Class of 2005, Music Therapy and Music Education

Unbeknownst to her at the time, Maurer began utilizing the therapeutic principles of music as a teenager. With a deep love for music, Maurer knew that music therapy was a natural career choice. She has a passion to use music to help others in the ways she has used it to help herself. Now, as a music therapist, Maurer is able to do just that through her own private practice which provides music therapy services to patients at inpatient psychiatric facilities, and other long-term care facilities.

Maurer, an Evansville native, finds Evansville small enough to feel comfortable, but large enough to find plenty activities to keep busy. Living on campus made Maurer feel as if she was living "away from home" and independent. As she lived on campus, Maurer earned a position working as a Resident Assistant. This position prepared her for working with a variety of people and allowed her to further develop organizational skills. Attending the University of Evansville gave Maurer the opportunity truly get to know her colleagues and professors due to the more intimate class sizes. She feels that the smaller class sizes helped strengthen her interpersonal skills, and allowed her to seek additional help from professors as needed. In addition, Maurer notes that she had various performance opportunities which strengthened her musicianship skills. Another perk of attending the music therapy program at UE for Maurer was the additional practicum experiences. The music therapy department at the University of Evansville offers a minimum of six practicum opportunities in the curriculum. During a practicum, students travel into the community to observe or lead music therapy sessions for one semester with a specific population.

Building a music therapy practice in Evansville that has been successfully running for over a decade has been a highlight of Maurer's career. Moreover, career highlights happen often in the field as Maurer "finishes a group at an inpatient psychiatric facility and sees the changes in patients' perceptions of their situations and how they are drawing even closer to making positive changes in their lives."

In addition to running her business, Maurer is a wife, mother of two children, and also works as a travel agent. In her free times she enjoys traveling with her family, reading, and writing her own songs.