Meet Outstanding Master’s Mentor Dr. Wesley Bradford
The Graduate School congratulates Dr. Wesley Bradford as a recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Master’s Mentor Award.
Dr. Bradford is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music Theory in the School of Music and Performing Arts. His research focuses on musical meaning and interpretation. He joined the faculty at UL Lafayette in 2016 and immediately began serving graduate students in valuable ways.
Nominated by his Music colleagues, Dr. Bradford is regarded as an exemplar of good mentorship, an active researcher, approachable, and a thoughtful listener. He operates with a consistent goal of helping his students develop their highest professional and artistic potential. His mentoring philosophy sets high expectations alongside realistic goals. Maintaining a good work-life balance is essential, and he shares his own strategies for reaching that balance.
“I believe a graduate degree is much more than just the academic experience, and I endeavor to pass this on to students through both clear expectations and understanding flexibility,” he says. “I also hold myself to a high standard by engaging deeply with each individual’s research work so that I can provide meaningful, timely feedback.”
Dr. Bradford’s commitment to effective mentorship is noted through his evaluation of every incoming graduate student with a music theory exam, his service on nearly every Master's student committee, and his leadership of many others. He also has added much to the curriculum, from new rigorous new courses to a Composers Forum that engages graduate student composers in the administration of an innovative recital. He takes care to emphasize writing components in his courses, which, his colleagues commend, has increased the graduate students' abilities to explain their research efficiently and effectively. Beyond his own classroom, he also supports grad students appointed in GTA roles in the School. “Under his leadership, our teaching assistants in Music Theory have gained experience in the classroom and had positive teaching experiences to aid in their development,” explains Dr. Catherine Roche-Wallace.
Because Dr. Bradford is an active researcher, he understands well the current state of academic research, which allows him to guide Music grad students on writing, publishing, and presenting their own research. He keeps students informed of opportunities to present their research at conferences or composition competitions. He also enjoys welcoming alumni back to campus, connecting them with current grad students all the while continuing mentoring relationships beyond graduation. Thank you, Dr. Bradford, for mentoring our graduate students with meaningful interactions, high standards, and transparency. Your students, colleagues, and the Graduate School are grateful for your commitment to mentoring excellence. Because of you our students are well prepared for life beyond the ŷƬ.
