has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Part-Time Faculty Award.

A colleague notes that Adcock, a guitar teacher in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, provides students with extra time because “she knows it takes a lot of effort to get beginning guitarists to a level acceptable for performance.” Many students studying music with the guitar do not have the same level of exposure to the instrument other musicians have because the guitar is not an instrument typically taught in schools; they arrive with little to no traditional music background. Adcock takes beginners and “turns them into true performers and teachers.”

Students who have studied with her are thankful for the extra time she spends with them. “The simple fact is, not only does she do this, but she gets these students to exceed the standards and expectations of the department and become some of the finest musicians the school produces. It is a baffling feat,” notes a student.

Also directing the guitar ensemble, Adcock finds attention-grabbing music for whatever sized group she has each semester. “The concerts are well played using interesting choices of music from a wide variety of genres,” notes her colleague.

Adcock also impacts her students beyond the classroom. As one student explained, she was there for students both inside and outside the classroom: “Elizabeth was always there for me, pushing me to better myself as a musician and as a person. She stood by me and pushed me to do my best and rise above and beyond the expectations of those who didn’t believe in me.”

Adcock’s dedication to her students and the time she takes to help them succeed become the core reasons why she has been selected for this award.