David Jacob
Ph.D. Student
Education
Bachelor of Education—University of Calabar, Nigeria
Master of Music (MMus)—University of Hull, United Kingdom
What were you doing prior to Penn State?
Teaching General Music to K–8 at Henry Thoreau School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and conducting choir.
What factors influenced your decision to pursue this degree?
Opportunities for research, work on campus and network.
Why Penn State?
Penn State exhibits outstanding expertise in doing research, nurturing music educators, and sustaining a significant and diverse alumni network.
What do you do to relax and have fun outside of the graduate program
Reading, traveling, and football.
Biography
David co-founded the Hope Waddell Society of Music, a nonprofit organization that provides music education to about 3000 young people in Nigeria. Furthermore, he established the Discovery Tones Creative Hub to further promote students’ engagement in the performing and creative arts, thereby presenting young people with enhanced opportunities to play a major role in Nigeria’s budding creative economy. David possesses extensive expertise in music education, having accumulated more than 15 years of teaching experience across Africa, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom. These experiences and exposures sparked his interest in conducting research related to social justice, accessibility, and music education technology. David collaborated in the publication of a compilation of African rhythms from the South-South region of Nigeria with the aim of preserving the music of the Efik and Ibibio speaking people.