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Dr. Tamika Sterrs-Howard, a University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) adjunct professor of music theory and music appreciation, is one of 35 selections from more than 300 applicants for the Cleveland Institute of Music's (CIM) .

Running from June to January, the fellowship will have five virtual gatherings, which will culminate with an in-person event in Michigan. The career development initiative is meant to engage African-American and Latinx music professionals who are pursuing or considering academic careers. It will prepare them with the skills, insights and networks to flourish professionally and influence generations of musicians, according to the CMI website.

Sterrs-Howard said she felt like her passion, as well as her setbacks in the job market and publishing, helped her application to stand out. She looks forward to networking with other musicians in higher education across the country.

"It's badly needed. There has been a bottleneck in higher education. More often than not, the field of higher education has been cut off to people of color," Sterrs-Howard said. "This fellowship connects scholars of color with the larger scholarly community, allowing us to be contributors. It creates a path for other scholars of color who will come after us. "

Her expertise is in music theory, applied jazz, jazz history, jazz/gospel composition, flute and other woodwind instruments.