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ClassNotes
Orchestrating self challenges
Music education degree brings harmony to Naval career By Katie Hudson (’10)
Monica Frey (’02) has
proved that she’s up for any
challenge — from teaching
a classroom full of middleschool
students to serving on
a guided missile cruiser.
The music education major
began teaching orchestra at
In a case of “right time,
right place,” Frey did use her
music education knowledge
when given the opportunity
to conduct the Russian Navy
band during a reception
aboard a Russian ship.
In addition to serving as
Hunt-Mapp Middle School in
helicopter control officer on
Portsmouth after graduation.
the Chosin, Frey also served
Soon after, she felt a calling
as the food service officer,
for a new challenge. “I enjoyed
responsible for an inventory
the teaching experience,” Frey
of nearly $250,000. She
says, “but I really wanted a
earned the Navy/Marine
more challenging and dynamic
Corps Achievement Medal,
environment and the opportunity
to serve my country.”
Lt. Junior Grade Monica Frey welcomes
professional challenges.
the Iraq Campaign Medal and
the Global War on Terrorism
Frey followed in her father and sister’s footsteps, Medal during 32 months aboard the Chosin.
and joined the Navy. She completed Officer Can-
Frey is currently serving as the flag lieutenant
didate School and the Basic Qualification Course to Rear Admiral Alan Thompson in Mechanics-
and headed to Pearl Harbor for a tour aboard the burg, Pa. “I am basically the executive assistant
guided missile cruiser USS Chosin. The Chosin
to a Fortune 500 CEO, except my boss is a two-
sailed for the Horn of Africa to conduct anti-piracy star admiral, and the company is the Navy Supply
missions off the coast of Somalia for four months. Corps,” explains Frey.
“It was about 110 degrees from morning to night,”
Her job demands constant attention to details
says Frey. “There were round-the-clock flight
and fine-tuned organizational skills, and Frey is
operations, so as the helicopter control officer, I
extremely grateful. “I am able to witness leader-
was pretty busy. A music education degree might ship and decision making at the highest levels,”
not seem closely related to the Navy, but it really
she says. “I’m gaining a top-down perspective
did prepare me in ways that no other major could. I that very few officers ever experience, especially
was managing a lot of sailors, who were right out of at such a junior rank. I plan to stay in the Navy as
high school, and I was able to apply some classroom long as I continue to wake up excited to go to work
management techniques that I learned.”
and am still being challenged.”
62 MADISON MAGAzINE
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International at the ACUI Region
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on Nov. 3. Reed has been a member
of the UUSA since 1993 and
has been an active participant in
ACUI and ACUI Region 5 supporting
the many programs ACUI
offers its members in education,
advocacy and services. In addition
to his professional services, Reed is
a volunteer with the American Red
Cross and the First United Methodist
Church of Salem.
Psychology major Nath-
07alie McCann Cooper of
Newport News is a Peace Corps
volunteer. She trained this past
summer in Ecuador to assist in
rural health development. She has
worked with at-risk youths and
families to promote better life
skills and sustainable improvement
in education and the community.
Cooper says, “I joined the corps
to provide service to those in need
and help people learn how to
provide for themselves to improve
their lifestyle.” Cooper will serve
in Ecuador for two years. ✱ Redskins
cheerleader Catherine K.
Linberger met her future husband,
Aaron Vaughn, on a USO tour in
Guam. Vaughn is currently in Iraq
serving with the U.S. Navy. The
couple will marry May 3.
Pat Bruce, Professor
You Love
Winter 2007.