Master of Public Administration (MPA)
As a college-trained and award-winning composer and percussionist, Alec Shirer understands firsthand the value of out-of-the-box problem solving and working together with a large and diverse group to make a collective contribution to the betterment of the society. Now, however, in a time where the American political discourse seeks to elevate the loudest voices on both sides instead of the wisest, he seeks to re-instill these virtues he learned through music back into society as a whole. In May 2020 Shirer graduated summa cum laude from Belmont University with a B.M. in Music Composition and a minor in political science. A member of the Dean’s List all eight semesters at Belmont, he was inducted into the Alpha Chi National College Honors Society in the Spring of 2017 and a nominee for the university’s Second Year award the same semester. Despite a busy schedule as a musician participating regularly in ensembles, recitals, and more, Shirer was active in extracurriculars as well. He was a four-year active member of the Omicron Rho chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, serving as its secretary (2017-18 school year) and vice-president (2019-20). Additionally, he served as an executive officer for Belmont’s new Young Americans for Freedom chapter for the 2019-20 school year. As a very recent college graduate with little time yet to earn accomplishments in the professional world, his greatest awards thus far have been the messages of gratitude from select peers for the level-headedness and wisdom of his political insights on social media during the recent time of extreme unrest and incivility. He hopes this respect will grow his reputation and soon make this paragraph a little longer and, more importantly, will inspire others to take up the cause of calm and collected political discourse.
