Nova Southeastern University is known more for sciences than it is for the arts, but one amazing professor in the Performing and Visual Arts Department stands out.
Jessica Muñiz-Collado, assistant professor of music, teaches numerous music courses and runs her own business. Collado, who has been with NSU for seven years, is the drumline director and teaches courses in commercial music composition and music production. Collado strives to prepare students for career success.
Outside of the classroom, Collado is always busy. She has her own company called Nizco Music where she helps musicians navigate the music industry.
“There’s a lot of musicians out in the world right now who don’t know how to navigate services to make sure that they can utilize their skills as best as they can in this new music industry model,” said Collado.
For Collado, NSU holds a special place in her heart. She used to teach public middle school where the arts were merely an extracurricular activity that was underfunded and disregarded. At NSU, she gets to work with passionate students who value music as more than just an elective.
“Now I get to work with students who really see music as something beyond the hobby,” said Collado.
She added that, “Being at NSU allows me to teach music and interact with individuals who want to pursue music full time and students who want to learn another career or are studying another career path. They want to still be able to connect with music and utilize what they learn in music.”
Collado’s students inspire her teaching. They are always teaching her new things and keeping her updated on trends. She also likes to know more than just her students’ names but also what they enjoy.
“They’re so diverse with their listening habits and what they listen to and what they favor, like, it just sparks up conversations and I learn from them. They keep me younger, so I can be more relatable and understand where certain trends are going,” said Collado.
Many classes have been taught by Collado, ranging from music theory courses to music production courses, so it is hard for her to pick a favorite. She loves the drumline and classes within her field of study: production and theory.
“I really enjoy the music production and composition as well as the commercial music theory classes, just because I can geek out on music theory and I love it,” she said. “When you know how to use the theory correctly, you can write really great music.”
While Collado is passionate about theory and production, she suggests that students who do not have the time to learn an instrument or to read music, take music of world cultures.
“I would say music of world cultures because what they learn from that class, they can use in whatever field of study they decide to go into. It’s good way to break into conversations with other people and create social environments,” said Collado.
Collado also suggests those who already play an instrument or even sing register for ensemble or audition for drumline.
“If you’re an instrumentalist, it doesn’t matter your capacity, sign up for ensemble. If you ever want to play drums and you’re like: ‘I’m too scared,’ just try out for drumline,” she said.
Max Hernandez, a 2021 NSU alum, was a music minor and a student of Collado. He, like others, loved her classes and her teaching.
“Each class is worthwhile. Right away you can feel her passion for music, and it becomes more apparent with each class you take,” he said. “Her classes are some of my most memorable moments at NSU.”
