Meet Tyler Manske

At VCSU, Tyler Manske pursued a degree in music. He paused in 2015 to spend time narrowing down what he wanted to pursue. While working, Manske met Michael J. Glasgow, a talented North Carolina composer and conductor and struck up a conversation about their shared love, music.

Without hearing Manske sing, Glasgow offered him a choir spot for a performance in 2017. Manske was shocked when he later discovered it was scheduled in the legendary Carnegie Hall. He seized the opportunity, had a wonderful experience and was even invited to return in 2022 for the world premiere of another of Glasgow’s songs. “To walk the same steps as legends like The Beatles and Tchaikovsky was an honor,” Manske said. “As I walked back to the hotel with my tuxedo jacket slung over my shoulder, I was grateful for the experience and excited for the cheap, greasy New York pizza that awaited me.”

Manske returned to continue his education and graduated from VCSU in 2022 with a degree in music. He is now a communications specialist for Grand Forks Public Health. “Though my degree in music is not in line with my career,” he said, “that isn’t to say that the broad scope of my education didn’t help get me where I am today. Because I had such a solid educational foundation, I was able to take advantage of whatever career opportunities came my way.”