Rosemary Minkler with her Emmy Award.

Imagine you’re sitting at work one day and a coworker texts you, “Did you know you’re an Emmy winner??” That actually happened this spring to 2017 Western Connecticut State University Department of Music alumna Rosemary Minkler, who began taking piano lessons and discovered her love of music as an elementary school student growing up in Waterbury. She certainly never could have imagined that one day in her future, she would be the recipient of a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Technical Team Studio for her audio work for USA/NBC-Peacock’s broadcast of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“I’ve always loved music, especially playing piano, but I first thought of it as a possible career path when I was a sophomore in high school,” Minkler said. “I started playing piano when I was six years old and in high school discovered jazz. From that point on, I became obsessed and knew that it was something I wanted to do professionally. During this time, I also started recording myself in GarageBand and enjoyed exploring the relationship between music and technology.”

Minkler, who attended Chase Collegiate School (now ACES at Chase), graduated from high school in 2013. “When I started my college search, I knew that I wanted to go to school for jazz performance and/or audio engineering, so with that in mind, I looked for schools that offered courses/majors in both,” she said.

“I applied to a few schools that were conservatory-style, including Berklee College of Music and SUNY Purchase, and also applied to more traditional universities such as NYU and University of Hartford,” she continued. “However, I decided on Western Connecticut State University based on several factors. First, the campus and students really stole my heart when I came in for a shadow day. I almost immediately felt like one of the students and felt very comfortable on campus. Another big selling factor was the price point and proximity to my hometown. Even though my freshman year was in the old facilities on the Midtown campus, the brand new performing arts facilities on the Westside campus were also a very big selling point. And finally, along with my acceptance to the university, I was also accepted into WCSU’s Kathwari Honors Program, which was really exciting to me as someone with academic interests in addition to musical interests.”

Rosemary Minkler performs on the piano at her senior recital.

Once on campus, Minkler joined the Jazz Club and Audio & Music Production Club. During her time at WCSU, she also performed with the chorus, Frankensax, Jazz Orchestra, and smaller jazz combos. Minkler received a Bachelor of Music in Audio & Music Production from the School of Visual, Performing, and Communication Arts in 2017, and still enjoys the memories of her experiences at WCSU.

“I will say all of the faculty in the music department were so supportive throughout my time at WCSU and they were definitely one of the reasons why I enjoyed my four years so much,” Minkler said. “In particular, there are a few memories that stand out to me. Every year, the jazz program puts on a jazz fest and invites guest artists to perform with their own group as well as some of the student ensembles. My freshman year was particularly memorable as my jazz combo was selected to perform with legendary jazz trombonist Curtis Fuller. During the concert, we were playing a song (which he was on the original recording of) and I had played a particular rhythm that was on the original recording and he looked over at me and gave me a thumbs up. I will never forget that!”

Another highlight, Minkler said, was music faculty members Jimmy Greene, Pete Tomlinson, Dave Scott, Doug O’Grady and Ed Dzubak — who she said were not only mentors to her in both jazz studies and audio production, but also taught her a lot based on their experience and professionalism. She also mentioned Dr. Chris Kukk, who at the time was the head of the Honors Program, as being an inspiring professor. “He had an excitement for life and learning that was contagious and he always encouraged me and my peers to keep being curious and to lead a life of compassion,” she recalled.

Rosemary Minkler in the WCSU Studio. (Photo by Zee Rubin)

“The thing I enjoyed most about attending WCSU was all the people I met and friends I made throughout my four years,” Minkler said. “As a music major, not only is it very important to start building your network as early as you can, but it’s also just really special to meet other people who are interested in the same thing as you and genuinely want to work on their craft. WCSU was truly the perfect school for me in terms of size, course offerings, and environment, and I would happily recommend it to anyone interested in Audio & Music Production.”

After graduating, Minkler relocated to Brooklyn, New York. “Shortly after moving there, I started freelancing as an AV tech at a private school in Manhattan and playing gigs on piano as I expanded my network,” she said. “Then I got a job as an audio assistant at Buzzfeed through someone I met at my audio internship the summer before my senior year at WCSU. I worked there for several years and then the pandemic shut everything down. At this point, I moved to Stamford, and pivoted to doing online educational content for a music school I was working with and also started working as a post-production engineer, mixing TV programs and podcasts from home. In the fall of 2022, I started working at NBC Sports in Stamford and now I’m also working at WWE. I honestly could’ve never imagined that this is what I would be doing for work but I absolutely love it and am so happy that everything has led me here. Who knows what’s in store in the future!”

Getting ready for Paris at the NBC Studios in Stamford.

Minkler said she worked on the Paris Olympics in the summer of 2024 and was assigned to be part of the 24-hour coverage on the USA channel from the studios in Stamford. “I primarily worked as an A2, which meant that I was in the studio putting microphones on talent and I also was able to mix the show a bit when the main A1 (mixer) needed relief. Everyone worked hard for three weeks straight and we won for Outstanding Technical Team Studio. I had no idea that we were nominated for a Sports Emmy, but one day in May I got the text from my coworker and I couldn’t believe it!”

According to Minkler, pursuing a degree in music is definitely not for the faint of heart. “There are a lot of times where it will seem challenging and perhaps other people will question your ability to succeed (and in particular to make a living),” she said. “Despite the challenges, whatever they may be, being open-minded and willing to say ‘yes’ to new opportunities will reward you with so many amazing experiences you probably wouldn’t have even imagined for yourself. Maybe even winning an Emmy!”

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals, and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.