In Harmony: How Kate Bertelson Builds Community in Choral Activities

Hailing from Lubbock, Kate Bertelson ‘22 grew up in Texas Tech territory with Red Raider parents. However, the call to Texas A&M was never far, thanks to her aunt and uncle, former students who worked at the university.

“I grew up visiting College Station, going to Aggie football games and Midnight Yell, so when it came time to apply for colleges, I knew I wanted to be an Aggie,” Bertelson said.

Like many of her peers, Bertelson dove headfirst into Aggie traditions following her acceptance to Texas A&M. This started with Fish Camp, where after the three days, she got off the bus inspired with a calling to help students get connected to the university.

This led her to return as a counselor for Fish Camp, as well as serve as a peer mentor in Residence Life’s Leadership Living Learning Community. With the other mentors, she ran a leadership development class, applying the theories she learned as an agricultural leadership major to support freshman students with their transition to Texas A&M. Through these involvements, Bertelson’s passion for working with students deepened, which led to graduate school with the encouragement of her professors.

After earning a master’s degree in Recreation and Youth Development at Texas A&M, Bertelson landed in Music Activities through the power of the Aggie Network.

“One of my best friends, whom I mentored in the residence halls, was part of the Singing Cadets,” she said. “He called me saying, ‘Kate, this job opened up, and I think you’d be perfect for it.’”

Turns out, he was right, and Bertelson joined the department in 2023 as an administrative coordinator to support the Choral Activities program.

“I found the best community that I could have asked for, and it just goes to show how the Aggie Network connects you with people that they know you’re going to work with well,” she added.

Connections Made through Music

For the majority of students participating in a band, orchestra or choir at Texas A&M, making music is where they get a break from classes to express themselves creatively. As David Kipp, director of the Singing Cadets, says, Aggies should feel like they belong in Choral Activities, “feeding their soul” while singing with their friends.

This meaningful approach is the focus of Bertelson’s work, as she advises the student leaders in the Singing Cadets, Century Singers and Reveliers choirs, supporting them to plan events and navigate budgets. She also hosts dinner at the start and end of every semester for the student employees who support Choral Activities, even opening up her home last year.

“The students came over for burgers, stayed and worked on homework. It made me happy, knowing that I was providing a space they felt comfortable in,” she said.

Community-building reaches beyond Aggieland, as Bertelson travels with the choirs for their tours across Texas.

“Last year, the Singing Cadets performed in Levelland, which is 30 minutes away from Lubbock, and they sold out the entire theater,” she said. “My parents came, and everyone was encouraged to wear their college attire. We had all these Texas Tech fans in the audience supporting us.”

But Bertelson’s most memorable experiences are the adventures she had with the students from the choirs’ travels abroad.

“During the Singing Cadets’ tour in Malaysia, we went up these sprawling stairs in the heat to get to a temple,” she recalled. “By traveling, I get to connect with the students on a different level outside the office, which leads to a deeper appreciation and love for all the groups.”

Through these moments, it’s clear how music brings people together, including Bertelson herself. And on a campus of more than 80,000 students, Choral Activities offers a home for students, where Bertelson is helping to create a community, bonded through their love for music.

Get to know Kate Bertelson

As a student, you were a part of Fish Camp and the Leadership Living Learning Community. What did you enjoy most about those experiences, especially since they’re a part of student affairs?

Coming from Lubbock, I thought finding a community was going to be really difficult because I was so far from home and didn’t have many friends who came to Texas A&M. However, Fish Camp really gave me a sense of belonging that I didn’t find anywhere else, so I decided to apply to be a counselor.

After that first year in the Leadership Living Learning Community, my professor, Dr. Lori Moore, encouraged me and said, “I think you’d be a great peer mentor.” She took me under her wing, and I continued to find that passion for helping freshmen find their place on campus and be there as support for their first-year experience. During the pandemic, they ended up creating a senior peer mentor position, and I stayed.

After earning your bachelor’s degree, you came back for your master’s in Recreation and Youth Development. What led you to that decision?

While earning my undergrad degree in agricultural leadership, I did a lot of youth development and event planning classes, and my professors were fantastic. My committee chair, Dr. Chad Nelson, encouraged me to apply for grad school and pursue the youth development program since I’ve always been interested in camps and youth programs.

In the summers during grad school, I worked at The Boys and Girls Club in Lufkin, working for their swim program and teen program. After graduating, I wanted to stay in Aggieland, so I ended up at The Boys and Girls Club in Bryan until I came to Music Activities.

What does your current role look like supporting the choirs in Music Activities?

I’m an advisor for our student organizations: the Singing Cadets, Century Singers and the Reveliers. I work really closely with their leadership boards such as the president, vice president and treasurer to help them plan their events and oversee what they’re organizing for their group to assess risk management.

I also oversee all the student workers for the choir side of Music Activities by creating their schedules and ensuring they complete mandatory training. I also help with a lot of department events, specifically supporting Mr. David Kipp, who is my direct supervisor, to plan the Singing Cadets’ travel, as they go on tour to promote Texas A&M and what we do for the state of Texas.

The Singing Cadets are one of Texas A&M’s proud traditions. What is it like going on tour and being part of spreading Aggie traditions to new audiences?

It’s really cool! The Singing Cadets are very rich in tradition because they’ve been around the longest and are the oldest student organization on campus. A lot of the choir’s success can be attributed to Mr. Kipp and the music he picks. This year, he has done an outstanding job selecting music for America’s 250th anniversary, with a mix of patriotic songs and Broadway medleys.

My favorite part of concerts is seeing people either tear up or have that physical, “Wow, that was awesome!” reaction. It’s amazing because I get the fulfillment of working with the students, but then I get to see how they’re impacting people who don’t necessarily know Texas A&M.

What is a favorite memory of working in Choral Activities?

My first year, Mr. Kipp took all of the staff to an Aggie baseball game where we were playing Oregon. It was the game where the Aggies won to advance to the super regional in Omaha. We all got to sit together and hang out as a staff at the game, and I was like, “Oh, I work with my family, and this is more than just work.” I feel really lucky that it’s a normal thing that we can go to a baseball game together on a Tuesday or Thursday night.

In addition to all the fun travel moments, I put the Aggie ring on one of my students last April. That was an extremely special moment.

Do you have a favorite Texas A&M memory as a student?

I was in grad school when the Aggie football team played against Alabama in 2021. My friends and I camped out for that game, and it was so much fun, especially because we got to witness the Aggies winning. It was probably one of the coolest experiences I’ve had at Kyle Field, and I got to experience it with my best friends who I still talk to today. We have a rally towel that we all signed that sits in my office as a sweet reminder of the day.

You mentioned swimming as one of your passions outside of work. Are you still involved in the sport?

I coach in the evenings with the College Station Tsunamis, which is our city summer league team. We have swim meets every single weekend from April through July. It’s a little busy, but really fun because it fulfills my heart and my passion for working with youth. I get to work with kids ages 5-18, teaching them how to put their swim cap on and helping them become confident and comfortable in the water.