Healing Through Harmony

As Trinity University students passed through Coates Esplanade on their way to class on an April afternoon, their walk was enlivened by the bright notes of a piano, the gentle strumming of a guitar, and the smooth sound of a voice.

The musicians behind this busking event were students belonging to Trinity's chapter of Music as Medicine (MAM), a nonprofit organization that uses music to bring healing and comfort to people in need. Members nationwide perform at hospitals, nursing homes, senior living communities, schools, and other places in their communities, hoping to spread the joy of music.

Though the nonprofit began in 2020, Trinity's chapter was established in Fall 2025 by club president and neuroscience major Laila Wahl '28. Wahl had participated in the club during high school and quickly developed a love for performing for others, playing the guitar and cello for the club.

"I honestly didn't fully recognize what it was until I was in it, and then I just fell in love with it," Wahl says. "The reward of seeing patients' faces light up, it's just amazing. There's not really anything like it."

As she entered college, Wahl knew she wanted to continue with MAM. As she spent countless hours at the end of her first year preparing to establish a Trinity chapter of the organization, Wahl was supported by the Student Engagement and Development Office. The office's staff helped Wahl just as they do for any other Trinity student who would like to create a new club on campus. Wahl also communicated with representatives from the national organization, brainstormed events, and reached out to peers to put together the officer team.

One of the most challenging parts of starting a new club on campus, Wahl says, has been attracting new members. The club is still relatively small, yet through continued outreach efforts, Wahl is confident that it will be able to expand its membership.

Despite its smaller size, Trinity's MAM chapter has already made an impact in the local community. The club has visited The Village at Incarnate Word , a retirement living facility, three times to perform for its residents.

Neuroscience major and club vice president Pavit Kesar '28, who plays the piano, guitar, and sings for the club, enjoys the time with the residents and has seen how it has positively impacted them. "It's nice to play music for them because they tell stories about how they used to do music when they were young," Kesar says. "They just like having someone else to talk to."

Though the club has enjoyed partnering with The Village, it also hopes to expand to perform at other places, such as schools and hospitals. Wahl appreciates how the club helps her engage with the broader San Antonio community. In doing so, she has become more aware of how easy it is to neglect the struggles of people beyond Trinity's campus.

"When you go out into the real world, you realize there are people suffering, there are problems that are out there," Wahl says. "My question is, what can we do to make that better? What can we do to help those people?"

As MAM continues to seek to serve those off campus, it is also committed to bringing music to the Trinity community. Along with the club's April busking event, the MAM members held a karaoke party last semester. In the fall, the club also participated in a campus-wide event held before finals called Unwind Before the Grind, where the members compiled Trinity students' favorite songs into one Spotify playlist and shared a QR code for students to scan and listen to as they studied for their exams.

Kesar appreciates how these fun events allow her to experience Trinity beyond academics. Though she also participates in the Trinity choir, the club gives her a more informal way to pursue her love of music and share her talent with a different group of people in need. "It's nice to do music and see another side of Trinity that's not just books and studying," she says. "I always look forward to spending time with the club."

The mental break from studying is just one appealing aspect for club members. For members majoring in STEM specifically, another meaningful aspect is the opportunity to blend their love for science with the arts, two disciplines that Wahl feels are not as unrelated as they may seem.

"Whether we see it or not, art is a part of STEM, it's a part of medicine," Wahl says. "You need to have a creative mind in order to create research projects and new ideas within medicine."

Although the club combines music with STEM, the officers welcome and encourage students from all majors to join, even if they have no musical experience. While there are other roles besides playing an instrument, the club also supports new members who would like to learn to play an instrument.

For club member Will Luckow '29, who began as a self-taught pianist almost three years ago, the club has supported his musical endeavors.

"I really appreciate how Music as Medicine has given me an outlet to have fresh ears hear my pieces," Luckow says.

Ultimately, Wahl feels that the club is a relaxed and fun way to share the healing nature of music with others. "You do what you love," Wahl says. "You just take your love for music out and perform. The reward is just so present in everything that we do."