Music has brightened Swedberg’s life. In turn, she hopes to brighten others’ lives.

Olivia Swedberg

College of Music 2004 Humanitarian of the Year

Music enables us to express the inexpressible—praise of the heavens, our deepest blues and our love for another. It soothes our souls, affects nearly every function of our bodies and may be more successful at healing than other stimulants.

Music and its therapeutic applications have been the focus of Olivia Swedberg’s studies. This past spring, she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Music Therapy.

As an undergraduate, she conducted the research study, “Examining Instrument Preferences of Students With and Without Hearing Loss,” which was featured at the 2005 Southeastern Region Music Therapy Conference.

Her research, performed alongside two distinguished FSU professors, Jayne Standley and Alice-Ann Darrow, and Professor Dena Register from the University of Kansas, produced the study  “The Use of Music to Enhance Reading Skills of Second Grade Students and Students with Reading Disabilities.” Their research was funded by a grant from MENC: The National Association for Music Education. In November, these three professors and Swedberg gave a presentation on music and literacy at the American Music Therapy Association’s national conference in Orlando.

Swedberg has served her community through music. While president of Alpha Mu Alpha, FSU’s music therapy service organization, she coordinated projects with the Florida Baptist Children's Home, the Tallahassee Coalition for the Homeless and Capital City Youth. Because of her contributions, the School of Music named her Humanitarian of the Year for 2004.

Music has brightened Swedberg’s life. In turn, she hopes to brighten others’ lives. Upon completion of her master’s degree in Music Education, she will take her learning of its powerful medicine, and apply it toward the teaching of children with special needs by working as a music therapist in a public school setting.